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Apple last updated the Mac Pro in June 2023, adding an M2 Ultra chip and officially completing the transition away from Intel chips. The ‌Mac Pro‌ uses the same ‌M2‌ Ultra chip that's in the Mac Studio, leading to criticism about its lack of power. Apple has now gone back to the drawing board and is working on an updated version of the ‌Mac Pro‌ that's set to come out next year. This guide highlights everything we know about Apple's ‌Mac Pro‌ progress. M4 Chip The next ‌Mac Pro‌ will have a chip that's in the M4 family, as Apple is working to update its entire Mac lineup to the M4 series across 2024 and 2025. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes that Apple wants to establish a more regular Apple silicon chip upgrade cycle that would perhaps see Mac chips refreshed on an annual basis much like chips designed for the iPhone. Gurman says that the ‌Mac Pro‌ will be equipped with the highest-end version of the M4 chip, which is codenamed "Hidra." Hidra is likely equivalent to an "Ultra" chip based on the way that Apple has differentiated its chips in the past. The ‌Mac Pro‌ is aimed at professional videographers, photographers, designers, and others who need significant processing power, and some pro users are said to have been unhappy with the ‌M2‌ Ultra ‌Mac Pro‌. As a result, Apple is looking to make the M4 ‌Mac Pro‌ more powerful. All of the M4 chips will be designed with a focus on artificial intelligence, with Apple aiming to highlight the AI processing capabilities of the chips and how they'll integrate into macOS. Apple is adding AI features that will run solely on device to the next operating system updates, so the M4 chips will need to have a lot of compute power. Rumors suggest that the M4 chips will feature an upgraded Neural Engine with more cores to handle AI tasks. Unified Memory The ‌Mac Pro‌ could support up to 500GB Unified Memory, way up from the current 192GB maximum. Will there be an M3 Mac Pro? It doesn't sound like Apple is going to bother with an M3 Ultra chip for the ‌Mac Pro‌, with the company instead focusing effort on the M4 update. Design Updates The ‌Mac Pro‌ saw a major design update in 2019, with Apple doing away with the cylindrical "trash can" look in favor of a more reserved aluminum computer tower. There were no design changes to the 2022 model when it was refreshed, and so far we've heard nothing about design changes to the upcoming M4 variant. Launch is still more than a year away though, so it's possible Apple will make some design updates, at least internally to support M4 chip changes. Launch Date The ‌Mac Pro‌ is expected to be the last of Apple's Macs to get the M4 chip, and rumors suggest that it will come out in late 2025.Related Roundup: Mac ProBuyer's Guide: Mac Pro (Neutral)Related Forum: Mac Pro This article, "Apple's 2025 M4 Mac Pro: What to Expect" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

An Apple Mac expert has written about an unfathomable issue one of his children faced after downloading a Steam game to an almost full SSD. View the full article

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today held a Q&A session focused on the Apple Car, in which he revealed that the vehicle's chip would have been equivalent to four M2 Ultra chips combined. He also said the vehicle had an underlying "safetyOS" system that was one part of the overall operating system, but he did not elaborate. Gurman also briefly touched on a few other topics, including that Apple apparently "just started formal development" of a new MacBook Pro with an M4 chip. He did not provide any additional details about the chip, which has yet to be announced by Apple. Apple announced the M1 chip for Macs in November 2020, followed by the M2 chip in June 2022 and the M3 chip towards the end of October 2023, so there has been around a year-and-a-half gap between each of the chips being introduced. If that pattern continues, the M4 chip would be released in the first half of 2025. However, a late 2024 release is also possible if the interval shrinks to one year. Apple last updated the MacBook Pro lineup in October with M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips. As part of that refresh, Apple discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Pro and replaced it with a new base model 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 chip. Apple has also updated the iMac and MacBook Air with the M3 chip, leaving the Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro as the only current-generation Macs still equipped with the M2 family of chips. Current Chip Last Updated Next Chip