M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Professional long-term evaluate
It has been three months since Apple launched its top-of-the-line 16-inch MacBook Professional with the brand new M3 Max processor. Let’s revisit it to see the way it’s held up and if it truly is “scary quick.”
Whereas we check all Apple units, our every day driver and productiveness workhorse has been the MacBook Professional line. On the tail finish of 2023, we upgraded our M2 Max 16-inch MacBook Professional to the brand new M3 Max model.
Earlier than diving in to how the 2023 16-inch MacBook Professional has held as much as our workflow, let’s revisit the specs.
M3 Max MacBook Professional 16-inch evaluate three months later: Specs
The late 2023 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Execs can include an M3, M3 Professional, or M3 Max processor on the within. We have been utilizing the aforementioned M3 Max for the reason that first day of availability.
Our mannequin was kitted-out with a 16-inch core CPU, 40-core GPU, and 64GB of reminiscence.
In comparison with the final era, the late-2023 MacBook Execs moved from a 12-core max CPU to a 16-core and from a 38-core GPU to a 40-core max.
Reminiscence now maxes out at 128GB up from the earlier 96GB Max, however we nonetheless selected the 64GB possibility. It was solely a $200 improve to go from 32GB to the 64GB configuration, however a further $800 to maneuver as much as the 128GB.
Apple’s reminiscence costs are nonetheless exorbitant and 64GB was sufficient on our last-gen machine. To date, it has been an excellent capability on this machine as nicely.
M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Professional long-term evaluate: Left-side ports
As for ports, there’s nothing new to see right here year-over-year. It is the identical choice and format as we had earlier than. MagSafe 3, twin Thunderbolt, and a headphone jack are on the left and an SDXC card reader, solo Thunderbolt port, and an HDMI port are on the fitting.
For wi-fi connectivity, we’re Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E.
The show is (almost) the identical with a slight increase in brightness. It is a 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR show with ProMotion variable refresh charges as much as 120Hz.
M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Professional long-term evaluate: The brand new show is brighter to assist with vivid environments
Typical brightness has elevated from 600 nits to 800 nits. It is not a monumental leap by any means, however when your desk may very well be wherever within the solar — together with outdoors — any improve is welcomed.
It appears to chop by way of the glare only a bit higher than its predecessor, although nothing will counteract full daylight.
M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Professional long-term evaluate: Silver versus Area Black
Lastly, the brand new mannequin is available in a Area Black shade for the M3 Professional and M3 Max fashions alongside silver. The M3 model nonetheless has a Area Grey shade within the lineup.
M3 Max MacBook Professional 16-inch evaluate three months later: Revisiting the efficiency
We dove deeply into the efficiency in our preliminary evaluate, however to recap at a high-level, the brand new M3 Max scored 3,209 on Geekbench’s single-core check and 21,202 on the multi-core.
M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Professional long-term evaluate: M3 Max Geekbench single-core outcomes
That is a considerable leap in efficiency over the M2 Max that was no slouch. The M2 Max scored 2,755 and 21,101 respectively underneath those self same assessments.
M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Professional long-term evaluate: M3 Max Geekbench multi-core outcomes
Graphically talking, on the Geekbench OpenGL and Metallic assessments, the M3 Max earned 155,991 and 92,004. The M2 Max got here in at 135,839 and 84,794.
M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Professional long-term evaluate: M3 Max Geekbench GPU outcomes
It is nonetheless a far cry from the 219,609 Metallic rating and 127,999 OpenGL rating that the M2 Extremely chip fetches within the Mac Professional nevertheless it has way over the 40 GPU cores you may configure the M3 Max with.
M3 Max MacBook Professional 16-inch evaluate three months later: Placing it to make use of
Utilizing the M3 Max MacBook Professional has been a dream. It feels just like the Mac in its truest kind.
Opening apps is near-instant. Safari is fluid and clean. Regardless of opening in extra of 80 tabs in Safari and having greater than a dozen different apps operating concurrently, the Mac by no means appears to falter.
M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Professional long-term evaluate: Exporting a video in Remaining Reduce Professional
Video exports are as quick as they’ve ever been. It takes us lower than two minutes to export a 4K 13-minute video.
The M2 Max was already an distinctive chip, however like many elements of this Mac, the M3 Max is a bit bit higher.
We have been followers of the brand new Area Black end, which is price revisiting. It is held up surprisingly nicely with a lot use.
M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Professional long-term evaluate: Area Black MagSafe 3 port
After three months of heavy every day use, there aren’t any put on marks on the palm rests and it resists oil extremely nicely. Because it’s darkish, it might probably nonetheless present mud, nevertheless it seems a lot nicer than the Midnight end on the MacBook Air.
Extra importantly, it hasn’t appeared to flake off across the ports. That was additionally an issue with the Midnight colorway and a priority right here, too.
In our opinion, it’s a little higher than the Area Grey shade, even when it is not a real black.
M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Professional long-term evaluate: SD card reader
Equally, the SD card reader holds us up. SD is not the quickest medium, and though Apple did not present the quickest reader attainable, it is going to at all times be sluggish when transferring massive recordsdata.
M3 Max MacBook Professional 16-inch evaluate three months later: Trying to the longer term
It feels as if the Mac is having a second proper now. After a collection of tough missteps, Apple is again heading in the right direction.
For years we noticed MacBooks stricken by keyboard points, a drought of ports, and the love or hate Contact Bar. These are all problems with the previous.
There aren’t any lingering keyboard reliability points and we additionally noticed the return of all kinds of ports. This occurred a number of fashions again, however we’re nonetheless reaping the advantages at this time.
M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Professional long-term evaluate: Utilizing the brand new MacBook Professional
The processors at the moment are higher than ever and the M3 collection has pushed the boundaries of the ability Apple can match into a conveyable machine.
We’re additionally on the precipice of latest expertise to push the Mac even additional.
In January we noticed the launch of Wi-Fi 7 that guarantees 4.8X the information speeds as Wi-Fi 6e. There’s additionally Thunderbolt 5 coming with help for as much as 120Gbps of information (up from 80Gbps), 240W of charging, and help for extra exterior shows.
There is not any assure we’re getting these in a Mac in late 2024, nevertheless it’s these applied sciences that now have to sustain with the wonderful {hardware} Apple has created.
M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Professional long-term evaluate: Apple’s newest laptop computer sitting on a desk
As for proper now, we’re loving the 16-inch MacBook Professional with the M3 Max and the glossy Area Black shade. There weren’t monumental adjustments over the prior mannequin, however a lot of small adjustments make it just a bit bit higher.
M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Professional evaluate three months later: Execs
- M3 Max is extremely quick
- Greater tier reminiscence possibility accessible
- Area Black shade holds up nicely to grease and chips
- Battery life is sufficient for traditional workday
- Peak Mac efficiency
M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Professional evaluate three months later: Cons
- Improve costs nonetheless hit your pockets onerous
- Area Black is not fairly darkish sufficient
Ranking: 4.5 out of 5
M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Professional long-term evaluate: The place to purchase
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