DON’T make a MISTAKE when ordering your M3 MacBook Pro!

[@ConstantGeekery]

I made a mistake towards the end of this video when I compared the price of the new M3 Max configuration with the equivalent M1 Max config two years ago. The difference is actually £300, not £800 - my apologies.

[@Fraud-et7vs]

Dont make a mistake and you made a mistake. You learnt the hard way for the better

[@kamranmirza5337]

If you were to pick between M3 pro 11c/14c vs M3 pro 12c/18c, which one would you pick? if the only concern between the two is battery life?

[@ConstantGeekery]

@@kamranmirza5337 if battery life is the only priority, choose the cheaper one.

[@mohammedfaiisal]

M5 will be the next macbook that will be worth the upgrade from M1. M4 won't even be enough I am disappointed that you have to pay more to get that space black colour. Was hoping for it to be with the regular M3 chip too. Very disappointed

[@inv3st_eth839]

Would be awesome if you can review 14 in macbook pro m3 max!!! not pro version but the max one! interesting how it performs at a heavy load. Cause i use now 16 inch m1 max , because my last 14 inch m1 max was overheating very very fast on my daily use (i use many MANY chrome tabs with heavy graphics on them also some third party browsers for my work, so it is ridiculus for me when reviewers tell that macbook pro m1 max is not heating on daily usage! i would say it is overheating! i couldn't stay my hands on the keyboard comfortable on 14 inch max version, now on 16 inch m1 max i use a program called TG pro which allows meto adjust the fans accoding the temperatures of the laptom, and i would say that 99% of the time my fans are from 2300 to 2800 rpm when i use it on a daily bases. And average cpu temp is from 60 to 70 . I am very interested if new 14 inch m3 MAX would be more COOL or as hot as previous 14 inch.....

[@pbrigham]

Last time I order a Mac was 9 years ago, still working perfectly, is getting close for an upgrade when reach the 10 years mark in a few months.

[@AussieAdventurer]

same here - due for upgrade my choice is buying a Refurbished 14-inch MacBook Pro Apple M3 Pro Chip with 12‑Core CPU and 18‑Core GPU - Space Black- what is yours?

[@thomasdrake1486]

Same! Best laptop I have ever purchased.

[@chrisatye]

Not sure any M1 owners will be desperate to upgrade either - the event seemed to be aimed at Intel Mac owners, they mentioned it enough! Also - best description of the 3Nm process I’ve ever heard - even I understood it!

[@techinrl9869]

Apparently, more than half of Mac users are still using Intel Macs, which is why Apple catered their presentation to Intel Mac users. It makes sense to tailor your messages to the bigger audience. The people least likely to upgrade are those who already bought M2 Pro/Max MBP’s 9 months ago. While Apple supplied the differences between the M2’s and M3’s, verbally, they emphasized the people most likely to upgrade.

[@POVwithRC]

I think you've unwittingly determined why the M1 Air keeps hanging around. It's still the most likely gateway for former Intel Mac users to join the M system.

[@KellerFkinRyan]

i’m on a 13” m1, and i am definitely desperate to upgrade. my dad however has the 16” fully upgraded m1 max and he’s completely satisfied, though.

[@ricardosmith2060]

The only upgrade I need on my m1 air is RAM. I regret only buying an 8GB model but it also means when I'm ready to upgrade there isn't a need for me to spend $1600 🤷 I'd much rather just buy a cheaper M2.

[@Fordance100]

Intel Mac guy here. I upgraded to Windows, then dual boot into Linux. Apple is just milking money. The performance boost is so limited, seems to be only from moving 5nm to 3nm. It's really disappointing they still try to sell 1600 USD computer with 8 GB RAM.

[@high_fructose_cornsyrup]

Going with the M3 Pro "Full Fat" 16 inch. Thought about getting the Max, but I won't be using it for anything too strenuous enough to justify the cost difference. I'm coming from a 2017 intel MacBook Pro, so it will still be quite a significant upgrade. It lasted me six years without a single issue and I managed to make a decent amount of money selling it. Can't wait to see what the performance is like on the new MacBook.

[@fadz5210]

how much did you sell it for if I may ask. Thanks.

[@high_fructose_cornsyrup]

@@fadz5210 about $400 if I recall.

[@high_fructose_cornsyrup]

and I also changed my mind and went with the base M3 Max. At what I was going to pay for the top spec M3 Pro, it made more sense to go with the Max as I'd be getting a much more powerful machine for the money.

[@ssww1976]

@@high_fructose_cornsyrup me too. Gone for base level 16 inch M3 Max. Came from a 2015 Intel chip 15 inch Retina MBP so this is a big big jump. Using it for video editing where fast turnaround is crucial. Would have got the M1 or M2 version but wasn’t in a position to get one in ‘21 or ‘22. This will keep me going for a good 10 years, maybe more…

[@danielhebert6839]

I bought the entry level with 16gb RAM and 1TB SSD. It was the best combination of storage and RAM for my needs (I do not code, edit videos, etc). I bought it new through Amazon and paid $200.00 less than Apple's retail price.

[@joakimlindblom8256]

Thanks for a great overview of the buying options! My advice for anyone looking at the base 14" M3 version is to instead go for an Apple refurbished 14" M2 Pro version: it's the same price in the U.S. ($1599), yet you get twice the RAM, much faster CPU, 3 Thunderbolt ports and support for 2 external displays. Speaking of external displays, I'm quite disappointed that the M3 chip only supports a single external display: even the lowly base MacBook Air from 10 years ago supported 2 external displays 😲

[@vitalis]

This is exactly my thought and I have been trying to look for youtubers to compare these two.

[@vitalis]

@@ChrisKempczinskiMcD what exactly do you do where you are not able to find a power plug within a day or two that those extra 4 hours (supposedly) are so critical? I know plenty of people where basically they just suffer from battery anxiety

[@joakimlindblom8256]

@@ChrisKempczinskiMcD Yes, agreed -- increased battery life is one clear benefit to the base model M3 14" Macbook pro. I have both a 14" M1 Max and a 13" M1 Air and I really appreciate the very long battery life I get on the Air when I'm out an about. The M2 Pro chip does however have one trick up it's sleeve as I understand it (I don't have an M2 Pro MacBook, so haven't tested it my self, but this has been reported by Max Tech): because the M2 Pro has 4 efficiency cores that have decent performance, putting the 14" M2 Pro into "low power" mode will extend the battery life several hours if you don't require maximum performance. Not sure if you would get quite as much battery life as the base 14" M3, but it could be a good compromise.

