Intel Unveils Full Lineup of Skylake Processors for Notebooks and Desktops, Early 2016 Likely for Most Macs

Intel has released detailed information about its upcoming Skylake processors for notebooks and desktops ahead of IFA 2015 in Berlin (via Ars Technica). The sixth-generation chips will deliver CPU and GPU performance improvements and longer battery life, and are likely to power future MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and iMac models released over the next year.

macbook_pro_15_imac_27
Retina MacBook

Intel's new lineup of Core M processors appropriate for the 12-inch Retina MacBook will provide up to 10 hours of battery life, between 10%-20% faster CPU performance and up to 40% faster graphics compared to equivalent Broadwell chips.

CPU World accurately shared Core m3, Core m5 and Core m7 specifications last week, with all three families of chips including Intel HD 515 graphics, 4MB of L3 cache and 4.5 watt thermal design power (TDP).

Intel Skylake Core M MacBook
The low-end Core m3 6Y30 replaces the Core M-5Y31 and is likely suited for the base model 12-inch MacBook sold for $1,299. The mid-tier Core m5 6Y54 and Core m5 6Y57 replace the Core M-5Y51 on the high-end 12-inch MacBook sold for $1,599, while the high-end Core m7 6Y75 replaces the Core M-5Y71 for top-of-the-line 12-inch MacBook custom configurations.

Core M processors have configurable TDPs, allowing for performance and heat output to be adjusted. Core m3, m5 and m7 chips can be run at 3.5-3.8 watts or be increased to 7 watts to allow for higher CPU clock speeds. For the current 12-inch MacBook, Apple boosted the 900 MHz 5Y31 chip to 1.1 GHz, 1.1 GHz 5Y51 chip to 1.2 GHz and 1.2 GHz 5Y71 chip to 1.3 GHz.

Ars Technica notes that Core M processors should be available to Apple and other PC makers now, meaning that Core m3, m5 and m7-powered notebooks could begin shipping within the next few months. However, given that the 12-inch MacBook just launched in April, it remains uncertain if Apple is willing to release updated models this soon or hold off until 2016.

MacBook Air

Intel's new 15-watt Core i5 and i7 chips appropriate for the MacBook Air feature dual-core 1.8 GHz to 2.2 GHz processors with Turbo Boost up to 2.7 GHz - 3.2 GHz, Intel Iris Graphics 540, integrated GPUs with dedicated eDRAM, 4MB of L3 cache and 1866 MHz LPDDR3 memory speed.

Intel-Skylake-i5-i7

Intel's full-size Skylake-U specifications chart

Intel's Core i5-6260U or i5-6360U chips are suitable for the low-end 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air, while the Core i7-6560U or i7-6650U are appropriate for the high-end 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air. Current generation MacBook Airs are powered by Intel's Core i5-5250U and i5-5650U chips.

In July, a leaked Intel slide deck revealed that Skylake "U-Series" processors will deliver up to 10% faster CPU performance, up to 34% faster Intel HD graphics and up to 1.4 hours longer battery life compared to equivalent Broadwell chips.

Intel says that Skylake "U-Series" processors with integrated Iris 540 graphics will not begin shipping until early 2016, making the MacBook Air an unlikely candidate for a refresh through at least the remainder of the year.

13" Retina MacBook Pro

Intel's new 28-watt Core i5 and i7 chips appropriate for the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro feature dual-core 2.9 GHz to 3.3 GHz processors with Turbo Boost up to 3.1 GHz - 3.4 GHz, Intel Iris Graphics 550, integrated GPUs with dedicated eDRAM, 4MB of L3 cache and 1866 MHz LPDDR3 memory speed.

Intel-Skylake-28-Watt-Chips
Intel's Core i5-6267U chip is suitable for the low-end 13-inch MacBook Pro, while the Core i5-6287U is appropriate for the mid-range 13-inch MacBook Pro and the Core i7-6567U is suited for the high-end 13-inch MacBook Pro. Current generation 13-inch MacBook Pros are powered by Intel's Core i5-5257U, i5-5287U and i7-5557U chips.

Intel Skylake "U-Series" processors with integrated Iris 550 graphics, the successor to Intel Iris 6100 graphics, will not begin shipping until early 2016, meaning the 13-inch MacBook Pro is unlikely to be refreshed through at least the remainder of the year. Early 2016 appears to be a more likely target.

