Apple M2? New MacBooks for 2022? The Mac Rumors You Need to Know

Apple has made some big moves over the last couple of years, replacing Intel processors with the first generation of Apple-designed M1 chips using ARM technology. A quick look at any of our Apple MacBook Pro or Mac desktop reviews will make it clear that these new systems have been a huge success. But Apple's probably not done yet.

After more than a year of major releases, seeing the unveiling of the latest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, as well as a 24-inch iMac desktop, (and the quiet end of the 21-inch iMac and the powerful iMac Pro), expectations are high for additional new Mac products in 2022. And rumors suggest that some big things are coming.

From new processors to revamped designs, Apple looks poised to bring several new products to market in 2022, and the first of these announcements could be just a few weeks away.

Processor Prognostication: New Apple M2, Upgraded M1 Max

Apple routinely holds special events where the company announces new products, and gives executives the opportunity to share details about new products and technology. Well, the next major Apple event is probably happening this spring, traditionally occurring in March or April.

A recent report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman predicts that the not-yet-announced spring event will be happening March 8, with potential announcements ranging from new processors to new MacBooks and Mac desktops.

The biggest rumored announcement for the spring 2022 event is the long-anticipated Apple M2 processor. According to news outlet Nikkei Asia, the new chips have been in production for months, fueling speculation that the updated processors could arrive in products as early as this spring.

After the successful 2020 launch of the Apple M1 processor, the first processor to use Apple's own chip design, the M1 line was expanded in 2021. The introduction of the M1 Pro and the M1 Max processors stepped up the ARM-based CPU with additional processing cores and more processing power.

Other early leaks suggest that an upgraded version of the Apple M1 Max could be coming, which uses 10 high-performance cores and two low-power cores. The new chip could increase the total core count from the M1 Max’s 10 cores (eight performance, two low-power), adding raw processing power without additional low-power cores. The speculation here is that a stationary desktop doesn’t need as much efficiency focus, since it doesn’t rely on battery power, and can draw as much power as needed for those beefier performance cores.

New MacBooks: Mac Laptops Get a Makeover

The anticipated M2 processor announcement brings with it plenty of rumored updates to the MacBook lineup, with new M2-equipped versions of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro expected this year. 

MacBook Air

The MacBook Air was one of the first to get Apple’s M1 processor, launching in late 2020. With excellent processing power and some of the longest battery life we’ve ever seen, it was a big win for Apple’s new hardware, and is likely one of the first products to get the anticipated M2 processor.

Apple MacBook Air 2020
(Photo: Zlata Ivleva)

Gurman says big things are coming for the slim laptop, reporting that the new model will get the “biggest MacBook Air redesign in the product’s history”. Renowned leaker Jon Prosser reports that the MacBook Air will come in several different colors, much like we’ve seen on the 2021 iMac. But the design changes don’t stop there.

Artist rendering of the rumored 2022 MacBook Air
(Image: Ian Zelbo)

Other leaks suggest everything from a new squared-off design that ditches the iconic wedge profile to talk of USB 4 ports and a MagSafe charger, as well as a notched display similar to the one found on the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops. 

And Apple’s famously thin MacBook is expected to be thinner and lighter than ever before, but might not even be called the Air going forward. We’ll take this last tidbit with a grain of salt, though. Many of these leaks bubble up from people in the supply chain, who rarely know the branded name of a product, and may only be working with individual parts of the finished product.

MacBook Pro

As reported by 9to5Mac, Gurman is predicting a new entry-level MacBook Pro will also be announced, replacing the current M1-powered model. In addition to the new M2 processor, the new MacBook Pro would ditch the TouchBar and feature the same expanded port selection that has come to current MacBook Pro models.

Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch)
(Photo: Molly Flores)

This step-down model would serve as the new affordable MacBook Pro, with a lower price than the premium M1 Pro and M1 Max models. Other changes would include smaller storage allotments, and displays without mini LED or ProMotion technology. It sounds like this new MacBook Pro could be positioned between the affordable MacBook Air and the more premium 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models already being sold.

Apple Desktops: Changes Big and Small

When it comes to desktops, Gurman thinks that there are several new Macs coming, with new models featuring the more powerful M1 Pro and M1 Max seen in the most recent MacBook Pro laptops, as well as new processors yet to be announced. Whether it’s the new M2 chip or a bulked-up M1 Max, the rumored CPUs could also mean big changes for Mac desktops.

Mac mini

The first among many Mac mini rumors is the inclusion of Apple M1 Pro and M1 Max processors, expanding the Mac mini line with the more powerful existing CPUs.

Artist rendering of the rumored 2022 Mac mini
(Image: Ian Zelbo)

The first M1 processor made its desktop debut in the Mac mini in late 2020, and early word is that the M2 processor could also come to the littlest Mac first.

Prosser reports that the Mac mini could also be getting a pretty significant design update, shifting away from the current all-metal design to a smaller chassis, with a thinner overall profile, and a Plexiglas-like top panel. There may even be multiple color options, but even the leakers are iffy on that point, so take it as you will.

The new design could also feature a larger port selection, with four Thunderbolt connections, dual USB ports, wired Ethernet and HDMI output, along with a new magnetic power connector.

Apple iMac and iMac Pro

One of those rumored desktop announcements is a new iMac that has a larger screen than the current 24-inch model. What that screen size might be is up in the air, with some rumors citing 27-inch display panels that would be similar in size to the current 27-inch iMac, and others suggesting screen sizes of 30 inches or more.

Apple iMac (2021)
(Photo: Molly Flores)

There’s also some talk of a new iMac Pro, with an updated version of Apple’s high-powered all-in-one desktop. Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants, says that the new iMac Pro could be coming this summer, with mini LED backlight technology for its screen.

Apple iMac Pro
(Photo: Zlata Ivleva)

As the follow up to the first Mac all-in-one for creative pros, we would expect a new iMac Pro to feature the same sort of powerful processing and enormous RAM support that made the first iMac Pro special. Whether that means it has the same M1 Max processor offered on top MacBook Pro models or something else is another question.

According to rumors reported by WCCFTech, the current 10-core M1 Max could get a more powerful sibling, with a 12-core configuration that uses 10 high-performance cores and two low-power cores, with less of an emphasis on power efficiency for the always-plugged-in desktop.

Apple Mac Pro: The Last Intel Holdout

Finally, the Mac Pro desktop is the most powerful Mac that Apple makes, but it’s also the last one still using Intel hardware. As we head into the second year of Apple’s planned two-year transition away to Apple Silicon, people are closely watching for a new Mac Pro.

Apple Mac Pro
(Image: Apple)

But matching the sheer power of the current Mac Pro’s 28-core Intel Xeon processor is no small feat. Current rumors suggest that new M1 processors above the current M1 Max will be introduced for the Mac Pro, coming in 20- or 40-core models. These would offer dozens of both performance cores and efficiency cores, as well as 64- and 128-core graphics options.

The bigger question might be whether the new Mac Pro will have the same modern chassis design as the current one, which is famous/infamous for resembling a cheese grater. It seems pretty likely that Apple will stick to the current desktop design, especially when you consider that the current Mac Pro uses a modular internal setup that should make it simple to swap out the hardware without disrupting the existing manufacturing line.

In addition to new Macs, Apple is also widely expected to reveal a new iPhone SE this spring, possibly with the same A15 chipset used on Apple's current iPhone 13 lineup.