Apple MacBook Pro M3 14: Features, Price, Performance and Comparison

Apple launches 14-inch MacBook Pro powered by new M3 chip. An M3 chip powers it and comes in various configuration options, ranging from 512GB to 2TB of storage and 8GB to 24GB of RAM.

Beyond that, the M3 Pro and Max have more configuration options, ranging from 512GB to 8TB of storage and 8GB to 128GB of RAM.

Everything is stunning, from the powerful M3 chip to the stunning display and versatile ports.

This article will discuss its features, performance, and how it differs from its predecessor. We’ll find out if it lives up to Apple’s claims. Beyond that, we’ll also examine whether it suits performance and budget.

Apple MacBook Pro M3 -14 Inch: Key Features

Model Name	Apple MacBook Pro M3
Processor	Apple M3
Core / Threads	8 (4-Performance Core, 4-Efficient Core), 8
Frequency	3.7 GHz, 100GB/s Memory bandwidth
RAM	8GB Unified Memory (Configurable up to 24GB)
Storage	512GB or 1TB or 512GB or 1TB SSD (Configurable up to 2TB)
Graphics Card	10 Core GPU
Display	14.2 Inches, QHD+(3024×1964), Liquid Retina XDR display
Operating System (OS)	MacOS
Weight	1.55 kg (3.41 lbs)
Battery	70 Whr, Lithium Polymer

Apple MacBook Pro M3 14-Inch: Specifications

Processor (CPU)

Processor Model Name	Apple M3
Processor Speed	3.7 GHz
Memory Bandwidth	100GB/s
Cores	8
Thread	8
Fabrication Process	3 nm

Video Card

Graphics Processor	10 Core GPU
Graphics Memory Capacity	System Shared
Graphic Type	Integrated
Material	Apple Silicon
Fabrication process	3 nm

RAM

Memory Capacity	8GB Unified Memory (Configurable up to 24GB)
Memory Type	LPDDR5
Frequency	6400 MHz
Memory Slots	2×4 GB
Upgradable	No

Storage

Storage Capacity	512GB or 1TB or (512GB or 1TB SSD)
Storage Type	SSD (M2)
Channels	1x512GB or 2x512GB
Upgradable	No

Display

Screen Size	14.2 inches
Screen Resolution	3024×1964 pixels
Refresh Rate	120Hz
Pixel Density	254 ppi
Display Screen Type	Liquid Retina XDR display
HDR support	Yes, Dolby Vision
Touch Input	No
Coating	Glossy finish
Maximum brightness	600 nits
Aspect ratio	16:10
Contrast	10,00,000:1
sRGB Color Space	100%
DCI-P3 color gamut	100%
Colour	1 billion colors, Wide color (P3), True Tone technology

Battery

Capacity	70 Whr
Charging time	2 hr
Battery type	Lithium Polymer
Removable	No
Fast charging	Yes
USB power delivery	Yes
Charging connector location	Right, Left
Charging power	70W USB-C Power Adapter/ Fast-charge capable with 96W USB-C Power Adapter

Frame

The weight	1.55 kg (3.41 lbs)
Dimensions	12.31 x 8.71 x 0.61 inches
Screen-to-body ratio	~84.6%
Side Frames	3.4 mm
Material	Aluminum
Colors	Silver, Space Gray
Transformer	No
Screen Opening Angle	135°

Thermal Management

Cooling type	Active
Evaporation chamber	No
Liquid Metal	No
Number of Fans	2
Maximum Fan Speed	6800 RPM

Sound

Speakers	4.2 (4 tweeters and 2 woofers)
Speaker Power	2x2W
Dolby Atmos	Yes
Microphones	2

Communications

WiFi Version	v6E
Bluetooth	v5.3
Fingerprint Scanner	Yes
Drive	No
Webcam	Above the display
Webcam Resolution	1920 x 1080

IO and Ports

USB Type -A	No
USB Type -C	3x USB 4.0
Thunderbolt	Thunderbolt 4 (up to 40 Gbps)
HDMI	1x HDMI 2.1
Display port	No
VGA	No
Audio port (3.5mm)	Yes
Ethernet (RJ45)	No
card reader	Yes
Separate charging port	Yes

Keyboard and Touchpad

Key type	Island
Numeric Block	No
Keyboard Size	13.2 x 8.1 cm
Key Travel	1 mm
Backlight	Yes
Surface	Glass
Windows Precision	No

Benchmark

Test	Single-Core	Multi-Core
Geekbench 6
Cinebench R23

Apple MacBook Pro M3 14-Inch: Price and Availability

Apple’s new MacBook Pro 14-inch has come in the market with the new M3 chip, whose base configuration is currently priced at $1,599 in the United States and AU$2,699 in Australia. This base model has an M3 chip, 8GB integrated memory, and 256GB storage.

