New vs outdated 14-inch MacBook Professional: M3 Professional/Max vs M2 Professional/Max MacBooks in contrast

Apple has up to date its 14-inch MacBook Professional vary, including the most recent M3, M3 Professional and M3 Max silicon to make them even sooner than the fashions they substitute.

So, if you happen to’re pondering of upgrading an outdated Intel-powered MacBook Professional or your M1-powered system wants changing, you is likely to be questioning whether or not to leap to the most recent MacBook Professional. On this article, we examine the final two generations so you possibly can resolve whether or not to purchase the most recent mannequin or, if you happen to see a superb deal, maybe the mannequin that launched in early 2023 can be appropriate.

We talk about what’s new concerning the M3 MacBook Professional individually in 13-inch M2 vs 14-inch M3 MacBook Professional: Huge upgrades in a small package deal.

14-inch MacBook Professional M3 Professional/Max vs M2 Professional/Max: Specs

Earlier than we go into extra element on how the assorted fashions stack up, right here’s a breakdown of the technical specs:

14-inch MacBook Professional M3 Professional/Max vs M2 Professional/Max: Value

With the introduction of the M3 Professional and M3 Max MacBook Professional fashions, Apple has discontinued the M2 Professional and M2 Max MacBook Professional. This implies you possibly can’t purchase them direct from the corporate. Nonetheless different retailers are more likely to have inventory of these fashions for a while, and they’ll in all probability be discounting them. You may additionally see Apple promoting them in its refurbished retailer.

In fact, you received’t be capable to configure any of the older M2-series MacBook Professional now, so in order for you the upper allocations of RAM or onboard storage, you then’ll have to go for the M3-series as an alternative.

Right here’s how the usual choice 14-inch MacBook Professional M3 (Professional/Max) fashions are priced at launch:

• 14-inch MacBook Professional M3 Professional (11-core CPU, 14-Core GPU, 18GB Unified Reminiscence, 512GB SSD) – $1,999/£2,099
• 14-inch MacBook Professional M3 Professional (12-core CPU, 18-Core GPU, 18GB Unified Reminiscence, 1TB SSD) – $2,399/£2,499
• 14-inch MacBook Professional M3 Max (14-core CPU, 30-Core GPU, 36GB Unified Reminiscence, 1TB SSD) – $3,199/£3,299

For reference, right here’s how the 14-inch MacBook Professional M2 Professional and Max fashions have been priced:

• 14-inch MacBook Professional M2 Professional (10-Core CPU, 16-Core GPU, 16GB Unified Reminiscence, 512GB SSD) – $1,999/£2,149
• 14-inch MacBook Prop M2 Professional (12-Core CPU, 19-Core GPU, 16GB Unified Reminiscence, 1TB SSD) – $2,499/£2,699
• 14-inch MacBook Professional M2 Max (12-Core CPU, 30-Core GPU, 32GB Unified Reminiscence, 1TB SSD) – $3,099/£3,499

As you possibly can see there are some modifications to the pricing, with some equal fashions costing extra and others much less within the U.S. whereas all fashions are actually cheaper within the U.Ok.

Yow will discover the most effective costs for each mannequin in our round-up of the greatest MacBook Professional offers.

Greatest costs for the 14-inch MacBook Professional M3 Professional, from $1,999/£2,099

$1849

$1,959.94

$1999

$1999

Greatest costs for the 14-inch MacBook Professional M3 Max, from $3,199/£3,299

Greatest costs for the 14-inch MacBook Professional M2 Professional, was from $1,999/£2,149

New
Refurbished

$1599

$1,889.96

$2864

$3099

MacBook Professional (2023) 14.2-inch – Apple M2 Professional 10-core and 16-core GPU – 16GB RAM – SSD 512GB

$1789.00

MacBook Professional (2023) 14.2-inch – Apple M2 Professional 10-core and 16-core GPU – 16GB RAM – SSD 512GB

$1789.00

Greatest costs for the 14-inch MacBook Professional M2 Max, was from $3,099/£3,499

$1934.1

$2199

$2,299.00

$2499

14-inch MacBook Professional M3 Professional/Max vs M2 Professional/Max: Design

Many of the modifications which have occurred between these generations are discovered on the within of the case. Actually, the variants in query all share the identical steel physique building and bear similar dimensions:

• 0.61 x 12.31 x 8.71in, 3.5lbs (M3 Professional), 3.6lbs (M3 Max)
• 1.55 x 31.26 x 22.12cm, 1.61kg (M3 Professional), 1.62kg (M3 Max)

Weight is sort of the identical, with the older fashions being 0.01kg heavier than their replacements (this distinction is so slight it doesn’t appear to determine in kilos). All of them include 3x Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports, HDMI, SDXC card slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

There’s the identical keyboard, which features a Contact ID button. The 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR show with ProMotion has solely modified barely–the display on this technology is barely brighter than the predecessor. There’s additionally the identical six-speaker sound system, 1080p Facetime HD webcam, and battery life additionally hasn’t modified.

Apple

One distinction is the color-schemes out there. The M2-powered units got here in House Gray and Silver liveries, whereas the M3 line-up comes within the darker House Black or Silver. By the way it’s solely the M3 Professional and Max that are available House Black, the entry-level M3 MacBook Professional is available in House Gray or Silver.

