Anyone buy M3 Max when they don't need it?

[Lucas Curious]

But crushed by the iphone 15P' A17 Pro when it comes to the neural engine 😁 And everyone knows AI is the next big thing.

View attachment 2365560
From Wikipedia

than do creative Ai tasks with the phone. I get the feeling that the neural innovation will be realistic automatic filters in video so that everyone can look like a fashion model even under bad lighting. Then they can all hide inside because nobody will recognize them

 

[PROFESS0R]

My previous computer was a completely maxed out 2019 MacBook Pro Intel machine. I finely grew tired of the fans being on high almost all the time (I use some demanding software) and the thermal throttling that made my machine run intolerably slow.

I definitely needed to upgrade and I purchased a completely maxed out (no pun intended) 16” MacBook Pro M3 max. I get a bit of a discount for being in education, but the price was still slightly north of $6k. I will keep it until it is no longer useable.

Joe

 

[MrGimper]

Me.... moved from a 16" 2.3 i9 64GB/2TB intel MBP to the unbinned 16/40 16" 48GB 1TB.

Bought it from the refurb store and saved £620.

The 64GB 2TB would have been an extra £510 on refurb and wasn't worth it to me.

 

[teh_hunterer]

I just bought the 14" M3 Max MacBook Pro. I do not need this, but have been taken in by all the YouTube videos about how "you need the max". I am coming from a M1 MBP with 1TB that was fine for me. (got to 350GB storage). I can afford the M3 Max, but won't use it to its potential. I am a light user, just using to browse the web, emails and daily journalling. YouTube etc, but not much else.

I've been taken in by the M3 Max hype I know. Just wondering if anyone else in this position and if you're thinking of going back to the M3 Pro instead?

I would just stick with what you have. It's the exact same computer with a slightly brighter screen, and it'll run much hotter and louder with less battery life to give you more power that you won't even notice.

I would wait until there's an actual new model with more changes than the SoC. Or if you were at least going to go to a different screen size. Otherwise it truly is a waste of money.

Edit: did you come from the 13" MacBook Pro M1 or the 14" MacBook Pro M1?

 

[teh_hunterer]

yes the 36gb ram is good for tabs. I do a lot of research and will have bunch of tabs open in several groups. My ram use is around 23gb. If you are a long term user of products, id get the base Pro with 36gb ram and 1tb ssd. You may not need the SSD if you pay for iCloud but these days I see I filled 250gb to start with and the drive may slow down the closer I get to 500 so for long term, 1tb is beneficial.

RAM use is meaningless in that scenario. Only memory pressure will actually tell you what's going on.

 

[AVBeatMan]

I would just stick with what you have. It's the exact same computer with a slightly brighter screen, and it'll run much hotter and louder with less battery life to give you more power that you won't even notice.

I would wait until there's an actual new model with more changes than the SoC. Or if you were at least going to go to a different screen size. Otherwise it truly is a waste of money.

Edit: did you come from the 13" MacBook Pro M1 or the 14" MacBook Pro M1?

14" MBP. Since my original post I returned the Max and just got the 14" M3 Pro. Happy with this and no noticeable difference from my M1. Got a good price for my M1 so turned out OK for me. Thanks.

 

[profcutter]

14" MBP. Since my original post I returned the Max and just got the 14" M3 Pro. Happy with this and no noticeable difference from my M1. Got a good price for my M1 so turned out OK for me. Thanks.

Glad to see a good outcome for you. I think that was a good decision.

 

[teh_hunterer]

14" MBP. Since my original post I returned the Max and just got the 14" M3 Pro. Happy with this and no noticeable difference from my M1. Got a good price for my M1 so turned out OK for me. Thanks.

The M3 Pro is a great chip but I'm not sure if the upgrade is worth it.

I also have a 14" M1 Pro MacBook Pro, and upgraded to a 16" M3 Pro MacBook Pro. I upgraded for the screen size, and because the 14" is a work one and I wanted a personal machine.

