MacBook Pro M1X launch could be imminent as key specs reportedly leak

MacBook Pro 2021
(Image credit: Intel)

The new MacBook Pro is rumored to launch later this month, presumably during an October Apple event. According to reports, the latest Apple laptop will have a 14-inch mini LED display, a new design with flat edges, an HDMI port, and an SD card slot. The laptop will also sport the powerful new M1X chip, which is “a more graphics-intense and professional-focused M1 chip,” according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

A leaked image reportedly showing a DVT (design validation test) unit of this alleged new MacBook Pro 2021 offers further evidence that it will indeed contain the M1X chip, along with other features. The image in question comes from Twitter user Majin Bu, who credits another Twitter account, Ky Young, for providing him with the information.

The new MacBook Pro will reputedly have a 512GB NVMe SSD and 16GB of unified RAM. As Wccftech notes, it is unclear if these components will come with the base version of the laptop. Considering how the M1X chip can handle more graphically intensive tasks, a 512GB SSD and 16GB of RAM would pair nicely with the chip.

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An earlier MacBook Pro 2021 leak from iOS developer Dylandkt suggested that the M1X chip is an improved version of the M1 and not its successor — making the rumored M2 an entirely different chip. 

"The M1X is an extension of the M1 that will contain more Thunderbolt channels, CPU cores, GPU cores, multiple external monitor support, and greater power draw," claims Dylandkt. As we previously reported, the M2 chip will supposedly come with the MacBook Air expected in the first half of 2022.

It’s best to take any rumor with a healthy measure of skepticism. But given the mounting evidence, the M1X-powered MacBook Pro seems like it’s the real thing. If the laptop is revealed during the expected late-October Apple event, then it won’t be long until we find out what’s truly under the hood of the MacBook Pro 2021.

This is exciting news if you’re a Mac user, but it’s especially thrilling for gamers. SSD-driven titles are becoming the new norm thanks to both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Gaming on the new MacBook Pro could be a viable option if the laptop is as powerful as reports state.

Tony Polanco
Computing Writer

Tony is a computing writer at Tom’s Guide covering laptops, tablets, Windows, and iOS. During his off-hours, Tony enjoys reading comic books, playing video games, reading speculative fiction novels, and spending too much time on X/Twitter. His non-nerdy pursuits involve attending Hard Rock/Heavy Metal concerts and going to NYC bars with friends and colleagues. His work has appeared in publications such as Laptop Mag, PC Mag, and various independent gaming sites.