[@DaveTadros]

I got the 16 inch Black M3 Max with 128 GB Ram and 2 TB HDD. Upgrading from a 2011 - yes, 2011, 17 inch MacBook Pro. Hoping this lasts me as long as my last MacBook has.

[@DaveTadros]

Why get 128GB of ram? Cause I can’t ever upgrade it myself down the line and don’t expect to buy another MacBook for at least 7 years if not longer.

[@AussieAdventurer]

@@DaveTadros I totally get you 👏 If I had the $$ I be doing the same I also still have my 15” MB 2011 i7 which was maxed out and it lasted till a year ago Got a second one in 2015 again maxed out bar the ram at the time and still using that also. Now I have the new M3 Pro and it will likely be the last one I ever buy- next is who knows what in 12 plus years 🤷‍♂️😂

[@TheRealBarkinMadd]

There is an issue as well with starving your GPU cores of unified memory for apps like Resolve - you need gigs per core and so you can easily run up to the 128GB for an M3 Max - and you should probably go for the minimum 2TB internal storage for the best performance. The price is crazy.

[@rorisxng]

Well the baseline 14” M3 MBP is the replacement to the 13” M2 MBP. The 13” M2 MBP with comparable specs was US$1,499 (8C CPU; 10C GPU; 8GB memory and 512GB storage). So just $100 more for a larger mini-LED display; 1000 nits; ProMotion; better speakers and thermals; full height function keys; SD card slot; HDMI…

[@KevinTalbotTV]

i bought the m2max a few months ago. i do video editing and the 1tb hard drive soon filled up. I should have got a bigger drive! So just ordered the new m3 with 8tb. Moral of the story, buy cheap buy twice

[@ConstantGeekery]

Samsung T7s for the win!

[@KevinTalbotTV]

@@ConstantGeekery yeah i know but i want it all on one device and edit from it without wires and stuff getting disconnected

[@ufukpolat3480]

Moral of the story, buy a better and cheaper laptop that runs on AMD/Nvidia.

[@KevinTalbotTV]

@@ufukpolat3480 ive got one, a $10,000 desk top pc and it's nowhere near as good for editing video

[@MichaelDeRusso]

​@@ufukpolat3480 like what?

[@caldarush7270]

I'll go for M3 Pro 14" with 12/18-core(cpu/gpu), 32gb ram and 512ssd (I already have 2tb cloud storage and can easily buy external if needed). I see it as a best config for the long term. I still have a mid 2012 macbook pro 13". I've upgraded the hard drive to an ssd and, apart from the rather low resolution display, it still works very well.

[@BeastRobinn]

Wondering if I should go for the 11/14 core or the 12/18 core. Is it worth the 200 euro upgrade?

[@drewjcomo]

I just purchased a MBP 14" with the standard M3 processor and 16GB RAM - Upgrading from a MBA 13" with an M1 and 8GB RAM. While I likely could have waited for the M3 Air, I paid the additional ~$300 Apple tax and moved to the Pro.

[@oahuforjustice]

The only regret I have as a video editor is not getting my M2 MacBook Pro 16 inch maxed out earlier this year. Had I not been so cheap, I wouldn't be shopping for a new one only 6 months later 🤦🏾‍♂. It's time to bite the bullet and get the 7k plus M3 MacBook Pro 16 inch maxed out this time

[@cmpoole]

Going for the 14" Fat Max with 1TB SSD and 48GB Ram. Haven't upgraded my laptop since the 2013 Intel model and my main editing machine is maxed out 2019 intel iMac. They still get the job done, but the M3 will replace both.

[@ConstantGeekery]

That will be a big upgrade! Enjoy 😁

[@brentsmithline3423]

Apple at last . . . "Back in black" in the MacBook M3 Pro, and M3 Pro Max. If you are a professional this is a great starting point if you need to get a laptop. Do normals really need the power of the new M3 in the 24 inch iMac? Not really however great to get it better performance at the same price. For this normal this clip may not be your intended audience for your clips still have more than enough power ( iGPU FLOPS Apple M1 2.6 TFLOPS ) with my MacBook Air M1 chip with 8‑core CPU, 7‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine, 16GB unified memory, 2TB SSD storage. Reason for the larger memory is "Fight the Swap!". Reason 2TB SSD storage is that is what I had on my 2014 5K 27-inch iMac, and since I will have the M1 MacBook Air for at least five years it will help when it comes to SSD ware leveling. So for me will be looking to purchase new Mac in 2031 or later. After all my 2014 5K 27-inch iMac was still doing the job I needed it to do after nine years before I replaced it. Now, if you are in the high end, professional production world. in the scientific community. In the financial community. Time is money, so always get the best tool to do the job at this time. Now for KZbin content creators, I feel what you were saying probably hold more water. You may not have the need to update every year as a performance gains are not that great year over year.

[@km3musiclab]

Very thorough examination. I watched a few videos similar to this but none were as clear-n- concise as this. I ended up going with a 14in. M3-PRO chip/11core-CPU/14 core-GPU/18gbs-RAM/512-SSD. This seemed to be the best fit for my needs for today and 3-4yrs in the future. It's so WEIRD how we have this love/hate relationship with Apple when it come to RAM & STORAGE pricing but great performance if you get it right. You definitely have to tread lightly when purchasing. Gone are the days of self-upgrading your Macs in this new era of Apple Silicon Chips.

[@Fuyukori]

How much ram does the OS take up when doing nothing ? Im looking to get the same !

[@km3musiclab]

@@Fuyukori I am not sure. I really use this machine for DJ-ing and some light music production while traveling. The heavy lifting is done on my desktop Mac.

[@Fuyukori]

@@km3musiclab I saw it’s like ranging to 8gb to 10 gb roughly

[@AllgoodthingsTv]

This is one of the better videos I've seen on these new machines so far. I'm going from a 16" M1 MacBook Pro to the 16" MacBook M3 Max, but the base one, not the nearly $4,000 one. So I lose 10 of those GPU cores as well as the increase in memory bandwidth from 300GB/s to 400GB/s. This was not the case with the M2 Max variants - both had 400GB/s memory bandwidth. How much a difference this will make with the dynamic caching remains to be seen. And we still don't know if there are any differences in the SSDs from the prior gen, so it will be interesting to get some real benchmarks on these machines.

