How much will the fully-fledged M3 MBP 16" cost? + questions

[spnc]

M3 is the wonder MBP I've been waiting for. I didn't upgrade since the first tiny 13" M1 since I knew it would come a few years later and saw how a game changer the M3 would be with 40-core CPU vs. the previous ones. This time I'm going to break the bank to get max specs on the M3 Max or Ultra (?) or whatever the most expensive option will be called?

I have a few questions guys:

- How much money should I save for this until next year? The maxed out M2 is 7'500 bucks/eur/whatever. Shall I aim for 9/10k to get the full specs on the M3 MBP 16"?

- As a music producer and also running video editing, graphic design and coding projects I particularly need maximum possible internal SDD so that I can get rid of all my external drives and keep everything fast on a single internal SSD - do you already know if the leaks can confirm that 8TB HD will still be the max size for the M3, or they will push it further to like 12TB?

- I also need the maximum power when it comes to RAM - will 96GB be the maximum same as the M2 Max? You think they could push it to 128GB for the M3 Max/Ultra?

- Will Thunderbolt 5 also be already rolled out? I've read this could fix many situations with some 6k+ non-Apple (and even current Apple) monitors that are currently restricted by Apple's own limitations with Thunderbolt/USB-4 when it comes to making the most of 6-8k monitors. Especially since I'd like to have 3 of them connected to my MBP, to run Ableton on two screens in Dual Mode (one in the middle probably being a 38" to 49" LG Ultrawide + the next coming Mac screen, on the side) and a third one (next coming Mac monitor again, on the other side) for emails, productivity, etc. and possibly without need for an external Hub (like the CalDigit ones) this time with Thunderbolt 5.

- Will it include WiFi 7 support as well?

THANK YOU

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Stay tuned for the answers to these questions, on the next episode of MACRUMORS!

 

[spnc]

Stay tuned for the answers to these questions, on the next episode of MACRUMORS!

Haha yes I guess. But it's safe to say this will be the most expensive MBP of all times right?

Considering the jump in specs, the inflation rate, etc.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Haha yes I guess. But it's safe to say this will be the most expensive MBP of all times right?

Considering the jump in specs, the inflation rate, etc.

I expect it’ll be at least the same price, if not more, than a current full-spec MacBook Pro. Or, possibly, less.

 

[maflynn]

- How much money should I save for this until next year? The maxed out M2 is 7'500 bucks/eur/whatever. Shall I aim for 9/10k to get the full specs on the M3 MBP 16"?

You're asking a question that none of us can truly answer with any sort of accuracy. We can guestimate that the cost will be similar to what it is now though its conceivable that it will be more expensive. We also don't know what the M3 will be capable of. Will apple continue the march of putting slower components into the laptop, will they completely redesign the MBP, will they release a completely different class of machine?

My advise is to be content with what you have and the future will take care of itself

 

[spnc]

You're asking a question that none of us can truly answer with any sort of accuracy. We can guestimate that the cost will be similar to what it is now though its conceivable that it will be more expensive. We also don't know what the M3 will be capable of. Will apple continue the march of putting slower components into the laptop, will they completely redesign the MBP, will they release a completely different class of machine?

My advise is to be content with what you have and the future will take care of itself

I'm not 100% content with what I have though, because at the time of my last purchase (2020) ARM was only starting and I didn't invest in all the specs (only 1TB disk, very bad call on my part... but even the then-max of 2TB wouldn't have near enough so, no regrets).

- Having all my data (7/8TB) on a single internal SSD will be a game changer for me, because all my soundbanks are spread out across the internal (1TB) + either a single 10TB mechanical drive or I could also do 2 * 4TB Sandisk Extreme External v2 external SSDs (which btw come close but are not as fast as the MBP internal SSD) but that solution splits my content again in 3 parts. So this is quite a mess when searching my contents for exemple in Ableton 'Search' and folders. With the mechanical drive, which is large enough, but too slow, it really slows down my workflow since every search takes 10-20 seconds. With SSD, it takes 1 sec but I will need a single unified, large enough, SSD one. Having multiple hard drives also makes it impossible to back all your data on Dropbox at once, in a single folder.

- I didn't take enough RAM and even though M1 was a massive change vs. my previous intel, I can't wait to have 96/128 RAM because it plays a huge part in the performance when you have large graphic/video editing/music production projects running. Especially when running tons of CPU intensive vsts and when exporting too, it takes ages for now vs. what amount of time it will take with a beefed up MBP M3.

