The MacBook Pro is Apple ’s most important laptop . It ’s the one with the highest stakes , and its users are the hardest to please . hold the price , that should n’t come as a surprise .
Perhaps that ’s why , just 10 monthsafter the M2 update , the MacBook Pro has been bump up to theM3 chipto chair the cycle this prison term around . There are some small changes besides the chip , but truthfully , this one is all about the operation . This was already thebest high - functioning laptopyou could buy , and the M3 only makes it honest .
MacBook Pro M3 Max: configurations
A variety of MacBook Pro models are available , lay out from the M3 14 - column inch MacBook Pro to the M3 Max 16 - in MacBook Pro . I ’m reviewing the 14 - inch M3 Max 16/40 model at $ 3,899 , spruced up with 64 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD . I also include information about the 16 - in M3 Max 16/40 model with 48 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD at $ 3,999 . The M3 Max models can be configured with up to 128 GB of unified RAM , up from the 96 GB usable on the M2 Max .
Pricing has not increased in this round of MacBook Pro updates ; in fact , there ’s one less costly selection . The 14 - inch MacBook Pro can now be had at $ 1,499 when configured with the Qaeda M3 , while the M3 Pro and above still start at $ 1,999 . The 16 - inch simulation starts at the same $ 2,499 , albeit with 18 GB of RAM rather than 16 GB .
And as normal , Apple charges an arm and a leg for more memory or computer storage . You ’ll devote an extra $ 1,000 on the 14 - inch mannikin to go from 48 GB to 128 GB and $ 2,200 to get up to 8 TB of storage . And call back : neither the storage nor memory can be upgraded after the fact . Fully configure , the 16 - inch MacBook Pro be a whopping $ 7,199 .
The good word is that things like speaker , the screen , and ports are n’t affected when choose between configurations . The visuals or audio on a $ 1,499 MacBook Pro is tantamount to what you get when you spend thousands of dollar more . That ’s one of the reasons I ’m so happy Apple replaced the crummy 13 - inch MacBook Pro with this new M3 14 - column inch MacBook Pro . It ’s a far sound deal when consider all the high - ending ingredient used .
MacBook Pro M3 Max: design
This year ’s MacBook Pro has just one visible modification : The new Space Black gloss option . I do n’t entail to downplay that variety , though , because it ’s gorgeous . It ’s destined to be the go - to color for most buyer , just as Space Gray was before , and in my mind , it ’s definitely the best MacBook colour Apple ’s ever designed ( even if it is technically just a darker subtlety of gray ) . In some light , it appears nigher to black , though , and is certainly detectable , even without having the old Space Gray model to compare it directly to .
So yeah , I’m pretty taken with with it . Apple suppose the Space Black coloration also adds auspices against fingerprints , which I did my darnedest to screen . Side by side with an M2 Space Gray model , I detect no pregnant fingerprint resistance . It ’s certainly not impervious to sweaty palm or greasy fingerbreadth . The keycaps themselves are n’t protect , either , which is where most fingerprints end up .
It should be mentioned that Space Black is not availableon the base 14 - in M3 MacBook Pro , whereas Space Gray is still an option . Note that the MacBook Pro 16 has only the Silver and Space Black colors ; Space Grey is n’t an selection on the expectant model .
away from the Modern color , the MacBook Pro remains a well - crafted and attractive simple machine . It ’s not the thin or lightest laptop in the world – at least not by the measure of pre - Apple Silicon MacBook Pros . But the 14 - column inch model is 0.6 inches thick and 3.5 pounds and is compact enough to throw in a bag with relief , while the 16 - inch model is heavier at 4.8 pound while still very slender at 0.66 inches . The 14 - inch modelling is still more portable than theRazer Blade 14,Acer Swift X 14 , andDell XPS 15 . The same ca n’t be said with the 16 - inch manikin , which is a turn of a behemoth .
There are two other classifiable elements of the current MacBook Pro design that make it suffer out from other laptop . The first is the notch at the top of the display , which house the 1080p webcam and other authoritative sensors . I still do n’t love the look of the notch , and I incur it troublesome by occasionally obscure items in the menu bar I ask access to . The trade - off is those flyspeck bezel that entrap the video display , emphasized by the rounded screen edge on the top left and right .
The other is the black keyboard gusset , which is already being copied by laptops like theAsus Zenbook S 13 . The inset brings an even subtler finesse to the Space Black model . Neither of these purpose feature is new , but they ’ve become authoritative marker for the brand .
MacBook Pro M3 Max: display
Apple claims its MacBook Pros have the dependable laptop computer screens usable . And here ’s the thing : it ’s lawful . It really is . We ’ve tested and review every major laptop computer in 2023 , and it remains true . And with the new model , it get more or less good . The resolution , color reportage , and refresh charge per unit have n’t exchange – all top - notch , of line . Despite using the same panel , the Modern MacBook Pro can push even brighter SDR contentedness , which I measure out at 562 nits at its brightest on the 14 - in example and an even bright 640 nits on the 16 - column inch manakin .
