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M3 or M4
- Thread starter Zarva
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Here in the USA, there are very good deals now on MacBook Pros with the m3.
(don't know about outside the USA)
You can save money with an m3, but you must be aware that the m4's are going to be here before much longer.
If you won't be happy unless you have "the latest and greatest", then WAIT for the m4.
(don't know about outside the USA)
You can save money with an m3, but you must be aware that the m4's are going to be here before much longer.
If you won't be happy unless you have "the latest and greatest", then WAIT for the m4.
Short answer: nobody knows yet. Do you feel lucky?
Best to follow the usual advice: buy what is available now if you need it now to get stuff done, otherwise waiting for the new model is usually the best thing. There will usually be offers/refurb/second-hand deals if you don't like the new model.
There are plausible rumours that all of the M4 machines are going to start at 16GB RAM, in which case, at best, you'd be saved that $200 upgrade... and if the price does go up I'd be somewhat surprised if it was by more than the $200 you "saved" on RAM. But until the new models are announced, these are still just rumours and speculation.
You pays your money and you takes your choice, I'm afraid.
Japan is mostly the same price as in the US. I honestly dont care if I have the "latest and greatest" im just not sure what the difference between M3 and M4 is.
May be 20% faster? More cores for Neural Engine perhaps. None of these would reflect on daily usage unless you own a M3/pro and feels like it is not enough. So, it depends on your needs and requirements.
M3 COULD be a better processor, certainly the process supposedly is. M4 seems to be clocked higher per core, and the neural engine is tuned to be great at Ai tasks.
So, M4=better Ai. M3 great processor. I tested a M3Pro, it runs veryvery well.
If I find a good deal on a M3Max, I might go for it. If not, a M4Pro Mac Mini could be cool.
So, M4=better Ai. M3 great processor. I tested a M3Pro, it runs veryvery well.
If I find a good deal on a M3Max, I might go for it. If not, a M4Pro Mac Mini could be cool.
My impression is that the M1 is the best for battery, M2 is a oc’d M1 with worse battery-life. M3 is on a new process that is technically better than M4, with raytracing logic on the gfx cores/programmable gfx cores. (M4 also has this, but the M3 process is "technically" better, but in practice M4 is likely great)
M4 is on a 3nm process different than M3, it has better yield per wafer and doesn’t follow the weird ram configurations of M3 (likely because of the low-yield per wafer) Supposedly a screamer, but I am waiting to see how it performs in tests.
On M class processors, as before.. RAM is a limiting factor when working with large data such as editing in 4k plus, or editing large images in PS, 8gb or even 16gb is too little. For web/typing, go with whatever. But 16gb is ofc better.
In conclusion, M3 is great. M4 will be great. If you value Ai on device performance, M4 will be the better choice.
M4 is on a 3nm process different than M3, it has better yield per wafer and doesn’t follow the weird ram configurations of M3 (likely because of the low-yield per wafer) Supposedly a screamer, but I am waiting to see how it performs in tests.
On M class processors, as before.. RAM is a limiting factor when working with large data such as editing in 4k plus, or editing large images in PS, 8gb or even 16gb is too little. For web/typing, go with whatever. But 16gb is ofc better.
In conclusion, M3 is great. M4 will be great. If you value Ai on device performance, M4 will be the better choice.
There are things it might include that we don't know as yet. Question for you. There are 2 recently put out technologies of interest to some of us, particularly those who like to keep a Mac a long time - Thunderbolt 5 and Wifi 7. Of the 2, I suspect Wifi 7 will penetrate faster and more broadly into MacBook Pros. I have no insider knowledge so take that wild guess as worth what you paid for it.
But here's the thing...let's say new MacBook Pros with M4 are announced in Oct., with availability by year's end, the performance enhancement and extra cost are kind of a wash, but they have Wifi 7. Would that matter to you?
It may well have little or no practical relevance in your life. I don't know how broadly Thunderbolt 5 will be adopted, or when. But we are close to those announcements. If it would matter to you...
But here's the thing...let's say new MacBook Pros with M4 are announced in Oct., with availability by year's end, the performance enhancement and extra cost are kind of a wash, but they have Wifi 7. Would that matter to you?
It may well have little or no practical relevance in your life. I don't know how broadly Thunderbolt 5 will be adopted, or when. But we are close to those announcements. If it would matter to you...
i'm considering the mid-range 14" Pro M3 with 16 gb RAM through best buy (maybe others) for $1499. i signed up for an apple card, so would get $300 in Apple bucks promo, and can move that over to the card, so would get the laptop for $1200, which is about $150 more than i paid for my 2011 Pro 13". who knows if the M4 will be THAT much different. most purchasers use their computers for mundane tasks, so i wouldn't worry too much about "future proofing". i'm still using my 2011 for most tasks!
I doubt the difference between a MacBook Pro M3 vs M4 will be big enough for you to wait and pay the premium for the new price if you don't care for the latest and greatest. If what you said in the OP that you were looking for a 16GB and not much else, you'll be fine with the M3.
