[Hothot Review]Compare M3 Max MacBook Pro with M2/M1 Max. How much has performance improved over the generations?

Apple “MacBook Pro (16 inch, Nov 2023)” 398,800 yen to 1,092,800 yen

Apple announced the MacBook Pro series of professional notebooks equipped with the M3 chip family on October 30th and released them on November 7th.

M3 is the first processor for personal PCs manufactured using the 3nm process. This time, for the first time, a model equipped with three grades, M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max, will be introduced at once. The lineup includes a 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3, a 14-inch/16-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro or M3 Max, and an iMac with M3.

This time, we borrowed a 16-inch MacBook Pro from Apple that uses the M3 Max and is equipped with maximum memory and storage capacity, so let’s give you a review of the actual machine.

In addition to the new space black color borrowed this time, the familiar silver is also available.

[Test the capabilities of the “Monster Spec” MacBook Pro 16[M3 Max/Memory 128GB/SSD 8TB]. Check out the unique performance and beauty[with actual machine operation]

First to use M3 manufactured in 3nm process for personal PCs

The evolution and changes of this “MacBook Pro (16-inch, Nov 2023)” are as follows.

Initial OS: macOS Ventura → macOS Sonoma Processor: M2 Pro/M2 Max → M3 Pro/M3 Max Memory: 16GB/32GB/64GB/96GB → 18GB/36GB/48GB/64GB/96GB/128GB Display: SDR brightness 500cd/m2 → SDR brightness 600cd/m2 Weight: Approx. 2.15kg (M2 Pro) → Approx. 2.14kg (M3 Pro) Color: Silver, Space Gray → Silver, Space Black

There are no changes to specifications other than those listed above. As you know, Apple Silicon uses a “unified memory architecture”, which means that memory is also housed within the package. There is a possibility that some changes have been made to the board itself, but “MacBook Pro (16 inch, 2021)” released on October 26, 2021, “MacBook Pro (16 inch, 2023)” released on February 3, 2023. Since then, it has evolved mainly by replacing the SoC.

Apple Silicon uses “Unified Memory Architecture”.High-bandwidth, low-latency memory in the package

Please refer to the table below for other detailed specifications.

[Table 1]Comparison of specifications of new and old 16-inch MacBook ProMacBook Pro (16-inch, Nov 2023)MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2023)OSmacOS Sonoma version 14macOS Ventura version 13Processor M3 Pro (12-core CPU, 18-core GPU)
M3 Max (14 core CPU, 30 core GPU)
M3 Max (16 core CPU, 40 core GPU)
*All Neural Engines are 16-core M2 Pro (12-core CPU, 19-core GPU)
M2 Max (12 core CPU, 30 core GPU)
M2 Max (12 core CPU, 38 core GPU)
*NeuralEngine all uses 16 core memory M3 Pro: 18GB/36GB
M3 Max (30 core GPU): 36GB/96GB
M3 Max (40 core GPU): 48GB/64GB/128GB
*Unified memory (LPDDR5) M2 Pro: 16GB/32GB
M2 Max (30 core GPU): 32GB/64GB
M2 Max (38 core GPU): 32GB/64GB/96GB
*Unified memory (LPDDR5) storage 512GB/1TB/2TB/4TB/8TB SSD
(8TB is M3 Max only) 512GB/1TB/2TB/4TB/8TB SSD display 16.2 inch (3,456 x 2,234 dots, glossy, SDR brightness 600 cd/m2, ProMotion up to 120Hz, mini LED backlight) 16.2 inch (3,456 x 2,234 dots, glossy, SDR brightness 500 cd/sq m, ProMotion up to 120 Hz, mini LED backlight) Communication Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 Interface Thunderbolt 4×3, HDMI, SDXC memory card slot, 3.5 mm headphone jack, MagSafe 3 Port External Display Pro: Up to 2, Max: Up to 4 Cameras Web camera (1080p) Battery capacity 100Wh Wireless internet with battery life up to 15 hours
Up to 22 hours of Apple TV app movie playback Body size: 355.7 x 248.1 x 16.8 mm Weight M3 Pro: Approx. 2.14 kg
M3 Max: approx. 2.16kg M2 Pro: approx. 2.15kg
M2 Max: approx. 2.16kg Security Touch ID (fingerprint authentication sensor integrated power button) Included items 140W USB-C power adapter, USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable (2m) Color Silver, Space Black Silver, Space Gray

The biggest topic of the M3 chip family is that it is the first for personal PCs to be manufactured using the 3nm process. In addition, a new generation GPU has been adopted, which includes “Dynamic Caching” that allocates local memory usage in real time, “Hardware Accelerated Ray Tracing” that accurately calculates and draws light reflections, and streamlines geometry processing. Features such as “hardware accelerated mesh shading” have been added. Games that support next-generation GPUs will be able to display realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections.

