M3 Max MacBook Pro 6 Months Later - Wow 👀

For well over 15 years, I’ve believed in the Mac. I know, I sound like the first scene in The Godfather, but hear me out.. Bought my first MacBook Pro in 2009 when I decided to do KZbin seriously. Upgraded in 2012 when the Retina Display was just irresistible. That particular model was so good, that it helped me edit nearly 1800 videos over the next five years. That said, I’ll admit I did fully commit to a switch after Microsoft reached out to get me to try a Dell that was double the price, along with Premiere Pro, but that didn’t last. Even with so much horse power, and all the granularity in the Adobe Creative Suite, I showed them that I could edit the same video in half the time on a five-year-old Mac with Final Cut Pro.
And listen, I’m not saying the Mac was perfect at the time. Actually, my later experiences with three 15-inch Touch Bar models only proved they were far from it. I’m also not saying competing platforms in both hardware and software are bad. Apple has just catered to creators for far longer than its competitors in its vertical integration of creative software for its hardware. Yes, the 16-inch model came to save face at the tail end, but my choice to stick to the Mac was mainly a practical one. I’ve noticed Apple’s software was just easier to use, which totally lured me as a beginner, but then if we’re honest, neither platform was what I’d would call free of compromise back in the day, and especially when it came to its laptops.
The last thing I would’ve ever expected was for Apple Silicone to be such a paradigm shift for the industry. Here I was in 2020 buying the cheapest MacBook Air and Pro for review, thinking they’d be a minor step up from their intel predecessors in just being good computers for the average Joe, but boy was I wrong. The moment I saw a $999 entry-level and fan-less machine completely smoke my $5000 Intel variant, I was hooked. These chips had finally cracked the code in giving you a true desktop performance on a laptop, that could then actually last all day on battery power. Yes, competitors have spent the last 4 years trying to catch up. We’re finally about to see some decent competition from Microsoft and Qualcomm, but a lot of their benchmarks have me thinking that even their best offerings are still years behind from what I’ve been using these last couple of months.
This is the M3 Max MacBook Pro, what Apple calls as Mind Blowing and Head Turning, and what I’m gonna call probably the closest I’ve ever seen to the perfect laptop. I know, there is no such thing, but what if I told you it’s closer than you think? I’m Jaime Rivera with Pocketnow, and let me explain to you why in our extended review
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[@brandonminiman]

I switched permanently to Apple laptops for my computing needs. Since the M chips, there is no longer any compromises in terms of battery life and performance. They are amazing.

[@tech4now_]

Jamie and Miguel pls bring back old PN logo. This one is taking a bit of getting used to and is drifting far from the legendary media outlet PN is. Just realized I've been following PN for almost 11 years. 🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@Aves_1]

Agreed. While I dont mind a refresh, this new logo just feels so generic

[@DENVEROUTDOORMAN]

Nope this is good enough stop crying

[@RonaldRubinronaldrubinvs]

Yess bring back the old logo plz this one doesn’t fit

[@tech4now_]

@@DENVEROUTDOORMAN 🤦‍♂

[@DENVEROUTDOORMAN]

@@tech4now_ no just apologize

[@LARRY113Z]

Never heard the sentence "96 gigs of RAM prior to this video" wow

[@andyH_England]

Undoubtedly, Apple changed the game again (after smartphones, watches, and tablets) with Apple Silicon. The MS/Intel conspiracy of weak yearly upgrades with nominal innovation was shaken to its core, and AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm have finally awoken from a tech coma. For the last 3.5 years, Apple has dominated the ultrabook market, even though it has little chance of ever-increasing its market share beyond 10% due to the Stockholm Syndorm-like Windows monopoly. As for Pro/gaming machines, this will always be difficult due to Windows dominating gaming, and it will take much longer to push through. Having used Windows and Macs, I can confidently say that if more Windows devotees could try out Macs, they would change permanently for the better if they gave themselves time to adapt to MacOS. So, I agree, for most people, the last three years Macs have been the best ultrabooks and, for some, the best pro machines.

[@mymoodz]

You are absolutely right. I switched to a Mac back in 2016 and life has been so much better with it. Windows always had viruses and the anti virus software ate up resources. With the Mac, I have not worried about those damned viruses. I just got my M2 MacBook Air. This is my third MacBook. I like the battery life. It is so good that I dont have to recharge it for extensive periods.

