Hold out for M4 Pro or go get an M3 Pro MBP

[dawnrazor]

I have a 2019 13” MBP that I really aught to get over to Silicon sooner rather than later… it is however plodding along admirably but I know it’s days are numbered and I need to complete my own personal transition to AS…

I’ve been looking at a MBP M3 Pro - just the base configuration with 16GB RAM… even spotted a refurbished unit that is a significant cost saving... albeit in silver… there was a reasonably big part of me that was looking forward to owning a Space Black MBP…

So all that to one side… I begin reading about when the M4 Pro might be released and that the M3 Pro wasn’t that big of an upgrade over the M2 Pro… so maybe the M4 Pro might readdress that?

So I guess my question should I just hold out… It’s not purely a money decision although the trade in price I get for the 2019 MBP will probably drop once a new set of M4 MBPs are released… and there won‘t be refurbished models for sometime after… So even if pricing stays the same, waiting for an M4 Pro will cost me more… but given it’s potentially an end of year 2024 early 2025 release… what to do?

 

[mysticmanix]

They're supposed to release chip upgrades for the Pros every November now and for the Air in March, just like the iphone does in September. The only reason the M2 Pro/Max had a January release was because of factory shutdowns in China during the pandemic. So just wait 4 more months

 

[sevoneone]

From what we've seen of the M4 in the iPad, I'd absolutely wait unless you have an immediate need to update:

The M4 series seems to be bringing more efficiency. Enough that the iPad M4 has 2 extra efficiency cores. That will scale with the power envelopes of the M4 Pro and Max. The GPU I think is about the same performance as the M3, but again better efficiency will probably mean a couple extra cores in the Pro/Max.

The big thing is the Neural Engine. There are debates on how much it has been improved because of how Apple benchmarked it, but any improvement will be welcome with Apple Intelligence on the horizon.

and there won‘t be refurbished models for sometime after…

If price is a concern, just know there will probably be some pretty good refurb and clearance deals on the M3's once the M4's drop. If you are in the US, some retailers like B&H always have some very aggressive discounts around the end of the year on current gen and previous gen models.

 

[Malus120]

Given that they're likely only a few months away and your 2019 machine still works fine, I'd say there's no reason not to wait.

Worst case scenario you wait til Nov/Dec, find the M4 Pro lacking, and snag an M3 (or M2) Pro for even cheaper than you could get it today. Best case (fairly likely scenario,) the M4 Pro is more than worth waiting for and you're glad you were patient.

 

[dawnrazor]

Another thing that has been on my mind is that I like to keep my computers a relatively long time or to put it another way I don’t feel any need to upgrade every other new release cycle… and with AS this seems even more prudent as the practical life expectancy of these machines does seem to be very healthy and hard to see that changing…

Part of me just wants to cut the 2019 loose and be done with it and I know I’l leave zero regrets with an M3 Pro… but there is that little part of me that goes wait for the M4 Pro and get it when its new… which if it is November is not a great time of the year for cap ex…

I just want to future proof the purchase as much as possible…

 

[tenthousandthings]

Another thing that has been on my mind is that I like to keep my computers a relatively long time or to put it another way I don’t feel any need to upgrade every other new release cycle… and with AS this seems even more prudent as the practical life expectancy of these machines does seem to be very healthy and hard to see that changing…

Part of me just wants to cut the 2019 loose and be done with it and I know I’l leave zero regrets with an M3 Pro… but there is that little part of me that goes wait for the M4 Pro and get it when its new… which if it is November is not a great time of the year for cap ex…

I just want to future proof the purchase as much as possible…

I think in terms of future-proofing, the divide between M2 and M3 is the big one. The changes to the GPU in M3 are major and will eventually lead to software that runs on M3 but not on M2.

So keep that in mind. The M4 GPU is a continuation of the M3, at least Apple is not marketing new features in the M4 GPU like they did for M3, but of course until the M4 Pro/Max comes out we won't know for sure what they are doing. I think, if it were me (I'm happy on M1 right now, not really looking at a change until Apple comes out with new/refreshed displays), I'd wait just to see what happens with the M4 Pro/Max.

 

[dawnrazor]

Yeah no clear cut answer is there…

I would have bought a M3Pro MBP November 22 - but I didn’t have the funds at the time… it’s not a great time of the year for cap ex as I think I mentioned above… Now 9 months on and I have the monies and The Buyers Guide is urging ‘Caution’… which gives me pause… maybe I should wait and get the new shiny thing in a few months time… there is no absolute urgency…

the 2019 MBP limps on but I’m worried that it’s battery will throw a shoe as I’m beginning to see some odd behaviour from it… which would effect its Trade In value… which is not great but its something…

I’ll try and hold on I think… I may even chop in the 2019 MBP before hand and go laptop free for a month or so… I have an ipad pro… so not as if I’m without a computer of sorts… but if I need to do any serious work then I’d need to use my work machine… of course if a new M4 MBPs didn’t appear in November I’d be screwed 😛

Hmmmm options and options…

 

[tenthousandthings]

Yeah no clear cut answer is there…

I would have bought a M3Pro MBP November 22 - but I didn’t have the funds at the time… it’s not a great time of the year for cap ex as I think I mentioned above… Now 9 months on and I have the monies and The Buyers Guide is urging ‘Caution’… which gives me pause… maybe I should wait and get the new shiny thing in a few months time… there is no absolute urgency…

the 2019 MBP limps on but I’m worried that it’s battery will throw a shoe as I’m beginning to see some odd behaviour from it… which would effect its Trade In value… which is not great but its something…

I’ll try and hold on I think… I may even chop in the 2019 MBP before hand and go laptop free for a month or so… I have an ipad pro… so not as if I’m without a computer of sorts… but if I need to do any serious work then I’d need to use my work machine… of course if a new M4 MBPs didn’t appear in November I’d be screwed 😛

Hmmmm options and options…

Well, right now, today, the base space black M3 Pro 14" MBP with 11C/14C and 18GB/512GB is $1699 at both B&H and Amazon. That’s $300 off.

