M3 w/ 24 GB versus M3 Pro w/ 18 GB?

[Torty]

Well, for anyone still interested, I went with unlisted option 4: M3 Pro with 36 GB.

Not what I had in mind going into this.

It feels rock ’n’ roll to spend that much dough on a computer, but at least I’ll not regret the memory amount.

If I could have got the entry-level M3 with 32 or 36 GB of RAM, I probably would have (may be why Apple doesn’t offer that).

Alas, this did mean I had to promise myself I would sell one of my least-used camera lenses. And I will. But I haven’t used that lens in months, whereas I use my computer every day. It makes some sense.

Excited to be boarding the Apple Silicon hype train at last. My 2019 iMac purchase was awkwardly timed.

What was the reason for you to spec up? Are you still happy with your decision?

 

[Moreplease]

In a twist of fate that I didn’t report, the company I ordered from had a problem and couldn’t fulfil my order. I had to re-order weeks later, and when I did, I ended up reverting back to my option number 2 (entry-level M3 with 24 GB). Got cold feet about the cost of the M3 Pro with 36 GB of RAM, even though by then I’d sold a camera lens to fund it.

Am I happy? About the performance, battery life, the 24 GB of RAM rather than 36 GB in the end, etc – yes, yes, yes. It’s awesome! Incredibly fast. And 24 GB is heaps for my usage, it turns out. My memory pressure in Activity Monitor is always green, not even orange. Good webcam and speakers, too.

But I’m not quite as happy overall as I have been with some Apple products in the past.

First, because this computer is oddly bulky and heavy. It doesn’t look especially modern. I’m used to new Apple products looking like they’re from the future, and this one definitely doesn’t. It looks old from day one, especially in the classic silver I got.

Second, despite that weight, the feeling of quality is not quite there. The keyboard, while good, feels like it’s sitting on a hollow shell of paper-thin aluminium alloy. It’s kinda bouncy and cheap-sounding.

The chassis twists under its own weight when you pick it up by a corner. The display twists too.

The effect is nothing like the old Ive-era machines, which felt like they were hewn out of billet.

Contributing to my second complaint are the Pro’s fan vents, which are at an awkward place right where you grab the computer.

And the feet are flat, not domed as they used to be, so they catch bags a little more and don’t always find solid surface but ‘hover’ on crumbs on the coffee table or whatever, since they have a large catchment area that is often not completely flat.

Third, it was the most expensive computer I’ve ever bought. The prices have very nearly jumped the shark, here in Europe at least. You understand why Mac sales are struggling a bit. The perceived quality versus price is not really what it was ten years ago. Still the best computers you can buy, obviously.

Taking all of that into account, and having seen the launch of the M3 Air since I bought my Pro, I would probably have gone for the M3 Air with hindsight. No big deal, though, and there are benefits to this Pro despite my moaning above.

Just one man’s opinion …

 

[smirking]

Taking all of that into account, and having seen the launch of the M3 Air since I bought my Pro, I would probably have gone for the M3 Air with hindsight. No big deal, though, and there are benefits to this Pro despite my moaning above.

Just one man’s opinion …

I don't think you would want to chance your DaVinci Resolve workflow on a MBA. It'll probably work just fine, but given all the second guessing you've done, that might be one you shouldn't second guess.

Also, I hope I'm not being offensive, but just reading through a few of your messages, it seems to me that you overthink things and revisit your decisions past any useful purpose to the point that it affects your quality of life.

You got yourself a very capable machine. As with everything, there are tradeoffs.

You can what-if until it drives you insane. Let go and get on with everyday life. If you later conclude you made a mistake, just learn from it and make a better decision next time.

 

[Torty]

In a twist of fate that I didn’t report, the company I ordered from had a problem and couldn’t fulfil my order. I had to re-order weeks later, and when I did, I ended up reverting back to my option number 2 (entry-level M3 with 24 GB). Got cold feet about the cost of the M3 Pro with 36 GB of RAM, even though by then I’d sold a camera lens to fund it.

Am I happy? About the performance, battery life, the 24 GB of RAM rather than 36 GB in the end, etc – yes, yes, yes. It’s awesome! Incredibly fast. And 24 GB is heaps for my usage, it turns out. My memory pressure in Activity Monitor is always green, not even orange. Good webcam and speakers, too.

But I’m not quite as happy overall as I have been with some Apple products in the past.

First, because this computer is oddly bulky and heavy. It doesn’t look especially modern. I’m used to new Apple products looking like they’re from the future, and this one definitely doesn’t. It looks old from day one, especially in the classic silver I got.

Second, despite that weight, the feeling of quality is not quite there. The keyboard, while good, feels like it’s sitting on a hollow shell of paper-thin aluminium alloy. It’s kinda bouncy and cheap-sounding.

The chassis twists under its own weight when you pick it up by a corner. The display twists too.