[@sheepcs4952]

Well said. (watching on a 14-inch M3 base MacBook Pro)

[@fVNzO]

Fantastic review. I remember watching your videos years and years go (and Mr Mobile's too if you remember him:)). I am pleased to see that you are still such a great presenter and storyteller, would not have thought otherwise.

[@Mr360Darren]

I’m actually digging the new logo. For my usage case the m1 mb air has been perfect for me but I watched this video in case I want to upgrade, thanks Jaime.

[@Mmacrossfirekenai]

I agree. I invested in the 16-inch M3 Max with 64 GB and its great not have to worry about swap file. And I can play any Street Fighter any time I like lol

[@DiabloMatrix968]

great video, I'm rocking the base 14 M3 Max MacBook Pro with 36 GB memory, it does everything I need it to do and more

[@thatspiritualhumane]

I'm a Windows guy, & I even tried a Mac mini for 1 yr to come back to Windows. But, even I have to admit: These fake Microsoft presentations don't mean nothing, even a 2-yr old Mac can easily beat a throttling Surface laptop (atleast in perf /watt), & everyone knows Surface products are way overpriced as it is.

[@PickleN00dle]

I got my retina mac in 2015, ad it's still going strong.

[@JesusArmasOficial]

I love the 14” form factor! I’m a proud owner of an M1 Max 16” MacBook Pro and the tradeoff for me is the weight and size versus the power I get from the 16” given its size and battery capacity in comparison. When the time comes for an upgrade I think it will be a tough choice for me because of this exact tradeoff. Regardless, these machines are powerful in all senses. Great video!

[@PandorasCrate0]

I've got the base 16" M3 Pro and i love it to tiny bits. The ONLY two things that bug the ever loving crap out of me is the midnight black (I notice dust and finger prints and all other kinds of oogies 100% more than even on my previous 14" M1 space grey). The second thing is the storage. I thought I could survive with 512 gigs, but lets face it, at a computer at this price point should have at the very least 1 tb. Because of those two things, mostly the color, I will eventually sell this one and upgrade to just the base M3 max, or just configure an M3 pro with 1tb. Haven't decided there yet.

[@user-vw6bk4pb4l]

After 7 years with a Macbook pro i moved to an Asus G14 2022, never looked back. Most "power users" are not doing professional video editing, so the biggest limitation with Mac OS for me was professional software options. No doubt the perfect laptop for many creative professionals, and arguably regular consumers too. Also for "power users" keep your laptop plugged in all the time to preserve your battery health. Only use the battery when its completely necessary or convenient.

[@Pocketnow]

Happy for you but, eh.. keeping the battery plugged in is precisely how you kill it. If you don’t use it, you lose it. Applies to everything in life, especially batteries.

[@hojomoone]

Have to agree whole-heartedly with PN here - mains power for too long totally killed my Asus ZenBook - 3yrs old and won't last more than 2.5hrs on battery = Yuk!

[@andyH_England]

It is an absolute science fact that keeping your laptop plugged in is a no-no, and you might as well buy a desktop if that is your use case. If you are going to do that, keep the battery at around 40-50% to reduce degradation. Some PC OEMs have that option in BIOS.

[@ogindianspice]

@@andyH_EnglandI thought macbooks automatically stopped charging at 100% and switched directly to the power source?

[@solodolo6291]

Helpful correction....You have a 14 core CPU (not 16 core) & 30 core GPU with a 16 core neural engine, the 14" doesn't come in a 30 core GPU with the 16 core CPU. The 30 core GPU only comes with the 14 core CPU. Great video regardless.

[@enshongmiranda]

The MacBook Pros are nice. But my M3 Max developed a clump of hot pixels around 3-4 months in. Just like my previous MacBooks had dead/stuck pixels within a year or so. 😅 It would've been perfect but I seem to just be unlucky when it comes to the screens on the MacBooks.

[@M41NFR4M3Gaming]

16 inch is certainly the way to go, I used a 14 inch for a few years and am happy I got a 16 inch. never looking back.

[@bryans8656]

That's a lustworthy laptop but it's overkill for my use case. For me the sweet spot is the base M3 Pro MBP 14 since is comes with 18GB of memory and 512GB of storage, and it's been a beast. Of course it all depends on your needs.

[@flappospammo]

tbh i really cant see how the m4 will be a huge leap over this beast

[@gerardrosales]

8:40 MacBook keyboards have been very shiny for quite some time now. I'm currently using an M1 MBA and within just days of use, I noticed the shiny key caps. My previous 2014 MBA never had such appearance despite being typed on for YEARS.

