Apple M3 Deep Dive: The Details Most Skipped Over

Apple just unveiled next-generation Apple Silicon: the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max. It’s built on a 3nm process node—but there’s more to it than meets the eye. Let’s discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max make their debut on the new 2023 MacBook Pro. There’s a 14” and 16” as always, but we’re now getting a $1,599 M3 (non-Pro) 14” MacBook Pro with all the same stuff we love about the higher-end machines: the 120Hz ProMotion XDR display, the best laptop speakers around, fantastic battery life, and more. The M3 Pro and M3 Max bring some impressive performance gains, but not without controversy. TSMC’s 3nm N3B process is so wildly unpredictable that Apple’s yields seem to be pretty strange. There’s a bunch of binned SKUs this year across the whole lineup—and not only do they cut cores, but they even reduce memory bus width (a real shame)! With prices as high as they’ve ever been, M3 better perform spectacularly if it’s going to justify its attempts to cost cut while raising MSRP. Not only did we get new MacBook Pros, we got a new iMac—I think? A USB-C Magic Mouse is still a pipe dream as we get another whole cycle with Lightning. It’s embarrassing. But can the pros outweigh the cons? Tune in to find out.

0:00 I didn't get my Hallowishes
0:39 3nm isn't "just" 3nm
2:20 The problem with N3B
3:39 Changes bring about chopping
5:36 Notable SoC gains
6:54 A new base model—finally!
8:41 What's old is... old again
10:12 Sometimes Apple speaks facts
10:35 iMac, eyeSchmack

[snazzy]

A few notes: (1) at 5:43, it should be noted there’s only support for AV1 decoding—not encoding. This was in the script but I experienced a Freudian slip. (2) several take issue with my usage of “stupid” when referring to the average customer so let me rephrase: the average consumer is *ill-informed*—and the prior 13” MBP was mediocre hardware (sorry, it was) that served to prey on the lesser-informed that figured Pro > Air without really considering the differences.

[falki]

8GB as lowest RAM Tier in an "Pro" notebook - that has to end!

[cirkutpersonal]

This is the kind of in-depth but not TOO technically explained type of content that we're looking for! Great job Quinn & crew!

[SamSnelling-ub]

10/10 explaining the TSMC chip processes. So many outlets get the N3** series mixed up.

$1600 for 8GB ram and one external display support in a "Pro" machine is laughable though.

One of your best videos yet!

[amusetech]

That's a great dig down on those new MacBooks!
What I find the most disappointing is that the new $1600 14" M3 MacBook Pro comes with 8GB of RAM. A Pro device in 2023.

[TheEditorify]

8 gb is unacceptable and non upgradable ssd overshadows carbon neutrality lmfao 2tb Samsung ssd is 100 usd

[photoniccannon]

The only thing I'm disappointed about is that they didn't raise the RAM for the base M3 MacBook Pro to 12GB or 16GB. $1599 is a great price reduction for the 14" form factor, but it turns into $1799 as soon as you upgrade the RAM to a more reasonable spec.

[audithisworld]

This is the content we love. Thanks for the TSMC breakdown. It all makes a lot of sense when you look at it from that lens.

[Cubed]

05:43 - Only AV1 decode, not encode, as far as I know.

[Mira-btzx]

The chip yield thing is very interesting! It seems like we’re squarely in the iterative regime of changes, where no one year is worth upgrading from last year, but the cascading changes are worth it if you’re a few generations back.

[SoggyBagelz]

can we start holding apple accountable for the egregious base specs/upgrade prices? $1600 for 8 GB of RAM? $200 for 8 GB more? can we stop ignoring this?

[benjaminlynch]

Great video.

One correction around the 5:45 mark. The new chips only do AV1 decode. No mention (presumably because it’s not there) of AV1 encode capability.

[c.garison]

This upgrade appears to only be for those that work in the realm of video production or want to experiment in gaming on the Mac. For the rest of us "normies", the best value proposition will be a certified refurbished M2 Macbook Pro in just a couple of months. Based on all of the great information from the TSMC process, I think I can I would wait until the M4 chips if I needed to live life closer to the bleeding edge and already had an M2 based Mac.

[audy]

it's a crime to sell a 8GB RAM on $1600 laptop especially in 2023-2024😂

[travisnorman]

Lol did you tell an A.I. to turn Tim Cook into Frankenstein? 😂

[owlmostdead]

I will probably never buy a MacBook again, I refuse to get punk'ed by Apple's RAM & Storage prices. My M1 Max 16" spec equivalent is now 4250€, from 3680€ in 2021.

[OilersFlash]

Thank goodness he mentioned the memory fiasco. I felt like the only one. It’s the reason I’m waiting because the Pro version doesn’t offer the 32GB I was about to buy just a week ago when I decided to wait.

[garethsnaim]

Frankenstein's monster, but we will let it go :)

[benjaminpeternorris]

Love it! - Wow, you got this one out fast! Thanks for a down to earth explanation of what Apple's new line up means, without the Apple marketing spin. I'm guessing they never sent you some snacks...

[geekless]

You’re like a happy, drunk, Irish Santa. Outstanding!