Macs equipped with the standard M3 chip still support only one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz, according to Apple's tech specs. So far, the chip is available in the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro and the 24-inch iMac.
This limitation has existed since the first Apple silicon Macs with the M1 chip were released in 2020, but users can connect multiple external displays to M1, M2, and M3 Macs with DisplayLink adapters as an unofficial workaround. One exception is the Mac mini, which will likely be updated with the M3 chip next year and should retain support for up to two external displays, given that it lacks a built-in display.
The higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models support up to two external displays with the M3 Pro chip, and up to four with the M3 Max chip.
M3 chip display support:
One external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz
M3 Pro chip display support:
Up to two external displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt, or one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI
One external display supported at 8K resolution at 60Hz or one external display at 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI
M3 Max chip display support:
Up to four external displays: Up to three external displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI
Up to three external displays: Up to two external displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or one external display with 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI
The new MacBook Pro models are now available to order, and most configurations will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Tuesday, November 7. M3 Max configurations will be available later in November.
Woot has kicked off a new Apple accessory blowout sale, offering as much as 90 percent off select first-party Apple accessories. This includes iPhone cases as recent as the iPhone 14 and MagSafe chargers.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Woot. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
All accessories in this sale are in new condition and come with a one year Apple limited warranty (with the exception of the Powerbeats Pro, which have a 90 day Woot limited warranty). Amazon Prime members can get free standard shipping on Woot, and you'll have until November 7 to shop these deals, but they could disappear faster if stock runs out.
During this event, Woot has Apple's MagSafe Duo Charger for $94.99, down from $129.99, which is a match of the all-time low price on the accessory. You'll also find deals on iPhone leather cases, Beats earbuds, Apple Watch bands, AirTag accessories, and more. The steepest discounts are available on older products, like the iPhone 12 mini Leather Sleeve.
We've begun tracking all of the season's best deals in our dedicated Black Friday Roundup, so be sure to bookmark the page and visit it throughout the season as you do your online shopping. Our roundup mainly focuses on Apple products and related tech accessories.
Apple has stopped signing iOS 17.0.3, preventing iPhone users from downgrading to that version. However, Apple continues to sign iOS 17.0.2 for now.
Apple routinely stops signing older iOS releases over time in order to prevent users from downgrading to previous software versions.
iOS 17.1 is currently the newest version available to the public, while iOS 17.2 is in beta testing and is expected to be released in December.
iOS 17.2 includes many new features and changes, including the promised Journal app, the ability for Apple Music subscribers to collaborate on playlists, a Translate option for the Action button on iPhone 15 Pro models, an iMessage Contact Key Verification security option, additional Weather and Clock widgets, and more.
Apple also stopped signing iOS 15.7.9, iOS 16.7, and iOS 16.7.1.
The iMac now features the M3 chip, replacing the M1 model that Apple introduced in April 2021, so how different are the two successive generations?
The 2021 iMac was the first of its kind to feature an Apple silicon chip, replacing previous Intel-based models with 21.5- and 27-inch displays. It offered an all-new ultra-thin design, a 24-inch Retina display, a six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofers, and an array of seven two-tone color options. The 2021 iMac has now been discontinued by Apple and prices at third-party resellers are falling. As such, some customers may be weighing up whether to upgrade to a 2021 or 2023 iMac.
The two Apple silicon iMac models share the overwhelming majority of their features, so should you consider buying or sticking with the first-generation to save money? This breakdown also serves as a way to see all the differences that the 2023 iMac brings to the table.
Hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW
ProRes encode and decode engine
Support for AV1 decode
Neural engine
60% faster Neural engine
Image signal processor (ISP)
"New" image signal processor (ISP)
Wi-Fi 6
Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.3
68.25GB/s memory bandwidth
100GB/s memory bandwidth
8GB or 16GB unified memory
8GB, 16GB, or 24GB unified memory
Overall, the 2023 iMac is a very minor upgrade over the 2021 model, with the M3 chip being the most significant change. As a result, it is difficult to recommend upgrading from an M1 model unless you specifically need better performance, hardware-accelerated graphics, or a larger quantity of memory. The new iMac is up to 2x faster than the prior generation with the M1 chip, according to Apple, meaning that it should deliver a considerable performance improvement for those who need it.
