Here Are All the M3 Macs Still Expected This Year

[FasterQuieter]

I really want to replace my 27" 5k iMac. Can't go back to an iMac though because their displays don't support external connections. The fact that I have to stop using my current display because target display mode isn't a thing on it anymore is unfortunate and extremely environmentally wasteful.

Thought it would be great to hop on a 16/512 Mini and a Studio Display. But now the Studio Display, which is the same thing in my old iMac, is the same price as the iMac is AND it doesn't have a computer attached to it. The price of a 16/512 Mini and a Studio Display is absurd.

If you want to use another display manufacturer, good luck. There's basically nobody that sells 5K, so you have to go with 4K which looks weird, or switch the scaling to a non-native "looks like 5K" resolution which degrades image quality and clarity.

There's basically no reasonable entry point to the Mac ecosystem that doesn't involve paying crazy high prices compared to other manufacturers that can provide better performance for the same price.

A 4k display doesn’t look quite as good as a 5K display, but to my eyes it doesn’t look bad. I have a 31.5” Dell display and I love it. I don’t notice the scaling and I have so much screen real estate.

Dell UltraSharp 32 Inch 4K Computer Monitor - U3223QE | Dell USA

View the Dell UltraSharp 32 Inch 4K USB-C Hub Monitor (U3223QE) with an intelligent 4K webcam & IPS Black technology or view all Dell computer monitors at Dell.com.

www.dell.com

 

[Joshuaorange]

Unless Apple gives the Mac Pro a meaningful upgrade, it has no real reason to exist.

 

[segfaultdotorg]

I just wished they'd bring back SD Card to the MacBook Air form factor.

And the Lightning Connector for iPads/iPhones. Maybe even launch a Throwback Edition with a 30-pin connector!

 

[EugW]

A 4k display doesn’t look quite as good as a 5K display, but to my eyes it doesn’t look bad. I have a 31.5” Dell display and I love it. I don’t notice the scaling and I have so much screen real estate.

Dell UltraSharp 32 Inch 4K Computer Monitor - U3223QE | Dell USA

View the Dell UltraSharp 32 Inch 4K USB-C Hub Monitor (U3223QE) with an intelligent 4K webcam & IPS Black technology or view all Dell computer monitors at Dell.com.

www.dell.com

Yes, I have a 2017 Core i5 27" iMac 5K next to an M1 Mac mini with a 4K+ 28.2" 3840x2560 screen, side-by-side. The 4K+ screen is slightly less crisp, but it's very close, and the 4K+ setup is now my primary machine. I'd like a new 5K screen eventually, but I'd want it to be 30", not 27". Here's hoping for a 30" Mac-friendly ~5K screen by 2025. I must admit though, I was not happy with a 4K 32" screen. Besides the blacklight bleed my Asus ProArt unit had, IMO the crispness of 4K 32" (138 ppi) is noticeably worse than 4K 3840x2160 (163 ppi) at 27" or my 4K+ 3840x2560 at 28.2" (also 163 ppi).

Anyhow, I've now retired the 2017 iMac 5K, although I don't know what to do with it. Both my kids are young, so one kid is still satisfied with the 2010 Core i7 27" iMac (109 ppi) I upgraded with SSD, and the other kid is still satisfied with a 2015 Core i5 13" MacBook Pro (227 ppi), for now at least.

 

[seek3r]

And the Lightning Connector for iPads/iPhones. Maybe even launch a Throwback Edition with a 30-pin connector!

Given there are SD card readers on current macbook pros those are poor comparisons

 

[Alex Cai]

Skipping the M3 chip for the Mac mini until the M4 chip is available would make sense since the Mac mini is (reportedly) the least popular Mac model.

View attachment 2357329

I don’t think this diagram is correct. How come 11% of buyers get Mac Pro?

 

[svish]

Expecting some of these Macs to get updated to M3 in June.

 

[rulymammoth]

Why not just dock your M3 MBA to your external monitors / kb / mouse / trackpad? Either directly or with a Thunderbolt dock. It's basically exactly the same (especially with the same M3 chip), avoids you having to buy another Mac, and then you get 100% continuity of having the exact same files / desktop-layout available. Dock it when you want the larger external monitor, take it with you when you need the laptop portability (even at home, in bed, on the couch, etc.)

To me it's the best of both worlds, and what I've done for many years with my MBP (current 2021 M1 MBP, and before that with my 2016 13" MBP).

This is the smartest way to go I agree. I do exactly this.

 

[azpc]

This picture clearly points to a marketing deficiency that Apple currently has. Look at the following pie chart.

source
This clearly points out that Apple made a big mistake, consumers and businesses actually prefer the iMac compared to the Mac mini and Mac Studio believe it or not. All Apple needs to do is to come out with a larger iMac using a better M3 processor and it would really jack up Mac sales a lot.