14-inch MacBook Professional M3 Professional/Max vs M2 Professional/Max: Efficiency

Clearly, the principle differentiator between these fashions (except for worth) is the silicon inside. The brand new M3 Professional and M3 Max are, on paper, weirdly decrease in some specs to the M2 equivalents they substitute. However Apple has been doing a little reconfiguring within the design to make them sooner than the older chips.

As an illustration, the baseline M2 Professional has a 10-core CPU (6 efficiency and 4 effectivity) and 16-core GPU. The identical tier M3 Professional has an 11-core CPU (5 efficiency and 6 effectivity) and 14-core GPU. these figures, the M2 Professional could possibly be sooner, a minimum of within the graphics division, however as you possibly can see from the benchmarks under, this isn’t the case.

It’s extra clear-cut with the M3 Max, which comes with a 14-core CPU (10 efficiency and 4 effectivity) and a 30-core GPU, whereas the M2 Max has a 12-core CPU (8 efficiency and 4 effectivity) and a 30-core GPU.

Foundry

As you’d anticipate, the newer M3 chipsets have efficiency enhancements throughout the board, though it’s removed from evening and day. Whereas the M3 Max variants are a few of the strongest Apple has ever put in a Mac, with solely the M2 Ultras managing to beat them. The M3 Execs are a lot nearer to the M2 Execs they substitute.

As you possibly can see from our benchmarks under, the M3 Professional (11-core) outclasses the M2 Professional (10-Core) that was its direct competitors. However it’s marginally edged out by the M2 Professional (12-Core). That being mentioned, the M3 Professional (12 core) is nicely forward of all of those. So, when it comes to head-to-head matchups, the M3 fashions are undoubtedly an enchancment on the M2 variants. However you might get higher efficiency if you happen to can choose up the upper model of the M2 Professional as an alternative of the baseline M3 Professional.

Yow will discover extra particulars in our deep dive of how the M3 compares to each different Apple processor.

14-inch MacBook Professional M3 Professional/Max vs M2 Professional/Max: Show

As we’ve famous above, you get just about the identical show throughout the vary. It is a 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR panel, working at a decision of 3024 x 1964, and with the 120Hz ProMotion refresh charge to make scrolling smoother. There’s additionally Broad Colour (P3), True Tone, and XDR brightness of 1000 nits sustained full-screen or 1600 nits peak (HDR content material solely).

The one distinction is that the M3 fashions have an SDR brightness of 600 nits, which is 100 greater than the M2 Professional and Max fashions.

Apple

On the high and heart of the show is the notch that homes the 1080p FaceTime HD digicam, which a minimum of denotes (if it’s necessary to you) that each one of those MacBooks got here after the M1 fashions. You don’t lose any display house although, because the facet ratio of those MacBooks is 16×10, slightly than the 16×9 of the previous. Which means the road on the high the place the notch lives is definitely further house slightly than slicing into the normal show.

Mainly, you get a superb show, regardless of which mannequin you select. Must you choose one thing larger, then there are the 16-inch MacBook Professional fashions, which we’ve checked out in our 14-inch MacBook Professional vs 16-inch MacBook Professional comparability.

14-inch MacBook Professional M3 Professional/Max vs M2 Professional/Max: Audio

Apple suits the identical six-speaker Excessive-Constancy sound system with force-cancelling woofers on all of the fashions. These ship a large stereo sound, with help for Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos. In case you use AirPods (third technology), AirPods Professional or AirPods Max, you then’ll additionally get help for dynamic head-tracking when utilizing Spatial Audio.

There’s a triple mic-array with directional beamforming for clear audio on video calls, plus the three.5mm headphone jack has help for high-impedance headphones corresponding to studio-quality ones that require extra energy.

If that isn’t sufficient, then the onboard HDMI ports also can deal with multi-channel audio output.

14-inch MacBook Professional M3 Professional/Max vs M2 Professional/Max: Webcam

Webcams have by no means been a standout characteristic on MacBooks, however with the brand new 1080p FaceTime HD that arrived on the M2 fashions, issues are lastly trying up. Though Apple has used a notch to accommodate the digicam, don’t be fooled into pondering it’s a TrueDepth digicam like that on the iPhone. You may’t use Face ID on these Macs or Animoji. It’s only a webcam, albeit one which’s a bit clearer than on older variations of the MacBook.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

14-inch MacBook Professional M3 Professional/Max vs M2 Professional/Max: Battery life

Once more, there’s nothing to separate the fashions right here. That is fascinating although, as they do have totally different battery capacities. The M2 units include a 70-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery, whereas the M3 variations comprise a bigger 72.4 watt-hour lithium-polymer cell. However Apple states that both will ship as much as 12 hours of wi-fi net use or 18 hours of video playback. All help fast-charge when utilizing a 96W USB-C energy charger, however this not included with the baseline fashions for both chipset, that are as an alternative given 67W (M2 Professional 10-core CPU) or 70W (M3 Professional 11-core CPU) chargers.

14-inch MacBook Professional M3 Professional/Max vs M2 Professional/Max: Verdict

With the 14-inch MacBook with M2 Professional or Max now defunct, you’ll have to store round if you wish to choose one up. It’s price a glance although, because the precise MacBooks are just about similar and efficiency variations aren’t so large that you just’d miss out if you happen to may save a piece of cash on the M2 Professional or Max. If you would like the quickest processors although, to not point out the power to configure your system before you purchase, then the M3 Professional or Max MacBooks ought to maintain you cheerful for a very long time.