rumor Rumored Specs for Apple's ARM Based MacBooks have "Leaked".

[WelshDdraig]

A user on twitter by the username of Apple Lab has apparently gotten their hands on the rumored upcoming specifications for the new MacBooks with the first generation of Apple ARM based Silicon (In their Laptop and possibly desktops line). There is no given evidence that these leaked specifcations are true, but there is also no evidence disproving them - and considering the specifications seem reasonable, I would think they might be pretty accurate. 

The rumored specs are for a new MacBook - Not a MacBook Pro - so like the 12" MacBook from 2016, in-fact, that's what this is expected to be like, given the expected 12" display.

List of Specs taken from Apple Lab's tweet:

• ARM MacBook info:
• SoC: A14X
• RAM: 8GB, 16GB
• Storage: 256GB,512GB (SSD)
• Battery life: 15hr~20hr 
• Port: single USB-C
• Display: 12” (Retina Display)
• Camera: 720p (FaceTime HD)
• Weight: lighter than 1Kg
• Price: $799 (by Apple Lab's "Source")

So yes, this is basically a new 2016-type MacBook for 2020 but with Apple Silicon. A good move I think considering that is a great platform to test this on. It will be small, lightweight and not super powerful - much like the 2016 MacBook. 
A downside I can see is the single USB-C (No word if it is Thunderbolt, much like Apple has reportedly committed to bringing to their ARM based Macs).
Article from @Mario5 in the spoiler to keep this article clean-ish (format wise)

Spoiler

 

 

My thoughts

Again, a downside I can see - if these rumored specs are to be believed, is the single USB-C (unconfirmed if Thunderbolt or not). Will it have a headphone jack? How will this compete with other options in Apple's line up - looking at the iPad Pro (even though they are running different operating systems). And if the price is to be believed, for a little more, you could get the MacBook Air (Sure it maybe a little heavier and a dual-core at base, but you get the 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports - for external expansion). Will the new MacBook have butterfly switches or the new scissor switches? 

I'm personally not sold on ARM as a desktop/laptop chip at the moment, but if anyone can push the industry in that direction, I'm sorry,but Apple will be the one to do that. So only time will see. 


Please leave your thoughts down below

 

Sources:

Source #1: Twitter (@ aaple_lab )
 

Spoiler

 

Source #2: Overclock3D: https://www.overclock3d.net/news/systems/specs_for_apple_s_first_apple_silicon_macbook_have_leaked/1

[Sauron]

The 2015/2016 macbook was trash so I expect this to be equally trash. Just looking at the storage options (no doubt not upgradable in any way) this looks like a product for nobody. At least the price is less absurd.

[Spotty]

20 minutes ago, WelshDdraig said:

Price: $799 (by Apple Lab's "Source")

A $799 Macbook?

That's the same price as the 11" iPad Pro WiFi with 128GB storage (the base model Pro). I guess the new macbooks are just going to be iPads with built in keyboards. Honestly if they can hit that $800 price then for most people who just use their macbook as a facebook machine this would be pretty good.

 

20 minutes ago, WelshDdraig said:

Port: single USB-C

Single USB-C? Would that mean you can't have a dongle plugged in while charging?

 

Yes I realise that this is all just baseless rumours

[Radium_Angel]

Considering Apple have been pushing for lighter! and thinner! at the expense of repairability and upgradability, thus making their products disposable when the next OS update comes out and your model isn't supported so sorry please buy a new iProduct, I have no interest whatsoever.

 

However, this is all just spec and rumor and I"m sure somewhere in translation, the pricetag got jumbled and a "1" is missing in front of that 799.

 

(I'm not actually an Apple hater, I have owned many, I just hate what they have become)

[Soppro]

I'm gonna take this with a good sprinkling of Himalayan pink salt because these specs sound like guesstimates, but I guess that's what most rumours are anyway. Would like to see some design changes too (shrink the bezels please). It's going to be really interesting to see how ARM MacBooks will change the entire laptop industry.

[5x5]

Not looking too impressive. So far it's just a downgraded MacBook 12 if you ask me.

