At Apple’s recent “Scary Fast” event on Monday, tech enthusiasts were treated to exciting updates as Apple unveiled an enhanced lineup of MacBook Pros. The refreshed 14- and 16-inch models now feature the latest M3 chips and a stylish Space Black chassis.
Notably, Apple has introduced a more budget-friendly option, with the 14-inch model starting at $1,599, powered by a base M3 processor. This marks the first time the 14-inch MacBook Pro has reached such a low price point. Previously, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar featured the M2 chip, while the 14-inch MacBook Pro started at $1,999 with the M2 Pro chip. The M3 Pro variant remains priced at $1,999, and higher configurations featuring M3 Max processors come at an additional cost. Meanwhile, the base 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 Pro chip retains the same starting price of $2,499 as its M2 Pro-equipped predecessor.
A new addition to the lineup is the Space Black color option, available on both the 14- and 16-inch models with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips. This sleek finish not only looks sophisticated but also helps hide fingerprints better than the classic silver models. The hardware specifications of the laptops largely remain the same, including features like Apple’s 1080p FaceTime cameras and six-speaker sound systems. The Liquid Retina XDR displays on the new M3 MacBook Pros can now display SDR content 20 percent brighter than their predecessors, with peak brightness reaching 600 nits, up from 500 nits on the previous generation.
Thanks to the new M3 chips, these MacBook Pros promise significant performance improvements. Apple claims that the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro is 60 percent faster than its 13-inch M1 predecessor, while still offering up to 22 hours of battery life. For users opting for a laptop with an M3 Pro chip, they can expect a 40 percent boost in performance compared to an equivalent M1 Pro model. Additionally, the 14- and 16-inch M3 Max systems support up to a generous 128GB of unified memory, enhancing performance for professional tasks in applications like MATLAB and DaVinci Resolve. Perhaps the most impressive claim is that when compared to the fastest Intel-based MacBook Pros from 2021, the new M3 Max-equipped systems offer a remarkable 11x faster performance.
Another remarkable feature of the M3 chips is their support for hardware acceleration for ray tracing and mesh shading. This is a noteworthy advancement, particularly for gamers and professionals like animators and 3D modelers, as it leverages the M3’s efficient on-chip processing power in compatible applications.
Pre-orders for the new M3 MacBook Pro models have already commenced, with M3 and M3 Pro systems set to ship on November 7. M3 Max configurations are expected to arrive slightly later next month. Pricing for the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro starts at $1,599 ($1,499 for education), and the M3 Pro variant begins at $1,999 ($1,849 for education). For the 16-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro, it starts at $2,499 ($2,299 for education).
