Tech / Technology

Apple’s M3 Max MacBook Pro is as fast as expensive M2 Ultra Mac desktops

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The M3 Max is faster than its most powerful predecessor, and it’s inside the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros.
Apple MacBook Pro M3 Max

We suspected the M3 Max inside the new MacBook Pro models was fast — but maybe not quite this fast.

Apple unveiled its new silicon chipset, M3, earlier this week with its new line of MacBook Pros. Every year, the company zeroes in on its new chips’ zippier performance compared to previous generations. However, early third-party tests discovered that the company really seems to have delivered this time.

Woman using the new MacBook Pro

The new MacBook Pro announced at the “Scary Fast” event.
Credit: Apple

A database entry for Geekbench, a test that inspects CPU performance, clocked that the 16-inch M3 Max MacBook Pro delivers a multi-core score of 21,084.

This test result was first noticed by MacRumors, which pointed out that this figure puts the new M3 Max within the same performance tier as the M2 Ultra, which can be found inside powerful Apple desktops such as the Mac Pro and Mac Studio. The average multi-core score for those models are 21,182 and 21,316 respectively.

The M3 Max MacBook Pro with a 16-core CPU has a starting price of $3,999, so it’s certainly not cheap. However, the Mac Pro M2 Ultra starts at $6,999, so the fact that it’s delivering similar CPU performance scores is impressive.

While the Mac Studio M2 Ultra starts at the same price as the MacBook Pro M3 Max (16-core CPU), the Mac Studio comes with a 24-core CPU in comparison, with very little difference in performance.

When compared to the M2 Max, the M3 Max is around 45 percent faster than its predecessor, according to tests. That’s right around the 50 percent number that Apple claimed during the “Scary Fast” Mac event.

The M3 Max chip is certainly impressive from what we can see so far. But will the performance hold up to the everyday usage of pro-level consumers that make up its targeted audience? We’ll soon find out.

Apple’s new M3 line of MacBook Pros launch on Nov. 7.

Tech / Technology

How to preorder the new MacBook Pro with M3 Pro and M3 Max

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Apple announced new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros on Oct. 30: The new MacBook Pro with M3 Pro chip and MacBook Pro with M3 Max chip are available to preorder starting at $1,999 and $3,199, respectively.
Person working in lab using new Apple MacBook Pro

As of Oct. 31, the new MacBook Pro M3 Pro and MacBook Pro M3 Max are available to preorder at the Apple Store, Amazon, and Best Buy. The 14-inch models start at $1,999 for the M3 Pro and $3,199 for the M3 Max, while the 16-inch models start at $2,499 for the M3 Pro and $3,499 for the M3 Max. Shipping begins on November 7.

Preorder the new MacBook Pros with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips:
Apple Store

Apple MacBook Pro with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips

starting at $1,999

Apple MacBook Pro with silver shell and black design screensaver

Best Buy

Apple MacBook Pro with M3 Pro and M3 Max chip

starting at $1,999

Apple MacBook Pro with space black shell and black design screensaver

Amazon

14-inch Apple MacBook Pro with M3 Pro (11-core CPU, 14-core GPU)

starting at $1,999

Apple MacBook Pro with silver shell and black design screensaver

Amazon

14-inch Apple MacBook Pro with M3 Pro (12-core CPU, 18-core GPU)

starting at $2,399

Apple MacBook Pro with space black shell and black design screensaver

Amazon

16-inch Apple MacBook Pro with M3 Pro (12-core CPU, 18-core GPU)

starting at $2,499

Apple MacBook Pro with space black shell and black design screensaver

Amazon

14-inch Apple MacBook Pro with M3 Max (14-core CPU, 30-core GPU)

starting at $3,199

Apple MacBook Pro with silver shell and black design screensaver

Amazon

16-inch Apple MacBook Pro with M3 Max (14-core CPU, 30-core GPU)

starting at $3,499

Apple MacBook Pro with space black shell and black design screensaver

Apple’s second Apple Event of the past *checks notes* two months welcomed new MacBook Pros with several iterations of the new M3 chip — scary fast processing appropriately unleashed at the official “Scary Fast” Halloween Eve event.

The two real stars of the show were the Pros featuring the advanced M3 Pro and the super advanced M3 Max chips. Both can live in a 14-inch or 16-inch Pro, and both come in the one shade that could be sleeker than Space Grey: Space Black, baby.