[@Sirfrummel]

yeah I want to pull the trigger on one of these too, but don't know what to get. I was thinking the Pro chip would be enough, but Best Buy only has 512gb storage configurations -- gotta go Max for a 1tb option. Unless I go directly thru Apple, but I just don't know yet.

[@AllgoodthingsTv]

@@Sirfrummel It turned out with the M2 it was ok to wait because those undersold, but with the M1 I distinctly remember how there was long waiting period to buy the M1 Max MacBook if you hadn't done it immediately when they first came out.

[@PeterEmery]

According to the Apple website, the plain M3 14-inch also claims up to 22 hrs battery.

[@cliff7281]

Every MacBook I've bought lasts between 6 and 7 years. I couldn't squeeze any more life out of the internal battery inside my 7+ year old 15" MacBook Pro and I've been carrying around an external battery for the past year. This past summer I was very happy to have the opportunity to pick up my Goldilocks machine: the 15" MacBook Air M2) with 16 GB of RAM). It does Word and Mail and Safari and Acrobat and Contacts and Excel and Filemaker and Notes and Quickbooks and Calendar without a hiccup. In other words, everything a non-graphics professional (who doesn't play games) needs for work. It drives my old 27" iMac as an external monitor just fine. (Though the added screen real estate for simultaneous viewing of multiwindows of a 49" LG curved monitor is very tempting.) I'm hoping (expecting) that I can get another 6+ years out of it my new Air.

[@AncientAviator]

Great video...thanks very much. I'm upgrading from a highly optioned late 2019 MBP Intel to the M3 Max. Can't wait to see the performance improvements. Cheers!

[@ConstantGeekery]

Enjoy the new beast - that will be quite the upgrade!

[@gtaatmiami]

Going from intel to M1 Max was life changing for me so it will surely blow your socks off

[@Overdose140]

I am going from 2013 MacBook Pro to the M3 Max MacBook Pro. I am quite sure it will be a bit faster

[@MAXstyrka]

I think I am going for the 16” M3 MAX with 128 gb ram and 2 tb. I hope it will last about five years or so.

[@dnajournal4321]

64gb ram and 4tb

[@NiGHTSaturn]

I’ve used my 2009 MBP 17 inch to this day. Most usual use during the past years were with my iPad Pro I got in 2020. I miss the Mac a lot though and waited how Apple Silicon went. Finally ready to get myself a new computer. Also happy the rumours that it was going to be available next year aren’t true. Heading to Japan at the end of December and I need a machine to work on my projects while i’m there.

[@craigbrett672]

I'm upgrading from a 2014 Retina MBP base model to full fat M3 Pro with 36gb of ram - I think this will be a significant upgrade. Planning on using for mild video editing as well as usual laptop tasks. I nearly went for the binned M3 Pro, glad i watched this video first! Thank you.

[@jaygarcia6176]

I too am upgrading from the 2014 Retina MBP (fairly loaded 2.5Ghz i7, 16GB ram . . .). I will either do the same as you in terms of upgrade, or go full blown M3 Max though that is likely beyond my use case, and I have concerns about heat management. So, thinking of the 16" over the 14" to help address that heat concern along with the need for a larger screen. Hard choices to make.

[@krisusmc2699]

The

[@Uptownv]

I upgraded my 10 year old intel mbp to a 16inch m3 pro 36gb and 1tb ssd. its truly amazing. the max was about 400 more just didnt make sense to spend when I dont even need that much power,@@jaygarcia6176

[@atmobeat]

I have waited for the M3 PRO mainly because I was so confident the new 3nm (instead of 5nm) technology would push the performance dramatically... but then I saw the benchmark comparisons with M1 and M2, learnt about the decrease(!) of memory bandwith from 200 to 150 GB/s and realised the shift to more efficiency cores at the expense of the performance cores. My consequence: I gave up my M3 PRO idea and bought an M2 PRO refurbished instead, saving approx. a quarter(!) of the price. Things may look quite different for people choosing the M3 MAX which seems to be a real killer - but that is way too expensive for me, and I don't need the GPU power. Thumbs up @Constant Geekery for this brillant analysis!

[@GLOBODRONE]

My MacBook Pro 13 inch early 2015 stoped breathing one year ago. M3 will be a good update for sure. Now I am working on 4K drone shooting or converting 6k video to 4k. I am also planing working sometime on photometry software for 3D analysis. I will jump on a 16 inch M3 Pro chip for sure. I think the basic M3 Pro chip will be enough with 500tb storage. What do you think think? I do not want to make a mistake.

[@CarlosStorms]

as an owner of a M1 MBP 13", the keyboard is not the butterfly type. It is the called Magic Mouse, I believe that we got even on the 2020 intel ones. So the keyboard is very much the same as the Pro 14". Great summary as always!

[@SaxonFaust]

14 inch is better I just switched from the 13 inch

[@teyemanon1970]

I stand to be corrected but US prices are without VAT (known as Sales Tax in the US) which varies by state (5%-7%) and in some cases an additional tax by the city or town. UK prices will already include VAT. UK prices are still more expensive which I think can be linked to import duty charges etc etc ........

[@harrisontu264]

I’m definitely not feeling the upgrade pressure. Have an M1 max MacBook Pro. I was in that really weird sweet spot where the standard M1 was not quite what I needed, and the M1 max was a little too much. The M1 Pro just wasn’t a super viable option for me because of my ram needs. Ended up getting the M1 max, and kind of growing into its power, but it still feels like something that’ll serve me for many years to come.

