The brand new MacBook Professional 16-inch with M3 is right here to point out that it is what’s on the within that counts. Like its M2 Professional and M2 Max-powered predecessor, the MacBook Professional 16-inch (2023), the most recent gargantuan Professional laptop computer retains its outdated design however packs a speedier processor: both the M3 Professional or M3 Max chip. Whereas which may sound anti-climatic, the brand new Apple silicon guarantees to ship vital efficiency positive aspects over all M-series MacBooks.
I just lately bought some hands-on time with the brand new MacBook Professional 16-inch. Not solely did I get to take a look at the superior new Area Grey coloration that forestalls fingerprints, however I even bought to see a handful of contemporary graphically demanding video games operating on the brand new machine. Even when this seems precisely just like the 16-inch MacBook Professional I reviewed again in January of this 12 months, its efficiency will little doubt make it among the finest MacBooks you should buy… even when the worth is a premium.
I am going to have a full evaluate of the MacBook Professional 16-inch (M3, 2023) for you quickly. For now, right here is an early take a look at the brand new Apple laptop computer.
MacBook Professional 16-inch (M3, 2023): Specs
| Header Cell – Column 1 | |
|---|---|
| Beginning value | $2,299 |
| Display screen | 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR show (3,456 x 2,234, 254ppi) |
| Processor | M3 Professional (12-core CPU, 18-core GPU) or as much as M2 Max (16-core CPU, 40-core GPU) |
| Battery measurement | 100Wh |
| Battery life (examined) | As much as 22 hours Apple TV app film playback | As much as 15 hours wi-fi net |
| Storage | 512GB to 8TB |
| Reminiscence | 18GB to 128GB |
| Ports | Thunderbolt 4 (x3), HDMI, MagSafe 3, headphone jack, SD reminiscence card slot |
| Webcam | 1080p FaceTime HD digital camera |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 14.0 x 9.7 x 0.6 inches |
| Weight | 4.7 kilos (M3 Professional) – 4.8 kilos (M3 Max) |
MacBook Professional 16-inch (M3, 2023): Design and show
The brand new MacBook Professional 16-inch options the identical sturdy, squared-off aluminum chassis as its predecessors. It is also the identical measurement and weight, coming in at 14.01 x 9.77 x 0.66 inches and 4.7 kilos (4.8 for the M3 Max mannequin). You will additionally discover the identical port choice as earlier than, particularly three Thunderbolt 4/USB4 ports, an HDMI port, a MagSafe charging port, a headphone jack and an SD reminiscence card slot.
As earlier than, the 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR show has tremendous skinny bezels that permit you to see extra of the display. Earlier than you ask, no, the notch within the high middle of the display hasn’t gone away — neither is it a Dynamic Island because the web bought approach too enthusiastic about earlier this week. However as I’ve mentioned earlier than, I do not thoughts the notch on 16-inch MacBook Professionals, for the reason that total display measurement makes the notch seem smaller.
Talking in regards to the show, it seems simply as gorgeous on the brand new 16-inch laptop computer as earlier than. It is brilliant, colourful and runs silky clean due to its 120Hz ProMotion refresh fee. Our lab checks will reveal what this show can do, however given the way it’s the identical show featured on its predecessors, we anticipate related wonderful outcomes.
The very last thing price mentioning is the brand new Area Black coloration. Sure, it seems unimaginable, however the perfect half is that the end has an anodization seal that reduces fingerprints. This is not simply advertising bluster as I skilled this myself after I checked out the machine. The few fingerprints I might depart on the lid disappeared in seconds or had been barely seen. I in all probability should not get as excited a couple of new coloration as I’m, nevertheless it’s actually spectacular stuff.
MacBook Professional 16-inch (M3, 2023): Efficiency
We won’t choose efficiency till we have put the brand new MacBook Professional 16-inch by means of our sequence of efficiency checks. But when Apple’s claims are true, then we might see some gorgeous outcomes due to the M3 Professional and M3 Max chips powering this monster pocket book.
The M3’s CPU is receiving enhancements over earlier M-series chips. Apple says the efficiency cores are as much as 30% quicker than Apple M1, whereas effectivity cores are as much as 50% quicker. The M3 line will apparently have the identical multi-core efficiency as M1 however use as little as half the ability — as much as 35% extra efficiency at peak energy, in line with Apple.
The M3 Professional chip has 37 billion transistors and an 18-core GPU that’s as much as 40% quicker than M1 Professional. This chip has a 12-core CPU (6 efficiency, 6 effectivity) that may ship as much as 30% quicker single-threaded efficiency over M1 Professional. M3 Professional has as much as 36GB of unified reminiscence.
As for the M3 Max, it packs 92 billion transistors, as much as a 40-core GPU that’s 50% quicker than M1 Max and a 16-core CPU (12 efficiency, 4 effectivity) that’s as much as 80% quicker than M1 Max. On high of that, this processor can assist as much as 128GB of unified reminiscence — which is completely insane! However for those who’re a video editor who works with 8K movies, that mind-boggling quantity of reminiscence will serve you properly.
The brand new M3 chips have an enhanced Neural Engine meant to speed up machine studying (ML) fashions This Neural Engine is as much as 60% quicker than within the M1 sequence, says Apple. M3 processors even have a sophisticated media engine that gives {hardware} acceleration for video codecs like H.264, HEVC, ProRes and ProRes RAW. The media engine additionally helps AV1 decoding, which is a primary for Mac.
MacBook Professional 16-inch (M3, 2023): Graphics and gaming
The M3 lineup has an enhanced GPU containing a brand new characteristic referred to as Dynamic Caching. This allocates the usage of native reminiscence in {hardware} in actual time and solely makes use of the precise quantity of reminiscence wanted for particular duties. In response to Apple, this characteristic is an business first and can improve the efficiency of demanding purposes and video video games.
{Hardware}-accelerated ray tracing makes its debut on Mac due to the brand new M3 chips. The brand new GPU additionally brings hardware-accelerated mesh shading to Mac. This could all end in higher-quality graphics with extra correct lighting and detailed environments. Apple says the M3 GPU delivers the identical efficiency as M1 at half the ability — as much as 65% extra efficiency at its peak.
Throughout a earlier Mac gaming occasion, I bought to take a look at Layers of Worry operating on a 16-inch MacBook Professional sporting an M2 Max chip. Its graphical constancy impressed me then, however I used to be blown away seeing the identical title on an M3 machine. The ray-traced reflections I noticed in mirrors and puddles made the horror recreation really feel extra horrifying. Baldur’s Gate 3 and Lies of P additionally regarded and ran phenomenally on M3 with spectacular quantities of element in textures.
MacBook Professional 16-inch (M3, 2023): Outlook
The 16-inch MacBook Professionals with M-series chip have constantly been amongst my favourite laptops, and the M3 Professional and M3 Max-driven notebooks look set to proceed that development. Not solely will we get the identical modern trendy design we have come to like, however we’re additionally getting a fetching new coloration and a probably large increase in efficiency. Keep tuned for our full evaluate!