SEE ALSO:

How to preorder the new M3 Apple iMac

One word to sum the M3 generation up? Power. Apple wasn’t shy about the fact that these are the most powerful MacBooks ever built by a long shot, operating up to 2.5 times faster than the already-fast M1 Max chip and up to 11 times faster than the older Intel-based MacBook Pros. The liquid retina XDR display is also more vivid, offering 1600 nits of peak brightness in HDR and 600 nits in SDR.

As for the differences between the two, the M3 Max is available with a 14- or 16-core CPU (compared to the M3 Pro’s 12-core CPU), 30- or 40-core GPU (compared to the M3 Pro’s 18-core GPU), up to 48GB of Unified Memory (compared to the M3 Pro’s 18GB or 36GB), and 1TB of SSD storage (compared to the M3 Pro’s 512GB SSD). The Max is the beast to trust for the most intense workflows — we’re talking to you, machine learning programmers, 3D artists, video editors, and MATLAB masters.

Tech / Technology

M3 MacBook 14 vs. M3 Pro MacBook 14

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The M3 MacBook Pro 14 is here, but how is it different from the M3 Pro MacBook 14?
M3 MacBook 14 vs. M3 Pro MacBook 14

We’re going to pit the M3 MacBook Pro 14 against the M3 Pro MacBook Pro. Let’s get ready to rumble!

The M3 MacBook Pro 14 has the most affordable starting price out of all the MacBooks dropped during the “Scary Fast” event on Oct. 30. If you need something more powerful to compliment your resource-intensive workflow, you’ll be better off with an M3 Pro chip. This is where the M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14 comes into play.

Of course, although they’re minor, there are more differences between the two models aside from their chips.

M3 MacBook Pro 14 vs. M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14: Price

The M3 14-inch MacBook Pro has a starting price of $1,599. It comes with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. The most expensive configuration, packed with an M3 chip (8-core CPU, 10-core GPU), 24GB of RAM, and 2TB of SSD storage, will set you back nearly $2,600.

Woman using M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14

M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14
Credit: Apple

The M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro, on the other hand, has a starting price of $1,999. This base-level configuration comes with 18GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage.

However, this laptop can cost nearly $4,000 if you max it out with an M3 Pro (12-core CPU, 18-core GPU), 36GB of RAM, and 4TB of SSD storage.

M3 MacBook Pro 14 vs. M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14: Design

Both the M3 and M3 Pro models have the same design. After all, they share the same 14-inch MacBook Pro chassis.

Woman using the M3 MacBook Pro 14

M3 MacBook Pro 14
Credit: Apple

There are no major changes from the previous-generation 14-inch MacBook Pro. As such, you’ll still get that funky-looking notch on top of the display with slim bezels. Plus, you’ll get an island-style keyboard that is flanked by a divine-sounding, six-speaker audio system. And you’ll get Touch ID on the top-right corner of the keyboard.

The lid features that well-known Apple logo that that will make brand-conscious passers-by jealous.

The M3 MacBook Pro 14, on the other hand, is negligibly lighter than M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14 (3.4 pounds vs. 3.5 pounds). However, they share the same thinness of 0.61 inches.

Unlike the M3 MacBook Pro 14, the M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14 offers a new color, Space Black, in addition to Silver. The M3 MacBook Pro 14 only comes in Space Gray and Silver. Yawn!

M3 MacBook Pro 14 vs. M3 Pro MacBook Pro 13: Display

You guessed it. Both have the same display.

The M3 MacBook Pro 14 and the M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14 have a 14.2-inch, 3,024 x 1964-pixel screen with a variable refresh rate that can climb to 120Hz. It has a peak brightness of up to 1600 nits, particularly for HDR content.

Plus, it has a mini-LED display, an energy-efficient display technology that can deliver high luminance compared to the likes of OLED.

M3 MacBook Pro 14

M3 MacBook Pro 14
Credit: Apple

The only aspect of the 14-inch MacBook Pro body that may give you pause is its controversial notch. Some people don’t mind it. For example, I forget that it’s even there. However, others find it to be repulsive, so it’s all up to your own personal taste.

M3 MacBook Pro 14 vs. M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14: Ports

Both laptops have an HDMI port, SDXC card slot, and a 3.5-mm headset jack.

14-inch MacBook Pro ports

14-inch MacBook Pro ports
Credit: Apple

Plus, there’s MagSafe 3 charging available, allowing you to free up those Thunderbolt ports for other important uses.