Most users of the M1 iMac will not be able to justify upgrading to the M3 iMac, but customers coming from an older Intel-based machine or those who do not have one at all could still have good reason to prefer the latest model. For those upgrading from an Intel-based iMac, Apple says that the new iMac is up to 2.5x faster than previous 27-inch models and 4.5x faster than previous 21.5-inch models.
The 2023 iMac is otherwise very similar to the 2021 model, so some customers who have very basic needs and are interested in buying an iMac may prefer to look for a discounted 2021 model. The iMac is priced starting at $1,299, so if you are not interested in its new features and can find the original model for substantially less, it may be worth getting that instead. Even so, it should be remembered that this is a much older model; the M3 model will be more future-proof and capable in the long term.
The first benchmark results for Apple's M3 Max chip surfaced in the Geekbench 6 database today, providing a look at CPU performance. Based on the "Mac15,9" model identifier shown, the results appear to be for the new 16-inch MacBook Pro.
The highest multi-core score for the M3 Max with a 16-core CPU is currently 21,084 as of writing. If this early result is accurate, this means the M3 Max is around as fast as the M2 Ultra chip, which has an average multi-core score of 21,182 in the Mac Pro and 21,316 in the Mac Studio, according to a chart on the Geekbench website.
The M3 Max in the new 16-inch MacBook Pro is around 45% faster than the M2 Max chip in the previous-generation 16-inch MacBook Pro, according to the Geekbench website. This is within the ballpark of Apple's claim that the M3 Max is up to 50% faster than the M2 Max, especially given variance in early Geekbench results.
Geekbench 6 multi-core scores for CPU performance:
M3: 11,836 (14-inch MacBook Pro, highest score listed so far)
Manufactured with TSMC's 3nm process, the M3 Max has up to a 16-core CPU with 12 performance cores and four efficiency cores. It also has up to a 40-core GPU and can be configured with up to 128GB of unified memory.
The new 16-inch MacBook Pro starts at $3,499 in the U.S. when configured with the M3 Max chip, while the Mac Studio with the M2 Ultra chip starts at $3,999, so you can effectively get the same performance for $500 less with the new 16-inch MacBook Pro, and do not need to supply your own display, keyboard, and mouse.
The first Geekbench 6 results for the standard M3 chip surfaced earlier today, revealing that it is up to 20% faster than the standard M2 chip. Benchmarks provide a useful reference point, but real-world performance can vary.
The new MacBook Pro models are now available to order, and most configurations will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Tuesday, November 7. M3 Max configurations will be available later in November.
Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.
Safari Technology Preview 182 includes fixes and updates for CSS, Forms, HTML, JavaScript, Loading, Media, Rendering, Scrolling, Storage, SVG, Text, Web API, Web Assembly, Web Inspector, and WebRTC.
The current Safari Technology Preview release is compatible with machines running macOS Ventura and macOS Sonoma, the latest version of macOS that Apple released in September 2023.
The Safari Technology Preview update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser. Full release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.
Apple's aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.
Apple will report its earnings results for the fourth quarter of its 2023 fiscal year on Thursday, November 2 at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time. Apple's CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri will discuss the results on a conference call with analysts a half hour later.
Keep reading for some key things to know about the quarter, including a recap of new products announced, revenue expectations, and more.
New Products During Quarter
The quarter ran from ran from July 2 through September 30, according to Apple's fiscal calendar, and included the following product launches:
iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max
Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2
AirPods Pro with USB-C charging case and EarPods with USB-C connector
Revenue Expectations
Apple has not provided formal revenue guidance since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Wall Street expects the company to report revenue of $89.28 billion in the fourth quarter, according to CNBC. This would be around a 1% decline compared to the $90.15 billion revenue the company reported in the year-ago quarter.
