How often do you get two new refreshed to the MacBook Pro line-up in one year? Not very often, but that’s exactly what happened today as Apple announced the M3 MacBook Pro lineup today.
In that process, Apple killed the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the Touchbar and replaced it with a base 14-inch model MacBook Pro. Let’s take a look at all the M3 MacBook Pro options available for purchase.
5 Key Features of the M3 MacBook Pro
What is the price of the M3 MacBook Pro in the UAE
While there are still two sizes for the M3 MacBook Pro, Apple has introduced a new baseline model that replaces the older 13-inch MacBook Pro with the Touchbar. That model starts at AED 6,899. The starting price for the regular 14-inch model remains the same at AED 8,499, while the 16-inch gets 100 Dirham off and now starts at AED 10,499.
All models can be configured to your liking with upgrades to the processor, memory, and storage. Apple does sell some standard editions for each of them, which are as follows:
| Model | Specs | Price |
|---|---|---|
| MacBook Pro 14 M3 | 8-core CPU 10-core GPU 8GB Unified Memory 512GB SSD Storage | AED 6,899 US$ 1,599 |
| MacBook Pro 14 M3 | 8-core CPU 10-core GPU 8GB Unified Memory 1TB SSD Storage | AED 7,739 US$ 1,799 |
| MacBook Pro 14 M3 Pro | 11-core CPU 14-core GPU 18GB Unified Memory 512GB SSD Storage | AED 8,499 US$ 1,999 |
| MacBook Pro 14 M3 Pro | 12-core CPU 18-core GPU 18GB Unified Memory 1TB SSD Storage | AED 10,179 US$ 2,399 |
| MacBook Pro 14 M3 Max | 14-core CPU 30-core GPU 36GB Unified Memory 1TB SSD Storage | AED 13,539 US$ 3,199 |
| MacBook Pro 16 M3 Pro | 12-core CPU 18-core GPU 18GB Unified Memory 512GB SSD Storage | AED 10,499 US$ 2,499 |
| MacBook Pro 16 M3 Pro | 12-core CPU 18-core GPU 36GB Unified Memory 512GB SSD Storage | AED 12,179 US$ 2,899 |
| MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max | 14-core CPU 30-core GPU 36GB Unified Memory 1TB SSD Storage | AED 14,699 US$ 3,499 |
M3 MacBook Pro Specs
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 M3 (2023) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 M3 (2023) | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 31.26 x 22.12 x 1.55 cm | 35.57 x 24.81 x 1.68 cm |
| Weight | 1.55 / 1.61 / 1.62 kg | 2.14 / 2.16 kg |
| Screen Size | 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR | 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR |
| Screen Refresh Rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Display Resolution | 3024 x 1964 pixels | 3456 x 2234 pixels |
| Processor | Apple M3 8-core chip Apple M3 Pro 11‑core or 12-core chip Apple M3 Max 14‑core chip | Apple M3 Pro 12‑core chip Apple M3 Max 14‑core or 16-core chip |
| Graphics | Apple 10-core, 14-core, 18-core or 30-core GPU | Apple 18-core, 30-core or 40-core GPU |
| Memory | 8GB-128GB Unified memory | 18GB-128GB Unified memory |
| Storage | 512GB – 8TB SSD | 512GB – 8TB SSD |
| Operating System | macOS | macOS |
| Battery | 70-watt-hour or 72.4-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery Up to 22 hours of Apple TV app movie playback Up to 15 hours of wireless web 70W/96W USB-C Power Adapter | 100-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery Up to 22 hours of Apple TV app movie playback Up to 15 hours of wireless web 140W USB-C Power Adapter |
| Camera | 1080p FaceTime HD camera | 1080p FaceTime HD camera |
| Available Ports | 2 or 3 x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports SDXC card slot HDMI port 3.5 mm headphone jack MagSafe 3 port | 3 x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports SDXC card slot HDMI port 3.5 mm headphone jack MagSafe 3 port |
| Audio | High-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers Studio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming | High-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers Studio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming |
| Connectivity Options | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 |
Design
The M3-based MacBook Pro models look exactly like the M1 and M2-based MacBook Pro models. There is a new Space Black Colour that looks great, but that’s only available for the M3 Pro or M3 Max-based laptops, which means the base M3 model is only available in the older Silver and Space Gray Colours.
