Here Are All the New M3 Apple Macs Expected This Year

[Steve121178]

The MBA will jump right to M4, just like the iMac skipped M2.

I don't see that happening. The only reason it doesn't have the M3 already was the constraint in chip supply & Apple prioritising the iMac & Pros. The fact that the M2 15" Air had only been available for a short time also made it an easy decision to bump the Air update to 2024.

I'm sure the Air & Mac Mini refresh will be announced at the same event that unveils the M3 iPads, rumoured for late March.

Most analysts and industry insiders state that the M4 series won't be released until 2025 which again makes sense.

 

[System603]

Could not wait for them. Got M2 Air because of a great -35% deal. M1 vs M2 was a big difference even chassis, display etc. wise. But I can't see M3 being a huge upgrade just like with MacBook Pros for Air so I feel safe here. Seems like I might miss just on a theoretical 100 nits display bump and obvious M3 related improvements.

It felt weird first time "downgrading" from MacBook Pros to MacBook Air and yet knowing it's the right move as even though my tasks demand the raw power (VMs, compilations, ...), M2 has a plenty even when not cooled by fans. Weird and great. Saves me some 3-400 grams [0.8 pounds?] daily as well.

 

[springsup]

Things I would like from the next Mac Studio:

- Ditch the 2 rear USB-A ports, turn them in to Thunderbolt ports
- Add an M.2 expansion bay

That’s basically it.

Okay, I could add some stretch goals. Even less likely to happen, but I can dream:

- I’m not a video editor; I don’t care that it can do a bazillion ProRes encodes simultaneously. Can there be a configuration which uses that Silicon for something more useful? Like, more CPU cores or something?
- I suppose the design could use a refresh.

 

[Populus]

I doubt the M3 will ever come to the Air / Mini, the N3E process node that the M3 is based on is thought to be rather expensive, thus the M3 and the A17 Pro only showing up in 'pro' devices.

When the N3P process gets into volume production this year I expect we will see M4, and possibly either 'A17 - no suffix' or 'A18' and this will be released to all devices from the Air upwards.

I agree with you that we’ll soon see the next generation of chips based on new N3E or maybe even N3P, such as the A18 and the M4, and this chips will replace many old chips on most of the models, similar to what happened with the A12 or the A15.

By the way, the current M3 chips are manufactured with the N3B node. Maybe it was a typo.

 

[BanjoDudeAhoy]

many people are still happy with their M1 machines.

I’m one of those.
M1 Mac mini (16 GB RAM) and M1 MacBook Air (8 GB RAM). Absolutely brilliant devices and in most regards, they’re faster than what I’d need.

I know I’m not everyone and there are a myriad of different use cases, but personally, I’m very likely going to keep these machines for a good while still.

I’m still dreaming of those iMac-colored MBAs, though. Those would tempt me to buy a new laptop before my MBA kicks the bucket.

 

[Wizard_of_Woz]

32" iMac...32"iMac...32" iMac!!! Say it with me now!!! 😁

 

[Warped9]

No 32" iMacs?!

No surprise. I doubt very much we’ll see a larger iMac anytime soon if ever.


I suspect this March we’ll see M3 iPad Pros as well as M3 MacBook Air 13 and 15. We could also see the iPad Air with M2, both 10.9 and rumoured 12.9. I think it’s going to be a busy March.

June we’ll see the M3 Mac Studio and maybe Mac Pro, though with the Studio being what it is I wonder if anyone really cares about the Mac Pro anymore.

While it’s not impossible we could see iPad 11 up in March I think they could drag it out until the fall and introduce the iPad Mini 7. And sometime this year the iPad 9 will finally be dropped, and hopefully the 11 gets a price drop since it would then be the entry level iPad.

I would be surprised if they started rolling out M4 this year, but who knows. If there is a surprise coming I think it could be the discontinuation of the M1 MacBook Air and the introduction of a new lower priced entry level MacBook with M2 in it. If they introduced it in June before back-to-school they could knock it out of the park.

I doubt the 24 iMac will be updated, but it could happen.