ETA 13" MacBook Air M3 March 2024 M4 2025 15" MacBook Air M3 March 2024 M4 2025 14" MacBook Pro M3/M3 Pro/M3 Max October 2023 M4/M4 Pro/M4 Max Late 2024/2025 16" MacBook Pro M3 Pro/M3 Max October 2023 M4 Pro/M4 Max Late 2024/2025 iMac M3 October 2023 M4 2025 Mac Studio M2 Max/M2 Ultra June 2023 M3 Max/M3 Ultra 2024 Mac Pro M2 Ultra June 2023 M3 Ultra 2024 Mac mini M2/M2 Pro January 2023 M3/M3 Pro 2024 Apple's chipmaking partner TSMC is expected to begin volume production of chips based on its 2nm process in the second half of 2025, so the M4 chip will likely remain 3nm like the M3 chip. However, the M4 chip will likely be manufactured with an enhanced version of TSMC's 3nm process for improved performance and power efficiency. Last month, the Taiwanese publication Economic Daily News reported that the M4 chip will feature an upgraded Neural Engine with "significantly" more cores for artificial intelligence tasks, but no other specific details are known about the chip at this time.Related Roundup: MacBook Pro 14 & 16" Tags: Mark Gurman, M4 MacsBuyer's Guide: 14" & 16" MacBook Pro (Neutral)Related Forum: MacBook Pro This article, "Apple Reportedly 'Just Started Formal Development' of M4 MacBook Pro" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Best Buy is discounting a large collection of M3 MacBook Pro computers today, including both the 14-inch and 16-inch versions of the laptop. Every deal in this sale requires you to have a My Best Buy Plus or Total membership, although non-members can still get solid second-best prices on these MacBook Pro models. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. These deals are part of a larger sitewide sale at Best Buy, which also includes discounts on video games, TVs, tablets, headphones, and more. Another highlight of this event is the PlayStation 5 Slim Bundle with Marvel's Spider-Man for $449.99, down from $499.99. The PlayStation 5 Slim (Digital Edition) Spider-Man 2 Bundle is available for $399.99, down from $449.99. These are both solid $50 discounts on the rarely discounted console. 14-Inch MacBook Pro Starting with the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro, there are three total models on sale right now at Best Buy. The cheapest model is the 512GB M3 Pro model at $1,749.00, down from $1,999.00. Note: My Best Buy Plus/Total membership required to see final deal price. $250 OFFM3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro (512GB) for $1,749.00 $250 OFFM3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro (1TB) for $2,149.00 $250 OFFM3 Max 14-inch MacBook Pro (1TB) for $2,949.0016-Inch MacBook Pro You'll find bigger deals on the 16-inch MacBook Pro, particularly on the M3 Max models of the computer. For the M3 Pro models, prices start at $2,249.00 for the 512GB/18GB RAM 16-inch MacBook Pro and increase to $2,649.00 for the 512GB/36GB RAM model, both of which are all-time low prices. Note: My Best Buy Plus/Total membership required to see final deal price. $250 OFFM3 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro (512GB, 18GB RAM) for $2,249.00 $250 OFFM3 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro (512GB, 36GB RAM) for $2,649.00 $255 OFFM3 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro (1TB, 36GB RAM) for $3,244.00 $295 OFFM3 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro (1TB, 48GB RAM) for $3,704.00 Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.Related Roundup: Apple Deals This article, "Best Buy Introduces All-Time Low Prices on Apple's M3 MacBook Pro for Members" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Apple recently updated the MacBook Air by adding the M3 chip, so how do the new machines compare to its latest MacBook Pro models? Despite now being similar in appearance, the ‌MacBook Air‌ and the MacBook Pro are very different devices, so should you consider purchasing the 13- or 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, which start at $999, to save money, or do you need one of the higher-end 14- or 16-inch MacBook Pro models, which cost at least $600 more? