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Apple unveils M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max

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Re: Apple unveils M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max

#711

Post by delfinom »

kivlad wrote: post #160

A few things I noticed, as I'm seeing the variety of SKUs becoming more complex. - Note that memory bandwidth is down. M2 Pro had 200GB/s, M3 Pro only has 150GB/s. M3 Max only has 400GB/s on the higher binned part. - Just like the low-spec M3 14" has one fewer Thunderbolt port, it also doesn't officially support Thunderbolt 4 (like M1/M2 before it) - The M3 Pro loses the option for an 8TB SSD. Likely because it was a…

The SKUs are becoming more complex because they are probably learning why Intel/AMD have so many SKUs. Making complex chips at scale results in a range of less-than-ideal chips. This drives a the need to segment and bin chips into different SKUs to reduce losses, rather than trying to sell one SKU and throw awaying the anomalies.

Re: Apple unveils M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max

#712

Post by d3w4s9 »

dottjt wrote: post #47
scrlk wrote: post #7

Base 14" M3 MBP comes with 8 GB RAM at $1599 USD. That's pretty stingy.

That's what happens when there's no competition. Come up with an equivalent product with more RAM at the same price and I'll buy it. Sadly (or perhaps gladly, depending on your perspective), there just is no equivalent to a macbook for many people.

I am sure if look closely at Windows laptops you can find plenty of competition. Of course the screen and the speakers are not as good and battery life is shorter, but if you can look over that (and I find most people outside HN don't really care) you can go pretty far with a premium Windows laptop (XPS/ThinkPad/HP EliteBook).

Re: Apple unveils M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max

#713

Post by Sakos »

frutiger wrote: post #413
saagarjha wrote: post #307

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Display pipelines are expensive and take area.

Easy to say but hard to prove. How much more expensive would an MBP be if they supported it? How many fewer units would they shift? Those are harder questions to answer. We could assume Apple crunched the numbers. Or perhaps they just stuck to the status quo. Only an insider or decision maker (maybe that’s you) knows.

The CEO is a supply chain guy. They've been optimizing their profit margins ruthlessly since he took the helm. I don't think any savings are too small, particularly if comparatively few users are affected and it motivates upselling.

I think it's weird though how far people go to defend Apple. It's objectively making (some) users worse off. Apple clearly doesn't care and the people defending them also clearly don't. But the affected users do care and "but money" isn't really a good excuse for them. It also doesn't solve their problem of not being able to use two external monitors anymore without spending significantly more money.

Re: Apple unveils M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max

#714

Post by Toutouxc »

icedchai wrote: post #308
killerdhmo wrote: post #173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You know they announced a price cut right?

The low end "MacBook Pro" without a "pro" chip and only 8 gigs of RAM cannot seriously be considered a "pro" machine. That is a marketing gimmick.

You only need to bump the RAM to 16 GB to get a nice, quiet, efficient dev machine, similar to an Air, but with the significantly better screen, speakers and longer battery life.

Re: Apple unveils M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max

#715

Post by tqkxzugoaupvwqr »

coffeebeqn wrote: post #218
rickette wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do I need to select the most expensive M3 Max version (the one with 16 cores) to get 48 or 64 gigs of RAM. The M3 Max with 14 cores only allow 36 or 96 gigs. Just let me choose 14 cores and 64 gigs.

You are in their target market of who they can really squeeze since you want something a little bit special. Their memory pricing has always been absurd. Even on an older MacBook it was often +$200 for something silly like a 16GB SODIMM that costs $50 at the store. I still think their build quality , screen quality and OS are pretty much unmatched.

It’s worse. The configurator is labeled with a relative price upgrade but an absolute RAM size. The actual deal is +$200 for +8 GB RAM which is outrageous.

Re: Apple unveils M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max

#716

Post by russelg »

foldr wrote: post #704
avereveard wrote: post #599

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not at all. Version of MacBook Pro with the M1 and M2 base chip can only drive one external monitor. And 600$ upgrade for the privilege of having a second external monitor is one hell of a step.

You're talking about the 13" model (now retired). As the previous poster said, the models that have been upgraded here have always been able to drive two displays.

The new base Macbook Pro M3 cannot drive two external displays. If you get all nit-picky you can say it drives two displays, as long as one of them is the internal display.

Re: Apple unveils M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max

#717

Post by Toutouxc »

goosedragons wrote: post #213
minimaxir wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The price cut is the new starting model with just the M3 as a new SKU. The old comparible SKUs are about the same.

It's arguably also a price increase over the outgoing 13" M2 MBP model it replaces which was $1300.

It doesn't really replace the 13" MBP. That was a weird in-between relic with the old screen, a TouchBar and a fan that the CPU didn't really need. Essentially an Air with a bunch of semi-useless upgrades. Both the actual 13" Air and the real 14" Pro were significantly better, more focused machines.

Re: Apple unveils M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max

#718

Post by Toutouxc »

bmitc wrote: post #433
Detrytus wrote: post #262

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Name the more advanced chip then... Intel and AMD fall short.

Wouldn't make more sense for Apple to define and backup what they mean as the most advanced? Also, Apple's products never hold up to the specs they quote in their marketing material any way. I'm not sure why you are taking their own post as fact, when Apple is one of the most blatant over marketing companies around. And even if it was true, it doesn't matter because Apple is obsessed with placing their chips in the m…

> Apple's products never hold up to the specs they quote in their marketing material any way

For example?

Re: Apple unveils M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max

#719

Post by russelg »

amelius wrote: post #616
coldtea wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's even better, you can buy the whole machine, with a great monitor, connectors, a keyboard, and so on!

I want to build a cluster and run it in a data center.

Then wait for the M3 Mac Mini and get a fleet of those instead.

Re: Apple unveils M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max

#720

Post by walterbell »

shanghaikid wrote: post #707
walterbell wrote: post #492

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Allow the user to turn off the internal display in favor of 2 external displays. That would be a usable docked configuration.

you are right, but apple won't do this.

independent repair technician demo video to mux MBA internal and external display?
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