- The other specs upgrade I listed are less critical when it comes to performance, it's just nicer to have them if they do come to reality with M3 MBP next year.

 

[maflynn]

I'm not 100% content with what I have though,
<snip>
- The other specs upgrade I listed are less critical when it comes to performance, it's just nicer to have them if they do come to reality with M3 MBP next year.

I understand where you're coming from. I find myself a bit hamstrung with 16GB of ram on my M1 MBP. You do have options regarding your current setup. Consider using iCloud storage (or maybe some other cloud provider) so your data is accessible on the MBP without the need of an external disk?

As for looking ahead, its ok to hope for the best, but my point is that we cannot tell with too much accuracy what an unreleased laptop will have, and how an unreleased Soc will or will not be a game changer. Its really focus on achieving what you can now, and the future will reveal itself in due course. Another option is not to wait a year and get a M2 now with the appropriately sized storage and other components that better fir your needs.

 

[spnc]

I understand where you're coming from. I find myself a bit hamstrung with 16GB of ram on my M1 MBP. You do have options regarding your current setup. Consider using iCloud storage (or maybe some other cloud provider) so your data is accessible on the MBP without the need of an external disk?

As for looking ahead, its ok to hope for the best, but my point is that we cannot tell with too much accuracy what an unreleased laptop will have, and how an unreleased Soc will or will not be a game changer. Its really focus on achieving what you can now, and the future will reveal itself in due course. Another option is not to wait a year and get a M2 now with the appropriately sized storage and other components that better fir your needs.

Yes I hear you, sure. Just one thing as to the data it needs to be accessible in real time and without latency at all, so not on a cloud (I've tried other clouds than Dropbox and it didn't work well), and that's why I need as much as possible space on the internal SSD. SanDisk will release the first external 8TB SSD disk in coming months so I'm hopeful Apple will follow through with more internal SSD, in turn, since it might be available then as technology progresses and our data storage needs expand.

Fingers crossed. Time will tell

 

[Appletoni]

M3 is the wonder MBP I've been waiting for. I didn't upgrade since the first tiny 13" M1 since I knew it would come a few years later and saw how a game changer the M3 would be with 40-core CPU vs. the previous ones. This time I'm going to break the bank to get max specs on the M3 Max or Ultra (?) or whatever the most expensive option will be called?

I have a few questions guys:

- How much money should I save for this until next year? The maxed out M2 is 7'500 bucks/eur/whatever. Shall I aim for 9/10k to get the full specs on the M3 MBP 16"?

- As a music producer and also running video editing, graphic design and coding projects I particularly need maximum possible internal SDD so that I can get rid of all my external drives and keep everything fast on a single internal SSD - do you already know if the leaks can confirm that 8TB HD will still be the max size for the M3, or they will push it further to like 12TB?

- I also need the maximum power when it comes to RAM - will 96GB be the maximum same as the M2 Max? You think they could push it to 128GB for the M3 Max/Ultra?

- Will Thunderbolt 5 also be already rolled out? I've read this could fix many situations with some 6k+ non-Apple (and even current Apple) monitors that are currently restricted by Apple's own limitations with Thunderbolt/USB-4 when it comes to making the most of 6-8k monitors. Especially since I'd like to have 3 of them connected to my MBP, to run Ableton on two screens in Dual Mode (one in the middle probably being a 38" to 49" LG Ultrawide + the next coming Mac screen, on the side) and a third one (next coming Mac monitor again, on the other side) for emails, productivity, etc. and possibly without need for an external Hub (like the CalDigit ones) this time with Thunderbolt 5.

- Will it include WiFi 7 support as well?

THANK YOU

You should buy the MacBook Pro 18-inch/20-inch with M2/M3 ULTRA.
40-Core CPU would be great.
But perhaps Apple will introduce a nonsensical increase like in the M2 MAX of only +2 efficiency cores. xD
Everyone on Earth was shocked because Apple was not even able to add +2 performance cores.
Previously, everyone assumed a doubling of all cores and, in the worst case, a +4 = 50% increase in performance cores.
Most expensive option 10000-12000.
You should aim at least for 10k.
Then you can also buy the 2x 8TB SSD.
It will have 192 GB RAM.
Thunderbolt 5 should also be ready.
WiFi 7 should also be ready.

