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The "I just ordered / bought / got my new/refurb MBP" thread [Merged]
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I just upgraded to a 14 inch Base M3 Pro MacBook Pro and I love it. I had the M2 Air (base) but I wanted 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD and after looking at the costs the M3 Base MBP looked appealing with the SD card reader and the better screen. then at that point the Base M3 Pro model looked appealing at $200 more of the M3 Base with the upgraded ram $1,650 vs $1,849 with education pricing. I also figured good is now since I wanted a mini led Screen vs the rumors of OLED.
After countless hours of debate, pro-con lists, and watching YouTube videos, I just ordered myself a 16" silver MBP M3 Pro with 36gb RAM and 1tb SSD! I also ordered one of those micro SD card readers that fit flush with the chassis, and a 1tb micro SD card to store backups and media.
I am so indescribably excited to tweak all the MacOS settings, install fresh versions of all my favourite programs, tweak their settings, and get everything just how I like it it.
Kids at Christmas don't know this kind of excitement. Dogs awaiting their master's return don't know this kind of excitement. Virgin newlyweds awaiting their wedding night don't know thi- ok, well maybe they've got me beat... The point is: I'm very excited, and very grateful to be able to afford this insane gadget.
Today is a good day. I hope it's good for you too!
I am so indescribably excited to tweak all the MacOS settings, install fresh versions of all my favourite programs, tweak their settings, and get everything just how I like it it.
Kids at Christmas don't know this kind of excitement. Dogs awaiting their master's return don't know this kind of excitement. Virgin newlyweds awaiting their wedding night don't know thi- ok, well maybe they've got me beat... The point is: I'm very excited, and very grateful to be able to afford this insane gadget.
Today is a good day. I hope it's good for you too!
I think it’s broken… I keep refreshing, but it isn’t changing…After countless hours of debate, pro-con lists, and watching YouTube videos, I just ordered myself a 16" silver MBP M3 Pro with 36gb RAM and 1tb SSD! I also ordered one of those micro SD card readers that fit flush with the chassis, and a 1tb micro SD card to store backups and media.
I am so indescribably excited to tweak all the MacOS settings, install fresh versions of all my favourite programs, tweak their settings, and get everything just how I like it it.
Kids at Christmas don't know this kind of excitement. Dogs awaiting their master's return don't know this kind of excitement. Virgin newlyweds awaiting their wedding night don't know thi- ok, well maybe they've got me beat... The point is: I'm very excited, and very grateful to be able to afford this insane gadget.
Today is a good day. I hope it's good for you too!
Just after many months of going back and forth with what I want. Thinking I have settled on a machine and then reconsidering several times....I finally pulled the trigger on a refurb. It's the nerfed/binned 14/30 16" M3 Macbook Pro Max model with 36GB/1TB storage.
Longtime Windows user. Thought now with the M3's out (and now in the refurb store) now would be a good time to make the switch. I am sure I will have plenty o' stupid questions to ask all you nice people in the future. That is when I can't find the answers I need using the Google-type-device.
I decided upon the 14/30 model. I wanted it powerful enough to play the occasional game. But I am not a real hard core gamer. I typically try out RPG/DND sort of games like Neverwinter Nights/Morrowind/Skyrim/BG3, etc. So this machine should be powerful enough to enjoy Baldur's Gate 3 and hopefully a game or two like that in the future. If not, I decided the $$ I saved not going to full blown Max unit I can get a cheapish Windows machine then to play said games.
But for right now I wanted to just have a one laptop solution -- enough to do work and play the occasional game.
Looking forward to getting it and trying it out. Should be on it's way now!
Longtime Windows user. Thought now with the M3's out (and now in the refurb store) now would be a good time to make the switch. I am sure I will have plenty o' stupid questions to ask all you nice people in the future. That is when I can't find the answers I need using the Google-type-device.
I decided upon the 14/30 model. I wanted it powerful enough to play the occasional game. But I am not a real hard core gamer. I typically try out RPG/DND sort of games like Neverwinter Nights/Morrowind/Skyrim/BG3, etc. So this machine should be powerful enough to enjoy Baldur's Gate 3 and hopefully a game or two like that in the future. If not, I decided the $$ I saved not going to full blown Max unit I can get a cheapish Windows machine then to play said games.