[Sauron]

17 minutes ago, Spotty said:

Single USB-C? Would that mean you can't have a dongle plugged in while charging?

The 2015 macbook was like that.

[.Apex.]

52 minutes ago, WelshDdraig said:

• ARM MacBook info:
• SoC: A14X
• RAM: 8GB, 16GB
• Storage: 256GB,512GB (SSD)
• Battery life: 15hr~20hr 
• Port: single USB-C
• Display: 12” (Retina Display)
• Camera: 720p (FaceTime HD)
• Weight: lighter than 1Kg
• Price: $799 (by Apple Lab's "Source")

Those are all standard and expected features, it could easily be written by anyone, I was hoping for CPU clocks or some benchmarks

[Dabombinable]

Single USB-C is a PITA even with an appropriate dongle...sometimes you can't use all of the ports and charge the laptop/tablet at the same time.

[Ertman]

56 minutes ago, WelshDdraig said:

There is no given evidence that these leaked specifcations are true, but there is also no evidence disproving them - and considering the specifications seem reasonable, I would think they might be pretty accurate. 

I don't see how these "might be pretty accurate" unless you are personally expecting specifications like that. Even if the specs are deemed to bang on, at this stage its all just guess work that anybody could come up with, and all its really useful for is discussion fodder, which ok too.

 

Honestly, I have no idea what to expect for the next gen MacBook. I also have no idea how it will perform, will there be any gains from less bloated architecture that could mitigate other performance losses, will the software be designed to run well on it, who knows.

 

I do look forward to seeing what specs and price points Apple comes out with and how well it actually works. Its a very bold move by Apple, and we will see if its a success or colossal failure.

[WelshDdraig]

1 hour ago, Ertman said:

I don't see how these "might be pretty accurate" unless you are personally expecting specifications like that. 

I personally think they would be pretty accurate considering the next iPad Pro models (2021) are supposedly going to use the same A14X Chip (5nm), so it made sense (to me at least) to have something that is capable of decent performance, but with a low power draw - great for the small devices - i.e the MacBook.

[WelshDdraig]

2 hours ago, Syn. said:

Those are all standard and expected features, it could easily be written by anyone, I was hoping for CPU clocks or some benchmarks

Considering there was an alleged GeekBench result for Apple's A14 chip stating it was running at around 3.1GHz and a 6-core ARM design (Source: Notebook Check), one could reasonably assume (given IF those numbers are correct) that the A14X will also run around that speed.

[BuckGup]

I don't know what yall are smoking but this looks awesome. Call me @DrMacintosh all you want but I would totally get this if it's decent for a couple reasons. No it's not suppose to replace a macbook pro or any moderate to high-end laptop. It's a different market so having 1 USB C and basically no upgradability is fine. The biggest reasons to consider this are the price, battery life, weight, form factor, and user experience. I don't need a quad core and 32gbs of RAM to take notes in class, watch netflix, or present something. If I could have a cheap, light, and small laptop that's still very nice to use and the battery will last 15-20 hours I would carry that with me all day. I'll still use and have my macbook pro and matebook pro but you sorta know if you are going to be hardcore video editing or programming that day. You don't carry around a 9lb gaming laptop everyday to class to take notes and program JUST in case you might wanna game for a bit. Also with laptops these days they are so small and light I carry two with me all the time

[.Apex.]

47 minutes ago, WelshDdraig said:

Considering there was an alleged GeekBench result for Apple's A14 chip stating it was running at around 3.1GHz and a 6-core ARM design (Source: Notebook Check), one could reasonably assume (given IF those numbers are correct) that the A14X will also run around that speed.