 

[spnc]

You should buy the MacBook Pro 18-inch/20-inch with M2/M3 ULTRA.
40-Core CPU would be great.
But perhaps Apple will introduce a nonsensical increase like in the M2 MAX of only +2 efficiency cores. xD
Everyone on Earth was shocked because Apple was not even able to add +2 performance cores.
Previously, everyone assumed a doubling of all cores and, in the worst case, a +4 = 50% increase in performance cores.
Most expensive option 10000-12000.
You should aim at least for 10k.
Then you can also buy the 2x 8TB SSD.
It will have 192 GB RAM.
Thunderbolt 5 should also be ready.
WiFi 7 should also be ready.

I will buy whatever they come up with even the 20" one because I'm an Apple slave haha

but only it's not a foldable though, not really liking this idea!

 

[TechnoMonk]

I can’t tell you how much for M3. But I usually Max out on RAM, and Processors. I am ok with 1 TB storage, and external High-speed storage drives. I Bought and M1 Max, 1TB 64 GB, the unified RAM between CPU and GPU has been a life saver for my work. My 4090 GPU runs out of memory on some tasks, I fire up my M1 Max, it takes 15-20% more time but doesn’t run in to memory issues.
I doubt Apple knows what’s gonna be on M3, it’s way too early.

 

[dmccloud]

I can’t tell you how much for M3. But I usually Max out on RAM, and Processors. I am ok with 1 TB storage, and external High-speed storage drives. I Bought and M1 Max, 1TB 64 GB, the unified RAM between CPU and GPU has been a life saver for my work. My 4090 GPU runs out of memory on some tasks, I fire up my M1 Max, it takes 15-20% more time but doesn’t run in to memory issues.
I doubt Apple knows what’s gonna be on M3, it’s way too early.

Just out of curiosity, what type of workloads are you running to max out the RAM of a 4090?

 

[xraydoc]

🤦🏼‍♂️

 

[Appletoni]

Just out of curiosity, what type of workloads are you running to max out the RAM of a 4090?

LC0
KataGo
...

 

[D-a-a-n]

I'm eagerly awaiting for the M3 Pro because I want the notch to be gone or made more useful (by having face id).

 

[spnc]

I'm eagerly awaiting for the M3 Pro because I want the notch to be gone or made more useful (by having face id).

Yes this too! The notch is so annoying that's also why the M1+ releases never were appealing to me thus far. At least my old M1 doesn't have this stupid notch lol (with 28 icons in the menu bar I only have just the space needed for them to stay visible, so the notch would make it impossible).

Face ID on MBP is also a long-awaited feature that would make out lives much easier but it still doesn't exist on 24" iMac that have the thickest screen, so I doubt it will be implemented as early as 2024 on MBPs since it doesn't look like a mature technology for computers yet.

Technology to Embed Face ID into MacBook Displays 'Doesn't Exist,' Says Gurman

Apple's first Mac with Face ID is unlikely to be a MacBook because the technology necessary to embed the authentication hardware into a thin...

www.macrumors.com

Broaching the topic in July 2021, Gurman said he believed Apple intended to launch its first Mac with ‌Face ID‌ "within a couple of years," and that Apple had initially planned to include ‌Face ID‌ in 2021's 24-inch iMac, but its inclusion was delayed because of the all-in-one machine's 2021 redesign.

As for ‌Face ID‌ on future iPhones, for at least some of the iPhone 14 models, Apple is working to eliminate the notch that houses the hardware needed for ‌Face ID‌. Display analyst Ross Young has said he expects to see both a pill-shaped cutout and a circular cutout on some ‌iPhone 14‌ models. The circular cutout will likely house the ‌Face ID‌ dot projector, and the pill-shaped cutout will include the front camera, ‌Face ID‌ infrared camera, and possibly other components.

 

[spnc]

I'm eagerly awaiting for the M3 Pro because I want the notch to be gone or made more useful (by having face id).

Apple MacBook Pro 14 Review 2023 - M2 Pro Performance Test

Hands-on review of Apple's 2023 MacBook Pro 14-inch, with expert analysis, testing, benchmark performance and M2 Pro & M2 Max buying advice.

appleinsider.com

"What will get some negative comments is the continued use of the notch in the top. While it houses the FaceTime camera, it's still not using a Face ID-like system, which is a missed opportunity for adding the security feature to the notebook line."