Games compatible with next-generation GPUs will be able to express realistic lighting, shadows, reflections, etc.

It is difficult to gauge the performance of M3 Max from this press release or the official product website. This is because the M3 generation is being compared to the M1 generation, not the M2 generation. Let’s check the performance difference between M3 Max and M2 Max with benchmarks.

[Table 2]Apple Silicon specifications (unbranded) Processor M3M2M1 Manufacturing process 3nm 2nd generation 5nm 5nm Number of transistors 25 billion 20 billion 16 billion High performance CPU cores 4 cores 4 cores 4 cores High efficiency CPU cores 4 cores 4 cores 4 cores GPU cores 8 or 10 cores 8 or 10 cores 7 or 8 cores Maximum memory 24GB24GB16GB[Table 3]Apple Silicon specifications (Pro) Processor M3 ProM2 ProM1 Pro Manufacturing process 3nm 2nd generation 5nm 5nm Number of transistors 37 billion 40 billion 33.7 billion high performance CPU cores 6 cores 6 or 8 cores 6 or 8 cores High efficiency CPU core 6 cores 4 cores 2 cores GPU core 18 cores 16 or 19 cores 14 or 16 cores Maximum memory 36GB 32GB 32GB[Table 4]Apple Silicon specifications (Max) Processor M3 MaxM2 MaxM1 Max manufacturing process 3nm 2nd generation 5nm 5nm Transistor count 92 billion 67 billion 57 billion high performance CPU cores 12 cores 8 cores 8 cores High efficiency CPU cores 4 cores 4 cores 2 cores GPU cores 30 or 40 cores 30 or 38 cores 24 or 32 cores Maximum memory 128GB96GB64GB

The price has been affected by the weak yen, and the M2 Max equipped model of “MacBook Pro (16 inch, 2023)” was just under 500,000 yen, but “MacBook Pro (16 inch, Nov 2023)” The M3 Max equipped model was priced at 554,800 yen for the lower end and 644,800 yen for the higher end. In addition, the maximum capacity configuration with 128GB of memory and 8TB of storage costs 1,092,800 yen, which far exceeds the price range.

[Table 5]MacBook Pro (16 inch, Nov 2023) standard configuration model price SoCM3 ProM3 Max CPU 12 cores 14 cores 16 cores GPU 18 cores 30 cores 40 cores Memory 18GB 36GB 36GB 48GB Storage 512GB 1TB Price 398,800 yen 454,800 yen 554,800 yen 644,800 yen[Table 6]MacBook Pro (16 inch, 2023) standard configuration model price SoCM2 ProM2 Max CPU 12 cores GPU 19 cores 38 cores Memory 16 GB 32 GB Storage 512 GB 1 TB Price 348,800 yen 376,800 yen 498,800 yen Front of main unit SDXC memory card slot, Thunderbolt 4, HDMI on the back right side of the main unit, MagSafe 3 port, Thunderbolt 4 × 2, 3.5mm headphone jack on the left side

A high-end model that is attractive to general users if you choose the appropriate configuration.

The “MacBook Pro (16-inch, Nov 2023)” equipped with this M3 Max is Apple’s top-of-the-line notebook model. Benchmarks confirmed that M3 Max steadily improved CPU and GPU performance. The increased maximum memory capacity will also be welcomed by professional users who work with 3D CAD on a daily basis.

The maximum capacity configuration with 128GB of memory and 8TB of storage costs 1,092,800 yen, which is well above the price range, so it is certainly expensive. However, the maximum capacity is a configuration targeted at professional users. It’s just being sold in a place where anyone can buy it.

As expected, the minimum configuration of 512GB SSD may be difficult, but the M3 Pro/18GB memory/1TB SSD costs 426,800 yen, which makes sense considering the other specifications and quality. If you choose the right configuration, it can be said that the product will be attractive to general users.