[@bobm2410]

I am planning to upgrade. I'm not the kind of consumer who upgrades every year--far from it. My current machine is a MBP 15" for 2015. Probably would be keeping that if it wasn't for a bloated battery that has warped the chassis. So i'm looking to 'future proof' my purchase somewhat. Currentlty heavy user of Photoshop and Lightroom and could make good use of enhanced GPU performance. Right now leaning toward 14" MBP M3 Pro with 36GB Unified RAM giving my Adobe products room to grow over the next several years

[@brandall101]

The difference between the Pro and Max is even more stark due to swapping perf for efficiency cores (ie. 6/6 ubinned Pro vs 4/12 unbinned Max). That creates a massive compute performance gap. Apple's slides showed the M3 Pro is up to 20% faster compute than M1 Pro compute, but M3 Max is 80% faster than M1 Pro. This is almost certainly due to poor yield issues for this initial run of 3n chips that will be fixed in the M4 series (ie. Apple reduced transistor count over M2 Pro to improve yields), so I highly recommend people skip this if they want the Pro chip.

[@tomlewis4748]

For music production, the critical factor is usually going to be 'how many performance cores', bc multi-track music, if it faces a bottleneck, is bc it does thousands of CPU tasks simultaneously in real time. Any sort of momentary stutter scuttles everything. Not stuttering is the high bar it faces, something annoying yet forgivable in video that is a deal-killer in audio. Logic Pro and other DAWs don't use the efficiency cores at all, and those, the GPU cores, and all of that video improvement mean nothing. And rendering is not really an issue. So, max out the P-cores, minimize everything else, and that will give the best platform at the lowest cost. Also, I/O bandwidth on 256 and 512 SSDs is only half what it is on the 1TB, and that could theoretically come into play if you create enough demand on the CPU that you need to freeze some of the tracks to the SSD to free up CPU. (I haven't had that issue on the M1 MBP, but I rarely exceed 70 tracks and don't use tons of effects plug-ins). If you use large suites of samples and lots of plug-ins, CPU and storage become critical, while nothing else 'advantageous' in the beefed-up M3s, such as the Max, really gain you anything that helps music production at all. Start with the M3 Pro. The iMac is great, I've owned a i9 since 2015, but if you work on a desktop, it seems like the best option these days is still a MBP powering external monitors, which wasn't quite as simple, effective, or economical in 2015. I never use the iMac bc Logic Pro has screensets changeable with a keystroke, and really, you can only look at one thing at a time anyway. The best options there in MBP are then probably the 14" M3 Pro with 12 CPU cores, and the 16" base model, which has essentially the same configuration (both already have 6 P-cores, 18 GB, and 1 TB. The US prices are $2400 and $2700). Also of note, that higher-end 14" is rated at only 18 hrs battery life while the low end 14" and base 16" are rated at 22. The extra $300 for the 16" also gets you a few other minor things beyond a bigger screen.

[@baspier1]

I am upgrading, I really have no choice as I am currently running a 2009 MacBook Pro with the 19 inch screen. I love my MacBook Pro except it is no longer supported by Apple. In all the years I have had this laptop it has never failed. I had hoped that Apple would revive the 19 inch line of laptops, but unfortunately that is just a dream. I have been looking for a company that can update my 19 inch MacBook Pro to a recent chip, and maybe I will find a company or maybe just start a company to do that myself, but for now will be getting the 16 inch MacBook Pro with the M3 Max chip.

[@paul28177]

if you are looking at the M3 - that is NOT available in space black... so if you already have the M2 it's really down to if you want the new design pro as the M2 is only in the old pro with touch bar or the Air... it's also slightly better for gaming, has extra ports (if you use them), starts with 512gb, and has a brighter screen with better speakers -- certainly a step up for the machine itself but not a massive change in chip. What really annoys me is 8gb ram on a pro model...that's just not acceptable

[@Ronniezim]

Thanks! This was a great video! I bought a 14” m3pro today - I thought I paid 400 extra to jump from 512 to 1tb - but now I understand I also paid to get the un binned version of the m3pro:). I feel much better about the upgraded storage now:)

[@davidgerard5792]

I've just traded in my 2019 13" Macbook Pro with the laughable 128 GB storage. I can afford something better now, but the decision is really between 14" or 16". Love the big size, but portability is nice too.

[@DavidOgletree]

I'm looking at the Apple - MacBook Pro 14" Laptop - M3 Max chip - 36GB Memory - 30-core GPU - 1TB SSD (Latest Model) - Space Black at Best Buy. From what I have seen the Max has the fastest hard drive and that is the only feature that is important to me. Best buy has the black at the same price as the silver so I'm getting the black. My total with tax and Apple Care is $3,289.77 I get free Apple Care because I have a total tech membership with Best Buy. I buy a lot of stuff from them so it makes since.

[@tonyrodriguez7820]

I have a 2016 Base Macbook Pro that runs like a Jet engine now. Gonna be Upgrading to the M3 pro in Space Black

[@andrewh853]

I have the same issue with my 2019 MBP, the only thing is the loss in battery life between the M3 and M3 Pro :/

[@sharonb.9128]

Great video. I don’t think Apple’s focus on M1 and specifically “Intel Mac” users was for highlighting the biggest performance gains. Apple is acutely aware of the need for continued growth. I’ve read recently that roughly 50% of Mac users are still on INTEL Macs! That’s a LOT of money and they are already Apple consumers. It seems incredible but many people only buy once the old machine just can’t cut it anymore. Apple is desperate to convert those Intel users to silicon.

[@annatomacari9349]

I'm still on my 2014 intel MBP!

[@harshit.jindal]

3:38 you mentioned 22 hours is for the 16 inch variant, but it's also true for the base M3 14 inch variant. Both of these get the same advertised battery life, even though the 14 inch one has 70Wh compared to 100Wh in 16 inch.

[@ConstantGeekery]

That makes sense - good to know 👍🏻

[@francisyuweh706]

thanks for reviewing these expensive mac units and helps us gauge if we really need an update as software developers. Your test and comparison helps, keep it up and blessings always^✨🙏

[@garanceadrosehn9691]

A very nice look over all the options that are available, and the details which might not be noticed at a quick glance. I'm not in the market for a Macbook Pro (or an iMac, for that matter), but I'll be interested in these chip-comparison issues once the M3 arrives in the Mac Mini or Mac Studio product lines. FWIW, A recent video from Snazzy Labs had some interesting observations of these new chips wrt TSMC.

[@retiredandlovingit814]

Great video! I am trying to decide which M3 to buy. I use Lightroom/Photoshop, running them off an external SSD and was considering the base M3 with 24GB of memory and a 1TB onboard SSD. After seeing your analysis, I am re-considering, and am looking more closely at the M3 Pro with 18GB RAM and the 1TB SSD. I can get it for the same price, and I think the performance boost will offset the smaller RAM. Thank you!!

