Apple's M3 Chip: Everything We Know

[macdaddy43]

I wasn't ready to pull the trigger on M1 Macs at the time they were released in 2020 as my MBP was only 3 years old at the time. I have since been keeping an eye on them and I think when M3 comes the upgrade is going to be astounding. Just playing around with the demos at Best Buy, etc. on the M2s I can't imagine how much better these CPUs can get, but apparently it is supposed to be a solid leap. Looking forward to it!

Technology continues to march forward and what a wild time to be alive!

 

[4nNtt]

Very curious if the M3 will get Apple's next generation GPU. It has rumored to be behind schedule as they were still working out power efficiency issues. Adoption of raytracing features on the chip could help push gaming on the Mac and help pro apps like Blender Cycles perform more efficiently.

 

[crsh1976]

I wonder why the 14-inch MBP wouldn't get the M3 Max option given it can be outfitted with the M2 Max now (and previously with the M1 Max) - I feel it's been a great plus to be able to outfit the smaller MBP with the more powerful options available instead of having to move up to a bigger screen.

 

[WiscoNicky]

2 things stated about the M3 Max puzzle me. Why so few efficiency cores? And now it won't be available the 14" MacBook Pro? Both of these claims seem unlikely.

 

[magdogg]

16” M3 Max MBP is an instant buy for me. (Pro Audio use)

 

[EugW]

I have to disagree with you guys, I think 8GB is becoming too constraint especially on Apple Silicon where the RAM is shared with the entire SoC. The times I’ve tried an M2 MacBook Air, it was pretty easy to get into the yellow memory compression zone. And pushing it a bit more it started swapping like crazy.

I honestly think Apple should upgrade the base memory to 12GB.

No, Apple wants you to upgrade to 16 GB. But for much of the wider market - the entry level market - it’s simply not necessary. You may be pushing the machine, but that doesn’t mean everyone will. If you are very frequently hitting yellow with 8 GB, you are not an entry level user.

Like I said before, both my wife and daughter’s machines are totally fine with 8 GB. They NEVER get into the yellow.

So yes, 12 GB would be nice but I highly doubt Apple will do it this year, because it’s just not needed for entry level.

 

[Alex Cumbers]

I have to disagree with you guys, I think 8GB is becoming too constraint especially on Apple Silicon where the RAM is shared with the entire SoC. The times I’ve tried an M2 MacBook Air, it was pretty easy to get into the yellow memory compression zone. And pushing it a bit more it started swapping like crazy.

I honestly think Apple should upgrade the base memory to 12GB.

Apple need to allow memory upgrades *after* purchase, using skilled Apple Store Genius whatever to upgrade. $/£200 is more than enough to cover the a hour upgrade time or so.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Fact is that there are folks (granny with email, K-12 admins buying dozens of Macs) who need lowest cost and can function fine under 8 GB RAM. Whiners who just want more base RAM (but w/o paying more) are just whiners.

When Apple stops making products that I feel are worth the money, that’s when I stop buying them. Unfortunately, some lack the ability to NOT buy what they don’t think is worth the money.

 

[nathansz]

This would be nice.

m1 and 2 only support single monitor!?!?

That’s insane

 

[mjs916]

Eh it'll probably be RAM that does it for these systems as they get older. These chips are so ludicrously powerful that I'd be shocked if the CPU/GPU capabilities became the bottleneck first.

I think you’re right. It’s usually low RAM that is the issue when systems get slow and these new SOCs are not really expandable.

I remember seeing it could be done on the M1 but it was not something your every day user, or even pc builder/tinkerer could do.

 

[azentropy]

No, Apple wants you to upgrade to 16 GB. But for much of the wider market - the entry level market - it’s simply not necessary. You may be pushing the machine, but that doesn’t mean everyone will. If you are very frequently hitting yellow with 8 GB, you are not an entry level user.

Like I said before, both my wife and daughter’s machines are totally fine with 8 GB. They NEVER get into the yellow.

So yes, 12 GB would be nice but I highly doubt Apple will do it this year, because it’s just not needed for entry level.

I think we are going to see it, but for different reasons. Vendors aren't producing the smaller memory modules as much anymore. It was one of the factors of why Apple moved to a single 256GB SSD module instead of dual 128GB.

I'm really hoping we at least see an increase in the "step up/standard" configurations of the MBA, Mac Mini, iMac etc. That is go from 8/512 to 12/512 or 16/512 so people who do want more RAM don't have to basically go BTO on the non-Pro models.

 

[ArkSingularity]

m1 and 2 only support single monitor!?!?

That’s insane

Only one external monitor. You can still get more with displaylink adapters (a special driver that essentially splits up one "virtual" display into multiple physical ones), but there is no way to do it natively on the base M1 and M2 macbooks.

 

[Raeshlavik]

I would guess Apple more or less has to upgrade the base ram, just for video reasons.

Notice that most "4K" discrete video cards come with a base of 12gigs while 1080/1440 cards come with 8gigs these days. There's probably a reason for this if everyone does it.

The M-series shared memory is neat and all, but the displays Apple has to push both on laptops and 'pro' desktops tend to be rather immense canvases; more ram would be better.

 

[nathansz]

I think you’re right. It’s usually low RAM that is the issue when systems get slow and these new SOCs are not really expandable.

I remember seeing it could be done on the M1 but it was not something your every day user, or even pc builder/tinkerer could do.

Apple has always shipped base models with just barely enough ram to run the current os and not enough for future os. That’s why not being able to upgrade later is so ludicrous

It makes their machines ultra disposable

 

[Allen_Wentz]

M1 was the considerable improvement in power - any M# (as with A#) going forward will most likely be an incremental upgrade, if Apple's track record speaks clearly.