Apart from this, if you need more storage, then that option is also available in which you will get storage options up to 2TB, but its price is also higher due to more storage.

Its price is in the US with 2TB storage. It is priced at $1,999 in the US and AU$ 3,599 in Australia. This price is much higher than its predecessor, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 chip. The previous 13-inch M2 model had a starting price of just $1,299.

This price is not fixed, and it can be different at different places for different configurations; hence, it would be good to go to the official website once before buying and check the price.

The MacBook Pro with the M3 chip is available to order now on Apple’s official website. Apart from this, it is also available for purchase on the famous e-commerce websites Amazon and Walmart.

Apple MacBook Pro M3 14-Inch: Performance

CPU Performance

This 14-inch MacBook Pro uses a new M3 chip with 8 cores and 8 threads; this 8-core has 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores, which is very fast. This is 30% faster than the performance core of the previous M1 chip and 50% faster than the efficiency core.

With integrated memory architecture, the CPU can access data more efficiently, resulting in faster response times and seamless application performance. Its base frequency is 3.7 GHz, making tasks like efficient code compilation, rendering, and complex calculations very fast.

This chip has been made using 3 nm process technology, due to which the battery life of MacBook 14 is also good because this 3 nm process packs more transistors in less space. It packs approximately 25 billion transistors into this small space. This chip handles everyday tasks, multitasking, and applications very smoothly.

GPU Performance

The M3 chip of this 14-inch MacBook Pro has a 10-core GPU, which significantly boosts the graphics processing capabilities. Its GPU is 65% more powerful than the GPU of the previous M1, so it easily handles graphics-intensive tasks.

It supports hardware-accelerated mesh shading, improving the efficiency of rendering complex scenes in applications and games. Hardware-accelerated ray tracing is also another feature that enhances lighting and shadow effects, making graphics more realistic and visually stunning.

Due to the advanced capabilities of the GPU, games load faster and run at higher frame rates. Apple has improved GPU efficiency so that high-demand graphical tasks can be performed without compromising battery life. These MacBook Pro 14 inches with M3 balance performance and power consumption.

The chip features Dynamic Caching technology, which optimizes GPU memory allocation in real-time, enhancing GPU utilization in professional applications and games.

Storage and RAM Performance

Its base model has 512GB or 1TB storage, but apart from this, this MacBook has various storage options, which can be configured with high-capacity SSD. It has been given the option to upgrade up to 8 TB SSD.

This allows it to store and access large files, videos, and applications with exceptional speed and efficiency. Its SSD has fast read and write speeds that enable data to be accessed quickly, significantly reducing loading times for applications and files.

The MacBook Pro 14 with the M3 chip can be configured with different RAM capacities to suit different needs. This base model has 8 GB RAM, which can be configured up to 24 GB. This RAM handles demanding tasks and multitasking easily.

Gaming Performance

This MacBook Pro 14-inch with M3 chip has a powerful 10-core GPU, delivering superior graphical performance and a smoother and more detailed gaming experience.

With the powerful GPU and CPU of the M3 chip, games load faster and run at higher frame rates. This results in faster level loading and smoother gameplay.

The new M3 GPU enhances gaming performance with hardware-accelerated mesh shading, increasing rendering efficiency and frame rates. It also supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing, providing realistic lighting and shadows to improve visual quality.

Dynamic caching technology optimizes GPU resources on the fly, which is beneficial for games that require efficient graphics processing.

Apple MacBook Pro M3 14-Inch: Design and Build Quality

The design of the MacBook Pro M3 is almost similar to the previous MacBook Pro design. It has a stylish aluminum chassis and an easy-to-operate lid.

This MacBook is very thin, measuring 1.55 cm (0.61 inches) thick, 31.26 cm (12.31 inches) long and 22.12 cm (8.71 inches) wide. Weighing in at 1.55 kilograms (3.41 pounds), it’s neither too heavy nor too light but still portable.

Talking about colors, the base M3 model comes in Space Gray and Silver. The Pro model offers a new color choice—Space Black.