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two popular Apple silicon machines is best for you. ‌MacBook Air‌ MacBook Pro M2: 13.6-inch display M3: 13.6- or 15.3-inch display 14.2- or 16.2-inch display LCD Liquid Retina display Mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display 60hz refresh rate ProMotion for refresh rates up to 120Hz 500 nits brightness Up to 1,000 nits sustained (full-screen) brightness and 1,600 nits peak brightness Apple M2 or M3 chip Apple M3, M3 Pro, or M3 Max chip M2: Enhanced 5nm node (N5P) based on A15 Bionic chip from iPhone 13 (2021) M3: 3nm node (N3B) based on A17 Pro chip from iPhone 15 Pro (2023) ‌3nm‌ node (N3B) based on A17 Pro chip from ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ (2023) M2: 3.49 GHz CPU clock speed M3: 4.05 GHz CPU clock speed 4.05 GHz CPU clock speed 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores M3: 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores M3 Pro: Up to 12-core CPU with 6 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores M3 Max: Up to 16-core CPU with 12 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores Up to 10-core GPU M3: 10-core GPU M3 Pro: Up to 18-core GPU M3 Max: Up to 40-core GPU 100GB/s memory bandwidth M3: 100GB/s memory bandwidth M3 Pro: 150GB/s memory bandwidth M3 Max: 300GB/s or 400GB/s memory bandwidth 8GB, 16GB, or 24GB unified memory M3: 8GB, 16GB, or 24GB unified memory M3 Pro: 18GB or 36GB unified memory M3 Max: 36GB, 48GB, 64GB, 96GB, 128GB unified memory M3 models only: New GPU architecture Dynamic Caching Hardware-accelerated ray tracing Hardware-accelerated mesh shading Support for AV1 decode New GPU architecture Dynamic Caching Hardware-accelerated ray tracing Hardware-accelerated mesh shading Support for AV1 decode M2: Neural Engine M3: 15% faster Neural Engine 15% faster Neural Engine 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB of storage M3: 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage M3 Pro or M3 Max: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB storage Passive cooling Active cooling M2: Wi-Fi 6 M3: Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 6E Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports M3: Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 (USB-C) ports M3 Pro or M3 Max: Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports HDMI 2.1 port with support for multichannel audio output SDXC card slot 13-Inch: Four-speaker sound system 15-Inch: Six-speaker sound system with force-canceling woofers High-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers Three-mic array with directional beamforming Studio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming M2: Support for one external display M3: Support for up to two external displays when the lid is closed M3: Support for up to two external displays when the lid is closed M3 Pro: Support for up to two external displays M3 Max: Support for up to four external displays 13-Inch: 52.6-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery 15-Inch: 66.5-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery M3 14-Inch: 70-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery M3 Pro or M3 Max 14-Inch: 72.4-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery 16-Inch: 100-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery 18-hour battery life M3 14-Inch: 22-hour battery life M3 Pro or M3 Max 14-Inch: 18-hour battery life 16-Inch: 22-hour battery life 30W, 35W, or 67W USB-C Power Adapter 67W, 96W, or 140W USB-C Power Adapter Silver, Space Gray, Starlight, or Midnight color options M3: Silver or Space Gray color options M3 Pro or M3 Max: Silver or Space Black color options M2 13-Inch: Starts at $999 M3 13-Inch: Starts at $1,099 M3 15-Inch: Starts at $1,299 M3 14-Inch: Starts at $1,599 M3 Pro 14-Inch: Starts at $1,999 M3 Pro 16-Inch: Starts at $2,499 Design Both the ‌MacBook Air‌ and MacBook Pro share the same basic design with a flat top and rounded edges on the bottom, but they do have several minor details that differ. For example, while both MacBooks have displays with a "notch" at the top to facilitate the built-in webcam, the MacBook Pro's bezels are noticeably slimmer. The keyboard area of the high-end MacBook Pro is also all-black. The ‌MacBook Air‌ and M3 version of the MacBook Pro are available in Silver and Space Gray, but the ‌MacBook Air‌ is also offered in Starlight and Midnight color options, so if you are looking for a particular aesthetic with one of these finishes, you will need to get the ‌MacBook Air‌. Space Black is exclusive to the MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips. ‌MacBook Air‌ (13-Inch) ‌MacBook Air‌ (15-Inch) MacBook Pro (14-Inch) MacBook Pro (16-Inch) Height 0.44 inches (1.13 cm) 0.45 inch (1.15 cm) 0.61 inches (1.55 cm) 0.66 inch (1.68 cm) Width 11.97 inches (30.41 cm) 13.40 inches (34.04 cm) 12.31 inches (31.26 cm) 14.01 inches (35.57 cm) Depth 8.46 inches (21.5 cm) 9.35 inches (23.76 cm) 8.71 inches (22.12 cm) 9.77 inches (24.81 cm) Weight 2.7 pounds (1.24 kg) 3.3 pounds (1.51 kg) 3.5 pounds (1.61 kg) 4.8 pounds (2.15 kg) Dimensions are also a key area of difference between the ‌MacBook Air‌ and MacBook Pro. The 16-inch MacBook Pro is considerably larger