The M3 MacBook Pro 14 sports two Thunderbolt 3 ports. The M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14 has three Thunderbolt 4 ports.

It’s worth noting that the M3 MacBook Pro 14 only has support for one display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz. The M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14, on the other hand, has support for up to two external displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz.

M3 MacBook Pro 14 vs. M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14: the chipset

Of course, Apple packed the 14-inch MacBook Pro with new chips from the M3 family, which the Cupertino-based giant claims is 15 percent faster than the M2 family. When it comes to image effects and filters, Apple claims the the M3 family is 40 percent faster.

M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14

M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14
Credit: Apple

When you go to purchase the M3 MacBook Pro 14 on the Apple website, you’ll notice that it only offers an 8-core CPU and a 10-Core GPU.

The M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14, on the other hand, comes in two chipset flavors:

  • M3 Pro – 11-core CPU, 14-core GPU

  • M3 Pro – 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU

If you select the M3 Pro chip with more cores, it should, in practice, handle computational demands more seamlessly and efficiently.

According to Apple, the M3 Pro is 20 percent faster than the M2 Pro, its predecessor, when it comes to image processing.

M3 MacBook Pro 14 vs. M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14: Battery life

Apple claims that the M3 MacBook Pro 14 lasts 22 hours on a single charge, which is pretty damn good (if this is true). The Cupertino-based tech giant boasts that the M3 Pro MacBook Pro has a runtime of 18 hours, which is impressive, too.

However, we’ll have to test these laptops ourselves to know for sure.

Final thoughts

There is no clear winner here. It all depends on your workflow.

The M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14 is recommended for coders, researchers and creatives. However, the cheaper M3 MacBook Pro 14 targets students who need a zippy laptop that can keep up with their everyday tasks.

However, I’m a sucker for good battery life and I love to save money, so I’d personally opt for the M3 MacBook Pro over its pricier sibling.


13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 chip

Credit: Apple


13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 chip

$1,049

Tech / Technology

The Apple Mac event was a scary bad Halloween flop

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Apple’s 2023 Mac event, a first evening live launch for the company, was light on content. Did we even need this half an hour?
David S. Pumpkins on SNL; Tim Cook.

You could be forgiven for expecting something special from a fancy Apple launch event the day before Halloween — especially when the company was branching into new chronological territory. This was the first evening launch of the modern Apple era. Would we see Cook in impeccable evening wear, carrying a martini?

Then there’s the timing. And the event title: “Scary Fast.” That suggested we were getting speedier machines, sure. But it also suggested a theme.

Was it too much to hope that Apple, which has previously had a ton of fun with a 420-themed event, a rocking California-themed event, and more Craig Federighi appearances than you can shake a book of Dad jokes at, was going to go all out on a spooktacular spooktacular — something that sold genuinely interesting upgrades with a dash of its signature, and highly seasonal, pizzaz?

Well yes, we concluded afterwards, apparently that was too much to hope. The M3 chip speeds in its new laptops were somewhat interesting for those of us looking to upgrade, even if Apple was engaging in some sleight of hand about model comparisons. The screen was a little brighter. The “Space Black” color got the interest of some Macheads, while others compared it to the dull black Powerbooks of the early Carrie Bradshaw era.

I couldn’t help but wonder: If that’s all Apple was going to give us, then why not make this a TikTok — or our similarly brief summary above — instead of a 35-minute affair that felt three times as long?

There was no horror movie vibe to carry us through all that hard-to-parse benchmark test info. Not unless you count the 13-inch Macbook growing … a whole inch! Or the Touch Bar being quietly knifed off-screen. (Typical murder-mystery: It’s always the one the audience likes the least that gets it first.) There was nothing scary save the $2,000 price tag on the Space Black MacBook.

Where was the pumpkin spice on this weak small decaf? Well, not counting about 10 seconds of Scooby-Doo level Halloween CGI while zooming over the Apple campus at the very beginning, it was … the CEO’s bright orange Apple Watch band. If this is his idea of a costume, Tim Cook must be fun at Halloween parties.

Oh, and several of the executives featured used variations on the word “monster,” as in “monster CPU” and “monstrous improvement.” (Geddit? Because Halloween?) Despite being stuck underground in dungeon-like labs inside a spaceship, these presenters never once uttered phrases like “It’s alive!” Or “Soon my evil plan to make you buy a whole new laptop for a 15 percent speed improvement over last year’s model will be unstoppable!”