 

[azentropy]

I'd be in the market for a M3 13" MBA to replace my traveling M1 MBA. However only if they increase the RAM in the retail configurations. The only time my M1 MBA feels slow for how I use it is when I hit memory pressure. But I'm not going to pay an additional $300-$400+ for additional RAM. Yes I know Apple lists it as $200 but retailers often discount the models they carry $150-$200 whereas you currently have to BTO 16GB from Apple and that isn't discounted. For example Costco (my vendor of choice) recently had the base 13" MBA M3 for $899. The 16/256 version (which retailers can't or don't carry) at Apple is $1299.

 

[nickf]

An M3 Pro mini would be an instant buy from me.

 

[System603]

32" iMac...32"iMac...32" iMac!!! Say it with me now!!! 😁

Sorry for the off-topic but this reminds me of a scene from Friends series.

Customers: 32" or 27"
Tim: 32" or 27"
Customers: iMac
Tim: iMac

Customers: 32" or 27" iMac
Tim: 24" iMac with Lightning port accessories

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Been waiting for M3 to replace my Intel MBA. Just wished they’d bring the 11” or 12” form factor back, those were so portable!

MBA should come in 12.9" and 14.2" sizes (not 13.6 and 15.3) and MBP should come with 14.2" and 16.2". Ideally all four models should have HDMI and SD Card ports, and be in some manner wedge-shaped toward the user.

 

[bodhisattva]

Can't wait for the M3 Max Studio, my only concern is that this year they will do what they did with the 14" MacBook Pro and downgrade it with a regular Pro chip instead of a Max chip for a supposed slightly lower entry-level price. But if they stick with the Max with 32GB of memory for $1,999, then it would be a steal for an M3 Max Mac.
I love my M1 Mac Studio but I can definitely use the extra GPU power and Ray Tracing. I feel bad for whoever got the M2 Studio. I feel bad for whoever got an M2 Mac. The M2 Macs had no reason to exist. It is obvious why Mac sales fell as they did and the M2 was mostly to blame.
I also hope Apple abandons the gluing of two chips for the Ultra and just makes a proper single-chip Ultra. The glued-up Ultras are just not very good for the price. I would much rather a dedicated single high-performance chip.

I could not agree more about the M2. I have an M1 Studio which replaced my 2013 MP. The Studio blew me away with how it could out perform a maxed out 2013 Mac Pro. I saw M2 arrived right about the time they were saying M3 MBP would release later in the year. I thought to myself why would I upgrade to M2 for about 8-9 months of minimal improvement. Specially when they were starting to rumor that M3 would be the next big leap.

 

[Count Blah]

"The M3 chip used in the Airs is expected to have similar CPU and GPU core counts as the ‌M2‌ chip in the current models."

So I shouldn't wait to buy the MBA 15" M3 and just go with the M2 now? I need a laptop but was trying to hold out as I'm closer to the new release than the previous + I'm going to fully spec it out....

If you need a laptop now, then I'd look for a sale or the refurb store.

If you needed to fully load the CPU, you'd be getting a MBP with a Pro/Max. The M2 in a MBAir will take care of you for years and years.

 

[opeter]

How much more mature do you need it to be?

I have a M3 iMac and a M1 MBA and both CPU's are not exactly primitive!

I didn't say/wrote, that it is primitive in this form. Apples chip technology in their computers is officially (and in public knowledge) 4 years old. It doesn't matter, if it is internally tested much more than that.

My personal view is that I usually wait a few years before jumping on to the "new technology". That is, somewhere around 4 to 5 years from the launch of the first generation.

 

[lcseds]

MBA should come in 12.9" and 14.2" sizes (not 13.6 and 15.3) and MBP should come with 14.2" and 16.2". Ideally all four models should have HDMI and SD Card ports, and be in some manner wedge-shaped toward the user.