and heavier than the 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, but it is important to not understate the difference between the 14-inch MacBook Pro and the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌. While the 14-inch MacBook Pro offers a larger display than the ‌MacBook Air‌, its marginally larger footprint, added thickness, and an additional 0.8 pounds of weight do make for a noticeably less portable machine if you prefer to travel light. Even so, the 14-inch MacBook Pro offers a very good balance of portability and performance, so if you need its added capabilities, its size and weight should not hold you back. The 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ also provides a good balance of portability and display area, but users wary of its size should opt for the 13-inch model. Ports and Connectivity The selection of ports is an area of major difference between the two machines. The ‌MacBook Air‌ features just two Thunderbolt ports, while the M3 version of the MacBook Pro adds an HDMI 2.1 port and SDXC card slot. When configured with the M3 Pro or M3 Max, the MacBook Pro has a total of three Thunderbolt 4 ports, in addition to its HDMI 2.1 port and SDXC card slot. Both machines feature a 3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones. All in all, the MacBook Pro is much more versatile in terms of physical connectivity, offering useful features for professionals who use SDXC cards from digital cameras or even simply more USB peripherals. Display Size The smaller ‌MacBook Air‌'s display is 13.6 inches in size, which is a little smaller than the 14.2-inch MacBook Pro, and markedly smaller than the 16.2-inch MacBook Pro. 13.6 inches is still bigger than the largest iPad Pro model, which comes in at 12.9 inches, and even all of the previous ‌MacBook Air‌ and smaller MacBook Pro models, meaning that it should be adequate for most users. The 14.2-inch MacBook Pro simply offers a little bit more screen real estate to those who need high-end capabilities. The 15.3-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ and 16.2-inch MacBook Pro's displays will be better replacements for a desktop machine and provide much more screen space to arrange multiple windows and use professional applications that benefit from additional display area. Display Technology The display technologies of both machines are significantly different. Like most MacBooks in recent years, the ‌MacBook Air‌ has an LCD panel, but owing to its slim bezels and rounded corners, Apple calls it a Liquid Retina display. The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models feature Apple's more advanced mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR technology for deeper blacks, better dynamic range, and improved color accuracy. The XDR display can get much brighter, reaching as high as 1,600 nits of brightness at its peak when showing HDR content. The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models also have ProMotion displays, allowing them to vary their refresh rate up to 120Hz. The ‌MacBook Air‌ does not have a display with a variable refresh rate. It will be worth getting the high-end MacBook Pro models for viewing and editing HDR content, as well as watching high-framerate video such as sports. The display of the ‌MacBook Air‌ is sufficient for most users and some may not even notice a drastic difference. The MacBook Pro's deeper blacks and smoother on-screen motion simply offer a slightly better experience. Chips The ‌MacBook Air‌ contains the ‌M2‌ or M3 chip, while MacBook Pro customers can choose between the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips. The M3 Pro and M3 Max are scaled-up versions of the M3 chip that offer additional CPU and GPU cores. See the ‌M2‌, M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max's Geekbench 5 Benchmark scores below: ‌M2‌ M3 M3 Pro M3 Max Single-Core 2,570–2,630 3,010 3,120 3,120 Multi-Core 9,630–9,650 11,763 14,010–14,410 19,160–21,215 Metal (Graphics) 41,300–45,550 47,430 68,330–77,070 124,060–157,120 The M3 Pro and M3 Max provide CPUs with up to eight additional cores and GPUs with up to 30 additional cores. The entry-level ‌MacBook Air‌'s ‌M2‌ chip is only slightly less powerful than the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max in single-core tasks, but the M3 chips, and particularly the Pro and Max versions, are considerably better in multi-core and graphics tasks. With significantly more transistors, performance CPU cores, and GPU cores, the M3 Pro and M3 Max are powerful chips designed for professionals with demanding workflows. The ‌M2‌ and M3, on the other hand, are more