Apple MacBook Pro M3 14-Inch: Thermal Management

Apple has claimed that it has a new thermal system that moves 50% more air than the previous MacBook 13 inch with M2 chip, which keeps the MacBook Pro 14 inch always cool. Also, its fan is not always on, which means that the device remains cool even without the fan running during daily activities.

The fan comes on only when there is a need to do a heavy task. Its designed chassis houses a larger fan with more blades resulting in increased airflow.

Good thermal management means the laptop doesn’t overheat during extended workloads, the fan doesn’t make noise and maintains high performance. Because most of the laptops get hot while doing tasks like video editing, 3D rendering but that is not the case with this one. But it still doesn’t have the best thermal management as fan noise can be heard under very heavy workloads.

If you prefer silent operation then you should use the laptop in a well-ventilated environment as it can help you manage difficult tasks in less time.

Apple MacBook Pro M3 14-Inch: Display

This 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 features a stunning Liquid Retina XDR display with a size of 14.2 inches and a resolution of 3024 x 1964 pixels. It is 20% brighter than the previous model, as the display reaches 600 nits of brightness for standard dynamic range (SDR) content.

The MacBook Pro M3 is even more impressive in high dynamic range (HDR), delivering 1,000 nits continuous brightness and 1,600 nits peak brightness and its pixel density of 254 pixels per inch (ppi) for clear, detailed scenes. Due to this, accurate and vivid colors are obtained.

This Liquid Retina XDR display combines cutting-edge display technology. It features Mini-LED backlighting, a significant advancement over standard LED technology that brings the quality closer to OLED displays.

This mini LED backlight achieves a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, delivering deep blacks and exceptional color accuracy. Local dimming further enhances the viewing experience by reducing the halo effect and improving overall image quality.

One of its most notable features is its UpPro technology, which offers variable refresh rates of up to 120Hz. This adaptive refresh rate adjusts the display to the displayed content, resulting in smoother motion and a more responsive experience. You can choose different refresh rates as per your choice.

Its display design highlight is a notch on its display, designed to maximize screen real estate.

Apple MacBook Pro M3 14-Inch: Ports and Connectivity

This MacBook has two Thunderbolt 4 ports on the left side, which is versatile and fast. These ports connect external devices, including monitors, storage, and other peripherals. The flexibility of Thunderbolt 4 takes the stress out of different types of connectivity.

MagSafe connector was unavailable in some previous Apple MacBooks, but it returned in this MacBook on the left side. Its magnetic power connection not only makes charging more convenient, but it also supports 96W fast charging. This provides a secure connection and prevents accidents due to tripping on the charging cable.

It also has an HDMI port on the right side that supports 8K displays at 60Hz or 4K at an impressive 240Hz. Apart from this, it also has a full-size SD card slot. Also, Apple has retained its traditional 3.5 mm headphone jack, which is very important for wired headphones or audio devices.

Apple MacBook Pro M3 14-Inch: Keyboard and Touchpad

This MacBook Pro M3 has Apple’s Magic Keyboard and mechanical scissor switches. This keyboard design significantly improves the problematic butterfly keyboard used in earlier MacBook models. Its size is 13.2 x 8.1 cm, neither too big nor too small.

This keyboard offers a comfortable typing experience thanks to ample key travel (1mm). The keys feel clicky and tactile, making typing for long periods feel satisfying.

The keyboard also has a backlight function that is even and bright enough, which improves the typing experience. It has a row of full-size function keys that replace the Touch Bar introduced in the previous model. The addition of these physical buttons has simplified navigation and improved productivity.

The keyboard has a fingerprint reader integrated into the power button, providing a secure and convenient login option via Touch ID.

It has Apple’s Force Touch trackpad, which is known for its better accuracy and usability. The touchpad is large and covered in glass, providing ample space for multi-touch gestures and precise cursor control. It gives a smooth and responsive surface for swiping, scrolling, and other gestures.

The trackpad supports Force Touch, which detects the pressure level being applied. Thereby allowing contextual tools and advanced gestures to enhance the navigation experience.

The tactile motors on the trackpad provide a realistic clicking experience, accurately simulating pressing a physical button, enhancing the trackpad’s tactile feel and usability. Also, this trackpad provides precise cursor navigation.