Wait for the newest and best or jump on the discounts now and get the current newest and best for like $500 off. Can't imagine great deal on M4 Pros MBPs around $1400 until after the M4 Airs launch.
I did the same, but ended up getting an 'Open Box - Excellent' MBP 14" from best Buy and it was literally new (minus the seal). Lets you include Apple Care+ and is under warranty as well. Saved me en extra $90 (although now I think the savings is a little less). I had purchased a brand new one and returned it and bought the Open box. 0 regrets. Figured I'd share.
The M3's RAM configurations are more to do with the number of RAM chips supported (which are separate components from the SoC).
- The base M3 supports two chips: 2x4 for 8GB, 2x8 for 16GB or 2x12 for 24GB
- The M3 Pro supports 3 chips: 3x6 for 18GB, 3x12 for 36GB
- The M3 Max (binned) supports 3 chips: 3x12 for 36 GB and 3x32 for 96GB (these chips are extremely expensive)
- The M3 Max (non-binned) supports 4 chips: 4x12 for 48 GB; 4x16 for 64GB; and 4x32 for 128GB.
The M4 still supports 2 chips, Apple just upped it to 2x8 and 2x16 assuming 16 and 32GB are the options. We won't know until we see the Pro and Max chips whether they wind up with the odd-seeming RAM amounts that come from having 3 chip configurations.
I believe these sales ended? I missed out. Hope they return. Or through Amazon.
I’m currently in the same quandary, as my 2012 MBP I don’t think is going to see me through a degree I start in October.
I either want to buy a MBA or a MBP before studying, and I’m swaying toward the MBP as I probably won’t replace it for years, and besides studying I do a bit of video editing for YouTube and Music production, as well as photography…….. but I can’t decide whether to wait for a M4. However if that’s not released until say next March I could be 1/3 of the way through my degree.
I’ve also got the added complication that if I buy currently I get a £120 gift card, and I’d planed to get a new iPhone 16 pro on the Apple upgrade program, and then trade in both my AW7, iPhone 14 Pro and the gift card all toward an AW Ultra……
I hate these decisions 😭
I either want to buy a MBA or a MBP before studying, and I’m swaying toward the MBP as I probably won’t replace it for years, and besides studying I do a bit of video editing for YouTube and Music production, as well as photography…….. but I can’t decide whether to wait for a M4. However if that’s not released until say next March I could be 1/3 of the way through my degree.
I’ve also got the added complication that if I buy currently I get a £120 gift card, and I’d planed to get a new iPhone 16 pro on the Apple upgrade program, and then trade in both my AW7, iPhone 14 Pro and the gift card all toward an AW Ultra……
I hate these decisions 😭
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
M4 or M5? By the time you are able to buy M4s and especially if you wait the added time to get M4s at "good deals," you'll be in exactly the same position with M5s "coming soon."
Given where we are on the calendar, unless you need a Mac now, wait the couple of weeks until the new ones are revealed. Then questions are answered in tangible ways and you will still have the opportunity to buy M3 or M4. In other words, we're close enough to the usual showcase of new Macs, it likely makes most sense to stand by and get actual answers instead of wild guesses.
If there is some specific configuration that you want and are worried it may no longer be an option when M4s are released, time that purchase so the 14-day return window will overlap the "new Macs" event. Then, you can return the M3 for an M4 if you see some reason to switch to the latter.
But again, as soon as there is a M4 Mac to buy, the M5 version will be coming (it’s actually already coming). And as soon as M4 Macs have equivalently "good deals," the M5 version will be coming soon. And then the cycle renews again with M6 coming/coming soon. And M7 after that.
Given where we are on the calendar, unless you need a Mac now, wait the couple of weeks until the new ones are revealed. Then questions are answered in tangible ways and you will still have the opportunity to buy M3 or M4. In other words, we're close enough to the usual showcase of new Macs, it likely makes most sense to stand by and get actual answers instead of wild guesses.
If there is some specific configuration that you want and are worried it may no longer be an option when M4s are released, time that purchase so the 14-day return window will overlap the "new Macs" event. Then, you can return the M3 for an M4 if you see some reason to switch to the latter.
But again, as soon as there is a M4 Mac to buy, the M5 version will be coming (it’s actually already coming). And as soon as M4 Macs have equivalently "good deals," the M5 version will be coming soon. And then the cycle renews again with M6 coming/coming soon. And M7 after that.
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I’m one that jumped on these recent 14 inch MBP M3 Pro deals for $1,499 (11/14…18GB/512GB). It fits my needs perfectly…a great laptop at a good price. Now, will the price go lower? Possibly. I can’t see it going lower than $1,299 in a 1 day fire sale over the next year…but who knows. The bottom has been effectively established.
The M4 14 inch MBP will undoubtably be a better spec’d laptop and will undoubtably be priced at $1,999 or higher. Who knows…it might come with 24GB Ram base spec. But, is it worth the $500+ you’d have to spend? For some yes…I’m sure. For me?. No. I’m happy with the M3.
But…it’s also how I buy most of my Apple stuff….a generation behind at a greatly reduced price😊
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