15" Retina MacBook Pro

Intel announced a number of new 45-watt "H-Series" processors, but none with the higher-end Iris Pro graphics Apple uses in the 15" Retina MacBook Pro. Skylake H-Series chips with Iris Pro graphics are not expected to launch until early 2016, and Intel has yet to release detailed specs on these chips.

Apple does have another option for a 15" MacBook Pro update, however, as Intel announced Broadwell chips appropriate for the lineup back in early June, just weeks after Apple refreshed the family without upgrading the processors from the previous generation's Haswell chips. But given that it has only been a few months since the last update, Apple may elect to skip a Broadwell refresh of the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro and wait for Skylake early next year.

iMac

While Apple's notebooks receive most of the attention, Ars Technica also highlights some new Skylake desktop chips that could make their way into future iMacs. This batch of Skylake desktop chips includes three at the Core i5 level: a 2.7 GHz 6400, a 3.2 GHz 6500, and a 3.3 GHz 6600. At the high end is a new Core i7-6700 running at 3.4 GHz.

skylake_desktop
Apple's iMac lineup is currently a hodgepodge of Haswell chips due to Intel's numerous delays with Broadwell, with Apple having limped along by introducing some speed-bumped Haswell chips on certain models and starting to introduce Retina displays on higher-end 27-inch models. Most of Apple's iMac models use discrete graphics chips, and those machines could suffice with Intel's latest Skylake chips. But some lower-end models currently rely on Iris Pro integrated graphics and Intel has yet to announce any such chips for Skylake.

Ars Technica notes the company currently has no plans to release any socketed Skylake desktop chips with Iris or Iris Pro graphics, but that doesn't preclude the possibility of a special soldered version as Apple used on the original low-end Haswell iMac in the current generation.

Intel will reportedly be making all of its new Skylake desktop chips available by the end of the year, but it is unclear whether Apple will be able to populate its full range of iMacs with the chips announced today, even if it can simplify its lineup somewhat as it moves away from Haswell. Rumors have suggested an iMac update is coming soon, but it remains to be seen what the exact specs of those machines are.

Mac mini and Mac Pro

Apple typically uses the same chips in the Mac mini as it does in the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro, so today's Skylake announcement does offer some new options for the Mac mini. But with the current Mac mini having yet to adopt the Broadwell chips that appeared in the MacBook Pro earlier this year and Apple's recent pattern of lengthening Mac mini product cycles amid a declining desktop market, it is unclear when and with what processors the Mac mini will be updated.

With the Mac Pro using high-end chips that generally lag behind their mainstream counterparts by many months, the Mac Pro is often on a different product cycle than other Macs, and that remains the case with Skylake as Intel has yet to announce a full set of Xeon processors appropriate for the Mac Pro. An update is possible, however, as it has been nearly two years since Apple released the radically redesigned Mac Pro. It's been nearly a year since Intel released "Haswell-EP" chips as successors to the processors used in the 2013 Mac Pro, but Apple did not elect to release updated Mac Pros as those new Haswell chips became available and it is unclear if Apple considers them a viable option as this point in their product cycle.

Apple frequently holds an October media event to focus on iPads and Macs, and many are hoping a similar event is in store for this year, perhaps centered around the "iPad Pro," some Mac updates, and a final look at OS X El Capitan before its public release. But with most of the Skylake chips needed for updated Macs not arriving until early 2016, we may only see a few Mac families updated before the holidays.

Eric Slivka contributed to this report.

Tags: Intel, Skylake

Popular Stories

iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive a New Perk

Thursday March 20, 2025 12:01 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. The new perk is the ability to create invitations in the Apple Invites app for the iPhone, which launched in the App Store last month. In the Apple Invites app, iCloud+ subscribers can create invitations for any occasion, such as birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, and more. Anyone ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro teal 1

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Coming to These 8 U.S. States, But Rollout Remains Slow

Wednesday March 19, 2025 6:55 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly. It has been three and a half years since Apple first announced the...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock

iOS 19 Coming in June With These New Features

Thursday March 20, 2025 2:04 pm PDT by
While the first iOS 19 beta is still more than two months away, there are already plenty of rumors about the upcoming software update. Below, we recap the key iOS 19 rumors so far. visionOS-Like Design In January, the YouTube channel Front Page Tech revealed a redesigned Camera app that is allegedly planned for iOS 19. According to Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser, the Camera app...
Windows Vista

