The M3 Pro is a real worry, as mentioned Apple didn't present any M2 Pro vs M3 Pro slide, and with the change of ratio in performance/efficiency cores for the 12 CPU core variant, going from 8P/4E to 6P/6E and cutting down the memory bandwidth, it sounds like it's a sidegrade at best to ensure a bit more upsell towards the Max.
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These M3 Macs Are Still Coming, But Are They Worth the Wait?
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M3 is a good step up from M1. M2 users need not be bothered. Users of equivalent older Intel chip models will not know what the hell hit them.
M3 Pro is the most incremental improvement possible from M2 Pro; it’s better, but only just. M2 Pro and M1 Pro were half-GPU forms of their generations’ “big chip” designs. M3 Pro is a deliberate “medium chip” design, which makes even a slight performance win at least conceptually impressive. M1 Pro and M2 Pro users need not be bothered; Intel users should salivate over refurb M2 Pro models. When those dry up M3 Pro will still be a great chip.
M3 Max is a genuinely beefy successor for M2/M1 Max. Anybody who needs some real juice on a Mac should be eying it. And whispering so many apologies to their bank account.
M3 Pro is the most incremental improvement possible from M2 Pro; it’s better, but only just. M2 Pro and M1 Pro were half-GPU forms of their generations’ “big chip” designs. M3 Pro is a deliberate “medium chip” design, which makes even a slight performance win at least conceptually impressive. M1 Pro and M2 Pro users need not be bothered; Intel users should salivate over refurb M2 Pro models. When those dry up M3 Pro will still be a great chip.
M3 Max is a genuinely beefy successor for M2/M1 Max. Anybody who needs some real juice on a Mac should be eying it. And whispering so many apologies to their bank account.
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Apple will never have a decent Mac Pro 2019 successor.
Have to agree. I would generally be interested in a new MacBook (leaning Air, but Pro would be fine, too). However, given how cheap memory (both RAM and SSDs) have become on the market, Apple's stinted base configuration together with the "generous" upgrade prices greatly diminish the appeal of an otherwise very serviceable offering.
I’m only interested in a 15” Air with M3. If base is 8GB/256GB then it’s going be **** value. 16GB 512GB should be the minimum these days.
I’d love a Mac again but not getting too excited about it. Can’t really justify the insane prices Apple charge and then what it cost to upgrade specs to something reasonable.
Most likely they will not be getting my money. It’s been 11 years since I had a Mac and every year I say I’ll get one again but when the time comes there is ALWAYS something ****** that puts me off.
I’d love a Mac again but not getting too excited about it. Can’t really justify the insane prices Apple charge and then what it cost to upgrade specs to something reasonable.
Most likely they will not be getting my money. It’s been 11 years since I had a Mac and every year I say I’ll get one again but when the time comes there is ALWAYS something ****** that puts me off.
I won't deny being a little peeved off at apple for releasing 2 generations the same year. I have an M2 Max 38C Studio, and looking at the graphical gains for someone who uses X Plane 12 and develops scenery, this is a real gut punch, and I am seriously considering my options of if to just sell the thing and go back to PC's. or sell it and wait till M3 Max year.
Back then Apple always started from the top. This was also IBMs strategy add they always updated Power before PowerPC. For Apple the money maker is the iPhone so they start there and push up. This year they broke that a bit by putting the M3, Pro, and Max out all at once so hopefully they are going back to working on the high end first. Would be better to get the M4 Ultra out much earlier in the cycle.
Are they worth the wait? Well, the reviews will come next week but my major concern is that Apple will only send out the upgraded versions for review i.e. the M3 MBP will be supplied to reviewers with 16 GB RAM, and the M3 Pro and M3 Max review samples will be the versions with the most cores. The experience of entry level models likely won't come until retail units are available.
I have no doubt that the M3 Max will leave the M2 Max in the dust and give similar performance to the M3 Ultra, but am skeptical of the M3 Pro.
I have no doubt that the M3 Max will leave the M2 Max in the dust and give similar performance to the M3 Ultra, but am skeptical of the M3 Pro.
Apple has exaggerated this time, the base model still has a ridiculous 8GB for a Pro Macbook. That is unworthy. Likewise the 512 GB SSD, what times are we living in? If the upgrade prices weren't so extortionate, it would still be manageable.
Now Apple certainly earns 2000% on every SSD or RAM upgrade, 1000% would still be a lot and many would then buy better equipped machines.
This outrageous pricing policy will in no way boost Mac sales.