[@ConstantGeekery]

Yes, I’d choose the Pro too.

[@AudioJanitor]

The new studio setup looks great! Can we get a setup vid? Thanks

[@ConstantGeekery]

Thank you. We will do a tour at some point. Not completely finished yet.

[@dguisinger]

I really wanted to replace my MacBook Pro M1 64GB Max but the trade value according to Apple is way too low to justify it. I primarily want to upgrade for the GPU, but then again, until studios actually follow through and start releasing games for the mac there's nothing to use it with.

[@apegues]

You should always buy the best one you can comfortably afford because things in a persons life are always changing and you just never know when or if you’ll need that extra CPU power/Unified Memory/SSD size. If you have it it’s there ready to go, if you don’t have it then you’re just sitting there with your Thumb up your bum frustrated and wishing you had spent the extra cash on a more capable machine. Don’t go cheap when you’re buying your Tools/Equipment you’ll be much happier in the long run. REMEMBER… There are more people out there saying.. “Boy, I sure wish I had bought the better machine” than there are saying… “ Boy, I sure wish I hadn’t bought such a capable machine” THINK ABOUT IT

[@Archivist42]

Definitely right on the UK prices. I definitely don’t need one, but I did check the price of the pre-configured M1 Max 16 inch out of curiosity as that’s the only model it would be worth me getting - but I swear it’s close to £1K more than I paid for my equivalent in 2021. I love the space black design, but just can’t justify that much money

[@jesseandersen4055]

Wow that’s insane! The prices are almost exactly the same in the us, crazy they’ve changed the overseas prices so much! Or at least uk prices

[@eastonwilliams1722]

Why would you even live in the UK at this point? The police are literally arresting people for flying british flags or speaking out against the state. And you cant own guns or even a knife lmao, that country is done for.

[@PawFromTheBroons]

This year's configurator has never been as unnecessary complicated.

[@paulharrison8379]

The base level M3 iMac has the same issues as most models of M2 Macs. The default SSD size is 256 Gb which because it is implemented as a single flash module is half the speed of a 256 Gb SSD in an M1 Mac, which has two 128 Gb flash modules. Also the base models of all of the new M3 Macs have only 8 Gb of RAM. The only M3 Macs that I would recommend anyone to buy is those that have at least a 512 Gb SSD and at least 16 Gb of RAM. It is interesting to note that all PCs in the Mac price range come with at least a 512 Gb SSD and 16 Gb of RAM as standard. A major issue with buying a Mac from any high street shop is that almost all Macs on the high street are base models with only a 256 Gb SSD and 8 Gb of RAM.

[@nicky5593]

...but not in the M3 iMac ☹ @@jaksi6224

[@paulharrison8379]

@@jaksi6224The base M3 iMac only has a 256 Gb SSD in the Apple store. It is the M3 MacBook that has 512 Gb. Here is the entry for the base level iMac from their website: Apple M3 chip8-Core CPU 8-Core GPU 256GB storage¹ 8GB unified memory 24-inch 4.5K Retina display² Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports - - Magic Keyboard $1,299.00

[@wolfmanracquetball]

Bought my first Mac. SHould be getting it in a couple of weeks. I orderd a beefed up version of hte M3 Max. I am an IT pro and have been resisting MACs for over 20 yrs now. I bought the M3 Max, becuase I have been doing a lot of video editing and Blue Ray Ripping. I usually have many windows upen at a time and push my PC pretty hard. I got 64gb and a 4TB drive. Cost me as much as a used car, but I am looking forward to taxing it out.

[@ak_hoops]

Spark notes: my windows laptop is now a bottleneck and I'm heavily considering a M3 Macbook Pro. I'm watching a lot of videos to make sure I get the best bang for buck. I am coming from an XPS 15 7590 (i7-9750H, GTX 1650, upgraded 32 GB RAM, & 512 GB storage), my computer is topping out especially with the GPU (of course the battery is done for). I edit videos plenty (4K Canon R6 footage, some times CLog3 that I have to make proxies of just to playback) with Premiere. I edit photos with Lightroom & Photoshop. For the most part my laptop has handled those but now I stream, with OBS, and the that is when my GPU & CPU tend to top out. All that said, much to the benefit of upgradability & compatibility of windows laptops, I don't think any system has the overall package of a Macbook Pro. Main question now is: M3 Pro or Max?

[@ConstantGeekery]

If you’re doing serious video editing with heavy codecs, you will see a benefit from going to the Max chip.

[@fmarinosfromafar9512]

Great run down! I tend to think they make the comparisons to the M1 as there's not many ordinary users who will upgrade from January/February purchases of the M2 - just some high end users who can squeeze the most out of these computers? It seems that base MBP model is a popular corporate purchase?? I just ignore it, I'd recommend an MBA or a 14" with the Pro chip to anyone who asked. I chose the binned Max chip for my M1 MBP based on some real-world testing that showed that throttling on the 'full fat' system meant that they both performed the same (for my use case, video editing). The difference between the Max binned and full fat in the M3 might be more compelling - 10 GPU cores is quite alot, though for the kind of video work I do it might not be necessary. As far as upgrading, if MKBHD is still (as of a couple of days ago) happy with his M1 Max I can probably wait til M4 or M5, my video workflow has only just moved from 1080p to 4K!

[@pixeljuggler01]

I’m going with the M3 Max binned 14in, with 96GB and 2T for animation and video production

[@dnajournal4321]

I'm getting the same for Web browsing and movie consumption.

[@joeszeto8859]

Awesome video. Like how you break things down from a user perspective in usage and price rather than simply compare specs like just about every other channel. Don't get me wrong. I can definitely geek out on specs. But it gets a bit mind-numbing after a while. Besides, I'm coming from an M1 Mac Mini/MB Air (i7) setup so pretty much any M3 MBP is an upgrade. And yes, that Space Black is calling my name!! Thanks again. Liked and Subcribed.

[@ConstantGeekery]

Thank you 😁

[@jwbeaton]

I think part of the issue is that the M1 was so shockly revolutionary, pundits expect a revolution with every chip revision now.

[@JonathanJK]

No they don’t. People expect value for money.