The effect is nothing like the old Ive-era machines, which felt like they were hewn out of billet.

Contributing to my second complaint are the Pro’s fan vents, which are at an awkward place right where you grab the computer.

And the feet are flat, not domed as they used to be, so they catch bags a little more and don’t always find solid surface but ‘hover’ on crumbs on the coffee table or whatever, since they have a large catchment area that is often not completely flat.

Third, it was the most expensive computer I’ve ever bought. The prices have very nearly jumped the shark, here in Europe at least. You understand why Mac sales are struggling a bit. The perceived quality versus price is not really what it was ten years ago. Still the best computers you can buy, obviously.

Taking all of that into account, and having seen the launch of the M3 Air since I bought my Pro, I would probably have gone for the M3 Air with hindsight. No big deal, though, and there are benefits to this Pro despite my moaning above.

Just one man’s opinion …

Thanks for your feedback! I got the M3 15" Air which I like very much but I agree the prices got really crazy. It was over 2700 Euros for the 16/2TB.

The 13" MBP I used before cost me be back in 2012 1100 Euros and was upgradeable which gave it a long long life (8GB/1TB SSD). It still works very fine unfortunately more and more apps stopped working after update cause of outdated OS.

 

[Moreplease]

Also, I hope I'm not being offensive, but just reading through a few of your messages, it seems to me that you overthink things and revisit your decisions past any useful purpose to the point that it affects your quality of life.

I have a slight tendency in that direction, yes. But I am also aware of it and take measures to keep it in check.

You can what-if until it drives you insane. Let go and get on with everyday life.

Sure. I’ve done that. You’ll notice I practically stopped posting here after I made my decision. I like doing careful research before buying something important to me. Then I commit to the decision and leave it alone for years. This will probably be my only Mac for five years, and when I start looking into computers again, I will have to research from scratch again. You won’t find me looking at benchmarks for the M4 chip when it comes. I’ll be happily using my M3.

But if someone asks, I’ll give my honest opinion and not pretend my computer is perfect.

 

[ric22]

In a twist of fate that I didn’t report, the company I ordered from had a problem and couldn’t fulfil my order. I had to re-order weeks later, and when I did, I ended up reverting back to my option number 2 (entry-level M3 with 24 GB). Got cold feet about the cost of the M3 Pro with 36 GB of RAM, even though by then I’d sold a camera lens to fund it.

Am I happy? About the performance, battery life, the 24 GB of RAM rather than 36 GB in the end, etc – yes, yes, yes. It’s awesome! Incredibly fast. And 24 GB is heaps for my usage, it turns out. My memory pressure in Activity Monitor is always green, not even orange. Good webcam and speakers, too.

But I’m not quite as happy overall as I have been with some Apple products in the past.

First, because this computer is oddly bulky and heavy. It doesn’t look especially modern. I’m used to new Apple products looking like they’re from the future, and this one definitely doesn’t. It looks old from day one, especially in the classic silver I got.

Second, despite that weight, the feeling of quality is not quite there. The keyboard, while good, feels like it’s sitting on a hollow shell of paper-thin aluminium alloy. It’s kinda bouncy and cheap-sounding.

The chassis twists under its own weight when you pick it up by a corner. The display twists too.

The effect is nothing like the old Ive-era machines, which felt like they were hewn out of billet.

Contributing to my second complaint are the Pro’s fan vents, which are at an awkward place right where you grab the computer.

And the feet are flat, not domed as they used to be, so they catch bags a little more and don’t always find solid surface but ‘hover’ on crumbs on the coffee table or whatever, since they have a large catchment area that is often not completely flat.

Third, it was the most expensive computer I’ve ever bought. The prices have very nearly jumped the shark, here in Europe at least. You understand why Mac sales are struggling a bit. The perceived quality versus price is not really what it was ten years ago. Still the best computers you can buy, obviously.

Taking all of that into account, and having seen the launch of the M3 Air since I bought my Pro, I would probably have gone for the M3 Air with hindsight. No big deal, though, and there are benefits to this Pro despite my moaning above.

Just one man’s opinion …

I agree with you about the keyboard, the bulky old fashioned design (that is annoyingly hard to pick up one handed compared to the previous models), the stupid big feet, the vents, and how they don't feel as high quality as a few years ago. Haven't noticed any chassis twisting/contorting, though.

 

[smirking]

But if someone asks, I’ll give my honest opinion and not pretend my computer is perfect.

I'm sorry about what I wrote. That was so wrong headed and presumptuous.

 

[Torty]

I'm sorry about what I wrote. That was so wrong headed and presumptuous.

