Have a 13-Inch MacBook Pro? Here's Why You Should Upgrade to the New M3 14-Inch Model

[CarAnalogy]

1. A 9000 inch screen with notch.
2. A 14 inch screen without notch.

I would choose number 2. every time, because there is nothing ruining the screen.
It's like a car with a black spot on the front window: Useless and painful to look at.

What if…we moved that down even MORE into the screen just a little bit, give you a tiny sliver of useless space above it, and dress it up with fun animations?! But wait, what if we gave it a fun name too?!

I don’t really notice the notch on my 14” or my iPhone 13 Pro but for some reason the Dynamic Island (and the “floating” Dock on the Mac) annoy me. Just take things all the way to the edge. If you look closely at Apple’s Dynamic Island animations, none of them actually use the area on “top” of the “island.” Same animations would work on a phone with a notch.

 

[CarAnalogy]

But why should you upgrade for these kinds of tasks even from Intel 2020 to M2 Air with the same RAM/SSD specs? Again, aside from the battery life.

The last Intel MacBook air sounds like a jet engine under any load at all. The difference is night and day. Not just in terms of noise but performance. And not performance like editing video, performance like every single interaction with the computer.

They should have just skipped an early 2020 refresh since they replaced it 7 months later with a version they continued to sell for three years. I think they even still sell it.

 

[displayblock]

I'm still using a Late 2013 MacBook Pro, and this inflated sales pitch did not sway me.

 

[dpCM]

The last Intel MacBook air sounds like a jet engine under any load at all. The difference is night and day. Not just in terms of noise but performance. And not performance like editing video, performance like every single interaction with the computer.

They should have just skipped an early 2020 refresh since they replaced it 7 months later with a version they continued to sell for three years. I think they even still sell it.

We're talking about 13 inch 2020 Intel MBP here not Macbook Air.

 

[sugondese]

Comparing these products to last year's models is so incredibly out of touch with what the average consumer does with their electronics. Nobody with even a resemblance of a brain is updating from last year's iPhone, or especially from a MBP, just because it has one fewer nanometer in the SoC or some other meaningless metric. Upgrading electronics at each new iteration must be the saddest form of mindless consumerism.

I don't understand why there are never any articles that do actually useful comparisons. Who on earth cares how fast the new MBP is versus last year's model? How about the 2016 MBP? Or the 2013 MBP? I went from a 2011 13" MBP to the 2020 M1 Air and am currently considering upgrading from my X to a newer phone. Can't say I have ever seen even a hint of a useful comparison review on here.

 

[CarAnalogy]

We're talking about 13 inch 2020 Intel MBP here not Macbook Air.

The real answer of course is that Apple is looming over Intel Macs with the grim spectre of Death.
The way Jon Ternus was talking the other night he might personally come to your house and smash it.

 

[dpCM]

Comparing these products to last year's models is so incredibly out of touch with what the average consumer does with their electronics. Nobody with even a resemblance of a brain is updating from last year's iPhone, or especially from a MBP, just because it has one fewer nanometer in the SoC or some other meaningless metric. Upgrading electronics at each new iteration must be the saddest form of mindless consumerism.

I don't understand why there are never any articles that do actually useful comparisons. Who on earth cares how fast the new MBP is versus last year's model? How about the 2016 MBP? Or the 2013 MBP? I went from a 2011 13" MBP to the 2020 M1 Air and am currently considering upgrading from my X to a newer phone. Can't say I have ever seen even a hint of a useful comparison review on here.

It is absolutely retarded. Hence my Apple PR department comment.

 

[dpCM]

The real answer of course is that Apple is looming over Intel Macs with the grim spectre of Death.
The way Jon Ternus was talking the other night he might personally come to your house and smash it.

Absolutely true.

 

[bnumerick]

But the notch though. The notch alone is a deal breaker for me.
Sorry. I will not buy anything with a notch, I want the full screen without anything ruining it.

If it really bothers you that much Go into Settings -> Displays. Then toggle on Show all resolutions. The resolution directly below the default will give you the old resolution and move everything below the notch. Now the notch is gone.

 

[davedude]

Comparing these products to last year's models is so incredibly out of touch with what the average consumer does with their electronics. Nobody with even a resemblance of a brain is updating from last year's iPhone, or especially from a MBP, just because it has one fewer nanometer in the SoC or some other meaningless metric. Upgrading electronics at each new iteration must be the saddest form of mindless consumerism.

I don't understand why there are never any articles that do actually useful comparisons. Who on earth cares how fast the new MBP is versus last year's model? How about the 2016 MBP? Or the 2013 MBP? I went from a 2011 13" MBP to the 2020 M1 Air and am currently considering upgrading from my X to a newer phone. Can't say I have ever seen even a hint of a useful comparison review on here.

This is like getting mad at MacRumors for not comparing the 2005 PowerBook with the 2011 MacBook Pro.

People already know an 8 year newer computer is much faster. Heck even the 2020 Intel models were thrashed by the M1 computers. You're commenting on a tech enthusiast forum, almost everyone here is interested in the incremental upgrades year over year.