If you were looking at a more consumer-oriented build with just the M3, I’d say wait for M4. But since you are looking at Apple’s professional builds (albeit the entry-level silicon) and money is an issue (really admire your restraint in that respect), I think just pull the trigger now and don’t look back. The M3 Pro is a watershed, the first of its kind. You’re buying a collector’s item!

 

[dawnrazor]

Well, right now, today, the base space black M3 Pro 14" MBP with 11C/14C and 18GB/512GB is $1699 at both B&H and Amazon. That’s $300 off.

If you were looking at a more consumer-oriented build with just the M3, I’d say wait for M4. But since you are looking at Apple’s professional builds (albeit the entry-level silicon) and money is an issue (really admire your restraint in that respect), I think just pull the trigger now and don’t look back. The M3 Pro is a watershed, the first of its kind. You’re buying a collector’s item!

I’m very much trying to keep to a budget… which makes less sense if I wait for the M4Pro to come out… at which point my budget will have increased by necessity… Oh should say I’m not in the US and the Refurbished store in my territory is out of M3Pro MBP with 512GB SSD… so that option is closed for now… so I will just keep an eye on that as I’m sure others will pop up…

 

[dawnrazor]

Well now… slight update… took a random look at the Refurbished store in my territory and what do you know a Space Black M3Pro 14” MBP with 512GB SSD and 18GB RAM… thats what I wanted… and at $600NZD cheaper than a new one I think that’s worth taking a punt on. Never bought a Refurbished Laptop before but not because I have any reservations about them but there have never been anything I wanted in stock when I’ve been in the market for a new machine… I’m looking forward to it… I also really need to get my 2019 laptop taken in for a trade in… thats $460NZD, not bad for a 5 year old intel laptop… but the battery has to show as Normal and I’m pretty sure thats not going to be the case for much longer…

I’ll get it delivered on Monday…

My next big decision is whether to set it up from a Time Machine Back up or set it up as a brand new machine and install whatever software I need as I require… Tending towards this option as it’s been a long time since I started off with a totally clean laptop and with this being my first AS machine… I think it makes sense…

 

[Random_Matt]

Well now… slight update… took a random look at the Refurbished store in my territory and what do you know a Space Black M3Pro 14” MBP with 512GB SSD and 18GB RAM… thats what I wanted… and at $600NZD cheaper than a new one I think that’s worth taking a punt on. Never bought a Refurbished Laptop before but not because I have any reservations about them but there have never been anything I wanted in stock when I’ve been in the market for a new machine… I’m looking forward to it… I also really need to get my 2019 laptop taken in for a trade in… thats $460NZD, not bad for a 5 year old intel laptop… but the battery has to show as Normal and I’m pretty sure thats not going to be the case for much longer…

I’ll get it delivered on Monday…

My next big decision is whether to set it up from a Time Machine Back up or set it up as a brand new machine and install whatever software I need as I require… Tending towards this option as it’s been a long time since I started off with a totally clean laptop and with this being my first AS machine… I think it makes sense…

Great deal and I never bother with Time Machine.

 

[tenthousandthings]

Well now… slight update… took a random look at the Refurbished store in my territory and what do you know a Space Black M3Pro 14” MBP with 512GB SSD and 18GB RAM… thats what I wanted… and at $600NZD cheaper than a new one I think that’s worth taking a punt on. Never bought a Refurbished Laptop before but not because I have any reservations about them but there have never been anything I wanted in stock when I’ve been in the market for a new machine… I’m looking forward to it… I also really need to get my 2019 laptop taken in for a trade in… thats $460NZD, not bad for a 5 year old intel laptop… but the battery has to show as Normal and I’m pretty sure thats not going to be the case for much longer…

I’ll get it delivered on Monday…

My next big decision is whether to set it up from a Time Machine Back up or set it up as a brand new machine and install whatever software I need as I require… Tending towards this option as it’s been a long time since I started off with a totally clean laptop and with this being my first AS machine… I think it makes sense…

Yes, refurbished but it is less than a year old regardless, so there's good chance it's a return, and it's not like someone used it for a year and then traded it in for this year's model.

Because of the gulf between Intel and Apple silicon, your instincts are good with regard to set up. That way, you can be sure you've got the ASi-native versions of your apps installed. I also always start with a clean slate with a new computer.

 

[dawnrazor]

New M3Pro MBP refurbished ... but looks and acts like it's brand new... did a clean install and will just install software and apps as I need them... very happy and I do like the black colour...

 

[dawnrazor]

Absolutely loving this laptop, which is ridiculous thing to say… but there you go… I’ve barely needed to charge it all week, the speakers are really impressive… it looks so good, the screen is beautiful and soooo bright… just super impressed…

 

[Easybook]

wait. if the ipad pro is any indicator, the new macbook is gonna be sick