[@burntout9815]

I’ve had a MBPM1 since they first came out. I love it and probably will always have an apple silicon based laptop.

[@railwaystationmaster]

As always an excellent insightful video that shines through that Apple fairy dust to reveal a clearer picture. The madness of the lightening port and its associated cable remains a source of frustration , the lack of USB C peripherals a continuing annoyance , the reluctance to introduce BLACK air pods , or a BLACK smaller form factor keyboard . and that stupid mouse port placement , areas that still need addressing . Oh the Mac Pro mini , or iPad mini wrapped in Titanium . Apologies I appear to have exceeded my rant .

[@nicky5593]

I'll be interested to see what read & write speeds people get from the M3 iMac with the base 256GB SSD, and if they're slower than the outgoing M1 version? For that matter how all the SSD speeds compare vs previous generations, as it can make a noticeable difference to performance once memory starts swapping as was apparent on the M2 Air vs the M1 Air...

[@ConstantGeekery]

I expect the SSD will be slower in the 256GB spec as we’ve seen with the other machines. I would go 16GB and 512 SSD if I was buying one.

[@markh3648]

The display on my 2017 MacBook Pro (I got the most loaded version available at that time) finally died. Ok, well, I helped it die by accidentally knocking it off the table. So, I was forced to by a new MacBook Pro. I have lots of work sitting there on my Time Machine back-up waiting for me to get back to it. I was considering the M3 Pro vs M3 Max. I stewed over that for a week. For the most part, I think an M3 Max would be over-kill and not worth the big price jump. However, the one thing that I find I can never get enough of is memory. I found it very frustrating that the M3 Pro has a max of 36GB. I really wanted 64GB at least and almost paid more than a $1,000 dollars more to get that on an M3 Max. But in the end I decided I'd rather keep the $1,000. 36GB will be an upgrade for me and, well, I guess it will be plenty of memory for at least a couple of years. Every time I am in the market for MacBook Pro, I find Apple's approach of making us climb a price ladder to be pretty obnoxious. I think they know that if they had made an M3 Pro with 64GB, and enough memory bandwidth for that (instead of reducing it relative to the M2 Pro), a large number of M3 Max buyers would have gone for the Pro. I resented having to make this decisions. I have long been a Mac user and love them . Nevertheless, I am really tired of Apple's tricky pricing ladder.

[@philipgilligan_art]

Just ordered a full fat m3 pro but 18gb 1tb only, usage is cubase 13pro mild use, basic capture one and light video editing….. should be ok didn’t want to spend more than 2499

[@peignoir]

I went for the top max at first I went for the binned one at 96gb but then learned that the bandwidth was at 300gb/s I shifted to 64 and top max at 400gb/s my use case it to run descent ai models on it

[@CarlosStorms]

The issue with the memory bandwidth has to do with the fact that they opted for a 3-RAM-module configuration instead of four. We got the two SSD chips on the base model, by the way

[@techinrl9869]

Correct, the M3 Pro chips all access three RAM chips of either 6GB or 12GB, a very strange set of chips. The M3 Max binned version also uses 3 RAM chips, giving it a 150GB/s throughput. The full flavored M3 Max uses 4 RAM chips of 12GB each with a minimum configuration of 48GB of RAM with a 200 GB/s bandwidth. Because the M3 Max has two flavors of SoC’s using two different RAM configurations, that explains why half the RAM options are grayed out for each option and why the price jumps by more than the chip price when choosing the unbinned chip.

[@brandall101]

Where did you hear about the base models returning to using 2 SSD chips?

[@CarlosStorms]

@@brandall101 First, because the base configuration now has 512GB, meaning two SSD Nand chips instead of one. The first reason there was only one is that Apple no longer supplies 128 GB ones, also because the illustration in the event made sure we saw two very distinct modules in silver when the rest of the board components are insistently black. Apple will cover chips inside with stickers just to make them look black, but these two nands were silver like the moon!

[@ConstantGeekery]

Good spot 👍🏻

[@litebkt]

M1 Pro MacBook here. It does everything I need very well so no upgrades for me.

[@jadenamber8378]

I can see little reason for casual users to leap at these machines (unless they just want to) vs. buying the M1/M2, new and used machines for the time being. There are great lightly used MBPs, many still with AppleCare that can be had for a fraction of the cost. I may get a new one for work, but I have an M1 MBA that is probably one of the best laptops I've owned. No need to make the jump for at least a year or two more.

[@bryans8656]

I won't be upgrading any time soon. I'm too heavily invested in my refurbished M1 Pro MBP 14, and if I upgrade an M3 to the same specs as my current laptop (16GB/1TB/un-binned 10-core chip) I would be spending a bucket of money unnecessarily -- my M1 more than meets my needs.

[@goldensounddj5606]

I just ordered 14” macbook pro m3 pro 18gb ram 18gb gpu 1tb ssd storage for mobile dj use in addition to my current 2019 macbook pro 16” intel i9 16 gb ram 1tb ssd i was gona get the 16” but unfortunately it was a big jump $1000 different pushing to max model in order to have 1tb

[@BeaglefreilaufKalkar]

There is only one mistake you can make, buying it with 8GB memory. I made an other mistake, I bought a new 16" M1 max with 64GB of memory, just a couple of weeks ago. it was 50% cheaper than the M3max though :-) Oh, when comparing prices in UK (or europe) to the USA, please note that US pricing is without VAT, because there is state, and local sales tax that are different where you live..

[@jseden]

I've had a 512/ 8gb m2 air for the past 6 months and its been great.. except for the ram. I run a small business and constantly have many tabs and apps running. the most demanding programs I run are generally photoshop and Imovie.. Maybe some games. Anyway when I came across a base m3pro Pro for 1600 (the $2000 one, in black), I couldn't help myself. 18gb ram is a great spec for me.. and while I don't need the extra performance, I justified it by thinking of it as future proofing.. I have been exploring more demanding programs lately. Also love this new color! my gripe with space grey was always that it isnt dark enough. I had the midnight m2 air and it was definitely a hell of a fingerprint magnet. Had I started with 16gb+ ram in the m2 air, I'd definitely still be daily driving it.. but the opportunity to upgrade for $1600.. 7-800 once I sell the air, was just too good to pass up! Hooray for unwanted Xmas Gifts! the seller had received this baby as a gift and was selling to purchase a dedicated gaming machine

[@RogerZoul]

I'm moving from a Best Buy M1Pro w/16GB and 1TB to a M3Max w/36 GB and 1TB in SB finish. For me, the M1Pro 16 GB was sluggish. I hope this one will last me a good 4 years. I am doing a trade-in as well.