I haven't felt the difference with performance, and I use both every day.

But if you got a good price for selling your old one and you feel good about the purchase I suppose it's not too bad. It's a good machine.

 

[Royksöpp]

I'm pretty sure everyone is going to feel this way when the M4's are released in the fall.

 

[Pezimak]

I just bought the 14" M3 Max MacBook Pro. I do not need this, but have been taken in by all the YouTube videos about how "you need the max". I am coming from a M1 MBP with 1TB that was fine for me. (got to 350GB storage). I can afford the M3 Max, but won't use it to its potential. I am a light user, just using to browse the web, emails and daily journalling. YouTube etc, but not much else.

I've been taken in by the M3 Max hype I know. Just wondering if anyone else in this position and if you're thinking of going back to the M3 Pro instead?

Depends on how long you want it to last? I maxed out a MB Pro in 2010 and it still works, just. So you may not need that Max power now but in 8 or 9 years time if your still using it you may.

Ah never mind I see you returned the Max for a Pro.

 

[MrGimper]

Me.... moved from a 16" 2.3 i9 64GB/2TB intel MBP to the unbinned 16/40 16" 48GB 1TB.

Bought it from the refurb store and saved £620.

The 64GB 2TB would have been an extra £510 on refurb and wasn't worth it to me.

Except I then returned that machine and stumped up the extra £510

 

[GCC]

I got the M1 Max, it was a difficult decision. I wanted 32 gigs of ram because I work on large files, and the max was just about 100 or so more. The max was also important because I use 3 screens (including the internal). For the work you’re describing I agree than an air would definitely do all you need, a max is overkill.

I have the same M1 Max with 64GB. Please let me know how you have your 3 screens connected to the M1 Max. Thanks

 

[profcutter]

I have the same M1 Max with 64GB. Please let me know how you have your 3 screens connected to the M1 Max. Thanks

I have an old dell 4K connected via HDMI, and another 4K monitor via Thunderbolt. It’s a little flaky, but I attribute that to the old
Dell monitor.

 

[Lotuskid]

count me in as one of those that doesn't really need it, but got a max.

had an m1 pro 14 inch 16gb ram that i was happy with, until recently did a photo job editing about 1k photos, applying presets etc. while watching an nba game. might have had some safari tabs open as well, and final cut in the background - i got a ram usage warning asking me to close some apps.

i also had the little rainbow wheel show up once or twice and a bit of lag

i'm not a professional photographer, its a hobby i'd like to get better at, and occasionally i'll get a paid gig here and there. I could have pushed the m1 pro a few more years and just dealt with a little bit of slowdown in the workflow

but alas GAS..

i wound up getting a base model m3 max on amazon that's on sale currently for 2900, and i'm hoping it'll be the computer for the next 5 years

 

[Dfds]

After just under 3 months with the M3 Max I’ve returned it & picked up a refurbished base M3 Pro with 36Gb memory 512GB SSD. The Max was great but I think having less performance cores & more efficiency cores will suit my workflow better & the £650 saving will go towards a new M4 IPad Pro 13”

 

[darksoul78644]

I got the m3 pro and I don't really need the. power but I wanted it so I got it. nothing wrong with buying what u want.

 

[Torty]

I got the m3 pro and I don't really need the. power but I wanted it so I got it. nothing wrong with buying what u want.

With the pro you not only get the performance you might not need but also more connectors. With the Max you "only" get more performance.

 

[AVBeatMan]

After just under 3 months with the M3 Max I’ve returned it & picked up a refurbished base M3 Pro with 36Gb memory 512GB SSD. The Max was great but I think having less performance cores & more efficiency cores will suit my workflow better & the £650 saving will go towards a new M4 IPad Pro 13”

How did you return it if you’ve had it 3 months?

 

[Dfds]

How did you return it if you’ve had it 3 months?

Costco have a 90 day return policy