Maestri provided the following commentary on Apple's earnings call last quarter:
We expect our September quarter year-over-year revenue performance to be similar to the June quarter, assuming that the macroeconomic outlook doesn't worsen from what we are projecting today for the current quarter.
Conference Call
Cook and Maestri will hold a conference call at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Thursday to discuss the company's fourth quarter earnings results. The call should last around one hour and will include a Q&A segment with analysts.
A live audio stream of the conference call will be available on Apple's Investor Relations page, and a recording will be available later in the day for replay.
What's Next
Apple's first quarter of fiscal 2024 began October 1 and runs through December 30. So far during this period, new products announced by Apple include a lower-priced Apple Pencil with a USB-C port, an updated iMac with the M3 chip, and updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips.
AAPL closed at $173.97 today, down from a 52-week high of $198.23.
Apple this week discontinued the 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro, replacing it with a 14-inch model that's equipped with a next-generation M3 chip. The 14-inch model is more expensive, but it comes with a number of benefits that make it worth the upgrade for anyone with a 13-inch machine.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro has a larger display than the 13-inch model for more screen real estate, and it features much more modern-looking thin bezels. There's also a notch that houses the front-facing camera, a necessity for those slimmed down bezels. It is a mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display, which is an upgrade over the LCD of the prior-generation 13-inch model.
Along with support for 120Hz ProMotion refresh rates, the 14-inch MacBook Pro's display is brighter and has better color and HDR support. SDR brightness is 600 nits, while XDR brightness is 1000 nits sustained and 1600 nits peak.
In terms of performance, you're going to see a boost in CPU and GPU speeds, but it will be most noticeable if you're coming from an Apple M1 chip or an even earlier Intel chip. The M3 has an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU much like the M2, but the GPU supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing so gameplay will be improved.
Battery life has seen a boost, so the 14-inch MacBook Pro now lasts for up to 22 hours, up two hours from the 20 hour battery life of the M2 13-inch MacBook Pro. If you were a fan of the Touch Bar, be warned that the 14-inch MacBook Pro does not have one. With the discontinuation of the 13-inch MacBook Pro, Apple has officially nixed the Touch Bar.
In terms of size, the 14-inch MacBook Pro is a little wider, a little longer, and just a bit heavier than the 13-inch model. It weighs 3.4 pounds while the 13-inch model weighed 3 pounds. There are more ports with the M3 MacBook Pro, so in addition to two Thunderbolt ports, you'll also get an HDMI port, an SD card slot, and a MagSafe charging port.
Other improvements include a better 1080p FaceTime HD camera, a six-speaker sound system, Wi-Fi 6E support, and Bluetooth 5.3.
The only real downside with the 14-inch MacBook Pro is the price. It starts at $1,599, making it $300 more expensive than the $1,299 starting price of the M2 13-inch MacBook Pro. If you can afford it, what you get for the extra $300 is worth it, but if that makes it too pricey, you'll need to look at the lower-cost MacBook Air.
For those with an M2 13-inch MacBook Pro, it's probably not worth upgrading to the 14-inch model right now despite the benefits, but if you're coming from an M1 13-inch MacBook Pro or an Intel machine, it's going to be a much more notable upgrade that will feel closer to night and day.
Are you upgrading to the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro? Let us know why or why not in the comments below.
"Beginning in November, Apple will discontinue the Apple Music Voice plan," said Apple. "We are focused on delivering the best, most robust music experience possible for our customers, with features like immersive Spatial Audio, Apple Music Sing with real-time lyrics, intuitive browse and discovery features, and so much more."
Apple said existing subscribers can continue to use the Voice Plan for the duration of their final billing cycle, but they will lose access after that period. It's unclear why the plan was discontinued, but Apple says other Apple Music plans "already work seamlessly with Siri, and we will continue to optimize this experience."
Apple added that existing subscribers will receive a notification prior to the end of their final billing cycle with more information.
