MacBook Pro, Baller Edition: Apple’s latest and greatest Pro laptop can cost more than a hatchback

Alongside the launch of a refreshed iMac and an entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro, Apple is introducing upgraded versions of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, featuring the potent M3 Pro and M3 Max processors. While maintaining the same iconic design and port layout as their predecessors, these machines now flaunt a new and striking “space black” colour, replacing the previous space grey option.

The enhancements offered by these MacBook Pro models extend to various aspects, from sheer performance to configurability. Notably, the M3 Max MacBook Pro allows users to configure their device with up to a staggering 128GB of RAM, setting a new high for Apple’s laptop lineup.

Crazy expensive options
The top-end 16-inch M3 Max MacBook Pro starts at Rs 3,99,900. However, if you were to spec it up, then the sky is your literal limit. In fact, if someone were to completely max out on all the specifications of the M3 Max MacBook Pro, they would be spending more than what a hatchback costs nowadays.

The 16-inch M3 Max MacBook Pro, which costs Rs 3,99,900, comes with 48GB RAM and 1TB storage. If we go for the highest RAM option available on these new Macs, we add another Rs 1,00,000 to our total, bringing it up to Rs 4,99,900.

If we add the highest spec storage option that we can get from Apple, the 8GB SSD that they are offering, we add another Rs 2,20,000 to this. This brings our grand total to Rs 7,19,000. And this doesn’t even include Apple Care or any additional software like Final Cut Pro or Logix Pro most pro users would be interested in buying

Preorders start today, deliveries from November 7
Preorders for these upgraded MacBook Pro models have commenced today, with the M3 Pro models set to be available starting on November 7th. The M3 Max units, however, are expected to ship a bit later, with arrival anticipated sometime in November.

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Apple claims that the new space black finish is designed to be less prone to fingerprints compared to the previous “midnight” MacBook Air in dark blue. The company attributes this improvement to a “breakthrough chemistry” that forms an anodization seal, reducing the visibility of fingerprints. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that this seal may not be as effective in preventing scratches or scuffs, which might reveal the underlying silver if they are deep enough.

Performance-wise, these MacBook Pro models pack a punch. The M3 Pro boasts a 12-core CPU and can accommodate an 18-core GPU, offering performance gains of up to 40 per cent when compared to the M1 Pro. It can be configured with up to 36GB of RAM, a slight increase from the previous 32GB limit. On the other hand, the M3 Max takes things up a notch with a 16-core CPU and up to a 40-core GPU, delivering an impressive 80 per cent increase in speed compared to the M1 Max chip from two years ago.

M3 SoC a remarkable upgrade over M2 SoCs
While the M2 chips were already known for their remarkable speed, Apple’s focus for the M3 series is primarily on graphics enhancements. These 3-nanometer chips offer hardware-accelerated ray tracing and hardware-accelerated mesh shading, a significant leap forward, especially for Mac gaming. The improved GPU performance is attributed to a feature Apple dubs “Dynamic Caching,” which allocates local memory usage in real time to optimize performance.

Apple claims that the new MacBook Pro models can deliver up to 22 hours of battery life, particularly in the case of the 16-inch M3 Pro model. The M3 Max may have slightly reduced endurance due to the additional power required by its multiple GPU cores. These MacBook Pros share most features with the earlier M2 Pro / Max models, including a vivid Mini LED display, a high-quality speaker system, three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port, an SD card reader, and a MagSafe connector for charging. The display brightness has been bumped up to 600 nits for SDR content, a 20 per cent improvement from the previous models.