[@SunsetNova]

They are using an inferior plastic in newer models

[@weirdcityboi]

My M3 Max has amazing best in class hardware. Performance, screen, speakers, display, construction, excellent. For my first apple computer, the software has been disappointingly buggy. I think it's slowly getting better but I have to reopen things often. Hoping it gets better. I'm produce music pictures and videos.

[@xBINARYGODx]

PC: "hi, I'm a PC, and I do fun stuff too" Mac: "what stuff? i just listed all..." PC: "All of the games, all the mods, all the emulation... literally all of it - I also do literally everything you just listed before too, but your list doenst really contain games, now does it?" * PC takes out a gun and shoots Mac in the crotch *

[@xBINARYGODx]

power users dont need mac - the few things people say are better over there are also just as good on a PC, usually windows, but maybe Linux. the art and the music stuff is just a bunch of nonsense, it was never actually better over there, that was a lie spread by the cult.

[@xBINARYGODx]

Also - how is this anything for pocketnow to cover? Can you stick that overprices cult item in your pocket?

[@davidjacobs6244]

Chill out 🙄

[@brachiator1]

​@@xBINARYGODxThe MacBooks are clearly superior to Windows laptops with respect to power efficiency and battery life. Microsoft is playing catch-up.

[@akin242002]

​@brachiator1 For traveling power users, yes. However, most power users are working at a desk and could have done just as well without spending $5k. This includes other Macbook options. Also, 96GB of RAM is overkill regardless of the laptop or desktop for basic 4k video editing. Unless the OP works for Pixar movies 🎬, he went to overkill mode. For his basic 4k videos, he would have been fine with 36GB of RAM and 2TB of SSD storage.

[@mariaelenacabrera9721]

Thank you Jaime. Enjoy it!

[@mad23151]

Great review on the Laptop, not a Apple guy, but you made a great case for the machine. I am looking foward to the surface 7 laptop. hope you do a deep dive with that laptop.

[@Aaron_Bleu]

Fantastic video. I’d be curious on your perspective of the new iPad Pro M4s

[@Pocketnow]

Coming soon!

[@RoseTurner-xp7jv]

Jaime...your gonna need your own channel at this point I'd subscribe in a heartbeat.

[@JaimeRivera.]

Sure. See you there 😉

[@darthenx2585]

Been wanting to try a Mac for years now but I need it to be compatible with Rockwell Automation software 🤔. A VM is just not the solution. If any of you Automation engineers have had sucess with the arm chip please let me know.

[@qamstel]

If you need a hammer to do your job, don’t buy a screwdriver. Different tools for different stuff. I think all not working programs are on the developers and not the manufacturers of computers I may be wrong though

[@howie3431]

Suppose to be "Is This the Perfect Apple Laptop For Power Users?"

[@aaronmelson2887]

Never owed a mac but I have been considering one since the M1. I also am taking youtube seriously now and would like something to increase my work flow and edits. I currently use an m2 ipad pro 11 inch with 1tb of storage and cellular since I am a mobile editor. I love the ipad but I think a laptop will suite me better and I don't need a touch screen. I will sell my ipad if I decide to eventually pull the plug on a mac pro.

[@Bippy55]

Thanks for a great video. I especially enjoyed your comment about the recommended size for use on airplane fold down tables. If I’m going to purchase an Apple laptop that will be way over the $1000 mark, for me it has to last three years at least and be travel durable in construction.

[@Pocketnow]

Yeah 14-inch Pro or 13-inch Air is the way to go

[@Bippy55]

@@Pocketnow that’s great to know. I still enjoy using an iMac with a large screen so it’s easier on my eyes. And my back too. I noticed I slouched too much when I use any kind of laptop.

[@Jibale_]

so resident evil is the only game ya'll play on the mac? 👀

[@WalkingLegacy]

Do you recommend the 14inch over the 16 and why?

[@GEEKOMPC]

Nice video! BTW. have you ever tried a mini PC?🤔

[@nbaprophet100]

What is the model of the Monitor you're showing please?

[@marcomendez7001]

warching om a m1 air 😎

[@Pocketnow]

Such a great machine

[@AcousticSummer14]

If you could choose the finish again for your M3 MacBook Pro. Would you stick with Space Black or go for Silver?