Priced at $4.99 per month in the U.S., the Voice Plan was designed to let users access Apple Music exclusively through Siri. The plan launched as part of iOS 15.2 in December 2021 in the U.S., Australia, Austria, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, Taiwan, and the U.K.
The primary way to subscribe to the Voice Plan was by asking Siri, and music playback was controlled via Siri too. While the plan provided access to the entire Apple Music catalog with over 100 million songs, it lacked some features available on more expensive plans, such as downloading, spatial audio, and Family Sharing.
This story was updated with additional information from Apple.
B&H Photo today kicked off a "Holiday Head Start" event, discounting a wide variety of products in the run-up to Black Friday later in the month. This includes a few solid deals on Apple's MacBook Pro and MacBook Air line, with a few seeing all-time low prices.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with B&H Photo. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
13.6-Inch M2 MacBook Air
Apple's 13.6-inch 256GB M2 MacBook Air is available for $899.00, down from $1,099.00. B&H Photo offers free two-day shipping in the contiguous United States, and has Space Gray, Silver, and Midnight at this price.
This is a match of the all-time low price on the 13.6-inch 256GB M2 MacBook Air, which we previously tracked at Best Buy in October. This sale will expire in two days on Friday, November 3 at 4:45 p.m. Central Time, so if you're interested be sure to visit B&H Photo soon.
B&H Photo also has the 512GB model of the 13.6-inch M2 MacBook Air on sale, available for $1,199.00, down from $1,399.00. Compared to past sales, this is a second-best price and still a solid discount on the 2022 notebook. You can get Space Gray and Silver on sale at this price.
14-Inch M2 MacBook Pro
B&H Photo also has a few discounts on the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro from early 2023, starting at $1,799.00 for the M2 Pro/512GB/16GB RAM 14-inch model, down from $1,999.00. There's also an option for 32GB RAM at $2,199.00, down from $2,399.00.
We've begun tracking all of the season's best deals in our dedicated Black Friday Roundup, so be sure to bookmark the page and visit it throughout the season as you do your online shopping. Our roundup mainly focuses on Apple products and related tech accessories.
Customers who purchase one of the new M3, M3 Pro, or M3 Max MacBook Pro or iMac models will need to install a macOS Sonoma update after receiving their machines.
The Macs will ship with a custom version of macOS Sonoma 14.1 with a build number of 23B2073, but new users will need to download and install a new version with a build number of 23B2077.
Day-one updates are not unusual for new devices as Apple often has to begin manufacturing with an older version of the software. Apple first released macOS Sonoma 14.1 on Wednesday, October 25, and the current version has a build number of 23B74.
A day-one macOS update was just released for the new Macs with the build number 23B2077.
They ship with 23B2073 pic.twitter.com/d1R4oLSazC
— Aaron (@aaronp613) November 1, 2023
Apple's M3 Macs are available for order now, with the first machines set to arrive to customers on Tuesday, November 7. The M3 and M3 iMac and MacBook Pro models will be available starting then, with M3 Max MacBook Pro models set to deliver later in November.
Introductory production on the standard iPhone 17 will start in India in the second half of 2025, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo says that new product introduction (NPI) for the iPhone 17 will happen in India, marking the first time that Apple begins development of a new iPhone outside of China.
Apple will opt to assemble the standard iPhone 17 in India because it has a "lower difficulty" design that will minimize risk. Apple has been manufacturing older iPhones and other devices in India since for several years now in an effort to move more of its manufacturing out of China. Apple has slowly started giving factories in India more responsibility, and began iPhone 14 production in the country just a few weeks after the device launched in September 2022. iPhone 15 production started even earlier, with factories in the country assembling the base iPhone 15 model prior to launch, but assembly still started in China first.
Apple works with Foxconn, Pegatron, and Tata (new owner of Wistron) to manufacture iPhones in India, with Foxconn handling 75 to 80 percent of the device assembly. Foxconn has invested more than $500 million in India to ramp up its manufacturing capabilities.