But for right now I wanted to just have a one laptop solution -- enough to do work and play the occasional game.
Looking forward to getting it and trying it out. Should be on it's way now!
Is the 'nerfed/binned' 14/30 a negative? I'm not sure what this means. Would appreciate if you could explain. I'm considering the same model/configuration. The programs I use that need the most 'power' are photoshop and Lightroom Classic. Thanks for any advice here.
Others can explain this better than me, I'm sure.
I believe the "binned" one is the 14 core/30 GPU combo. I has less processing cores and less GPU cores than the other Max chip which I think is 16 core/40 GPU combo. So the binned one is less powerful than the unbinned (the 16/40 combo).
It's also less expensive, so that's why I went with it. The 14/30 combo should be plenty good enough for my purposes. Probably a bit overkill, actually. Hope that helps somewhat.
I believe the "binned" one is the 14 core/30 GPU combo. I has less processing cores and less GPU cores than the other Max chip which I think is 16 core/40 GPU combo. So the binned one is less powerful than the unbinned (the 16/40 combo).
It's also less expensive, so that's why I went with it. The 14/30 combo should be plenty good enough for my purposes. Probably a bit overkill, actually. Hope that helps somewhat.
ok, thanks brgjoe...I'm thinking this might be plenty for me too...still haven't pulled the trigger...twiddling thumbs a bit...
Well, I've gone and done it and ordered a MacBook Pro 16-inch M3 Max 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU 64GB/2TB Space Black. I got it interest-free and at a reduced price. I can pay it off earlier if I want to. Coming from a MacBook Pro 16-inch M1 Pro 16GB/1TB Grey, which is just about to go on eBay. Happy Days
I got a Silver 14” M3 Pro 11C/14G with 18GB RAM and 1TB SSD brand new sealed, 3rd party seller, very good deal as well. It’s a pretty unnecessary upgrade, I’ll admit, but it was a deal I couldn’t pass up and I have 30 days to decide. Temps do seem much better than M2 Pro (I’d say it runs about 5-10C cooler but also dissipates better, so 60C on M3 feels like 45-50 did on my M2) at least IME so far.
The speed is blazing, I notice it may be a bit faster than M2 Pro. Memory even at 18GB is fantastic, haven’t used swap once on a number of fairly demanding tasks.
I’m going to keep testing it out and weighing it over, but in big part because of the improved thermals, I’m heavily leaning towards the splurge and putting the M2 Pro up on eBay 😅
The speed is blazing, I notice it may be a bit faster than M2 Pro. Memory even at 18GB is fantastic, haven’t used swap once on a number of fairly demanding tasks.
I’m going to keep testing it out and weighing it over, but in big part because of the improved thermals, I’m heavily leaning towards the splurge and putting the M2 Pro up on eBay 😅
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MBP A2485 16 inch with 10 and 16gpu/mb suppose to be silver won't turn on so do you think I should wait and see if the battery needs charging before contacting? here is the listing
Apple Macbook M1 Pro 16" 2021 10-core CPU 16-core GPU 512GB SSD 16GB Ram Silver | eBay
Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Apple Macbook M1 Pro 16" 2021 10-core CPU 16-core GPU 512GB SSD 16GB Ram Silver at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
www.ebay.com
Wait so I'm confused. You haven't plugged it in yet?MBP A2485 16 inch with 10 and 16gpu/mb suppose to be silver won't turn on so do you think I should wait and see if the battery needs charging before contacting? here is the listing
Apple Macbook M1 Pro 16" 2021 10-core CPU 16-core GPU 512GB SSD 16GB Ram Silver | eBay
Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Apple Macbook M1 Pro 16" 2021 10-core CPU 16-core GPU 512GB SSD 16GB Ram Silver at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!www.ebay.com
Sounds like a defective battery. With it being eBay refurbished plus a 12 month warranty under the seller you should be able to get it fixed free of charge (in theory).