We always have high hopes every year, and Apple upgrades rarely fail to underwhelm us.

Cue Bruce Hornsbey's "The Way it Is" song.

Agreed we will largely see incremental upgrades, but personally I do not consider upgrades like M1-->M2 to be generally underwhelming. Quite the contrary. IMO 15%-20% annual improvement of such already-strong chips is huge, not underwhelming.

Exception: IMO Mac Pro upgrades have been underwhelming. My expectation/hope is that M3 will also bring architectural improvements to the Mac Pro that again make MPs into impressive boxes.

 

[EugW]

I think we are going to see it, but for different reasons. Vendors aren't producing the smaller memory modules as much anymore. It was one of the factors of why Apple moved to a single 256GB SSD module instead of dual 128GB.

AFAIK, 4 GB RAM chips are produced in far, far higher numbers than 6 GB RAM chips, and 8 GB RAM chips are produced in far, far higher numbers than 12 GB RAM chips.

The move to single-chip 256 GB SSD made sense, since the only Macs where the 128 GB chips were used were in the 256 GB Macs. All other Macs used larger chip sizes. So, they decided to switch even the low end Macs to 256 GB chips, albeit just using one chip and sacrificing performance. Apple didn't increase the SSD size. They kept it the same size, but just changed the chip configuration.

The analogy here for memory would be to continue providing 8 GB Macs, but by switching to single chip designs, sacrificing memory speed. However, I don't think they will do that either.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Apple need to allow memory upgrades *after* purchase, using skilled Apple Store Genius whatever to upgrade. $/£200 is more than enough to cover the a hour upgrade time or so.

Apple's uber-fast Unified Memory Architecture (UMA) is baked on to the chip, physically very close to the SoC. Not upgradable; plan on buying enough UMA RAM for the life cycle of a new box. And expect RAM to become even more relevant as time goes on and apps/OS adjust to the improved competence of UMA RAM.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I may just buy a M3 Mac mini just to make sure I like Apple Silicon over Intel Macs.

Then also buy a Mac Studio M3 MAX if all goes well. Spending $4k for the Ultra may not be worth it.


I can always use a M3 Mac mini camping in a motor home or wire it in my car or mini van with a pull out Touch screen. Being Low Power draw. Great to run off a mobile Solar Panel RV Set up. Hope they even stick a 5G modem inside.

Apple makes already-fully-equipped MBPs and MBAs for such mobile usages...

 

[switz]

I would be displeased if the 14" MacBook Pro does not get the same chips as the 16" M3 model. The extra 1.2 pounds make the 16" MBPro a beast to lug in a bag at airports with long distances between gates like all major hubs. And one certainly can not open it on the fold down table in the sub first class seating.

I might acquire a M2 14" MBPro Max to future proof my airline/road trip travel laptop if the M3 model lacks the Max chip model. Note that the Pro model supports just half (or less) of the memory as an option for the Max variant.

 

[TheNewLou]

Apple has always shipped base models with just barely enough ram to run the current os and not enough for future os. That’s why not being able to upgrade later is so ludicrous

It makes their machines ultra disposable

Probably more accurate to say Apple ships base models with barely enough RAM for the expected OS at the end of its supported lifetime (6 or so years).

 

[TheNewLou]

No, Apple wants you to upgrade to 16 GB. But for much of the wider market - the entry level market - it’s simply not necessary. You may be pushing the machine, but that doesn’t mean everyone will. If you are very frequently hitting yellow with 8 GB, you are not an entry level user.

Like I said before, both my wife and daughter’s machines are totally fine with 8 GB. They NEVER get into the yellow.

So yes, 12 GB would be nice but I highly doubt Apple will do it this year, because it’s just not needed for entry level.

Apple has to plan for the lifetime of your computer (6-8 years).

Yes, they totally want to constrain what it can do at the end of its lifetime, but not before then. These super-fast processors will allow macOS (and iOS for the iPad Pro/Air) to do a lot more so the OS will become bigger & more complex over the next 6 years.

Planned obsolescence means your laptop should just squeak by in 6 years, but not with macOS 14 or 15.

 

[nathansz]

Probably more accurate to say Apple ships base models with barely enough RAM for the expected OS at the end of its supported lifetime (6 or so years).

I’d say my summation is more accurate

 

[EugW]

Apple has to plan for the lifetime of your computer (6-8 years).

Yes, they totally want to constrain what it can do at the end of its lifetime, but not before then. These super-fast processors will allow macOS (and iOS for the iPad Pro/Air) to do a lot more so the OS will become bigger & more complex over the next 6 years.

Planned obsolescence means your laptop should just squeak by in 6 years, but not with macOS 14 or 15.

8 GB will be totally fine with macOS 15... for basic entry level usage. macOS 15 comes out in 14 months in fall 2024. Not sure about macOS 18 in 2027 though.

 

[phillytim]

You guys can speculate and hypothesize about RAM all you want - Apple's gonna do what Apple's gonna do.

And none of us really knows what that is, until product release.

The VisionPro comes out early next year with M2; Apple ain't releasing M3 until afterwards - probably WWDC 2024.

I expect a quiet iMac update this fall to M2.

 

[citysnaps]

It's also dumb that the 13" MacBook "Pro" comes with 8GB memory standard and maxes out at 24GB while the larger MBP's come with at least 16GB and max out at 96GB

Dumb? Sounds very smart to me.

A large percentage of Apple's market are people who just need a basic laptop for web/email access, writing a letter, keeping a calendar etc. And are well served with a minimal MBA.

If you need more memory, processing power, etc, simply pay for it. Easy.

Nice that Apple offers choices, as peoples' needs are different. Why pay a lot more for memory and processing power you'll never need?