As of now, Kuo believes that 12 to 14 percent of global iPhone shipments are made in India, with that proportion to increase to 20 to 25 percent by 2024. In addition to allowing Apple to move manufacturing away from China, increasing production in India provides Apple with an opportunity to strengthen its relationship with the Indian government. India is a key market for Apple due to growing demand for Apple products in the country.
The USB-C Apple Pencil that Apple unveiled in October is available for purchase starting today. Priced at $79, the Apple Pencil is compatible with all iPads that feature a USB-C port, and it serves as an alternative to the more expensive first and second-generation Apple Pencil models.
The Apple Pencil features a matte finish and a flat magnetic side to allow it to attach to an iPad when not in use, plus there is a hidden USB-C port under the sliding cap for charging purposes. Unlike the Apple Pencil 2, it is not able to charge magnetically when attached to an iPad, and it is also lacking pressure sensitivity and support for tap gestures.
Other Apple Pencil features such as low latency and tilt sensitivity are included, plus it supports the Apple Pencil Hover feature on compatible M2iPad Pro models.
The Apple Pencil can be purchased from the online Apple Store in more than 30 countries, including the United States. Orders placed today will deliver as soon as November 3.
A legal claim in the United Kingdom over Apple's 2017 "throttling" controversy has been allowed to move forward by the Competition Appeal Tribunal, according to Reuters.
Consumer advocate Justin Gutmann filed the claim back in June 2022, originally seeking a total of £750 million for up to 25 million iPhone users in the UK whose devices were affected by the issue, which stemmed from Apple's efforts to prevent devices with degraded batteries from unexpectedly shutting down while in use. The claim has since ballooned to as much at £1.6 billion plus interest.
Gutmann's lawyers had argued Apple concealed issues with batteries in certain phone models and "surreptitiously" installed a power management tool which limited performance.
Apple, however, said the lawsuit is "baseless" and that it strongly denies batteries in iPhones were defective, apart from in a small number of iPhone 6s models for which it offered free battery replacements.
Gutmann's claim covers iPhone 6 through iPhone X models, and while the Competition Appeal Tribunal ruled the claim can move forward, it also highlighted "a lack of clarity and specificity" that will need to be resolved before it can actually proceed to trial.
Apple deployed power management features with iOS 10.2.1 in 2017 that throttled performance to prevent devices with degraded batteries from attempting to draw peak power the batteries could no longer provide. Apple says it introduced the features to help extend device lifespan while minimizing disruptive device shutdowns, but the company was criticized by some customers for not disclosing what it was doing amid suggestions it was attempting to hide defective devices.
Apple apologized for not better explaining the changes it made and why it did so, and introduced a low-cost battery replacement program that lasted for several years.
In 2020, Apple agreed to pay up to $500 million to settle a long-running class action lawsuit in the United States over the issue, and the company has faced similar lawsuits in a number of other countries.
The first benchmark results for the standard M3 chip surfaced in the Geekbench 6 database today, providing a closer look at the chip's CPU performance improvements.
Based on the results so far, the M3 chip has single-core and multi-core scores of around 3,000 and 11,700, respectively. The standard M2 chip has single-core and multi-core scores of around 2,600 and 9,700, respectively, so the M3 chip is up to 20% faster than the M2 chip, as Apple claimed during its "Scary Fast" event on Monday.
Geekbench 6 multi-core scores:
M3 chip: ~11,700 (+20% vs. M2 chip)
M2 chip: ~9,700 (+17% vs. M1 chip)
M1 chip: ~8,315
It's unclear if the results are for the new 14-inch MacBook Pro or iMac, both of which are available with the standard M3 chip, but performance should be similar for both machines. The results have a "Mac15,3" identifier, which Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported was for a laptop with the same display resolution as a 14-inch MacBook Pro.
The standard M3 chip is equipped with an 8-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU, and it supports up to 24GB of unified memory. The chip has improved GPU architecture with support for hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading, which will make high-end games look more realistic. It also has a 16-core Neural Engine for AI.
