M5 Pro chip could separate CPU and GPU in ‘server grade’ chips

One of the key elements of Apple’s A-series and M-series chips is the system-on-chip (SoC) design, which tightly integrates all components into a single package. This includes CPU and GPU.

But a new report suggests M5 Professional Edition Chips may take a different approach, separating the CPU and GPU to improve performance and increase yields…

system-on-chip approach

Traditional computers and computer-like devices have completely separate CPUs (Central Processing Units) and GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), usually on completely separate circuit boards.

In the iPhone, Apple brings the two together through a method called a system-on-a-chip (SoC). Essentially, completely separate wafers are combined into a tightly integrated unit that contains the circuitry of both. It’s replicated this approach in other devices, including the M-series chips used in Apple Silicon Macs.

Whether we think of this as a single die or a compact package of different dies is largely a matter of semantics, but Apple is referring to a single die – the A18 Pro die and the M4 die, for example.

M5 Pro chip has independent CPU and GPU

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that for the M5 Pro chip, Apple will use TSMC’s latest chip packaging process SoIC-mH (horizontal integrated chip molding).

SoIC-mH refers to a method of integrating different dies into a single package that improves thermal performance, allowing the dies to run at full power for longer before needing to reduce heat. It also reportedly increased yields and reduced wafers that failed quality control.

Kuo’s report claims that this approach will be used in the M5 Pro, Max, and Ultra variants of the upcoming M5 chip.

The M5 series chips will use TSMC’s advanced N3P node, which entered the prototype stage a few months ago. The M5, M5 Pro/Max and M5 Ultra are expected to go into mass production in 1H25, 2H25 and 2026 respectively.

M5 Pro, Max and Ultra will be packaged in server-grade SoIC. Apple will use a 2.5D package called SoIC-mH (horizontal molding) to improve yield and thermal performance, and adopt independent CPU and GPU designs.

Interestingly, it was previously reported that the iPhone 18 will also begin to separate different components of the A-series chips, but The report states that RAM – is now also integrated into the chip.

Will also be used to power Apple Intelligence servers

Kuo also said that the M5 Pro chip will be used in Apple’s smart servers, known as Private Cloud Computing (PCC).

After the mass production of high-end M5 chips, Apple’s PCC infrastructure construction will be accelerated, making it more suitable for artificial intelligence reasoning.

Image: Michael Ball/9to5Mac

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