[@nuyou21]

I agree. Which is why I can't wait for WWDC24. But I'm also looking forward to Apple's M4 hardware event later in the year as that's gonna be mind-blowing. 💰🤤

[@MattGaetzOnAWhiteFordBronco]

I've gone back and forth between Windows & Macs over the years... including a Chromebook, which honestly didn't work out. It honestly depends on your *_current needs._* My current laptop is a 17 inch LG Gram, 2020 version, with upgraded RAM & hard drive, and weighs less than 3 lbs. *_Everyone eats his/her heart out when they see it & try it._* Before, top Windows laptops were overpriced, but the walled-off garden of the MacOS just makes things work. Now more and more things live in the cloud or can just plug in a portable hard drive. That being said, my previous 2009, MacBook Pro was awesome and lasted 7 years before selling it. I still have a 27 inch, iMac, late 2013 model at home running Catalina that is blazing fast. I purchased my college-bound teenager a 2024, 15.6 inch, Samsung Galaxy Pro with a touchscreen and it cost $1,000. Would I have tried the newer Mac? Yes. Would I have purchased it for him? Nope. A solid laptop should be upgradable, fairly comfortable (meaning 15 inch and up) and have a Thunderbolt port.

[@xBINARYGODx]

"but the walled-off garden of the MacOS just makes things work." I guess we should ignore all those sites dedicated to issues with iOS, Mac and software on both. Also, I dont have any issues with anything on my PC ,and since you want to ignore others who do, that so can I.

[@ramlin35]

Can you tell us about your laptop stand?

[@DivineVegan]

I do agree with you

[@issamothmann]

I bought a mac and sold it shortly after. It's not suitable for architects. I didn't like using a windows emulator to be able to use revit for example.

[@ZhuJo99]

Well, that's not a fault of the Mac, but yours to do a previous research on compatibility. Obviously, one picks a HW and operating system according the software he needs to use to get a job done. Architectural, nor any CAD is a use case for a Mac. Not because it's not able to handle it, but because companies like Revit, Archicad, SolidWorks etc tend to ignore macOs.

[@issamothmann]

@@ZhuJo99 Chill. Macs also don't support the huge game library available on windows btw. They're mainly targetted toward spreadsheet makers and video creators.

[@andyH_England]

@@issamothmann It is easy to find what macOS supports but devs are still reluctant to have Mac apps as Macs only have 8-10% of the whole PC market. I usually tell friends and family who ask me if they should buy a Mac, 100% if they only need an ultrabook, but only buy the MB Pro if they know their software is available, definitely not for gaming currently.

[@issamothmann]

@@andyH_England True mate

[@ZhuJo99]

@@issamothmann who cares about games?

[@dogoftheg]

I’d have a MacBook if it had intel CPUs to run trading apps. If you run multiple monitors, Windows 11 blows MacOS out of the water. In fact, using Windows 11 makes me not miss MacOS. Copilot makes it even better. I wanted a MacBook so badly for my trading computer. Battery life and trackpad destroy anything Wintels offer. However, I can’t risk money making when I can just use a cord and use a mouse. I can’t risk trading platforms not working with M1,2,3,4 CPUs. Sucks because all my peripheral tech is Apple. Plus own the stock.

[@hojomoone]

How on earth do you expect any of us to agree with you? Most folks in the real world do not fork out $5k on a laptop! That said, I am "surviving" on an M3 Àir, also Midnight Blue, and also a grease magnet, compared to the 2015 Pro it replaced, but then it is my "Secondary" box, behind the day-to-day Windows machine that drives my world - just waiting for AI! Totally agree with "Bring back the old PN logo" too 😉

[@Peterstarzynskitech]

The pocketnow logo just doesn't feel like pocketnow. But still a great review.

[@filipebcs8]

It is a shame and kind of funny that my four month old $3000 dollars MacBook M3 Pro is already showing smudges on the keyboard. Never had that problem with my incredibly cheap Dell Latitude 3520 work laptop. I also had that problem with my previous 2014 15 inch MacBook Pro. I wish Apple would do something about the plastic quality of the key caps, as I believe it would not add up much to price using better plastic quality for them.

[@protect-chickens-c50]

That seems a big problem 😮

[@SkyDomeVIZE]

Wow, saw y'all changed your logo. Throw me off guard. Almost unsubscribed, thinking intensionally sub to new channel. Jamie, I have to say you definitely an Apple fan. We get it, first party apps work great with the apple ecosystem. The cost is too high, and only worth the cost if it makes your paid job easier.

[@ytown4]

Where's Alex?

[@TechXSoftware]

I have the M3 Pro 16"

[@DanielleJaramilla]

... not Adobe on a lawsuit right now 👀

[@robertkamer1820]

Shouldn't that be a 14 core cpu?