We have yet to see any Geekbench results for the higher-end M3 Pro and M3 Max chips available in most new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
We've partnered with Satechi this week to offer 30 percent off sitewide at the retailer, allowing our readers to save on Satechi's best hubs, chargers, desktop accessories, and more. To get this deal, enter the code MR30 at the checkout screen before November 8, when the code will expire.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Satechi. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This code works sitewide on Satechi, with the sole exception of the Vegan Magnetic Wallet Stand. Otherwise, you can shop Satechi's wide selection of wireless chargers, USB-C hubs, iPad Pro accessories, mice and keyboards, and more Apple-compatible products.
Below we've rounded up some of Satechi's best wireless chargers and other accessories, including a few that are compatible with MagSafe. Some highlights of the sale are the Aluminum 2-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand and Trio Wireless Charger with Magnetic Pad. Of course, the MR30 code works sitewide at Satechi for the next week, so be sure to browse throughout the company's products to take advantage of the sale.
Remember that our promo code MR30 works sitewide and will end on November 8, so be sure to shop on Satechi's website sometime this week before the sale closes. We've begun tracking all of the season's best deals in our dedicated Black Friday Roundup, so be sure to bookmark the page and visit it throughout the season as you do your online shopping. Our roundup mainly focuses on Apple products and related tech accessories.
Apple today announced that eight new games will be added to Apple Arcade in November and December, including Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition, Football Manager 2024 Touch, Sonic Dream Team, Puzzle & Dragons Story, and more. In addition, Apple said over 50 games available on the service will be receiving updates over the next two months.
Details about the upcoming games and updates can be found in the Apple Newsroom announcement on Apple's website.
Launched in November 2019, Apple Arcade is a subscription-based gaming service accessible through the App Store. The service provides subscribers with access to around 300 games across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, with new titles added periodically. All games available on Apple Arcade are free of ads and in-app purchases.
Apple Arcade received its first price increase in many countries earlier this month. In the U.S., the service went from $4.99 per month to $6.99 per month.
Apple has refreshed the MacBook Pro's hardware with a full set of M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips, but what exactly do the latest machines bring to the table and is it worth upgrading from the previous generations?
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 chip starts at $1,599, replacing the previous M2 13-inch model as the entry-level machine in Apple's pro notebook lineup. Equipped with the higher-end M3 Pro and M3 Max chips, the 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,999 and the 16-inch model starts at $2,499.
Upon the launch of the latest models, previous-generation MacBook Pro models have been discontinued and are no longer available from Apple's main storefront. Units of slightly older machines such as the 2021 and early 2023 models may, however, still be available via Apple's refurbished store and third-party retailers for significantly reduced prices. Buying a 2021 or early 2023 model second-hand is also an option.
First-time MacBook Pro customers or those upgrading from a much older device may be wondering whether it is worth buying a 2021 or early 2023 model, so it will be important to weigh up exactly what was added with the latest version. Likewise, existing users of the 2021 or early 2023 MacBook Pro may be wondering if it is worth upgrading to the latest model or sticking with their current device.