Then , there ’s the HDR performance , of path . With 2,010 lighting zones ( or 2,554 on the 16 - column inch model ) , you ’re getting some really telling HDR performance . Even with the growth inmini - LED display in Windows laptop computer , the MacBook Pro stay the very best in the plot . HDR content maxes out at a thumping 1,600 nits .
Of naturally , the MacBook Pro also has a ProMotion showing , which can dynamically exchange the refresh charge per unit up to 120Hz . Apple was one of the first to put high-pitched refresh pace screen on non - gaming laptops , but they ’re far from alone in that anymore .
MacBook Pro M3 Max: performance
carrying out is paramount on the MacBook Pro . You might care the presentation , speakers , keyboard , or port choice – but you buy it for the carrying out . Especially if you configure this baby up to the M3 Max and charge it up with computer storage .
So , how does it do ? Well , it look on where you ’re coming from . If you ’re still using an Intel - based Mac , you will be blown aside by how herculean and effective this affair is . But that was also truthful of theM1 Max and M2 Max . In terminal figure of central processing unit performance , the M3 Max takes another step onwards . In Cinebench R24 , we ’re expect at the M3 Max being as much as 16 % faster in the single - core test over the M2 Max and 62 % faster in multi - gist . The M3 Max is also 38 % faster in Handbrake , aid by that increase in multi - core functioning .
These MacBook Pros come with a High Performance mode , which can be correct in the Battery configurations . This intelligently determines when to crank up the fan a bit harder to eke out more public presentation . In my testing , the High Performance manner redeem an extra 6 % of performance on the M3 Max , which issimilar to the M2 Max .
Even the High Performance mode is picky about when it crank up the fans .
It ’s mainly just in multi - core carrying out though , so it ’s only going to provide an uplift in some app . The gamy Performance mode do with a muscular amount of fan noise , but the organization is outstandingly good at reel down the fans quickly . No lingering devotee noise . In general , Apple ’s late MacBooks have played very cautiously with fan pep pill ( sometimes to its detriment ) , and even the eminent Performance fashion is picky about when it cranks up the fans .
In the lozenge below , you ’ll find performance data for both the 14 - inch and 16 - column inch M3 Max 16/40 versions . The 16 - in results are with “ just ” 48 GB of unified RAM . Interestingly , the 16 - column inch version ’s carrying into action was n’t that much faster than the small exemplar ’s , in spite of having more blank to push tune around . Both are outstanding performers , especially in GPU - intensive applications ( more on this below ) .
When it comes to all these performance increases in the M3 , Apple achieved this not by impart more CPU gist this time around but or else by bringing some real architectural improvements under the exhaust hood . The total M3 line of cow dung has moved from 5 nm to 3 nm , bringing more efficiency across the plug-in .
Some were certainly hope for a larger bounce in single - core performance , which Apple does n’t have a confidential information in anymore . The M3 Max is right in origin with 13th - gen H - series Intel chips . Given the recent performance claim by Qualcomm with itsnew Snapdragon X elect cow chip , there ’s even more pressure on the M3 Max to proceed pushing the envelope .
MacBook Pro M3 Max: graphics and gaming
But Apple has a cloak-and-dagger weapon system with the M3 Max in its GPU public presentation . There ’s a huge gain here over the premature generation . How huge ? Well , according to the GPU exam in Cinebench R24 , the M3 Max ’s GPU is 56 % degenerate than the M2 Max . Keep in nous that this is with just two more GPU cores . The novel feature , Dynamic Caching , seems to trifle a large persona in just how performant the GPU has become . There ’s a lot we still do n’t know about it , but the GPU ’s improved memory allocation allows for a significant boost in overall functioning .
As a result , any and all task involving GPU rendering get a major uptick in performance . You ’ll encounter this a importantly fast laptop for things like exporting video , 3D modelling , and – of course – play . Is this the first MacBook Pro that can in reality double as a gambling laptop ? It ’s catch faithful . More and more , problem you may have with Mac gaming have less to do with performanceand more to do with platform . While it ’s a less direct comparing , the 14 - column inch M3 Max grade 889 on the Pugetbench Premiere Pro benchmark campaign in a live version of Adobe Premiere Pro and use the GPU to step on it up various task . The old M1 Pro MacBook Pro 14 score just 467 in the same exam . That ’s a 90 % improvement in two generations .
Is the M3 Max as muscular as a discrete mobile GPU like the RTX 4090 or 4080 ? Not quite . But it set down above every mobile configuration of the RTX 4070 so far , including the Razer Blade 14 , where the MacBook Pro is 13 % faster in GPU performance . That ’s a propergaminglaptop , folk .
Baldur ’s Gate 3‘s use of HDR brings the full capabilities of this concealment to life .
I try out several games on the laptop to see how it perform : Lies of atomic number 15 , Civilization VI , Fortnite , andBaldur ’s Gate 3 . I left quite impressed by how the MacBook Pro deal these games . prevarication of Pis a well - optimize game , making it a big paroxysm to show off how still play can be on a MacBook Pro , even with AAA titles . You have a few workable play option too , all of which are trifle at max setting . First off , you might require to drop the game down to 1920 x 1200 resolution , which will sack up you well over 100 ( fps ) frames per second , more in effect using the full capacity of the 120Hz refresh charge per unit . Or you could bump the resolution up to 2294 x 1432 and average around 70 fps for a tart icon without have to completely sacrifice skeletal frame charge per unit . It ’s downright impressive .
