The M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro models feature a considerably smaller heatsink due to supply chain issues, teardowns suggest.
Top: M1 Pro logic board with larger heatsink. Bottom: M2 Pro logic board with smaller heatsink (via iFixit).
The new MacBook Pro's revised thermal architecture appears to be caused by the reduced overall footprint of the M2 Pro and M2 Max SoCs inside the device, as noted by iFixit and Max Tech. The M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pro models contained two, large memory modules, but the M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro models contain four slimmer memory modules. Even though the M2 Pro and M2 Max dies are physically larger than those of the M1 Pro and M1 Max, the SoCs as a whole take up less space.
Left: M1 Pro SoC. Right: M2 Pro SoC (via iFixit).
This means that the M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro models do not require a heatsink as large as the one used for the previous generation. It is not clear if this significantly impacts thermal efficiency.
The reason for the use of four smaller memory modules appears to be supply chain issues. The entire SoC is mounted on a substrate, so four smaller modules allow Apple to use a smaller substrate, making a saving on materials and reducing complexity as a result. Dylan Patel, Chief Analyst at SemiAnalysis, told iFixit:
ABF substrates were in very short supply when Apple made the design choice. By using four smaller modules rather than two larger ones, they can decrease routing complexity within the substrate from the memory to the SoC, leading to fewer layers on the substrate. This allows them to stretch the limited substrate supply further.
The M2 Pro and M2 Max deliver up to 20 percent better CPU performance and 30 percent better GPU performance than their predecessors, but since the chips continue to be based on TSMC's 5nm process, some users have noted that Apple may have made thermal tradeoffs in order to deliver improved performance.
Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive.
If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
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 since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year.
In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors.
The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes.
With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID.
If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026.
Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July.
Transparency
In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, did you know that Apple offers you five perks beyond the extra storage space, at no additional cost?
Here are the perks included with all iCloud+ plans:Private Relay keeps your Safari browsing history entirely private from network providers, websites, and even Apple.
Hide My Email generates unique, random email addresses whenever needed.
Hom...
That's not a heatsink. That's just the interface block that you are describing. The heat is transferred to the two radiator fins. The fans then blow air across the fins. The radiator fins are the heat sink. At least, that's what I classically think of as the heatsink.
This interface block completely covers the chip. It's fine.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.