See the detailed breakdown below for each new feature, change, and improvement that was added with the late 2023's 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models compared to their predecessors:
- 5nm node (N5) - Based on A14 Bionic chip from iPhone 12 (2020)
- Enhanced 5nm node (N5P) - Based on A15 Bionic chip from iPhone 13 (2021)
- 3nm node (N3B) - Based on A17 Pro chip from iPhone 15 Pro (2023)
- 3.20 GHz CPU clock speed
- 3.49 GHz CPU clock speed
- 4.05 GHz CPU clock speed
- M1 Pro: Up to 10-core CPU with 8 performance cores and 2 efficiency cores - M1 Max: 10-core CPU with 8 performance cores and 2 efficiency cores
- M2 Pro: Up to 12-core CPU with 8 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores - M2 Max: 12-core CPU with 8 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
- M3: 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores - M3 Pro: Up to 12-core CPU with 6 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores - M3 Max: Up to 16-core CPU with 12 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
- M1 Pro: Up to 16-core GPU - M1 Max: Up to 32-core GPU
- M2 Pro: Up to 19-core GPU - M2 Max: Up to 38-core GPU
- M3: 10-core GPU - M3 Pro: Up to 18-core GPU - M3 Max: Up to 40-core GPU
- M1 Pro: Support for up to two external displays - M1 Max: Support for up to four external displays
- M2 Pro: Support for up to two external displays - M2 Max: Support for up to four external displays
- M3: Support for one external display - M3 Pro: Support for up to two external displays - M3 Max: Support for up to four external displays
- 500 nits max SDR brightness
- 500 nits max SDR brightness
- 600 nits max SDR brightness
- Image signal processor (ISP)
- New image signal processor (ISP)
- Same ISP as M2-generation
- Wi‑Fi 6
- Wi‑Fi 6E
- Wi‑Fi 6E
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Bluetooth 5.3
- Bluetooth 5.3
- Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports
- Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports
- M3: Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 (USB-C) ports - M3 Pro or M3 Max: Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports
- HDMI 2.0 port
- HDMI 2.1 port
- HDMI 2.1 port
- 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB storage
- 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB storage
- M3: 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage - M3 Pro or M3 Max: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB storage
- 14-Inch: 17-hour battery life - 16-Inch: 21-hour battery life
- 14-Inch: 18-hour battery life - 16-Inch: 22-hour battery life
- M3 14-Inch: 22-hour battery life - M3 Pro or M3 Max 14-Inch: 18-hour battery life - 16-Inch: 22-hour battery life
- Available in Space Gray and Silver
- Available in Space Gray and Silver
- M3: Available in Space Gray and Silver - M3 Pro or M3 Max: Available in Space Black and Silver
The late 2023 MacBook Pro models are relatively minor improvements over their direct predecessors that primarily focus on performance improvements. Beyond their chips, the early 2023 MacBook Pro introduced support for Wi‑Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and HDMI 2.1, and added an extra hour of battery life. The late 2023 MacBook Pro added an extra 100 nits of SDR brightness, AV1 decode, and a Space Black color option. Accumulatively, this makes for quite a small upgrade for existing users of the 2021 MacBook Pro.
Choosing which 14- or 16-inch MacBook Pro model to buy ultimately comes down to what level of performance you require. For example, the M3 series of chips feature a redesigned GPU with hardware-accelerated ray-tracing, which may be an attractive upgrade for some users, but it is far from essential for the vast majority. M1 or M2 Pro users who are mulling an upgrade to an M3 Pro machine should also be aware that it features reduced memory bandwidth and one less GPU core.
Generally, unless you need peak performance for demanding professional workflows, it will not be worth upgrading from a 2021 MacBook Pro to a 2023 model, or from an early 2023 machine to a late 2023 model. Only those who need the M3's redesigned GPU and hardware-accelerated ray-tracing, or more than 12 CPU cores, 38 GPU cores, or 96GB memory will really benefit.
For those who have not yet made the leap to an Apple silicon machine, the 2021 and early 2023 MacBook Pro models are still very good options if you can get them for a significantly low price. It is only worth paying more to get the latest model if you want a future-proof device to keep for the long term, where slightly better performance, battery life, and specifications like Wi‑Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and HDMI 2.1 are likely to be more beneficial through successive software updates and as connectivity needs with other devices evolve. Even then, it is difficult to recommend buying a late 2023 MacBook Pro at full price over an equivalent, heavily discounted early 2023 model.
Of course, if you are considering upgrading across the product lineup, such as going from a 2021 or early 2023 14-inch MacBook Pro to a 16-inch model, it may be worth buying the latest model to capture its handful of other improvements.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 chip effectively replaces the previous 13-inch MacBook Pro, which featured the M1 chip in 2020 and the M2 chip in 2022. For users of these older MacBook Pro models, the new low-cost 14-inch model represents a substantial upgrade, featuring a larger display with a mini-LED panel, a 1080p camera, a six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers, an HDMI 2.1 port and an SDXC card slot, fast charging and MagSafe 3, and two extra hours of battery life.
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