Intel Broadwell Core M Processor Early Release Could Enable Even Thinner, Fanless MacBook Airs

MacRumors’ Eric Slivka reports that while Intel’s next-generation Broadwell processors for most Macs are not shipping until early 2015 or even later, the chipmaker began shipping some ultra low-power Broadwell chips known as Core M a couple of months ago.

He says this particular chip variant is designed to run at just 4.5 watts and is intended e next-generation fanless PCs and tablets, which dovetails, nicely with persistent rumors of a thinner, fanless 12-inch Retina MacBook Air, being in the works.

However, Slivka notes that Lenovo’s Yoga 3 Pro, the first PC device to take advantage of the first batch of Broadwell Core M chips, has been a mediocre performer. More encouragingly, he says the new second batch of Core M chips appears to mark a significant step forward from the earlier versions while maintaining the same low power draw.

When will we see the new MacBook Airs? With the current form factor now past it’s fourth anniversary, it’s definitely due for a redesign, and insanely thin seems to be the way Apple wants to roll these days. And with the iPhone 6 fraternal twins, the iPad Air 2, and the iMac 5K Retina all launched, the MacBooks are the logical next candidates for refresh or redesign.

It would not be unprecedented for Apple to release laptop updates in late November, but I think that highly unlikely in this instance. More probable would be Apple’s traditional spring laptop launch window sometime in the late March to WWDC interval.