Apple's Rumored 12-Inch MacBook Could Be Pro Model With M2 Pro and M2 Max

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman on Thursday reported that Apple is considering launching an all-new 12-inch notebook at the end of 2023 or in early 2024. Gurman said it is unclear if the 12-inch model would be a low-end MacBook or a higher-end MacBook Pro.

2016 12 inch macbook feature
Twitter user "Majin Bu" has since claimed that the model will be a new 12-inch MacBook Pro that may be equipped with Apple's next-generation M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. In the MacBook Pro, Gurman said the M2 Max will feature a 12-core CPU and up to a 38-core GPU, while the M1 Max maxes out with a 10-core CPU and a 32-core GPU.

Apple has released both lower-end and higher-end 12-inch notebooks in the past. At the low end, Apple introduced an ultra-thin 12-inch MacBook that weighed just two pounds in 2015, but the notebook was discontinued in 2019. And at the higher end, Apple offered a 12-inch PowerBook G4 in the mid-2000s, prior to the original MacBook Pro.

In any case, Apple silicon chips deliver impressive performance per watt, paving the way for Apple to introduce ultra-portable, high-performance MacBooks without the thermal constraints of Intel processors that the company used over the last decade and a half.

Majin Bu has a hit-or-miss track record with Apple rumors, but he has gained some credibility recently after tweeting that Apple was planning a new 14.1-inch iPad Pro. The rumor has since been backed by very reliable display industry consultant Ross Young, who tweeted that his supply chain sources have confirmed that Apple is indeed planning a new 14.1-inch iPad Pro with a mini-LED display that could launch in 2023.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

M6 MacBook Pro: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Monday October 27, 2025 9:15 am PDT by
Apple this month refreshed the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026. However, these machines will represent the final update to the current design, with Apple reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 Release Candidates

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:07 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iOS 26.1 Beta Liquid Glass Battery Drain Test: Tinted vs Clear Mode

Friday October 24, 2025 2:30 pm PDT by
In the fourth iOS 26.1 beta, Apple added a "Tinted" option that reduces the translucency of Liquid Glass for those who prefer a more opaque look. I saw some comments wondering whether the setting might preserve battery life, so I thought I'd do some testing. Test Settings I did four separate tests using the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and I kept the parameters as similar as possible. Here are the...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Says U.S. Passport Feature on iPhone is Coming Soon

Monday October 27, 2025 7:41 am PDT by
You will "soon" be able to add a digital version of your U.S. passport to your iPhone, according to Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. Bailey reiterated that the feature is coming soon during her keynote at the Money20/20 USA conference in Las Vegas on Sunday. On its iOS 26 page, Apple says the delayed feature will be "coming later this year." Apple's...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

iPhone XX? 6 Features Rumored for Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone

Monday October 27, 2025 4:01 pm PDT by
For the 10th anniversary iPhone that came out in 2017, Apple introduced the iPhone X with Face ID, notch, and minimized bezels, providing more display space than ever before. The 20th iPhone anniversary is approaching and Apple wants to take the iPhone X design even further. We're two years away from the 2027 iPhone, but it's tough for Apple to keep major changes under wraps. We've rounded...
macos tahoe

Here Are Apple's Release Notes for macOS Tahoe 26.1

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:21 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of macOS Tahoe 26.1, which means the update will likely see a public launch next week. The release candidate includes notes on what's in the update, so we have a full picture of the new features that Apple has included. macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds AutoMix support over AirPlay, improved FaceTime audio...

Top Rated Comments

TSE Avatar
44 months ago
I'm back, bitches!




Attachment Image
Score: 98 Votes (Like | Disagree)
senttoschool Avatar
44 months ago

I agree. Not sure why Apple is even calling it the M2 chip. The chip is more like M1 (S). I honestly feel like it was put together very last minute.
Bad take.

M2 is using A15 cores. The performance is as expected.

You don't put chips like this together last minute. Engineers start planning chips 3-4 years before launch.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CPark98 Avatar
44 months ago
I kind of want to see this come to life. Lol


Attachment Image
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
senttoschool Avatar
44 months ago
Not buying this rumor.

The thermals won't make any sense.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
1Peace Avatar
44 months ago
12-inch is way too small for professional usage when you need to spend long hours in front of it.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
UltimateSyn Avatar
44 months ago
That's an interesting claim. So we'd have...

12" / 14" / 16" MacBook Pro
13" / 15" MacBook Air

M2 Max in a 12" chassis, though? Sounds like it would be incredibly thermally limited.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)