Apple’s latest event spotlights the blazing performance it promises from its new M3-powered MacBook Pro and iMac. The company dubs them as their most powerful MacBooks and iMacs ever.
Before we get into the products, let’s take a quick look at what the new M3 chips bring to the table.
Introducing the Apple M3, M3 Pro, M3 Max
Apple‘s M3 family of chips aims to set a new standard for personal computers. The company says these are the “first personal computer chips” made using the more efficient 3-nanometer process. They also have a next-generation GPU that is expected to deliver unprecedented graphics performance and efficiency.
The GPU uses Dynamic Caching, which optimizes memory usage for each task in real time. This boosts GPU performance for pro apps and games. The GPU also introduces new rendering features to Apple silicon, such as hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing. These features enhance geometry processing and lighting effects, creating more realistic and complex scenes for games and other applications.
Apple’s M3 chips offer up to 128GB of unified memory. The most powerful M3 Max chip has up to 92 billion transistors, a 40-core GPU, and a 16-core CPU.
Base Apple MacBook Pro drops Touch Bar
Whether you need a laptop for everyday tasks, pro apps, or games, there is a MacBook Pro for you. The 14‑inch MacBook Pro with M3 starts at USD 1,599, a lower starting price than the USD 1,999 M2 Pro-powered, 14-inch MacBook Pro. It is made for students, entrepreneurs, and creatives who need that power boost from their laptops.
This model replaces last year’s M2-powered 13-inch MacBook Pro, offering performance gains up to 60% faster than the M1-powered MacBook Pro. And with this launch, the Touch Bar model of the MacBook Pro is officially gone, meaning it’s all physical keys from here out.
This base MacBook Pro does offer less power than its siblings at only 8GB of RAM. And it just comes in just silver and space gray variations. The new Space Black option is exclusive to the higher-end MacBook Pros. But if you need a bit more power than what the MacBook Air offers, this is your next best option.
Go Pro or Max
The 14- and 16‑inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro or M3 Max are designed for users who need more power and memory for demanding workflows. Think coding, machine learning, 3D animation, and video editing. And as mentioned, there’s a new Space Black color, if you want that dark finish.
Like the base model, they have a Mini LED Liquid Retina XDR display, a 1080p camera, a six-speaker sound system, and 22 hours of battery life. You can get up to 128GB of RAM on these machines. Apple details the performance improvements for the new MacBook Pros here.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 Pro chip starts at USD 1,999, while the 16-inch M3 Pro model starts at USD 2,499. You can order the new MacBook Pro today and get it on November 7, at least for some configurations. The M3 Max models are expected to come out later in November.
Much needed iMac refresh with M3
While the MacBook Pro got a refresh in January, this Scary Fast event marks the first time Apple updated the iMac since April 2021. It now brings twice the performance of the M1-equipped 24-inch iMac.
This new M3-powered, 24-inch iMac comes with a 4.5K Retina display, 1080p webcam, up to 24GB of unified memory, and supports Wi-Fi 6E. Like its predecessor, you can get it in seven colors: green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver. There are also color-matched accessories you can get with it, but these products will still feature Lightning connectors.
The 24-inch iMac costs USD 1,299 with an eight-core CPU or USD 1,499 with a 10-core chip. You can also preorder it starting today, with availability beginning on November 7.
So, if you’re waiting for that performance boost, you now have the option of a PC for your home or a more capable laptop.
Which one do you plan on getting? Let us know!