Thing is the Macbooks are not limited to a <5W package, I would assume they would bump it up to 15W+ which is why I'm intrigued by the clocks and I wonder how far they'll push it because the A13 is already way ahead of Intel or AMD in terms of IPC considering the Single-Core performance is identical to the 9900K (Stock) even when the A13 is at ~2.6Ghz, and the benchmark you just linked has the fastest Single-Core performance from a Stock CPU to date, though it has very poor Multi-Core scaling I'm assuming because of the lower powered cores, who knows if they might increase the number of high performance cores in the Macbook since there's more headroom and that should still provide a substantial advantage with battery life over Intel, it's kinda worrying how that will disrupt the X86 market even though what Apple has done has little to do with ARM but rather showing the potential of it

 

I'm not opposed to change, but the transitional period from X86 for the general public would be painful, if it does ever happen in this decade

[captain_to_fire]

 

 

[Drama Lama]

4 hours ago, Sauron said:

this looks like a product for nobody.

that had been said about a lot of Apple products and thousands of people still bought it 

and thousands will buy this laptop 

[Drama Lama]

4 hours ago, WelshDdraig said:

Price: $799 (by Apple Lab's "Source")

Could this be the beginning of Apple selling their product at reasonable prices?

 

probably not

 

one thing people forget a bit about the „Apple tax „ is you‘r not paying it for the hardware, you‘re paying it for the software

and partly still because it’s Apple 

Edited July 31, 2020 by Drama Lama

[Kisai]

3 hours ago, Syn. said:

Those are all standard and expected features, it could easily be written by anyone, I was hoping for CPU clocks or some benchmarks

IMO, sounds like the iPad. Even it it was a MacBook, that still puts it closer to the Macbook Air design.

 

As for single USB-C , yikes people, that is literately what every ultrabook has moved towards. Look at the Dell 13"

https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/dell-laptops-and-notebooks/xps-13-laptop/spd/xps-13-7390-laptop/cax13w10p1c606cv2#features_section

 

3 USB-C ports, because it's too thin to have USB-A ports. The predecessor to this only had 2.

 

Anyway, USB-C/TB docks are far more versatile than what people seem to think. You can get power, displayport for two monitors, ethernet, audio and several USB devices from the same dock.

 

But it needs to be pointed out that if you need to carry around a dock that weighs more than the laptop, I think the laptops have become too small.

[rogerwilco91]

Apple holds the price and name very close to their chest. I doubt the price or even the name is correct. 
 

To me, this sounds more like speculation than anything else. 

[Sauron]

1 hour ago, Drama Lama said:

that had been said about a lot of Apple products and thousands of people still bought it 

and thousands will buy this laptop 

Thousands? For Apple's sake they had better be millions

 

People buy trash products all the time, that doesn't make them not trash.

[Drama Lama]

1 minute ago, Sauron said:

Thousands? For Apple's sake they had better be millions

 

People buy trash products all the time, that doesn't make them not trash.

I know 

but a lot of people think their trash is good and their trash often is enough for their daily basic tasks so they won’t complain 

[Sauron]

Just now, Drama Lama said:

I know 

but a lot of people think their trash is good and their trash often is enough for their daily basic tasks so they won’t complain 

But we're not "most people" and this is a tech forum, if there's a place to trash talk this stuff it's here...

[DrMacintosh]

5 hours ago, Spotty said:

Would that mean you can't have a dongle plugged in while charging?

Most dongles have passthrough USB-C Charging.

[DrMacintosh]

As a machine for those who have no intention of doing anything other than browsing FaceBook, typing, and watching Netflix...I'm sure this ARM MacBook would be an excellent machine. That being said, there are things that ARM Macs simply won't be capable of, like running Windows 10 in Bootcamp. Because of that I don't particularly care how Apple handles this transition to ARM processors. 

[Commodus]

Highly skeptical of this -- it's not implausible, but so many people are acting as if a Twitter account with an uncertain track record represents absolute fact.

 

As it stands, other (and more credible) reports have suggested that the first ARM Mac might be a 13-inch MacBook Pro, not a brand new 12-inch machine.

 

I do think price may be one of the hooks for Apple, though. The iPhone SE is so fast because Apple doesn't have to pay much more to use an A13 versus an older chip; it doesn't have to buy chips from someone else. Even if the A14X (or whatever comes next) is more expensive, it's still likely to cost a lot less than an Intel Core chip. You may see Apple gain share in the non-gaming market simply because it can better compete with or even undercut similar-performing Windows PCs on price... without sacrificing that nice profit margin, of course.