Leak: M5 Pro and M5 Max with a significant change in strategy – “chip binning” instead of their own designs | News

If you compare the two more powerful expansion levels of an M chip, i.e. the Pro and Max variants, a Max offers more than just additional cores. For example, the Pro version has fewer memory channels and therefore lower memory bandwidth. While there is “chip binning” within the two series (e.g. 10 cores present, two defective, so it is offered as a weaker 8-core chip), they are different dies with their own packaging and memory setup. Strangely, the macOS 26.3 release candidate offered clear references to the M5 Max and M5 Ultra, but no evidence of the M5 Pro. A leaker now explains what is probably the reason for this: Apple is saying goodbye to the previous approach, M5 Pro and Max are the same chips.

M5 Pro are M5 Max with fewer cores
In any case, it has been said several times that an M5 offers more flexibility in terms of the number of cores. Chips with fewer (working) cores would therefore be marketed as Pro, but if all cores pass the tests, it is the M5 Max. A similar architecture would then become an identical one, just with different features. According to Vadim Yuryev, this provides a plausible reason why there was no longer a separate chip identifier for the Pro version.

There are numerous advantages
The change would have clear advantages for Apple. Instead of two separate designs, there only needs to be one. This simplifies both the development itself and production and logistics. In addition, a bad “Max” can still become a “Pro” if he doesn’t come out of the fab without errors. Before that it might no longer have been usable. This increases the yield per wafer, which in turn reduces the costs per chip and improves the margin. At the same time, a modular component gives Apple more leeway in marketing, as fine gradations are possible depending on the target group – all with the same basic design. Customers, however, have the option of selecting chips more specifically tailored to their own usage pattern.

Manufacturing was not yet advanced enough
If you’re wondering why Apple hasn’t always consistently relied on such chip binning: only the new “server grade” SoIC/2.5D packaging, including the separation of CPU and GPU tiles and advances in manufacturing, make the strategy feasible without great risk. The “one chip, many variants” model is now worthwhile – and Apple has reached a phase of chip development in which, given more mature technologies and years of experience, it can optimize margins, yield and flexibility more than before.