The Base model also has shed a little bit of weight and starts at 1.55kg, which would make it slightly easier to carry around. The 16-inch model continues to be on the heavier side and is more suited as a desktop replacement.
Display
Like last year’s models, the M3 MacBook Pro 14 has a 14.2-inch screen with a 3024 x 1964 resolution, while the M3 MacBook Pro 16 has a 16.2-inch screen with a resolution of 3456 x 2234 pixels. Both of these result in 254 pixels per inch, which is sharp and clear. These Liquid Retina XDR displays, as Apple calls them, also support ProMotion or adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz.
These are excellent MiniLED screens with a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio supporting 1 billion colours (P3) and True Tone technology. They also get very bright at 1000 nits sustained full-screen and 1600 nits peak for HDR content or 600 nits for SDR.
Performance
The new M3 processors are the fastest chips Apple has designed, and the focus this year is on a massive upgrade to GPU performance. Apple claims the M3 is 2.5x faster than the fastest M1 Max processor on the 16-inch MacBook Pro, which is an impressive speed bump in two years.
The total amount of RAM the new M3 Max can be configured with has also gone up from 96GB to 128GB, which will allow you to run more complex apps and better multi-tasking.
The GPU now supports Hardware-accelerated ray tracing, which will not only allow for faster rendering performance, but you’ll also be able to play console-level gaming on Macs. Apple has also introduced Dynamic Caching, which optimizes fast on-chip memory to dramatically increase average GPU utilization — driving a huge performance boost for the most demanding pro apps and games.
Apple claims that games will look more detailed than ever thanks to hardware-accelerated mesh shading, which brings greater capability and efficiency to geometry processing, enabling games to render more visually complex scenes.
Battery and Charging
Battery life on the M3 MacBook Pro models continues to be similar to the M2 models we saw earlier in the year.
On the 16-inch, the 100-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery offers up to 22 hours of Apple TV app movie playback or up to 15 hours of wireless web. Apple includes a 140W USB-C Power Adapter with the MacBook Pro 16 that can be charged using MagSafe or the USB C port.
The MacBook Pro 14 has a smaller 70-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery that offers up to 18 hours of Apple TV app movie playback or 12 hours of wireless web on the Pro and Max versions. The baseline model offers a larger battery life similar to the 16-inch model, which is 22 hours of Apple TV or 15 hours of wireless web.
If you purchase the 14-inch MacBook Pro, you get a 67W or 96W power adapter. The MacBook Pro 14 can be charged using MagSafe or the USB C port.
Should you buy the new M3 MacBook Pro?
Apple nailed it with the original M1-based MacBook Pro models, and unless you have a real reason to want the extra performance that these new models offer, you should stick with your older MacBook Pro. The exception to that rule is the sexy new Space Black Colour that has me hovering on the Buy Now button.
If you’re still using an Intel-based MacBook Pro, you should upgrade to these new models, as the difference will be night and day. Deciding between the three models really depends on how you plan to use the machine.
The baseline model of the new MacBook Pro is a step up from the 13-inch MacBook Pro it replaces, but I wouldn’t necessarily consider it a real “Pro” machine since it limits the RAM and external display connectivity to MacBook Air levels. Unless you want that brilliant display on the MacBook Pro, the MacBook Air might be a better option for casual users.
For power users, these new M3 MacBook Pro laptops are crazy fast, and if your work demands it, they’re pretty much the best in the industry.
Abbas Jaffar Ali
Abbas has been covering tech for more than two decades- before phones became smart or clouds stored data. He brought publications like CNET, TechRadar and IGN to the Middle East.
Very meh event but that Space Black Macbook looks 😍
The M3 chip on the Macbook has me excited. Apple has laid the foundation to support proper gaming experiences on their laptops, and I am extremely curious what they do with it in the future. Nvidia and AMD should be on the lookout.
The gaming capabilities are definitely very promising- especially after we’ve seen what the new iPhone 15 Pro is capable of. The age-old question remains: Is Apple ready to play game?