In short, Tim Cook made the Apple event equivalent of Saturday Night Live‘s famous David S. Pumpkins Halloween sketch, in which an elevator in a haunted house keeps opening on a not-very-scary Tom Hanks and a couple of skeletons who dance for a couple of seconds. Except Cook didn’t even give his audience a chance to ask “Any questions?”

Because yeah, like the paying customers in the sketch, we might have a few questions. Like: Where’s the fun? How long do you think the world’s wealthiest company can get away with launch events widely judged to be disappointing? What did you have against the 13-inch Macbook, which was that little bit easier to tote around or slip in a bag than the 14-inch replacement? And is the only innovation we have to look forward to from this company … just faster chips in newer models?

The notion that Apple itself has no clue how to answer these and other questions may, for us fans, be the scariest Halloween surprise of all.

Tech / Technology

New M3 iMac announced at Apple’s 10/30 event

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Apple announced the new M3 iMac at the ‘Scary Fast’ event. Here’s everything you need to know.
Apple iMac

Apple just dropped a new iMac and it’s packed with the next-generation processor: the M3 chip. For the uninitiated, the iMac may seem like nothing more than a monitor, but don’t let its sleek display fool you. It’s actually an all-in-one PC packed with a processor and graphics, as well as memory and storage.

It’s about time that Apple upgraded the M1 iMac, which was introduced at Apple’s Spring Loaded event in 2021. Now, we have a refreshed iMac with a wealth of new features. Check out the 3 new features of the new M3 iMac.

3 new features of the M3 iMac

The new iMac is not massively different from the previous version; it features the same size, design, and even the colors have remained the same. Here are three standout features:

1. That M3 chip

The new M3 chip is Apple’s first 3-nanometer chip for desktop computers. It’s faster while being less power-hungry. To be precise, an iMac with an M3 chip is up to two times faster than the prior iMac generation with an M1 chip. The star of the show is the new, 10-core GPU, which will bring up to 50% faster frame rates in games. The new iMac also supports up to 24GB of unified memory.

2. Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3

One small, but important change for those who need fast wireless connectivity is the freshly added support for Wi-Fi 6E, which enables download speeds that are twice as fast as the previous generation, as well as support for Bluetooth 5.3, replacing Bluetooth 5.0 on the previous model.

Apple iMac

Still only comes in 24-inch size.
Credit: Apple

3. Up to 24GB of memory

The new iMac can now be had with 24GB of memory, instead of only 16GB.

And while not technically new or a feature, you’ll probably be happy to know that the starting price for the iMac is still the same: $1,299.

Other than the above, it’s worth noting that the iMac is not available with the new M3 Pro and M3 Max chips. You can only get it with the vanilla M3 variety. And yes, it still only comes in one size – a 24-inch display.

If you want a beefier iMac, you can have it with 24GB memory, a 10-core GPU (instead of the starting 8-core GPU) and 2TB of storage, though that will cost you a total of $2,699.

As for the colors, your choices are (still) green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver.

SEE ALSO:

Apple event October 2023: Every single MacBook Pro, iMac announced

Most of the other details have remained the same, including the 4.5K Retina display, 1080p webcam, six-speaker system, three mics, and up to four USB ports.

Finally, Apple says that the new iMac is better for the environment, with a stand that uses 100% recycled aluminum, while the gold in the plating of “multiple printed circuit boards” inside is also 100% recycled.

The new iMac can be ordered now and will start shipping on Nov. 7.

Tech / Technology

The 13-inch MacBook Pro is dead with the release of M3 14-inch MacBook Pro

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The launch of the 14-inch MacBook Pro signals the end of the 13-inch MacBook Pro.
M2 MacBook Pro 13-inch with grim reaper

As in most horror films, Apple’s October event, named “Scary Fast,” didn’t take long to claim its first victim.

As the new 14-inch MacBook Pro crept into our lives, it slashed the 13-inch MacBook Pro from existence — for good.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro was an option for users who desired ultra-portability and jaw-dropping battery life. Sure the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models also deliver decent battery runtimes, but in my experience as a laptop reviewer, Apple’s claims that the 13-inch MacBook Pro can last 20 hours (compared to the larger models’ 18-hour runtime) was spot on.