Apple Might Be Having Its Windows Vista Moment, Says Analyst

Thursday March 20, 2025 6:52 am PDT by
Is Apple experiencing a "Vista-like drift into systemically poor execution?" That was a question posed by well-known technology analyst Benedict Evans, in a recent blog post covering Apple's innovation and execution, or seemingly lack thereof as of late. He is referring to Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system, which was widely criticized when it launched in 2007 due to software bugs,...
iPhone 17 Air Fanned Feature

First iPhone 17 Air Case Has Camera Bar, Camera Control Button Cutouts

Wednesday March 19, 2025 5:29 am PDT by
Serial leaker Sonny Dickson today shared an image of what he claims is a first look at a third-party case for Apple's iPhone 17 Air. "If you didn’t know an Air was coming, you'd swear it was a Google Pixel case," he said. Case manufacturers often obtain design specifications of upcoming iPhone models before their release by collaborating with Apple through official partnerships or...
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

Latest iPhone 17 Pro Dummies Highlight Apple's New Part-Glass Design

Thursday March 20, 2025 5:27 am PDT by
Seasoned leaker Sonny Dickson has shared more dummy models of Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 series, with the latest lot revealing a noticeable shift in Apple's iPhone Pro model design that goes beyond the much-talked-about new rear camera bar. Dickson points out that the iPhone 17 Pro dummy models feature an outlined area on the back, beginning just below the camera module and extending to the...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro Already Rumored to Have Five New Features

Tuesday March 18, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around a year and a half away from launching, there are already some early rumors about the devices. Below, we recap some key iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. Under-Screen Face ID In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a roadmap showing that iPhone 17 Pro models would feature under-display Face ID. In May 2024, however, Young said ...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock

iOS 19 and iOS 20 Must Include a Long List of Major Changes, EU Says

Wednesday March 19, 2025 10:26 am PDT by
The European Commission today announced a long list of changes that Apple is legally required to implement in future iOS 19 and iOS 20 updates. The announcement clarifies interoperability requirements that Apple is required to adhere to in the EU, under the Digital Markets Act, which has been fully enforced since March 2024. The changes will further open up the iPhone and its technologies to ...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Launch Now Just Months Away: Here's What We Know

Tuesday March 18, 2025 9:13 am PDT by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as excellent for...

Top Rated Comments

sniffies Avatar
125 months ago
Just give us the Retina MacBook Air, and we'll be happy campers!
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Santabean2000 Avatar
125 months ago
I feel like Intel needs some serious competition in the computer market; they're getting slower and slower between releases.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jess13 Avatar
125 months ago
Waiting for the Space Gray Skylake 14"/15"/16" MBP.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Thebeat07 Avatar
125 months ago
Wtf is this. We have to wait until next year? Wow.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Michael Goff Avatar
125 months ago
Just give us the Retina MacBook Air, and we'll be happy campers!
They did, and they renamed it the MacBook. The purpose of the MBA when it came out was just what the MB does today. So, yes, they did give us a computer that does what the MBA was made for WITH a retina display.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zhenya Avatar
125 months ago
I really regret replacing my old Macbook Air with a new Retina Macbook Pro.

First because the new Macbook Retina is a complete failure so much it's way more crazily underpowered and overpriced than any other product Apple has released.

And second, because the last rMBPs performances are so ridiculous and crappy, you can't do anything "pro" on it, there's almost no point in having one, a Macbook Air vastly does it.

So I hope for a rMBA which will replace my current useless rMBP, alongside an actual PC mini-tower that can do stuff.
The retina Macbook Pro IS the rMBA. It's what you get when you add the retina screen and the requisite battery to keep the minimum 10 hour life.

And I have no idea what you mean by 'ridiculous and crappy performances'. Both models of Pro laptops are considerably more powerful than the vast majority of laptops on the market, and on the PC side of things, if you want something more powerful, you will generally end up with a 4-7lb laptop. The world has been doing 'pro' level work on laptops less powerful than these for decades, so who knows what you are on about...
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)