Apple hosted a Scary Fast October event in the wee hours of this morning. Sadly, while other events usually take place at night here in SA, this one had a different time slot so we missed the live version. But never fear, here’s a rundown of the biggest announcements from the event. They include new Apple silicone chips, new MacBooks and new iMacs.
Apple M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max
Apple announced its new M3 chip range which includes the M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max. Apple says these new chips are the “first personal computer chips” made using the new 3-nanometer process. This means they are incredibly energy efficient and more powerful.
Apple didn’t share specifics on each chip but the company claims the offers “faster and more efficient CPU” power with an updated GPU that supports ray tracing, mesh shading and Dynamic Caching.
All three M3 chips offer up to 128GB of unified memory. The M3 Max chip includes 92 billion transistors, a 40-core GPU and a 16-core CPU.
New Apple iMac With M3
A new 24-inch Apple iMac was announced during the event. It looks the same as the previous M1 model so don’t expect a design refresh here. In fact, they still come with all the same colour variations including green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue and silver. They also include a Lightning mouse and keyboard even though Apple recently shifted away from the port.
The new iMac includes up to 24GB of unified memory and starts with an 8-core model. There’s also a 10-core model for those who need a bit more power. They start at $1.299 and $1.499. The product range is expected to launch. on 7 November.
New 14-inch and 16-inch M3 MacBook Pros
Apple is releasing a new range of MacBook Pro devices with M3 too. There’s a new pair of 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros. They come with either the M3 Pro chip or the M3 Max.
The entire lineup features a Mini LED display with a 1080p camera. They include the incredible Apple 6-speaker sound system and up to 22 hours of battery life. You can configure these devices with up to 128GB of RAM. Apple is also releasing a new coating for both sizes called Space Black. The company says it will reduce fingerprints found in the other colours.
The 14-inch M3 Pro starts at $1,999 and the 16-inch M3 Pro starts at $2,499. The full range is expected to launch on 7 November.
New Budget-Friendly MacBook Pro
If the expensive MacBook Pros are out of your budget, the new 14-inch M3 model might be one to look at. Starting at $1,599, this new model places the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 chip. It has a slightly larger display and promises up to 60% more performance.
The new 14-inch MacBook Pro only comes with 8GB of RAM which might be an issue for some users. It is also only available in Silver and Space Gray. The new Space Black colour is exclusive to the higher-end MacBook Pros. It is also releasing on 7 November.
You can watch the full showcase below:
