Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Fortunately, I have already bought a MBP with M2 and THREE Thunderbolt ports a few months ago. I would be very, very annoyed about being forced to buy the expensive M3 Pro.
 
From what I understand, TB3 doesn't support daisy-chain to another display, that's one of the key differences of TB4.

You've been able to daisy chain monitors since TB1! It's also a displayport feature.

This article is absolute nonsense, of course you can run more than 1 monitor.
 
You've been able to daisy chain monitors since TB1! It's also a displayport feature.

This article is absolute nonsense, of course you can run more than 1 monitor.
If I recall correctly, Apple has to implement a specific protocol, called MST, in the Displayport feature, in order to implement daisy-chaining. Unfortunately, I don't think Apple has implemented MST, so you still can't implement daisy-chaining.

Correct me if I am wrong.
 
Lots of comments about missing features meaning it is not for pros. It's been a long time since 'Pro' meant for professionals in Apple's world. Pro just means 'The better, more expensive one'.

This 14inch MacBook Pro with M3, I believe, is aimed at people who don't have the professional workflows, don't need the crazy performance, but want the better hardware, the better screen, the pro motion, the better webcam, microphones, the HDR brightness for videos etc. I believe there are a bunch of people where the performance of the base M3 is more than what they need, 2 USB-C ports are fine for them, but they would like the better screen tech etc.

This is that product. No different to the iPhone 'Pro', most of it's buyers are not using it for professional workflows, but they want the more premium design, the pro motion etc

Exactly this. It also comes with the 22h battery instead of 18h on the Pro/Max models, making it the longest lasting MacBook Apple sells (same as the 16”) and a much better option if you need the battery life but don’t want the heft of the 16”.
 
Not important to retail users. I have two USB-C/Thunderbolt ports on my M1 MacBook Air, and only use one of them, and that only for charging/backups. My wife has the 14" M2 MacBook Pro, and it has 3 of them. She uses one for backups and one for a numeric keypad.

I'd speculate that professionals who have use for 3 or more TB ports are going to opt for the 16" model instead of the 14.
Valid. My 12" MacBook has ONE port, and it's used for charging. I've plugged something else into there... perhaps 3 times in the 6 years I've had it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: victorvictoria
Valid. My 12" MacBook has ONE port, and it's used for charging. I've plugged something else into there... perhaps 3 times in the 6 years I've had it.

Amazing! So, in six years, you've virtually never used an external hard drive, a USB hub, an Ethernet connection, or a camera card port?! And never synched or connected an iPhone to it?! Wow!

That's impressive and staggering… I wonder how big a group of users you represent, or how many others could say the same thing.

Apple certainly thinks most users want at least two ports; with the M2 laptops, three; and with most of the 14“ and 16” Pros, four! (One MagSafe charging and several USB-C ports, and even HDMI.)

I suppose you back up your MacBook into the cloud or wirelessly to a home network; don't have an iPhone (or do the slow sync); accept slow OS upgrades over the air; and don’t use a digital camera (or, at least none of the common ones going back 6 years that lack wireless transmission).

In any case, where do you come out on the need for an M-series 12” MacBook?
 
I hate dongles.

Having a no dongle model at $1599 and even cheaper with refurbs is probably a huge selling point. I absolutely love my M1 Air but watching this octopus of wires the last few years has been a tilting experience I care not to have again when I upgrade no matter how thin or light the laptop is...I need ports galore.
 
  • Like
Reactions: platinumaqua
A 16GB M3 base model at 1599$ would have been killer.
- Would have silenced everyone complaining about 8GB as base.
- Would give the impression of lowering the prices (although being at the same price as the M2 MBP it replaces at the same config 16/512)
- A lot more enticing to upgrade for those still on any intel or even M1 MBAs
 
The M3 MacBook Pro is just an M3 MacBook Air in a MacBook Pro case, so I'll wait for a real M3 MacBook Air.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Lioness~
Two instead of four is more carbon neutral. Thanks Mother Nature.

The reason I made the account :D
+1 for the comment.

They just took away one extra thunder for no reason? If more USB-C is ports are important for you you are forced to go with M3 Pro or Max. I'm using HyperDrive but still. Currently have 4 thunders by default for regular 2018 MBP....

I looked that okay, even if there is 2 thunders I can use the HyperDrive, but because of the MagSafe placement I'm not able to charge at the same time. Then MagSafe is useless and I need to use USB-C cable for charging (-1 port again).