I liked your words, those were wise words. I think this kind of thoughts lies in our human nature. "What happens next and am I prepared?" Remembers me when it comes to backpacking. Most will pack too much for a hike because of these thoughts which ends up in a much too heavy back pack with stuff never needed and never used.
In computer terms this is money spent for HW you never need. But most spend it because "In future I might do this and that and therefore I need the bigger machine now. I need to future-proof".
Then looking back many many will realize they did their usual stuff only with a big machine 😁

 

[Moreplease]

I'm sorry about what I wrote. That was so wrong headed and presumptuous.

Hey, go easy on yourself! You noticed my overthinking tendency and gave good advice. No need to apologise. But I appreciate the gesture all the same. Take care.

By the way, when I said I wouldn’t be looking at M4 benchmarks, I had no idea the M4 had just dropped! (Or was about to drop – not sure of the exact timing.)

Makes no difference to me, though. See you all in five years, I hope …

 

[illegalmushroom]

In a twist of fate that I didn’t report, the company I ordered from had a problem and couldn’t fulfil my order. I had to re-order weeks later, and when I did, I ended up reverting back to my option number 2 (entry-level M3 with 24 GB). Got cold feet about the cost of the M3 Pro with 36 GB of RAM, even though by then I’d sold a camera lens to fund it.

Am I happy? About the performance, battery life, the 24 GB of RAM rather than 36 GB in the end, etc – yes, yes, yes. It’s awesome! Incredibly fast. And 24 GB is heaps for my usage, it turns out. My memory pressure in Activity Monitor is always green, not even orange. Good webcam and speakers, too.

But I’m not quite as happy overall as I have been with some Apple products in the past.

First, because this computer is oddly bulky and heavy. It doesn’t look especially modern. I’m used to new Apple products looking like they’re from the future, and this one definitely doesn’t. It looks old from day one, especially in the classic silver I got.

Second, despite that weight, the feeling of quality is not quite there. The keyboard, while good, feels like it’s sitting on a hollow shell of paper-thin aluminium alloy. It’s kinda bouncy and cheap-sounding.

The chassis twists under its own weight when you pick it up by a corner. The display twists too.

The effect is nothing like the old Ive-era machines, which felt like they were hewn out of billet.

Contributing to my second complaint are the Pro’s fan vents, which are at an awkward place right where you grab the computer.

And the feet are flat, not domed as they used to be, so they catch bags a little more and don’t always find solid surface but ‘hover’ on crumbs on the coffee table or whatever, since they have a large catchment area that is often not completely flat.

Third, it was the most expensive computer I’ve ever bought. The prices have very nearly jumped the shark, here in Europe at least. You understand why Mac sales are struggling a bit. The perceived quality versus price is not really what it was ten years ago. Still the best computers you can buy, obviously.

Taking all of that into account, and having seen the launch of the M3 Air since I bought my Pro, I would probably have gone for the M3 Air with hindsight. No big deal, though, and there are benefits to this Pro despite my moaning above.

Just one man’s opinion …

Firstly, I want to say that this thread has been of great help to me. I've been in this exact conundrum as you, albeit with a different usecase for my future machine, but the exact same options.
I wanted to confirm if any of the quirks of going with a MacBook Pro with a regular M3 chip instead of an M3 Pro have started to show up after some time of regular usage with your workflow. I'm particularly interested in:
1. how have you accommodated with the lack of a third usb-c port? have you tried connecting a second monitor, have you had issues with that?
2. how is the battery life and the charging time, in general?
3. do you find it gets hot, or that the fan makes too much noise?
4. have you done any large file transfers, does the ssd speed feel like it could be a little faster?
5. finally, how has build quality developed in the past few months? any significant developments besides those initial issues you noticed and mentioned?

Thanks a lot, I hope you've been enjoying your machine and are overall happy with your purchase!

 

[Moreplease]

I wanted to confirm if any of the quirks of going with a MacBook Pro with a regular M3 chip instead of an M3 Pro have started to show up after some time of regular usage with your workflow. I'm particularly interested in:
1. how have you accommodated with the lack of a third usb-c port? have you tried connecting a second monitor, have you had issues with that?

I don’t have a second monitor yet, so can’t comment on that question.

Occasionally I would prefer to have a USB port on the other side of the computer for convenience. This is especially true because the MagSafe port is on the same side as all (both) USB ports. If at least one USB port was on the other side (as it is with the M3 Pro models), or the MagSafe was on the right, you could power the computer from whichever side is most convenient (by MagSafe or USB-C PD).

No big deal though. Might be worse if you had a desk set-up where, for whatever reason, you always wanted to charge the computer from the right side.

But if given the choice, I prefer to charge from the left side to keep space on the right for an external mouse (I’m right-handed).

2. how is the battery life and the charging time, in general?

It charges pretty fast with the supplied 70 W power supply. Under an hour for a typical big charge (15% to 100% or something like that). Gets slightly warm when doing so.

However, I usually use my iPhone’s 20 W charger. That’s enough to power the computer browsing, etc., while charging at a slower rate, which should be better for the battery.