consumer-oriented chips focused on delivering surprisingly impressive performance and excellent efficiency to keep temperatures down and prolong battery life. It is also worth noting that the ‌MacBook Air‌ is passively cooled and contains no fan, which can slightly constrain peak performance compared to the MacBook Pro, since the high-end machines have large fans to actively cool the system and push the chips harder. The ‌M2‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ only supports a single external display. The limitations of the M3 also mean that ‌MacBook Air‌ and MacBook Pro devices configured with this chip support up to two external displays when the lid is closed, whereas M3 Pro and M3 Max machines support up to two and four external displays, respectively. Memory and Storage The ‌MacBook Air‌ can be configured with up to 24GB of unified memory and up to 2TB of storage, which should be more than enough for the vast majority of users. For those who need even more memory and storage, the MacBook Pro can be configured with significantly more memory and storage than the top-spec ‌MacBook Air‌. The M3 Pro and M3 Max chips in the MacBook Pro also provide up to 150GB/s and 400GB/s memory bandwidth respectively – an enormous increase over the 100GB/s memory bandwidth with the ‌M2‌ and M3 models. Buyers should also be aware that the 256GB ‌MacBook Air‌ base models have up to 50 percent slower SSDs than configurations with more storage. This is because the base models only have a single SSD module inside, whereas models with larger amounts of storage have two SSD chips, significantly increasing the overall speed of the machine's storage. Speakers and Microphones The 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ has a four-speaker sound system that is surprisingly full and balanced for such a small, slim device. The 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ and all of the MacBook Pro models take things to the next level with a six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers for dramatically bigger and deeper audio. Apple also describes the MacBook Pro's speaker system as "high-fidelity," which may be invaluable to users who work in professional audio production or simply listen to a lot of music out-loud. The ‌MacBook Air‌ has a three-mic array with directional beamforming that is perfect for activities like video calls and voice notes. The MacBook Pro has what Apple calls a "studio-quality" three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming. While they are not as good as a dedicated microphone, the MacBook Pro's microphones are impressive and, at a push, are suitable for production purposes like podcasting. Battery Life The ‌MacBook Air‌ has an 18-hour battery life, offering the same battery life as the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro or M3 Max chips, and four hours less than the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 chip and the 16-inch MacBook Pro. Final Thoughts Overall, the ‌MacBook Air‌ is the best option for casual users, offering an excellent balance of features and performance in a highly portable design. The ‌MacBook Air‌'s $999 starting price is much more affordable compared to the MacBook Pro, and with an education discount or an offer from our Apple Deals Roundup, it is possible to get that price down by at least $100. The additional $600 to get the MacBook Pro likely is not worth it for most ordinary users, and on the contrary, many will prefer the slimmer, lighter design of the ‌MacBook Air‌ and perhaps even its additional color options. Professionals who require larger and more accurate displays, additional ports, more memory and storage, and a very high level of performance should look to the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips, and the higher price points of these machines reflects this. The high-end MacBook Pro models are not targeted at everyday consumers, being clearly tailored to creatives and professionals who rely heavily on the capabilities of their machines. As such, these high-end models should only be a go-to option if you are a power-user or professional who can make use of its advanced features. The 16-inch MacBook Pro, in particular, is also potentially a good desktop replacement machine due to its large display. M2 vs. M3 MacBook Air Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared 13-Inch vs. 15-Inch MacBook Air Buyer's Guide Late 2023 MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide: 14-Inch and 16-Inch Models Compared Alternatively, if you are considering the $1,299 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, it may be worth paying more to