 

[dmccloud]

Maybe it's because I roll in Dark Mode on every device I own, but I rarely notice the notch unless someone brings it up in discussion (like right now, in fact).

 

[spnc]

Maybe it's because I roll in Dark Mode on every device I own, but I rarely notice the notch unless someone brings it up in discussion (like right now, in fact).

New MacBook Pros tipped for mid-2024 release — alongside M3 Pro and M3 Max

Forget the 2023 MacBook Pros, it's time to look to the future

www.tomsguide.com

We’d also hope to see some more major upgrades in the 2024 MacBook Pros. The 2023 models are near-identical to those introduced back in 2021, with the only major change being the new M2 Pro and Max chips. Three years might be enough to warrant a more substantive refresh, especially if it means shrinking down the notch in the center of the screen.

 

[TechnoMonk]

Just out of curiosity, what type of workloads are you running to max out the RAM of a 4090?

Upscaling to 4K/8k using AI models, or Topaz Video AI.
Content aware Fill in Adobe Premier Pro.
Add Frames to a video with modified FILM(Frame interpolation AI models).
Video Generation from Text for anything more than 540P.
Speech generation.
I have lot more scenarios in my workflow, which can be very intensive.

 

[thenewperson]

I doubt Apple knows what’s gonna be on M3, it’s way too early.

On the contrary: they have to know by now. As far as I’m aware leads times for chips is ~2-3 years (I remember an apple employee saying that the board design for the M1 Pro/Max started in early 2019 and they arrived in 2021) so if the rumours are true that they plan to release an M3 Mac by the end of this year then they have to know by now.

 

[TechnoMonk]

On the contrary: they have to know by now. As far as I’m aware leads times for chips is ~2-3 years (I remember an apple employee saying that the board design for the M1 Pro/Max started in early 2019 and they arrived in 2021) so if the rumours are true that they plan to release an M3 Mac by the end of this year then they have to know by now.

Design is not delivery. The core design may remain the same, but what is delivered, or functional can change. Heck, Apple could target X cores but may end up with much less if they run in to yield issues. And companies scratch the features all the time, if they see defects or see difficulties to scale. I am pretty sure Apple already has roadmap, designs for M4 and M5 in the pipeline.

 

[Rafterman]

A few guesses. Max memory will probably jump to 128GB. 8TB will probably be the same. No one has produced a single chip design over 8TB. The only reason the maxed out M2 jumped $1,000 over the M1 and Intel i9 was probably the extra 32GB RAM. Maybe about $500 to $1,000 extra for that.

But don't spec chase. Get what you actually need. If your current machine(s) are doing the job, then start there. You might want to bump up one thing or another, but don't automatically think you need to spend $10,000 to upgrade everything to the max.

 

[Rafterman]

By the way, I just built a Windows machine similarly spec'd to what you want right now. I got an off the shelf Dell XPS 15.6 1TB/32GB from Best Buy (14 core i9 12th gen, Nvidia 3050 Ti/4GB, 4K OLED touchscreen) and upgraded the RAM to 64GB and the storage to 12TB (4TB C drive, 8TB D drive) - you could also put 2 8TB in there too, for 16TB total).

Total cost, $4,000. If 16TB storage, $5,000. Apple has great laptops (I just upgraded to an M2 Pro Max, a modest 32GB/1TB), but the Apple luxury tax is high.

 

[TechnoMonk]

By the way, I just built a Windows machine similarly spec'd to what you want right now. I got an off the shelf Dell XPS 15.6 1TB/32GB from Best Buy (14 core i9 12th gen, Nvidia 3050 Ti/4GB, 4K OLED touchscreen) and upgraded the RAM to 64GB and the storage to 12TB (4TB C drive, 8TB D drive) - you could also put 2 8TB in there too, for 16TB total).

Total cost, $4,000. If 16TB storage, $5,000. Apple has great laptops (I just upgraded to an M2 Pro Max, a modest 32GB/1TB), but the Apple luxury tax is high.

It’s not luxury tax though. Apple isn’t using same architecture, chip set, OS or anything remotely close to what you built with your Dell. Dell just assembles parts, from Intel, NVidia and other vendors, and runs a windows OS from Microsoft. . Apple SOC contains unified CPU/GPU, RAM and entirely different architecture and in house OS.

If you want upgradability, Apple isn’t the right choice.