MacBook Pro with the M3 chip is a piece of hardware. But I won’t forgive Apple for one thing [TEST]

At the end of October, Apple presented the latest models of MacBook Pro laptops, powered by the powerful M3 system (in three variants – M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max), offering support for ray-tracing technology. Thanks to the new 3-nanometer technological process, these systems are to be less “hungry” for electricity compared to their predecessors. Apple also assures that these processors can provide identical performance to M1 systems, but using half their power.

A few weeks ago, I received a 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 system in the basic version and 8 GB RAM. If this last bit of information sent a red warning light to your head, you are not alone. But let’s start from the beginning.

A PLUS: Proven design

In terms of design, the new MacBook Pro looks exactly the same as the model with the M2 system, which I had the opportunity to test earlier this year. However, I have no problem with it, because both the rounded shape and the minimalist design definitely appeal to me.

All elements of the device are perfectly fitted together, and the casing, made of aluminum (which is 100 percent recycled), gives the impression of being very solid and resistant to damage. The hinge connecting the screen to the laptop base is equally solid. It works smoothly and allows for precise adjustment of the display angle.

It’s a pity that the basic MacBook Pro model is still only available in silver. The second variant, space gray, was reserved for units with M3 Pro/Max systems.

MINUS: No Thunderbolt 4

The new MacBook Pro in its basic version has a MagSafe 3 connector, an HDMI port, a 3.5 mm audio jack, two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports (with charging function), and an SDXC card slot.

And here’s an unpleasant surprise: It turns out that, unlike models with M3 Pro and M3 Max systems, which support the Thunderbolt 4 standard, the “cheaper” MacBook only supports the dreaded standard, i.e. Thunderbolt 3. More powerful models also have an additional Thunderbolt/USB 4 port .

There are more differences, and they concern the support for external monitors. A basic MacBook will only allow you to connect a single 6K/60Hz display, and HDMI output is limited to 4K at 120Hz.

For comparison, we will connect two screens to the MacBook Pro with M3 Pro (the HDMI port supports 8K at 60 Hz or 4K at 240 Hz, respectively), and the most expensive variant with M3 Max – as many as four external displays.

When it comes to communication, the new MacBook Pro has exactly the same set as last year. So there is Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth version 5.3. However, I have no objections here. The connection stability is exemplary.

A PLUS: Outstanding MiniLED screen

The tested laptop has a 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR Pro Motion display made in MiniLED technology. It combines the best features of LCD and OLED screens.

It derives excellent clarity from the former. This in SDR mode is now 600 nits (in the previous model it was 500 nits). In HDR mode, MacBook Pro spreads its wings even more, as the maximum brightness reaches up to 1,600 nits (here we also see an improvement compared to the M2 variant).

The Liquid Retina XDR display maintains high contrast and deep blacks similar to – but not equal to – those offered by OLED panels. The only problem with this screen is slight blooming, i.e. image smearing, which is especially visible when using the device at night.

MINUS: “UGLY” NOTCH and no FaceID

The lack of major changes in design also means that Apple left with the unfortunate “notch”, i.e. an indentation at the top edge of the screen. I hope that – as in the case of the iPhone – the Cupertino company will find a way to replace the “notch” with a more visually friendly solution.

I would be a bit more understanding towards Apple if the FaceID system sensors were hidden under the “notch”. However, this is not the case, because MacBook Pro does not offer facial recognition. However, we can unlock the device using the TouchID function. The fingerprint reader is placed right next to the volume control keys.

A PLUS: The M3 system is extremely efficient

Although I received a model with the weakest variant of the new M3 system, it does not mean that this processor lacks power. It is an efficient unit made using a 3-nanometer technological process. The new system offers support for ray-tracing (reverse ray tracing), mesh shading, as well as dynamic caching (the system uses exactly as much memory as is necessary to perform a specific task).

The base M3 variant, which is made of 25 billion transistors, has 8 CPU cores (4 performance and 4 energy-saving ones). Apple emphasizes that it is 35 percent more efficient than the M1 processor. However, the real strength of the M3 systems is the increase in GPU performance. The M3 has 10 GPU cores, which are to be 65 percent faster. faster than the GPU in the M1 model.