get the M3 MacBook Pro. For just $200 more, the M3 MacBook Pro offers a considerably better Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion, a more powerful chip with active cooling, four extra hours of battery life, better speakers and microphones, an HDMI port and SDXC card slot, and more. In fact, if you configure the 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ with 512GB of storage to match the M3 MacBook Pro, there is only a $100 between the two machines, so in this instance it is almost always worth getting the more powerful machine, unless maximizing screen size is your only priority.Related Roundups: MacBook Air, MacBook Pro 14 & 16" Buyer's Guide: 15" MacBook Air (Buy Now), 14" & 16" MacBook Pro (Buy Now), 13" MacBook Air (Buy Now)Related Forums: MacBook Air, MacBook Pro This article, "MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide: 30+ Differences Compared" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Apple's "Scary Fast" event this week went off about as expected, with Apple showing off its next-generation Mac chips in a couple of product lines during a fast-paced 30-minute presentation. Our biggest stories this week unsurprisingly delved into Apple's announcements including some early tidbits on the updated MacBook Pro and iMac, a goodbye to the Touch Bar, and more, so read on below for all the details! Everything Apple Announced During the 'Scary Fast' Event Trick or treat! Apple this week held its "Scary Fast" event, focused entirely on the Mac. During the brief presentation, Apple announced new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips, and an updated iMac with the M3 chip. We've recapped everything that Apple announced during the event for those who missed it or want to learn more. Apple Announces New 14-Inch and 16-Inch MacBook Pro Models With M3 Series Chips The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are equipped with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips, and there is now an entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro available with the standard M3 chip as well. The new MacBook Pro models are available in a Space Black finish when configured with the M3 Pro or M3 Max chip, and they are equipped with 20% brighter displays compared to the previous generation. The new MacBook Pro models are available to order now, and most configurations will launch on Tuesday, November 7. Apple Announces New iMac With M3 Chip Apple updated the 24-inch iMac with the M3 chip for up to 35% faster performance compared to the previous model with the M1 chip. The all-in-one desktop computer features the same design and color options as the 2021 model. There are only a few other changes with the new iMac, including Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support. Contrary to rumors, the Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad accessories still have Lightning instead of USB-C. Apple Discontinues 13-Inch MacBook Pro With Touch Bar Apple discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Pro following the event, meaning that the Touch Bar has now been completely phased out after seven years. The first MacBook Pro models with the Touch Bar were released in October 2016, as part of a controversial redesign that also included a defective butterfly keyboard and the removal of many connectivity options, including an SD card slot, HDMI port, and MagSafe. First Benchmark Results Surface for M3 Chip in New Macs The first benchmark results for the standard M3 chip and the high-end M3 Max chip surfaced in the Geekbench 6 database after Apple's event, providing a closer look at CPU performance improvements. The results show the M3 chip is around 20% faster than the M2 chip, while the M3 Max chip is around as fast as the M2 Ultra chip that debuted in the Mac Pro and Mac Studio desktop computers earlier this year. 2023 MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide: 20+ Differences Compared Are you considering purchasing one of the new 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro models? If so, make sure to check out our in-depth 2023 MacBook Pro buyer's guide that compares over 20 features and differences between MacBook Pro generations. We also shared a buyer's guide comparing the new iMac with the M3 chip to the 2021 model with the M1 chip for those who are interested in that computer. MacRumors Newsletter Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view. So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!Tag: Top Stories This article, "Top Stories: Apple Event Delivers MacBook Pro and iMac Updates" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article