Apple has recently overhauled its entire M-Series chip plans, scrapping the launch of the M6 Pro and M6 Max processors and jumping straight to the M7 series. While the base M6 SoC is expected to launch, Apple is moving into the M7 series without the M6 Pro/Max variants, with plans to offer some of the most powerful computing solutions in the market. Apple is testing the M6 SoC in the base MacBook Pro model, featuring many improvements in CPU microarchitecture and NPU performance for local AI processing. Reportedly, memory is also being upgraded for higher bandwidth, now targeting around 200 GB/s, up from 123 GB/s in the current base M5 SoC. The integrated GPU will see a 20% increase in core count, featuring 12 GPU cores in the M6, which will be a noticeable improvement from the current 10-core configuration in the M5.

However, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, in the PowerOn newsletter, confirmed that Apple's plans for the M7 Ultra chip include much faster local AI with more CPU, GPU, and NPU power, as well as a total memory capacity of 1.5 TB, a configuration only seen on the Mac Pro desktop systems. Next year's base M7 processor is expected to arrive in the first half of 2027 and will also upgrade memory bandwidth to about 240 GB/s. This is supposed to be the first Intel-manufactured Apple Silicon design, utilizing the 18A-P node. The M7 Pro and M7 Max will arrive in late 2027 with much higher bandwidth and performance. An M7 Ultra version will follow in 2028 for Mac Studio, which will be a 1.5 TB DRAM machine. With that unified memory, local model development and heavier tasks will be supported without hassle.

Apple has reportedly canceled its M6 Pro and M6 Max processors, according to a recent note from Bloomberg's Apple insider Mark Gurman. Behind the scenes, there is a significant shift in Apple's silicon rollout strategy. The company is postponing the launch of its higher-end M6 SoC variants, like the M6 Pro and M6 Max, and is instead moving directly to the M7 processor family. Currently, Apple is testing the M6 SoC in the base MacBook Pro model, with many improvements in CPU microarchitecture and NPU performance for local AI processing. Reportedly, memory is also being upgraded for higher bandwidth, now targeting around 200 GB/s, up from 123 GB/s in the current base M5 SoC. The integrated GPU will see a 20% increase in core count, featuring 12 GPU cores in the M6, which will be a noticeable improvement from the current 10-core configuration in the M5.

Regarding the more powerful versions of the M6, such as the M6 Pro and M6 Max, this will be the first generation of Apple M-Series chips to lack the Pro and Max versions, as these will appear in the next-generation M7 series coming next year. Apple is planning a complete overhaul of the SoCs to bring major performance increases for on-device AI processing, which will first appear with the M7 SoCs. Next year's base M7 processor is expected to arrive in the first half of 2027 and will also upgrade memory bandwidth to about 240 GB/s. As a reminder, this is supposed to be the first Intel-manufactured Apple Silicon design, utilizing 18A-P node. The M7 Pro and M7 Max will arrive in late 2027 with much higher bandwidth and performance. An M7 Ultra version will follow in 2028 for Mac Studio.

According to the sell-side equity research firm GF Securities, Apple is set to utilize both Intel's 18A-P and 14A nodes for its product lineups. As previously reported, the company will employ Intel's advanced 18A-P node for the M7 SoCs that power MacBook Air and entry-level MacBook Pro laptops. Intel's investment in the development and manufacturing ramp of the 14A node will also be beneficial, as Apple plans to use the 14A node for producing A21 SoCs for iPhones. The 18A-P node is ideal for Apple's laptop SoCs, providing a balance between efficiency and speed. It offers a 9% performance increase at the same power level or achieves 18% power savings at the same performance level compared to the standard 18A node, resulting in laptops with good frequency and low power usage. With Apple moving away from TSMC's 3 nm node in the current M5 SoC, the improvements will be significant and are expected to be realized by 2027.

For the A21 iPhone SoCs, Apple will use Intel's advanced 14A node, which promises a generational leap in density, frequency, and power savings. Apple's primary goal is to employ a more advanced node for mobile devices, with plans to have these chips ready by 2028. As this is anticipated to begin in about two years, Apple will likely wait for the final 14A PDK before starting trial production. It remains uncertain whether the company will manufacture its A21 Pro SoC at TSMC and leave the regular version to Intel. However, Apple is gradually diversifying its supply chain with more silicon manufacturers. With advanced packaging, Intel can compete with TSMC in many areas, and we are eager to see the outcomes of this competition.

NETGEAR Inc., a global leader in intelligent networking solutions designed to power extraordinary experiences, today announced the launch of the Nighthawk 5G M7 Portable Wi-Fi 7 Hotspot (MH7150) supported by a new mobile app (iOS and Android) and eSIM Marketplace. The innovative device combines reliable, portable connectivity with groundbreaking flexibility, allowing users to choose coverage that fits their needs, connecting instantly to high-speed internet in more than 140 countries.

The M7 is engineered for modern life, providing fast connections for travelers, remote workers, and families on the move. Its compact, lightweight design makes it an effortless travel companion, while the powerful battery delivers up to 10 hours of continuous connectivity for work, streaming, gaming, and staying in touch.

Samsung Electronics today announced its latest Smart Monitor lineup, featuring the flagship Smart Monitor M9 (M90SF model) alongside the updated Smart Monitor M8 (M80F model) and M7 (M70F model). With the introduction of QD-OLED technology to the M9 and advanced AI features across the lineup, the new offerings provide a more personalized and connected screen for work and entertainment.

"The Smart Monitor series continues to evolve based on how people work, watch and play," said Hoon Chung, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display (VD) Business at Samsung Electronics. "With the introduction of QD-OLED and AI-powered enhancements, the M9 delivers a more responsive and refined screen experience - all within a single, versatile display."

Samsung Electronics today announced the global availability of its all-new Smart Monitor, an innovative, do-it-all screen that brings together an unprecedented suite of features for work, learning and entertainment in a single display.

Designed to meet the new needs of today's consumers, who are now working, learning and consuming entertainment at home, Samsung Smart Monitor incorporates powerful mobile and PC connectivity, remote home office and learning features as well as Smart Hub, a comprehensive entertainment hub, similar to Samsung's built-in Smart TV platform.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices, announces a new addition to its M700 series of NVMe M.2 SSDs with the high capacity 1 TB. Complying with the NVMe 1.3 standard and using PCIe Gen3 x4, gamers and content creators get up to 3 times performance increase from traditional SATA III drives, a clear advantage for improved productivity and uninterrupted gameplay. With its lightweight, small form factor, and high storage capacity, the M700 1 TB might just be the only drive you will need to build the ultimate budget-friendly system.Update Jan 14th: Our review of the SSD can be found here.

Oracle, which inherited the SPARC CPU machine architecture from its big Sun Microsystems acquisition from way back in 2010, made its biggest SPARC-related announcement ever since. The company is developing a new multi-core SPARC processor, codenamed "M7." This chip, according to Oracle, will not only be in the same league as today's contemporary enterprise CPU architectures, but will also feature Oracle's on-chip optimizations, such as special on-chip firmware, that improves performance and security of applications.

A large, on-chip micro-code would work to ensure security of in-memory databases (the chip would feature an integrated memory controller), and hardware-accelerated compression/decompression of very large databases for near real-time analytics. The M7 is the first SPARC-based processor designed from the ground-up by Oracle, and it will go on sale later this week, as part of the company's new T-series and M-series servers. It will also be offered in upgrade kits for Oracle Supercluster, a high-density machine designed specifically for Oracle.