[@lotro1986]

Yep. My M1 Pro MBP with 16 GB which i got from work, is sluggish too. I wish i went with 32GB. My personal Mac Studio with M2 Max + 32GB is far superior. But im not allowed to use it for work 🥲 16 GB is just not sufficient for work nowadays (Software Development)

[@daledevernon56]

This not only replaces the 13 pro but will affect sales on the 15 Air especially the one to get the 512 gig, which is now the same price as the 14 M3 base model, which offers far more value for money.

[@ConstantGeekery]

Very true. I wonder if the next set of Airs will cost a little less…

[@c0rnd0g_19]

I have an M1 Max Mac Studio, waiting for comparisons to see if it will be time to upgrade when the M3 Max Studios are released or if I wait!

[@209lapko]

Thank you! You've been very help full.

[@janeeightfive7331]

In Germany you would pay 4.849 € for the M3 Max 16 Core CPU 40 Core GPU 1TB SSD 48GB RAM. I don't understand why the prices are that different in every country. I currently use a 13" M1 Macbook Pro with 16 GB RAM and 1TB SSD and edit on Adobe Premiere Pro with 4k material. As soon as I apply effects I need to render it to watch it smoothly. So I need at least 32 GB RAM for the 4k material. Since I don't like the small screen of the 13" Macbook, I need the 16" version which means to use at least the M3 Max with 14 Core CPU and 30 Core GPU. It's about 4.249 €. The prices are ridiculous nowadays. I leased the 13" Macbook Pro for 3 years. Guess I will lease the 16" one too now. This way the price is kind of bearable cause it's cheaper than a loan. ;D

[@movingimage_co_nz]

Price per country differs party because of gst/vat - at least that explains US vs UK - however rhe base M3 max /36gb/1tb in. Ew Zealand is nzd$6.549 or Euro3635 - so 600 euro cheaper than in Germany - our Gst is 15% vs 19% in Germany so that doesn’t explain fully the price difference. I’m happy with video editing performance of the M3 pro, very used to proxy workflow and a significant speed boost coming from 2019 intel.

[@axelgamerboy2996]

Everyone seem to use the same talking points, Watch ultra 2 is not a big improvement, the m3 pro is only 15% faster, but the fact is, today the m3 pro/max is the best there’s and next year the m4 will be the best of its generation and so on.

[@bethannybrooks9602]

I’m upgrading from a late model 27” 2013 iMac. I need the portability and even though I love the 27” iMac screen, I understand I can’t connect it to the macbook which is a shame. I’m finding some of my software (Zoom) doesn’t work properly on my 27” iMac and I use that a fair amount so I find myself using my iPad Pro for Zoom use which is okay. Since my iMac is so out of date and the OS can’t be upgraded anymore for quite awhile now, I figure it’s time to dip into my savings and get a laptop and pair it to a large monitor. I also am thinking about making videos to put on KZbin and so my thought is to purchase a 14”Macbook Pro with M3 Pro chip, 36GB unified memory and 1 TB of storage. If I were sure that I was going to do videos and really get into it, I’d go for the M3 Max chip but that might be a pipe dream so I think I will be satisfied (probably more than satisfied) with the Pro chip over anything I currently have.

[@ConstantGeekery]

M3 Pro will be a substantial upgrade, and the spec you describe is plenty good enough for making KZbin content. Enjoy the new machine! 😁

[@synen]

The way I think about these unupgradeable machines is that whenever I need a CPU, RAM upgrade, I simply sell it online and purchase a new one.

[@ConstantGeekery]

Me too. These machines hold their value so well that (once you've paid the price of entry) upgrading every 3 years isn't as painful as it might be with a similarly priced PC.

[@DanRizzuto]

Sadly for what I need I had to go for the M3 Max MacBook Pro 16', went with 64GB Ram and 4TB of storage... always running short on 2TB.... hope it last a while with how freak'n pricey it is!

[@NarekDeeMusic]

One of the greatest reviews on KZbin , thank you!

[@Rasenschneider]

I need RAM but no graphic power. I like to have 4TB SSD but then I need a way bigger external HD for TimeMachine so in the end I will go for 2TB...

[@LetsTravelThisYear]

Prices are getting high for Canadians. Entry level M3 Pro is $2099. :(

[@goobfilmcast4239]

It seems like this is an excellent time to buy a Mac....what you term a minefield, I regard as choice market..... For legacy holdouts, capable Intel iMac and iMac Pros with 5k Displays are likely going to get a bit more plentiful (at least for a few months) on the re-sale market. Higher-end M1 and M2 MacBooks (along with Minis and Mac Studios) will start to pop up, in numbers, at both the re-sale and Apple's Refurb Store. For Power Users, in early to mid-2024, new Mac Studios with M3 Ultras will make their appearance. I do however, foresee the end of the Cheese Grater MP. Of course Apple intends to integrate even more capable GPU cores on their SoCs leaving a declining number of other PCIe "personality cards". They will either no longer be available for Macs or Apple will partner with a hardware manufacturer (Sonnettech?) to offer an external case over TB4 as a stop-gap.....

[@steveellsworth2547]

Let us not forget the 60ish ms response time of the M3 Macbook Pro. I have an issue paying top dollar for a screen with a huge weakness.

[@photovincent]

Curious for the lower mem bandwidths - especially since the max max still *has* the 400gbps? Perhaps it’s related to the number of memory chiplets on the SoC and Apple sure likes to cut costs

[@magiccarpetrider4594]

I do photography in Photoshop and Lightroom with 45 megapixel cameras. I’ve been limping along with a 2015 i7 15 inch and would really like to get a bump up in speed and compatibilities. I’ve got a 2 TB SSD in the old one so I will continue with that 2 TB as I use a lot of 5 TB externals. I don’t think I need the max chip with the exception of faster throughput. My question is if 36 gigs of ram is enough? It’s another big chunk $$ to go to 48 as I also would need the increased core model.