That's sort of where the lineup was. Many were wanting a larger screen Air, so the 15" was released. I could see a 12" of some sort, but I imagine the last one was discontinued for lack of sales. Can't imagine them killing it if it was a good seller. Removing the wedge was done to increase battery size. If they did that again, and it's battery life was reduced any, people would scream about that. Apple could have 500 SKU's and there would still be unhappy folks here.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

That's sort of where the lineup was. Many were wanting a larger screen Air, so the 15" was released. I could see a 12" of some sort, but I imagine the last one was discontinued for lack of sales. Can't imagine them killing it if it was a good seller. Removing the wedge was done to increase battery size. If they did that again, and it's battery life was reduced any, people would scream about that. Apple could have 500 SKU's and there would still be unhappy folks here.

I think port-gimping MBA is their worst sin, and MBA shape now is worse to use in terms of typing than the prior model. Design is about trade-offs and I prefer the prior ones. 12.9" cannot be compared to the old 11" MBA in terms of unit sales. 14.2" is nearly 1" large than Apple's very successful 13.3" model of years and is well big enough, and hits the same size as there smaller MBP model to help make buying decision easier. Do I want power or do I want ultra-portability?

 

[Steve121178]

I didn't say/wrote, that it is primitive in this form. Apples chip technology in their computers is officially (and in public knowledge) 4 years old. It doesn't matter, if it is internally tested much more than that.

My personal view is that I usually wait a few years before jumping on to the "new technology". That is, somewhere around 4 to 5 years from the launch of the first generation.

Ok. But I really don't know what you are waiting for. It's been good to go since the first M1 iteration. It's proven and more to the point the only option if you want a new Mac.

 

[Ethosik]

Ditch the 2 rear USB-A ports, turn them in to Thunderbolt ports

Absolutely not. Until keyboard and mice come as USB-C we need to keep some USB-A ports. It’s the one thing I hate about Mac laptops when I want to use my USB mouse.

 

[Gloor]

I'm little bit confused about Apple's strategy here. We got M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max in October so technically the whole line up is available as M3 Ultra is basically 2x M3 Max. Why can't we just get updated M3 Mini etc. The chips are out and available so it should be fairly straight forward, no? The longer gaps between products the more inconsistent it is with the rest. ie. if the M3 Studio is really out at the end of 2024 (my hopes are for WWDC though) then the will be close to M4 and unless they delay M4 Pro and M4 Max then we will have the same situation as we have now where MBP M3 Max is as fast (or faster) than M2 Ultra which was released just few months before the Scary Fast event.

 

[centauratlas]

16 TB SSD options on the MBP, MP and maybe some other Macs would be most welcome.

 

[Manzanito]

Why not delay the pro and the studio a couple of months and update them with the M4?

 

[Gloor]

My thinking is that the scary fast event was one off exception and Apple will go back to Mx Mx Pro events, then Mx Max and Mx Ultra events again maybe?

Why not delay the pro and the studio a couple of months and update them with the M4?

 

[bobjonesco]

I hear Tim went with the same ‘less is more for me’ philosophy as the 8GB in the base MBP M3.

The all-new MacBook Air is shipping with 4GB of ram.

 

[Oestreich Dieter]

No need to feel sorry for me, firstly I don't upgrade computers every year for a new chip, that's ridiculous in my view, also I needed a new computer. My iMac (intel 2017) had died so the M2 Pro Mac mini 16 GB 1TB SSD was perfect, I find it odd that people that can't be content with what they have and are always looking for the next new phone or worse still a new SoC, that's just as boring as watching people argue over app stores! I use computers as tools I don't need a M3 or a M4 or ray tracing, I needed a new Mac last year and I'm very happy with mine so dont feel bad on my behalf or presume to cast aspersions on the entire M2 line up, many people are still happy with their M1 machines.

I know, I dont get people who complain that the iphone 15 is not much different than iphone 14.....why are you already looking to upgrade your iPhone 14? The iphone 15 is not for you, its for people like me who upgraded from an iphone X. You think I cared that it was only incrementally better than the 14? All I knew is it was MUCH better than my X. And I may be buying an M3 Air this summer and I won't care that it's only slightly better than M2 Air, because I am upgrading from a 2017 Intel MBPro.

 

[JerryDon]

27" iMac please . . .