Apple MacBook Pro M3 14-Inch: Battery Life

MacBook Pro M3 battery life is excellent. It has a 70 Whr Lithium Polymer battery, which supports fast charging, which charges from 0 to 100% in about 2 hours. It offers outstanding battery life during everyday tasks, efficiently handling various productivity apps and web browsing for hours without charge. Like all laptops, its battery life is less for gaming and more demanding tasks.

The battery lasted an impressive 17 hours when web surfing at 200 nits screen brightness. The MacBook Pro M3 has impressive battery life compared to many Windows laptops. Windows laptops like the Dell XPS 15 OLED, Surface Laptop Studio 2, and Galaxy Book 3 Ultra offer up to 10 hours of battery life.

Apple MacBook Pro M3 14-Inch: Everyday Use

Multitasking

This MacBook Pro M3 is great at multitasking. Its new M3 chip handles multitasking better. It smoothly runs multiple Chrome tabs, uses apps like Slack, and does quick photo editing without any slowdown.

Apart from this, even after opening multiple tabs simultaneously and playing videos on YouTube or Netflix, it keeps up and handles them smoothly.

Everyday work

This MacBook is better than good for everyday tasks like web browsing, data entry, watching videos, and using apps. It handles all these tasks easily, and due to the excellent speed of this laptop, there is no problem in doing daily tasks.

Video Editing

This MacBook is relatively fast in video editing. It instantly converts large 4K videos to 1080p, saving time. Although not the fastest, it performs almost well in video editing tasks. If the refresh rate is required for video editing, you can edit the video by setting its screen to that refresh rate.

Online Meetings and Video Conferencing

Equipped with M3 chips, this MacBook Pro performs very well in online meetings and video conferencing. The device features an advanced 1080p FaceTime camera with superior video quality and a six-speaker sound system with high-quality audio during video calls.

The 3nm architecture of the M3 chip delivers faster performance than the previous MacBook Pros M1; this performance improvement provides smooth video streaming, lag-free audio, and responsive interactions during online meetings, making virtual communications more reliable.

Additionally, its 14.2-inch Mini-LED backlight Liquid Retina delivers vivid visuals during video conferencing, allowing content to be viewed and presented clearly and accurately.

Its ProMotion technology delivers an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz for seamless animations and transitions during online meetings, enhancing the overall visual experience. Narrow bezels around the display maximize screen real estate, which makes presentations look bigger and clearer when sharing the screen or during video conferences.

Programming (Coding)

This MacBook Pro with an M3 chip for programming and coding tasks delivers impressive performance. Its M3 chip’s 3nm architecture significantly increases processing power compared to its predecessor, making it ideal for encoding tasks.

It provides a responsive environment for application coding and software development. Also, due to its premium design and portability, it is easy to carry, so there is no problem in taking it to college and office.

Apple’s internal testing shows that the M3 chip is 60% better than the M1 MacBook Pro at rendering workloads and 40% better than the M1 MacBook Pro at code compilation and spreadsheet tasks. This exceptional performance accelerates the coding and software development process.

Is the Apple MacBook Pro M3 14-Inch Worth Buying?

What’s Good in Apple MacBook Pro M3 14-Inch

Powerful Performance

The powerful M3 chip enables fast code compilation and complex calculations. Effortless multitasking makes it ideal for everyday activities like web browsing, video streaming, and using apps.

Impressive Display

Its 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display delivers vivid visuals with a 3024 x 1964 pixels resolution. It’s exceptionally bright, making colors pop and details clear.

Good Battery Life

Its impressive battery life lasts up to 17 hours of web browsing at 200 nits screen brightness. It can be used comfortably for the whole day by charging it once.

What’s Bad in Apple MacBook Pro M3 14-Inch

Not Budget Friendly

Its base model is priced at $1,599, significantly higher than the previous 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 chip, and its higher configuration is even more expensive.

Limited Gaming Performance

It’s not a dedicated gaming laptop, but it can handle some modern games just fine. Not recommended for gaming enthusiasts.

Final Words

14-inch MacBook Pro with new M3 chip improves performance and features. Its powerful chip can handle both daily tasks and graphics-intensive tasks with ease.

A stunning Liquid Retina XDR display ensures vivid visuals, while new ports like HDMI and an SD card slot add versatility. With impressive battery life and advanced technologies like hardware-accelerated mesh shading, ray tracing, and dynamic caching, it delivers a seamless and efficient user experience, especially in gaming. While its design is similar to its predecessor, active cooling technology keeps the high-end processor efficient during day-to-day tasks.

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