14-inch MacBook Pro

14-inch MacBook Pro
Credit: Zlata Ivleva / Mashable

The 13-inch MacBook Pro was also ideal for anyone who loved the controversial Touch Bar. However, many Apple fans aren’t sad to see it go. After all, it replaced physical function keys — as well as the precious Esc button — with an OLED touchscreen, which most found to be irksome.

SEE ALSO:

I spent a month with the 15-inch MacBook Air – it made me ditch Windows for good

The 13-inch MacBook Pro is dead and gone, but many won’t mourn its death.

How the 13-inch MacBook Pro lost its ‘sexy’

The 13-inch MacBook Pro, packed with the M2 chip, attracted users who craved a Pro model, but didn’t have the wherewithal to splurge on the pricier, upper-tier 14-inch and 16-inch variants. But Apple has other laptops with the M2 chip, too, including some Air models, which made the 13-inch MacBook Pro look less seductive.

For example, there’s a 2022 13-inch MacBook Air with an M2 chip that is cheaper by about $200 — and it has sharper webcam, a higher-resolution display, a slightly lighter chassis, and it has a MagSafe 3 power port.

13-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip

13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 chip
Credit: Apple

For the uninitiated, MagSafe 3 lets you charge the MacBook Air, allowing you to keep your two USB-C ports free. You can’t do the same on the Pro.

Plus, the Air doesn’t have a Touch Bar, a controversial feature often labeled as a “gimmick” by tech pundits.

However, the 13-inch MacBook Pro, unlike the Air, has fans, so if your workflow consists of resource-intensive tasks (e.g., video editing), the Pro model would be a better choice because it manages thermals better for the uptick in heat generation. Plus, in my experience as a laptop reviewer, the 13-inch MacBook Pro has an incredible runtime — even longer than the Air.

However, the Air still has sufficient battery life to keep consumers happy and has an attractive set of features that likely had consumers flocking to it instead of the 13-inch MacBook Pro.

There’s a new ‘entry-level Pro’ in town

It looks like Apple recognized that its base-level Pro was losing its sexy. As such, it decided to kick the 13-inch MacBook Pro to the curb and replace it with the 14-inch MacBook Pro with a new M3 chip.

13-inch MacBook Pro

13-inch MacBook Pro M3
Credit: Apple

That means the Touch Bar is gone, a move that some Mashable tech reporters, including myself, are celebrating.

No, you won’t get the same “oomph” as you’d get from the new 14-inch MacBook Pro with the more robust M3 Pro and M3 Max chips. But you’re still getting a nice performance jump over the M2 chip, which is welcome. It has a starting price of $1,599.

Goodbye 13-inch MacBook Pro. Sayonara Touch Bar. It was nice knowing you.


front-facing 15-inch MacBook Air with m2 chip

Credit: Amazon


Apple 2023 MacBook Air Laptop with M2

$1,049.99

Tech / Technology

Apple just announced new M3 14-inch- and 16-inch MacBook Pros

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Apple just announced new M3 14-inch- and 16-inch MacBook Pros. Here’s everything we know about the new laptops.
MacBook Pro in space black

Apple’s “Scary Fast” event delivered on one major expectation.

Yes, that’s right: We got some new MacBooks in the house. In its livestreamed event on Monday, Apple unveiled a pair of new MacBook Pros with the latest and hopefully greatest in chipsets. M3 Pro and M3 Max are here in MacBook form, nestled inside 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops. The M3 Pro model starts at $1,999 and the M3 Max starts at $3,199.

Here’s everything you need to know about them.

3 new features of the M3 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros

There’s plenty to chew on with the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros with M3 Pro and M3 Max. Of course, performance is better; M3 Pro is up to 40 percent faster than M1 Pro, while M3 Max is up to 2.5x faster than the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Max. The new M3 chips support hardware ray tracing, as well.

But here are some other cool features that you might not have expected:

  1. Up to 22 hours of battery life

  2. Fast remote screen sharing with another Mac device

  3. Game Mode, which enhances frame rates while gaming

  4. And a brand new Space Black color

Aside from those tidbits and the usual performance enhancements, though, this wasn’t an especially earth-shattering announcement. Apple’s stream was almost entirely focused on how these new laptops can do things faster than older laptops. They do get 1,600 nits of peak brightness, which should make things look all nice and fancy even in daylight.

Oh, and they come with the new MacOS Sonoma. That adds iPhone-like widgets to the home screen, profiles in Safari, and the aforementioned screen sharing and game mode features.

Maybe this event should’ve just been a press release.