Baldur ’s Gate 3is perhaps an even more important example . Since the native Mac version come up out , it ’s been tough to get the game to run swimmingly outside of the Mac Studio with the M2 Ultra flake . TheFSR 1isn’t going to help you much here either , at least not without sacrifice some important pellucidity . But with the M3 Max MacBook Pro , the secret plan runs surprisingly well . With configurations turned up , the mirthfully churns out an norm of 60 Federal Protective Service , so long as you bond with 1920 x 1200 answer .
And more than just carrying into action , the secret plan ’s use of HDR brings the full capability of this blind to lifespan , adding clarity and detail to the brightly color fantasy — in a way that even thebest play laptopcan’t .
The carrying out and hardware are there . Now we just need more gamesto come to the chopine to prove how viable it ’s become .
MacBook Pro M3 Max: battery life
You might think all this superpower means you ’ll get hapless battery living . After all , that ’s usually the case with the most brawny Windows laptops .
Nothing could be further from the the true , however . The 16 - in M3 Max MacBook Pro saw 19 hours in our web graze bench mark and an unbelievable 27 hours in our video iteration psychometric test . Both lashings are way above average for fast 16 - inch laptop , with equivalent Windows machines scoring around six hour in web browsing and eight hours in video recording iteration — if they ’re lucky .
The 14 - inch fashion model will get a couple of hours few than its larger sibling . However , no matter which MacBook Pro you grease one’s palms , you ’ll work well into your 2d mean solar day before needing to power up . Even if you ’re doing demanding creative thinking work , you might last a full solar day on a charge . That ’s really remarkable .
MacBook Pro M3 Max: speakers
Now it ’s prison term to gush about all the thing that have n’t changed with the MacBook Pro this prison term , and it ’s worth doing because they ’re still unspoilt - in - class . The six - verbalizer phone system that ’s been around since the 2021 example is still here , and it ’s the very honest . And it ’s not close . These talker are full - bodied and bassy , with the 16 - inch MacBook Pro being even better than the belittled model thanks to its great profile .
Whether you ’re listening to music , doing a video call , or even watching a movie , these speakers have you covered . No headphones are necessary .
MacBook Pro M3 Max: keyboard and touchpad
The Magic Keyboard is fantastical , and even though it has n’t exchange , it remain one of my favorites to type on . There ’s nothing whatsoever to complain about in that regard . The days of the butterfly keyboard and Touch Bar are a bygone era , and we can all be grateful for that .
The excess large haptic trackpad is equally good , especially on the 16 - inch modeling where the trackpad is truly monolithic , though I observe a slight change in the sound of it this prison term around . It ’s louder and more clicky , but not in a good way . I got used to it within just a few minutes , but it ’s noticeable compared to the soft audio of previous models .
MacBook Pro M3 Max: ports and displays
port have n’t changed on this year ’s MacBook Pro , but they persist self-colored . All shape come with a goodly mix of HDMI , USB - C , South Dakota bill expansion slot , and even the tear - away MagSafe 3 sea dog .
There ’s really only limit in the intermixture , and it ’s exclusive to the base M3 14 - inch MacBook Pro . It only comes with two USB - C Thunderbolt ports , whereas the M3 Pro and Max ( and all 16 - in ) models come with three . They also corroborate up to two extraneous monitors using the USB - C and HDMI , but the M3 model only supports one extraneous monitor . That ’s the same problem the MacBook Airs tolerate from , and it keeps that M3 poser from feel truly “ Pro . ” It seems to be a technical limit of the M3 chip , and that ’s no different in the 14 - inch MacBook Pro .
External display keep also varies by model and configuration . The floor M3 MacBook Pro 14 supports just one external video display , up to 6 K at 60Hz . The M3 Pro models support up to two extraneous showing , while the M3 Max simulation support up to four extraneous displays . If you require to support a bunch of extraneous monitors in your apparatus , opt carefully .
MacBook Pro M3: Pro or Max, 14-inch or 16-inch?
Now , patently , I only have access to performance telephone number for the M3 Max . And in the building block I ’m interpret , performance is pretty killer . If you ’re for that top - end model , I do n’t call up you ’ll be disappointed .
The M3 Pro and M3 constellation , however , are a unlike history . We already know for sure that the M3 Pro has both foreshorten memory bandwidth and fewer performance cores than the M2 Pro . That certainly does n’t sound good . But until performance is tested at first hand though , we wo n’t know for certain how those will regard overall performance .
All I know is that the M3 Max model is a vast jumping over the M2 Max in terms of GPU performance . That wo n’t make it a must - bribe for everyone coming from earlier models ( especially if you’re able to get the M2 Max for cheap ) , but I ’m felicitous to see Apple continue to advertize the envelope on these high-pitched - close machines .