Ordered on 3/1 - MBP M3 Pro chip (space black) with 12‑core CPU, 18‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine, 14-inch,
36GB unified memory, and 1TB SSD storage.
I believe the 14-inch will be the right fit for me, as I am coming from a 13.6" MBA M2. I debated the 15.3" MBA M3, but was blown away at the speed difference with the MBP M3 Pro Chip vs. MBA M2 (no M3 chip to compare to at store) and the difference in quality of displays (not that the MBA is bad for screen quality; the M3 Pro is just that much sharper).
36GB unified memory, and 1TB SSD storage.
I believe the 14-inch will be the right fit for me, as I am coming from a 13.6" MBA M2. I debated the 15.3" MBA M3, but was blown away at the speed difference with the MBP M3 Pro Chip vs. MBA M2 (no M3 chip to compare to at store) and the difference in quality of displays (not that the MBA is bad for screen quality; the M3 Pro is just that much sharper).
I think you’ll be really happy with this machine. Coming from the 13.6” the 1/2” screen bump won’t be huge but it’s definitely noticeable. The 14” can be scaled to essentially 15” screen real estate and you’ll enjoy a much better screen experience. The 16” is just an awkward size for portability imo.
so I got it today the replacement for the dead one and did some tweaking and start to use it. It had a weird problem about the menu bar I had to click on the system pref panel to see if there was an auto hide but no there isn't a button but it did finally pop into place. i need to use it more.
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Wow, coming from that old Intel MBA the experience will be night and day for you I’m sure. Congrats on your purchase!
thanks it is a lot quicker though Sonoma seems like a pain at times but I am still getting use to it and the 16 inch screen it's a keeper though I just need to keep more pristine than the air.
You will get used to it I think, if you’re coming from an older OS that still uses System Preferences vs. the new System Settings, that will be the biggest change by far.
And yes I would advise taking care with the screen; unfortunately the newer retina screens as gorgeous as they are more prone to damage than the older ones. Just make sure to use a very soft cloth and plain water when cleaning it—never use chemicals as they could damage the anti reflective coating.
Or maybe not even water,which I read can also damage the screen. Simply a soft cloth and a little warm breath on the screen.
True, it should probably be distilled or heavily filtered since regular tap water contains lots of minerals that can be left behind once the water evaporates. Or your breath works too!
I traded in a 2020 13" i5 MBP to Best Buy and put the credit towards a 14" M3 Pro (11 core CPU, 14 core GPU, 18GB RAM, 512 GB SSD) and the difference between the two is night and day. I didn't expect too much because I recently got a base model M2 Mac Mini and while it's a good computer, it didn't seem massively faster than the 2020 MBP. This 14" MBP feels like actions are instantaneous. The only way it would be faster is if it acted on my thoughts instead of waiting for inputs on the keyboard. Great upgrade.
Picked up a stock 14” M3 Pro with 1TB 18GB after trading in a well-used 16” M1 Pro base model 512GB 16GB.
I was looking at 36GB configs with both screen sizes… But with 1TB SSD, the Max versions seem to make the most sense - and then I would be spending a chunk more (and planning to trade in 2-3 years). Counting it a win to have 2GB extra in RAM until next upgrade.
Excited for portability as I’m on an airplane most weeks. Will see if I start using my iPad 12.9” M1 as an extended monitor more often. Also frequently have my laptop plugged into an external monitor (depending on office: Studio Display, Dell 27” 4k, LG UltraFine 21”).
Apple Store took 10% off price matching Adorama + I live in a state where they charge sales tax on purchase price net of trade-in (which was $920).
I was looking at 36GB configs with both screen sizes… But with 1TB SSD, the Max versions seem to make the most sense - and then I would be spending a chunk more (and planning to trade in 2-3 years). Counting it a win to have 2GB extra in RAM until next upgrade.
Excited for portability as I’m on an airplane most weeks. Will see if I start using my iPad 12.9” M1 as an extended monitor more often. Also frequently have my laptop plugged into an external monitor (depending on office: Studio Display, Dell 27” 4k, LG UltraFine 21”).
Apple Store took 10% off price matching Adorama + I live in a state where they charge sales tax on purchase price net of trade-in (which was $920).