An M3 MacBook Pro vs 2016 MacBook Pro would get like 6 views.

 

[Fuzzball84]

Thin or non existent bezels are nice but I’ve gotten over it if I use a device with bezels… as long as the display quality is great, I don’t mind.

Probably something to do with enjoying retro stuff 🤔

 

[dpCM]

This is like getting mad at MacRumors for not comparing the 2005 PowerBook with the 2011 MacBook Pro.

People already know an 8 year newer computer is much faster. Heck even the 2020 Intel models were thrashed by the M1 computers. You're commenting on a tech enthusiast forum, almost everyone here is interested in the incremental upgrades year over year.

An M3 MacBook Pro vs 2016 MacBook Pro would get like 6 views.

This is a bit of a fallacy. From max RAM to four thunderbolt ports, a number of external displays supported, eGPU option as well as Windows dual boot it is really not that clear cut that M1 trashed Intel MBPs off the bet.

 

[kerr]

Actually, I plan on upgrading my 2017 MacBook Pro 13” to a MacBook Air 15”.

 

[dpCM]

Actually, I plan on upgrading my 2017 MacBook Pro 13” to a MacBook Air 15”.

That sounds like a legit upgrade.

 

[davedude]

This is a bit of a fallacy. From max RAM to four thunderbolt ports, a number of external displays supported, eGPU option as well as Windows dual boot it is really not that clear cut that M1 trashed Intel MBPs off the bet.

2 posts ago you said you only do 'light tasks' so your fans never spin up, but now eGPU support and 4 thunderbolt ports is important to you?

 

[4odomi]

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.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

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.

Article Link: Have a 13-Inch MacBook Pro? Here's Why You Should Upgrade to the New M3 14-Inch Model

Yes I have placed the order 😊 Totally a no brainer for Intel and M1 users, I would also argue it's a big jump for the m2 users, based on the leaked geek bench scores.
I think Apple will sell boat loads of these!

 

[XboxEvolved]

I get that you guys gotta pump out a video or two at least to keep up with the algorithm and what not but the video was kind of worded in bad taste almost and there was like literally nothing to gain from watching that video by anyone. lol dump a one-two year old $1300 for a $1600 one. Yeah ok

 

[XboxEvolved]

Yes I have placed the order 😊 Totally a no brainer for Intel and M1 users, I would also argue it's a big jump for the m2 users, based on the leaked geek bench scores.
I think Apple will sell boat loads of these!

 

[4odomi]

I don't want a 14. I want a 13 with the touch bar.

You can buy my M1 😊

 

[dpCM]

2 posts ago you said you only do 'light tasks' so your fans never spin up, but now eGPU support and 4 thunderbolt ports is important to you?

View attachment 2305815

No, davedude. This is what you used to get for the money versus what these new machines offer as an upgrade nowadays in comparison. 13 inch MBP was never a Pro machine to begin with.

 

[JensenKA]

Waiting for that sweet, sweet M3 Mac Mini.

 

[4odomi]

I think this article misunderstands the average 13" MBP customer. How about 'why the average 13" MBP owner should wait a few years before buying a MacBook Air.'

Or maybe you don't?
I bought the 13" MBP because it had the M1 chip, the Touch Bar and the fan, however the screen, the speakers, the camera and the I/O was always compromised.
If the 14" M1 was available in the current form then, I would have bought that instead and I certainly would not consider an Air, which is an even bigger compromise.
A typical MBP customer likes quality, but doesn't need the power of an M Pro, very few of us, would consider an Air, which is for people who are predominantly looking at cost!

 

[unchecked]

There's been some frustration over the entry model having only 8GB of RAM. It should come standard with 16GB of RAM. That said the $200 upgrade to 16GB on this model is worth it you value battery life over raw performance: the entry model gets 4 additional hours vs. the M3 Pro model. Based on benchmarks posted earlier this entry level M3 model is probably going to score faster than the entry level 14" M1 Pro model that was introduced in 2021 (2 years ago) for $2,000. Food for thought.

Tire until you see the next one above it. At $1799, it doesn’t look like it’s worth it when compared to the $1999 base M3 Pro config. You get 2GB more RAM, quite a few more cores for $200. You’re not going to get any better mileage out of that $200 inside the Apple Store.

 

[4odomi]

This article was brought to you by the AAPL gang.

I didn't need this article (which is spot on BTW) to know the 14" M3 is night & day compared to my 13" MBP M1 😊
Then again, I do have my own mind and I do like to use it, which is why I ordered mine 2 days ago.

 

[4odomi]

I get that you guys gotta pump out a video or two at least to keep up with the algorithm and what not but the video was kind of worded in bad taste almost and there was like literally nothing to gain from watching that video by anyone. lol dump a one-two year old $1300 for a $1600 one. Yeah ok

The M1 13" MBP is 3 years old now, Intel Macs are even older.
Where do you get your one -two year old analogy from?