Intel and Apple are Getting Close Again
Intel and Apple might be teaming up in a big way again, but this time the relationship looks very different from the old Intel Mac days. According to respected analyst Ming Chi Kuo, Intel is expected to start shipping Apple M series processors as early as 2027.
If this plays out, it would be a major comeback moment for Intel inside Apple hardware. Apple began moving away from Intel CPUs in 2020 when it launched its own M series chips. Those Apple Silicon processors ditched x86 in favor of an ARM based design, and they quickly built a reputation for excellent performance per watt. For laptops and compact desktops, that efficiency advantage has been huge.
The key point here is that Apple is not going back to Intel architecture. Instead, Apple would keep designing its own M series chips while Intel would manufacture some of those chips in its foundries. In other words, Intel would become one of Apple’s advanced manufacturing partners, similar to how TSMC currently builds most Apple Silicon.
Ming Chi Kuo says Apple plans to use Intel’s 18AP process node for these chips. That is an advanced manufacturing process that Intel hopes will compete directly with the leading edge tech from TSMC and Samsung.
What Chips Would Intel Make for Apple
Kuo’s report suggests that Intel would manufacture Apple’s lowest end M series processor. He did not confirm whether this would be the M6 or M7 generation, but the 2027 timeframe lines up more closely with something like an M7 at the entry level.
These lower tier M processors are typically used in more affordable Apple products, such as:
- MacBook Air models
- Entry level Macs
- Certain iPhone models, depending on Apple’s roadmap
Kuo also mentions that Apple is considering a new, more affordable MacBook launching around 2026 that would be powered by an iPhone class CPU. That product could sit below the MacBook Air and target budget conscious users who still want a full laptop experience but do not need the power of a higher tier M chip.
At first glance, that cheaper MacBook might sound like it could hurt demand for Intel built M chips. However Kuo still expects solid production volume for Intel, estimating around 15 to 20 million units. Even if that only covers the lowest end M chip, that is still a serious amount of silicon and a meaningful manufacturing contract.
TSMC would remain Apple’s primary supplier. It already produces the majority of Apple’s M series portfolio across desktops, laptops and mobile devices. Even if Intel handles tens of millions of budget chips, TSMC would still carry the bulk of the load on the higher performance and higher volume parts. But for Intel, winning any slice of Apple’s advanced node business is a big deal.
Why This Matters for PC Hardware and Intel’s Future
For Apple, expanding its relationship beyond TSMC brings some clear benefits. Using Intel foundries for part of the M lineup would give Apple more supply chain flexibility and reduce heavy reliance on a single manufacturer. There is also a political and marketing angle. Having some chips manufactured in the United States helps Apple highlight domestic production and diversification in the face of global supply risks.
For Intel, this is potentially huge. The company has had a tough run in recent years in the consumer CPU market, especially in enthusiast and gaming segments where AMD’s Ryzen and X3D chips have earned a lot of praise. Intel has been investing heavily in its foundry business, trying to turn itself into a contract manufacturer for other companies, not just a designer of its own CPUs.
Landing Apple as a foundry customer would be a landmark win for Intel’s strategy. It would show that Intel’s advanced nodes are competitive enough that one of the most demanding chip designers in the world is willing to trust them with part of its flagship lineup.
Meanwhile on the CPU design side, Intel is reportedly preparing a serious counterattack in the gaming and high performance market with its upcoming Nova Lake architecture. Rumors point to configurations with up to 52 cores and as much as 288 MB of combined vertical cache. If these chips deliver, they could go head to head with AMD’s dominant X3D gaming CPUs in both raw performance and gaming frame rates.
Put together, a stronger CPU roadmap plus a prestigious foundry win with Apple would signal that Intel is regaining momentum. For PC gamers and hardware enthusiasts, that is good news. More serious competition at the high end usually means faster innovation, better performance per dollar, and more interesting hardware launches.
For now everything around the Intel Apple foundry deal is still in the rumor and analyst prediction stage. Nothing is officially confirmed, and tech roadmaps can change quickly. Process nodes slip, product plans get reshuffled, and partnerships evolve behind the scenes.
But if Kuo’s prediction is accurate and Intel is shipping low end M series chips for Apple by 2027, it will mark a new chapter. Apple would keep pushing its efficient ARM based designs, now manufactured by multiple advanced foundries. Intel would prove that its fabs can compete at the cutting edge, while also preparing Nova Lake and other architectures to fight for the performance crown in the PC world.
It may take a couple of generations to see all of this play out, but the direction is clear. The next wave of CPU battles will not just be about who has the fastest gaming chip, but also who can manufacture the most advanced silicon for the biggest players in the industry.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/in-a-major-plot-twist-intel-could-soon-be-making-chips-for-apple-once-again-only-this-time-itll-be-the-arm-based-m-series/
