Apple says its new MacBook Pro lineup, powered by the all-new family of M3 chips: M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max, are a big upgrade for those who have not upgraded from an Intel-based Mac. The M3 Max model is up to 11x faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Pro model as well as offering vastly superior battery life.
As expected, the MacBook Pro is the first cab off the rank with the faster processors. We can expect the MacBook Air to get a boost sometime next year.
I’ve already covered all the benefits of the new M3 processor family.
The 14- and 16‑inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro are faster and support more unified memory than their predecessors with what apple calls “a monster GPU”, as well as a more powerful CPU and support for up to 128GB of unified memory.
All MacBook Pro models feature a Liquid Retina XDR display with 20 per cent brighter SDR content, a built-in 1080p camera, an immersive six-speaker sound system, and a wide array of connectivity options. Battery life s rated at up to 22 hours.
Black is back
MacBook Pro models with M3 Pro and M3 Max are available in space black – harking back to the black MacBook that was released between 2006 and 2011. These were very popular at the time and stood out from the sea of white MacBooks and aluminium MacBook Pro units that were around at the time.
M3 Pro and M3 Max models are also available in silver, and the 14‑inch MacBook Pro with M3 is available in silver and space grey.
Price and availability
You can order the new MacBook Pro starting today, with availability beginning 7 November 2023.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 starts at RRP A$2,699 inc. GST and RRP A$2,529 inc. GST for education
The 14‑inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro starts at RRP A$3,499 inc. GST and RRP A$3,239 inc. GST for education.
The 16‑inch MacBook Pro starts at RRP A$4,299 inc. GST and RRP A$3,949 inc. GST for education.
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.