[@ConstantGeekery]

A pro photographer friend of mine is happily working with an M1 16GB. I use Lightroom and Affinity Photo on my 32GB M1 Max - I’ve never noticed any memory issues. So, 36GB should be more than enough, even with the larger images you are working with. It will be a huge upgrade over the i7 machine!

[@AlanW]

Having pulled a Pete with the M1, I'll probably see if I can hold out another 2 generations before passing it on. The graphics power is sorely tempting, but almost (BG3 anyone?) all the most compelling games are still Windows titles.

[@abdurrahmankhan129]

You could add windows with parallels and play games there. I did that and it was costing me $120 a year for the pro version.

[@paulgooderham]

I'm quite keen to see how the compromises on the M3 Pro shake out in real performance i.e. actual use.

[@ConstantGeekery]

I’ve got one on order for a new staff member. I’ll try and steal it for some testing 😁

[@Georgiaboy_]

These KZbinrs are selling the M3 Maxes better for Apple better than Apple ever could 😂 I never would’ve considered a Max until watching these videos

[@rorypotatochip1373]

You can’t even run Logic with the 8gbRAM that’s why I had to drop my mba Love the max with 36gb RAM tho. It eats everything with no problems

[@vikram.SumerSingh]

Amazing, great details and explanation

[@Errcyco]

If you just stream movies and music and websites.. the M1 MacBook Air is still overpowered for most people.

[@GeoffPhipps]

A very informative review, thanks. A quick question for the experienced Mac users here. Currently I have a 13" MB Air M1 2020 with 8gb ram and 512SSD. I use it for medium to large Excel files open concurrent with many Chrome tabs open running some investing software databases. Occasionally I'l l get the beachball or it will be a bit slow. Also I've come to realise that the screen is a bit too small. I'm trying to decide whether to upgrade to the current 15" MB Air M2, with 16gb ram and 512SSD, or the new 14" MBP M3 with 16gb ram and 512SSD. I'm needing more screen space and some improved CPU performance. The 15" MB Air M2 is of interest because of the significant additional screen space and faster m2 chip, whereas the performance new 14" MBP M3 is of equal interest and the additional screen space if probably just sufficient. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[@ConstantGeekery]

Either machine will be great, but the MacBook Pro has a better display (if slightly smaller) with XDR and ProMotion. Speakers are much better on the Pro. You get HDMI and SD Card Reader. If your priority is the thinner chassis and larger screen, go for the Air, but otherwise the Pro is better in pretty much every way. Just don’t get 8GB as that is most likely the cause of the issues you have with your current machine.

[@67IronMike]

Informative video, thanks. I am planning to use my M3 with Logic Pro and plenty of added VST (software synths). Should I get the M3 Pro or vanilla M3 and how much RAM do I need. I'll go with silver as for me, Mac is always silver.

[@ConstantGeekery]

I tested a 16GB M1 with Logic when the Apple Silicon Macs launched. In my benchmark test, it managed well over 100 tracks with software instruments and effects. Pretty similar to the 12-core Xeon 64GB Mac Pro (2013) that I had at the time. So, M3 can do it... but not all VSTs are equal and my benchmark may not be indicative of your workflow. I wouldn't bother speccing more than 16GB with M3. At that point you'll see more benefit by going to the Pro. The Pro will give you a bit more future-proofing, even if you don't necessarily need the additional performance right now. 18GB RAM would probably be enough for most, but if you are putting together complex scores with large amounts of concurrent software instruments (e.g. orchestral / film scores etc.), 36GB would probably be as much as you'd ever need.

[@CVX1000]

Wanting to upgrade, not sure whats best for me

[@meiowalot7570]

8:49 I’m not sure that’s right. The M3 I don’t think can do 120Hz with an external display.

[@ConstantGeekery]

It is correct. The M3 does one 6K at 60Hz or one 4K at 120Hz. support.apple.com/kb/SP900

[@benjaminwheeler9666]

I don’t have a Laptop rn and don’t need anything super crazy but I do want a fan, so I got the 14” m3 pro

[@johnkellett7797]

I’m hoping to upgrade my top spec 27” 2020i Mac with a MacBook Pro. I upgrade an iMac for MacBook Pro every three years and the MacBook Pro for an iMac every three years as well since both the iMac and MacBook Pro will remain, just about usable for six years. As I use BIM the 3D graphics is the power hungry element so I was thinking 14” non-binned M3 Pro chip with 512 Gb plus another external 1Tb SSC drive with a 36Gb RAM. The current twin 27” screen set up will evolve into a 27”2010 iMac and 24” cinema and the 14”. Unless I can find a way of using the 2020 iMac 27” screen as a monitor. I don’t want to overcook the specification but it will need to be operational for six years before it gets upgraded. My high spec. 2016 15” MacBook Pro ceased to be capable due to the BIM software upgrades about a year ago. Any thoughts? More RAM? 16”? Just increase Internal memory? The colour is irrelevant but it WILL be space black :-) I am an architect who use to track satellites at school so any ‘space’ colour makes me smile internally. Nearly sad?

[@williamjglover]

UK pricing is higher than US due to VAT. Sales tax in US depends on state, and gets tacked on at checkout

[@ConstantGeekery]

I have covered this in other videos. Pre-tax pricing is still higher in the UK once you factor in exchange rate.

[@heezdeadjim]

The fact this is the first time offering binned versions just shows that Apple spent a lot to get SOMETHING out there for a product. Kind of like setting up a new Krispy Creme and first day, they overcook a 3rd of their donuts because one of the new walk in oven wasn't configured properly and kept churning out dark donuts. So instead of scrapping them, they sold it at a discount price. This is great because now people who think Apple makes the best hardware will have to be explained what binned CPUs and GPUs mean. It means you're buying bad chips that work, but not at full bore. Like buying a 5 cylinder car instead of six.

[@ConstantGeekery]

Both M1 and M2 families had the same with two versions of each chip. There's also a binned version of M3 which is available on the base iMac, and will be on the entry level MacBook Airs.

[@kzakis3350]

I remember the old black plastic MacBooks give me silver any day

[@fmarinosfromafar9512]

Jason Snell says the base MBP (previously 13", now 14") is Apple's 2nd best selling computer... now that's scary!

[@ConstantGeekery]

😱

[@paulb9453]

the best review on KZbin