In fact, in the evening (display below half brightness), I often use an old iPad 10 W charger with an IKEA “SITTBRUNN” USB-A to USB-C cable. That barely charges while doing light tasks, tipping over to discharging if you push it or put the brightness above about halfway. But that’s sometimes what I want for battery management.

For example, right now I’m using that 10 W charger, the brightness is one notch above halfway, and I’m typing this message (albeit with three other apps lying open). The battery is at 26% and macOS reckons it will be fully charged in 9.5 hours (but I don’t plan to fully charge it now). I guess that means the computer is only using about 5 W right now (plus charging power).

I would prefer to be able to choose the input power in watts in macOS with any power supply, but since Apple doesn’t even let us prevent charging above 80% (reliably), I can’t see that becoming possible any time soon.

3. do you find it gets hot, or that the fan makes too much noise?

It runs cooler than any computer I’ve had before. For regular use, barely perceptible warmth above ambient.

The display, on the other hand, gets noticeably warm on max brightness (that is, the metal lid gets warm). I’ve never had a laptop display get distinctly warm in use.

So the display obviously uses a lot of power on full brightness. Which explains another observation: the battery life varies greatly with brightness. At half brightness or below, the battery is exceedingly long-lived. But at full brightness – maybe necessary at an outdoor café table or something – the battery life is unimpressive. On the other hand, the display is certainly bright.

Similarly, if you really crank the CPU and GPU – exporting a video or something – you’ll burn through the whole battery charge in an hour or two (with fan blasting, and it is noticeably noisy when it ramps up – much like older MacBooks. No revolution there).

If you’re doing laptop-appropriate tasks at reasonable brightness – web-surfing, writing emails, etc. – you can clear 10 hours of battery life without trying. That aspect of the battery life is better than any machine I’ve had before.

And although it burns through the battery fast at full power, it works at a higher rate at full power than any previous machine I’ve owned, so power efficiency even at full power is also good.

4. have you done any large file transfers, does the ssd speed feel like it could be a little faster?

Feels extremely fast to me even on my 512 GB model. Somewhere around 3 GB/s. Far faster than my already fast Crucial X9 Pro 4TB external SSD. I’m throwing large video files around on a regular basis.

5. finally, how has build quality developed in the past few months? any significant developments besides those initial issues you noticed and mentioned?

None. Totally reliable. The display lid hinge is beautifully smooth and quiet, for example.

One nuisance that I have not seen on previous MacBooks is that the space-bar touches the display when closed (the lid, as I mentioned a while ago, is more flexible than previous Apple laptops I’ve owned, so perhaps it easily gets squeezed against the display in a bag). Since the space bar picks up finger (thumb) grease, it deposits that on the display. So I’m often having to clean space-bar shaped smudges off the screen.

Thanks a lot, I hope you've been enjoying your machine and are overall happy with your purchase!

Thanks! Yeah, I’ve been enjoying it. It’s not quite as beautiful or haptically satisfying, versus the competition, as other Macs I’ve owned, but it’s a great computer to use. Just not super-exciting, chipset aside. But perhaps the era of exciting laptops is over.

 

[throAU]

Edit: Note also that an optimized computer is far more likely to cope well with something new thrown at it during its 5-10 year life cycle than a box that starts out sub-optimal will. In the world of tech computers do get new things thrown at them during their 5-10 year life cycles

If you're planning to push any computer 5-10 years you should probably consider buying slightly lower spec (at significant discount) more frequently; as you say computers do get new things thrown at them within 5+ years - things that can't be upgraded on a portable, like new HDMI standards, new IO standards, new WIFI standards, etc.

A 10 year old machine today has no type C ports for example and is several generations of WIFI and bluetooth behind. As someone with a 2013 machine (Mac Pro) the bluetooth for example is very noticeable as it has weird quirks when used with AirPods which my more modern machines do not. It's maybe not even on PCIe storage, even if it has an SSD - and even if it is on PCIe it will be significantly slower than even a mid-range machine from say, 2019.

Also, you'll stay closer to being "in warranty" or at least maintain warranty coverage for the majority of your intended life-cycle as opposed to potentially being hit with an out of warranty failure on say, year 6 of ownership that your budget didn't cover.

Half the budget twice as frequently > over-buying hardware to try and push out to 10 years, hands down.

Taking all of that into account, and having seen the launch of the M3 Air since I bought my Pro, I would probably have gone for the M3 Air with hindsight. No big deal, though, and there are benefits to this Pro despite my moaning above.

Intersting - i have not noticed the flex or cheap feeling keyboard on my M1 Pro (but agreed, re: the vents - I get what you're saying I just didn't find it as annoying, clearly). I'm in the market for a replacement once the M4 Pros drop, so I'll be keeping an eye out for that!