[@PreDaToReLeaSeD]

any time i hear someone call a mac a gaming laptop or compare a macbook to a gaming laptop i cringe

[@Pocketnow]

Tooth retainers are always a good thing to have in that case 😉

[@PreDaToReLeaSeD]

@@Pocketnow nothing short of game devs actually supporting apple silicon mainstream can cure that cringe lol

[@PKperformanceEU]

Classic design is golden DONT MAKE IT SLIMMER, MAKE IT EVEN THICKER AND FASTER!!!!

[@beverywhereyouare]

The mac is NOT a gaming g machine :) Let's not kid ourselves. PCs still s.oke it. Im with u when it comes to video editing tho.

[@Calicodatruth]

I bought a M2 pro with 16 gb of ram about 3 months ago brand new I wouldn’t ever buy a MacBook Pro that only comes with 8gb standard I wouldn’t be buying one maybe trade up when they actually put more ram better prices added in just gotta be smart

[@newfnshow031]

$1000 is a lot for a base machine not to mention your $5k fancy xdr machine. For 5k this machine would have to move into my house and get a job. Not to mention the $300 applecare on top of that. I had this 14 inch it was about 4 lbs on your back I find that really heavy personally.

[@davidjacobs6244]

You need a gym membership then to build those back muscles up 🙄

[@andyH_England]

The going rate for a PREMIUM base machine is $1000. There are mid-range and cheaper models, but we are talking Premium. You cannot compare mid-range with premium as they are aimed at two markets.

[@brachiator1]

Great observations. Ironically though, it appears that Apple has moved on to the M4 chip. The industry wide scramble to add AI may lead to challenges for both ecosystems.

[@teeblackgold97]

Yo your son looks like DRAKE ??

[@Wankidy]

It will be outdated by November

[@engimo5253]

I am waiting for M4 Macbook pro

[@nikc1313]

I weighed up going for a Mac but I've gambled on the new qualcomm chips. Pre ordered the galaxy book 4 edge over an m3 air as the value proposition was too good. 3k OLED and the snapdragon elite chipset for 1k gbp. If it performs anything like Microsoft are hyping then I'll be happy.

[@andyH_England]

It is £1400 in the UK with a pre-order £150 off. That is the maximum configuration you can buy for 16GB/512GB (14-inch)(lower-power delivery version). There is no 32GB option, and if you want 1TB, you must buy the 16-inch for £1700. The 512GB models do not come with the fastest X Elite; again, you must buy the 1TB 16-inch, restricted to 16GB of RAM, for £1700!

[@nikc1313]

@@andyH_Englandshould have mentioned that I get an additional discount with an employee benefit scheme. The higher spec elite chip in the 16 inch is only 200mhz higher boost clock which looks to be around 5% better synthetic benchmark results so not worth the additional cost. I also doubt that 99% of the buying public need 32gb of ram for a laptop of this type. Would have liked the 1tb storage option though.

[@andyH_England]

@@nikc1313 I agree with that conclusion 🙂

[@akin242002]

Wow! 96GB for a 14-inch laptop just to video edit. Usually, after 64GB the returns on that laptop start to diminish. I hate to say it, but you over-speced your laptop.

[@Lucius01]

jaime hablas español?

[@aneesamjad2890]

Damn jaime has some cake 3:08

[@shannonhondo260]

Anybody know what editing software I can use for this same laptop model

[@FredericBossy]

is it the 14 CPU / 30 GPU or 16 CPU / 40 GPU ? (you said 16 CPU / 30 GPU )

[@Lentrail]

its the binned 14 core , he was wrong about it being maxed out , binned comes in 36 and 96gb ram models , 48 , 64 and 128gb ram models are unbinned 40core gpu models

[@bugrilyus]

What is the laptop stand at 1:31? can you share an amazon link for it?

[@leegladish8611]

MOFT stand

[@bugrilyus]

@@leegladish8611 Thank you

[@brawales]

I'm not too fond of Apple's boys and Stephen Job's believers.

[@cesar6479]

Whats up with these bots in the comment section 😂

[@Pocketnow]

I know right 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@DENVEROUTDOORMAN]

Not as bad as the little girlies crying first just for attention

[@trails247]

"ir" regardless isn't a word

[@JamaicanBalla09]

Google is your friend

[@InstantDesign]

No because it has one of those silly Mac keyboards.

[@jaughnekow]

Not the perfect but one of...

[@Wambie68]

Not objective. It feels like a fanboy review.

[@TheWWWyrm]

Is that MrMobile at 0:26 ?