Regardless of whether you are looking for equipment for office tasks, editing in Final Cut Pro, post-production in DaVinci Resolve, mixing in Logic Pro X or photo editing in Photoshop – MacBook Pro will meet the challenge.

Steam photo: DM

MacOS is not intended to be a gaming platform, but Apple has been trying to convince us for some time that MacBook Pro will also work as a portable console. And it must be admitted that the M3 system with support for ray-tracing is a good step in this direction.

On the tested device, we can easily achieve over 40 frames in 1080p resolution in slightly older titles (“GTA 5”, “The Witcher 3” or “Far Cry 5”). The situation is a bit worse in the case of more demanding titles. In both “Cyberpunk 2077” and “Baldur’s Gate 3” I failed to reach 30 FPS, even when I went very low with the level of detail.

Geekbench 6 photo: DM

How efficient the M3 system is is confirmed by the benchmark results of the tested laptop. In the case of Geekbench 6, the M3 scored 3,180 points in the single-core test and 11,950 points in the multi-core test. Importantly, in the first of these tests it turned out to be better than the MacBook Pro with M2 Pro, which scored 2,663 and 14,568 points, respectively.

Cinebench R23 photo: DM

In the CineBench R23 benchmark, the tested laptop scored 1,894 (single core) and 10,412 (multi-core) points, inferior (although in the case of the first test only slightly) to the MacBook Pro with M2 Pro (1,904 points and 14,567 points, respectively).

ON MINUS: 8 GB RAM in 2023 – is this a joke?

The fact that Apple still offers new computers with 8 GB of RAM surprises me greatly. I would understand if the situation concerned the MacBook Air, but we are talking about the Pro model, which is intended for professional users.

Does 8 GB RAM make the MacBook Pro impossible to use comfortably? NO. And that’s not the point. I tested the Apple device in this variant and during everyday use I did not encounter any performance problems.

But is this an excuse for the Cupertino company? Absolutely not. MacBook Pro should give the user the feeling that it is a device that cannot be “undertaken”. The variant with 8 GB RAM does not give such a feeling. When I deliberately overloaded my computer with many tasks and at the same time launched a browser with several tabs open, the memory slowly started to get clogged. In my opinion, the M3 processor is too powerful to limit its capabilities by saving on memory.

A PLUS: Keyboard, touchpad? Class!

For years, MacBooks have been famous for having the best keyboards on the market. This was the case until 2015, when models with these unfortunate butterfly keyboards went on sale. Fortunately, this episode is behind us.

The keyboard in the 2023 MacBook Pro is in a class of its own. It is very comfortable to type on and the keys have the right travel. In addition, there is also excellent backlighting. As for the trackpad, it remains an unrivaled benchmark for other devices. MacBook Pro is basically the only laptop to which I almost never connect a mouse.

PLUS: Over 15 hours of battery life

M3 is an even more energy-efficient system than its predecessor, which translates into a longer operating time of the device on a single charge. However, I didn’t expect it to be so long.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro has a 69.6 Wh battery. During typical office work, it can operate on the battery for about 15-16 hours, and if you load it with more resource-intensive tasks, such as video rendering, it won’t go below 6 hours anyway. Apple equipment supports fast charging with a power of up to 96 W. It’s a pity that the device comes with a slightly slower charger with a power of 70 W (you can buy a glass charger for PLN 80).

MINUS: The price may hurt you

The cheapest variant of the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 processor costs PLN 8,999. As far as Apple hardware goes, it’s not a fortune. The problem is that we are talking about a variant with 8 GB RAM, which I simply cannot recommend in good conscience.

To expand the RAM to 16 GB we have to pay another PLN 1,200. This means that for a reasonable variant (M3, 16 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD) we will pay a total of PLN 10,199.

Finally, I can repeat the same thing that I pay attention to in every MacBook Pro test. Buying this device for applications such as browsing the Internet, Office, or watching movies is completely pointless. In this case, it is better to consider buying a MacBook Air.

If you are a potential user of this device, at this stage you already know that you are one and you also know what you can use the computing power of the M3 system for.