They killed 13" and they still play these games. What's going on...
Like 150KW vehicle have no doors and 195KW have all 4.
 
I am still so angry with Apple for not putting adequate amount of RAM in these and continuing to overprice the upgrades by hundreds of percent. It is 2023 for christ sakes, with 2024 around the corner. 8GB is barely enough for coffeeshop influencers these days and 16GB sure as hell isn't anywhere near sufficient for power users. Computers at this price point should have a minimum of twice the current amount, IMHO. Especially when prices of RAM and NAND chips are currently (and by far) at their lowest point in history.

2 extra GBs of 'higher end' models - and I am using the term 'higher end' in the broadest possible sense - just don't cut it, Tim.
 


Apple's new M3 14-inch MacBook Pro features two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports, not three Thunderbolt 4 ports like the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models powered by M3 Pro and M3 Max chips.

m3-m3pro-max-ports.jpg

Apart from having fewer USB-C ports, the lack of Thunderbolt 4 support on the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the base M3 chip means it only supports one display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz, or one display with up to 4K resolution at 120Hz over HDMI.

In comparison, like the M2 Pro chip it replaces, the M3 Pro supports up to two external displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt. The M3 Pro-powered MacBook Pro models also support one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI.

Meanwhile, the M3 Max supports up to four external displays in the following configuration: Up to three external displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI.

Alternatively, M3 Max MacBook Pro models can support up to three external displays by connecting two displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz, or one display with 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI.

Lastly, both the M3 Pro and M3 Max also support native DisplayPort over USB-C, and one display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI.

The new MacBook Pro models are available to order now, and they will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Tuesday, November 7. Be sure to check out our MacBook Pro announcement coverage for all the details.

Article Link: 14-Inch MacBook Pro With M3 Chip Has Only Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports
The M3 14" is the best value, followed closely by M3 Max.
The Pro is a bit Meeeh, unless you need 2 screens
I've ordered my 14" M3, should be with me in 8 days 😎
 
Amazing! So, in six years, you've virtually never used an external hard drive, a USB hub, an Ethernet connection, or a camera card port?! And never synched or connected an iPhone to it?! Wow!

That's impressive and staggering… I wonder how big a group of users you represent, or how many others could say the same thing.

Apple certainly thinks most users want at least two ports; with the M2 laptops, three; and with most of the 14“ and 16” Pros, four! (One MagSafe charging and several USB-C ports, and even HDMI.)

I suppose you back up your MacBook into the cloud or wirelessly to a home network; don't have an iPhone (or do the slow sync); accept slow OS upgrades over the air; and don’t use a digital camera (or, at least none of the common ones going back 6 years that lack wireless transmission).

In any case, where do you come out on the need for an M-series 12” MacBook?
Why would I do any of those things? No, I’ve never used an external hard drive with this computer. Certainly not Ethernet, I left that behind YEARS ago. Camera card port? 🧐 my iPhone is my camera, and I certainly don’t sync it via USB! Photos sync via iCloud. The Mac does back up, wirelessly, to my Mac mini and to a cloud service.

At my son’s wedding rehearsal dinner about 5 years ago, the PC that his father-in-law-to-be was going to use for a slideshow, &$#@ the bed when he connected it to the projector. I had my Mac in the car, along with (coincidentally) a USB hub with HDMI, that I had zero use for but won in a drawing right here on MacRumors! Fortunately the slideshow was on a USB stick so we plugged the Mac into the projector, plugged the USB into the hub, and the evening went forward as planned. There were probably one or two other times I used that hub, but that was certainly the most memorable!

Obviously some people DO need more ports. Sometimes I do myself… my wife did get a digital camera recently and we got a SD card dealy for her iPhone (from which it then syncs to iCloud, and to the Mac - which is actually hers now; I used it myself until a couple of years ago). But you can’t look at a MacBook Pro and say, “This is the minimum anyone should have.” It’s a MacBook Pro, it’s the TOP of the line. Not the bottom.

Point is - buy what you need. Not everyone needs, wants, or will use an array of ports & plugs. That Mac was my daily driver for 4-5 years, and my wife has used it for the past 2, and it’s never been a limitation for us.
 
Oh, and as for a M-series 12” Mac… wouldn’t it be nice ;) that might be the only way short of blasting powder to get the MacBook out of her hands.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lioness~
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.