Now Apple certainly earns 2000% on every SSD or RAM upgrade, 1000% would still be a lot and many would then buy better equipped machines.
This outrageous pricing policy will in no way boost Mac sales.
M3 … meh. Yep, for many people a heavily discounted M2 machine or even M1 Pro is plenty and probably way better value. Unless you need the absolute blazing performance , Apple stuff is always better value by looking back a generation (or more). My M1 MBP 16/1TB crushes anything I throw at it. Compare the price of that to a brand new M3 model with same mem/SSD.. the difference is ridiculous.
I don't really need a laptop these days so when I do eventually upgrade my wife's 2021 M1 Pro 14", it will be a Mac Studio, and she'll get my M2 Pro 14". And that won't happen until an M3 Max version of the Studio exists. I should have bought a Mac Studio at the start of this year and didn't. But I'm sure as hell not upgrading to a Studio now that M3 has been announced.
Apple is the master of making modest changes or restoring long-valued features and hyping them into rationalizations for upgrades.
So, the 13” M2 MBA restored MagSafe and deployed the familiar but “new” boxy MBP design. That proved compelling to many Intel and even M1 MBA owners.
The 14” MBP M-series provided HDMI, SD card slot, etc. More appeal to those who missed those.
Then came the 15” MBA — the only major change was the display size — but that provided a good reason to upgrade for 13” owners, Intel owners, or those considering the 14” MBPs, but not needing the ports or extra power!
As to the future…
Like their M3 MBP cousins, M3 MBAs won't have breakthrough gains over M2 MBAs, not in power, speed, or battery life, and will be quite similar in design to their predecessors. They'll be dismissed by technophiles (& the MR cognoscenti) as providing little improvement over prior models. However, Apple will be clever in its usual fashion and offer creative, attention grabbing changes.
In this case, and here's my attempt to outdo Kuo and Gurman, Apple will introduce (finally) multi-color MacBook Airs — and, maybe (one of Mac predictors' favorite words! 😁) add or move a Thunderbolt port to the other side.
Voila! A slightly faster MBA, with slightly longer Apple TV app viewing time, which Apple will hype (just as they captures the tech press that dutifully echoed the sweeping “up to 22 hours battery life”). But wait! That's not what will catch people's eye.
Apple will have added TWO brand new features — colors and ports on both sides! Compelling reasons for new purchasers and upgraders.
In establishing my predictor bonafides, and emulating Kuo —and Gurman in particular — I will add that those changes will be coming sometime in 2024 — or, if not, sometime later on.🙈 ‼️ 👍🏼 😎
So, the 13” M2 MBA restored MagSafe and deployed the familiar but “new” boxy MBP design. That proved compelling to many Intel and even M1 MBA owners.
The 14” MBP M-series provided HDMI, SD card slot, etc. More appeal to those who missed those.
Then came the 15” MBA — the only major change was the display size — but that provided a good reason to upgrade for 13” owners, Intel owners, or those considering the 14” MBPs, but not needing the ports or extra power!
As to the future…
Like their M3 MBP cousins, M3 MBAs won't have breakthrough gains over M2 MBAs, not in power, speed, or battery life, and will be quite similar in design to their predecessors. They'll be dismissed by technophiles (& the MR cognoscenti) as providing little improvement over prior models. However, Apple will be clever in its usual fashion and offer creative, attention grabbing changes.
In this case, and here's my attempt to outdo Kuo and Gurman, Apple will introduce (finally) multi-color MacBook Airs — and, maybe (one of Mac predictors' favorite words! 😁) add or move a Thunderbolt port to the other side.
Voila! A slightly faster MBA, with slightly longer Apple TV app viewing time, which Apple will hype (just as they captures the tech press that dutifully echoed the sweeping “up to 22 hours battery life”). But wait! That's not what will catch people's eye.
Apple will have added TWO brand new features — colors and ports on both sides! Compelling reasons for new purchasers and upgraders.
In establishing my predictor bonafides, and emulating Kuo —and Gurman in particular — I will add that those changes will be coming sometime in 2024 — or, if not, sometime later on.🙈 ‼️ 👍🏼 😎
I have zero interest in upgrading, but even if I did, I would wait for the M3 Air. There is nothing in MBP line that interests me over an Air. My M1 still does everything I need, and more.
I was just about to purchase my first Mac in years, a Mac Mini M2, but now I'm reconsidering. I don't think it'll be too long before they release models with the M3 chip, especially given that the MacBooks received an upgrade in just nine months.
BTW i'm not in a hurry.
BTW i'm not in a hurry.