Also to be fair updated Mac mini and Studio Mac with M3 updates would sell more also.

Apple prefers to produce boxes just like Dell and HP. Boxes are cheaper to design and produce. Unfortunately, some of us don't like boxes with cables. I left Dell because I was tired of boxes and cables. Large screen iMacs didn't have a bunch of cables cluttering or hanging off my desk and didn't occupy a lot of horizontal space. In short, they were the perfect executive computer. I think that is why I see a lot of very old iMacs still in use. Avoiding a box for as long as possible!

I have visited several Apple stores in the past year. Interestingly, I have yet to see anyone looking at a Mac Mini or a Mac Studio. They sit there neglected and all alone. Apple looks like they have lost the desktop business.

 

[Ulfric]

Can anyone tell me what's your experience of Houdini on M2/M3? I am not working on simulations, only Modeling with SOP nodes, Some VOPs & Vellum for Character clothing & grooming. It's only to design the clothing & the hair, I won't simulate them. Could have used Marvelous designer, but I am keeping a tab on my budget for things I am not going to use much.

Rest of my workflow involves Modeling/Sculpting/Retopo & UV on Blender, Substance Painter & Designer for Texturing & Photoshop for concept design. None of the workflow related to Simulation, Animation or Rendering, May be just one or two still image rendering for Asset promotion purposes, so that shouldn't be a problem because I will render very rarely. None of the workflows are GPU heavy.

My only concern is RAM, it isn't cheap with Mac. even the VRAM are shared so no dedicated VRAM which can create problem for high resolution texturing.

 

[sunny5]

Skipping the M3 chip for the Mac mini until the M4 chip is available would make sense since the Mac mini is (reportedly) the least popular Mac model.

View attachment 2357329

The source you attached is totally biased and not reliable. How come Mac Pro Sold more than Mac mini and Mac studio? That's totally impossible.

 

[sunny5]

Stop bringing CIRP's false info here.

 

[startergo]

he does not believe that Apple is likely to again abandon the machine after only one year.

Abandon the machine? This is for who? It is Apple who abandoned the machine at year 2019... The latest Mac Pro is nothing but an ultra with PCIE slots.

 

[iluvcrap2000]

They should lower the price of the Mac Pro So Consumers will buy it, Charging so much will only let rich people/large companies get it, pricing out the prosumer market altogether. It's a shame what this company has become. Totally lost sight on what Apple could be.

 

[hagar]

As someone who mostly uses an iMac, I sometimes feel bad about how little attention the iMac seemingly gets from Apple.

...and then I remember how the Mac Pro got only two updates in the past 10 years (once in 2019, and then again in 2023) and suddenly being an iMac user doesn't seem so terrible by comparison. 🫣

I just purchased the M1 Studio to replace my 2015 iMac (which got a second life by swapping out the HDD with a NVMe). But now I’m thinking I should hold out for the M3. And hope for a new Studio Display.

 

[aj_niner]

As someone who mostly uses an iMac, I sometimes feel bad about how little attention the iMac seemingly gets from Apple.

...and then I remember how the Mac Pro got only two updates in the past 10 years (once in 2019, and then again in 2023) and suddenly being an iMac user doesn't seem so terrible by comparison. 🫣

Laptops makes ~80% of all Mac sales.

Fewer units shipped the skips in refreshes occurs.

Such as iMac M1 to M3.

What is surprising though is that Mac mini got a M1, M2 & M3 and yet according to that table/chart that's that.

 

[ThomasJL]

Let me guess: The M3 Mac "Pro" will have non-upgradable RAM and a non-upgradable hard drive? Leave it to Tim Cook to be so mediocre as to not know the importance of having RAM and the hard drive be upgradable on a Mac Pro. Clueless Cook is so out of touch with users.

 

[bgillander]

This picture clearly points to a marketing deficiency that Apple currently has. Look at the following pie chart.

source
This clearly points out that Apple made a big mistake, consumers and businesses actually prefer the iMac compared to the Mac mini and Mac Studio believe it or not. All Apple needs to do is to come out with a larger iMac using a better M3 processor and it would really jack up Mac sales a lot.

Also to be fair updated Mac mini and Studio Mac with M3 updates would sell more also.

If that chart is accurate (which I find hard to believe) why would they bother, since the Pro that has a much higher sell price and margin is supposedly selling 3%, or one third of all desktop Macs? Even if this was based on dollar values sold instead of units sold, that sounds way too high. If true, Apple must be looking at their stacks of cash and laughing at all these comments of “why does this model exist”.

 

[iluvcrap2000]

"I just purchased the M1 Studio to replace my 2015 iMac (which got a second life by swapping out the HDD with a NVMe). But now I’m thinking I should hold out for the M3. And hope for a new Studio Display."

You have a fairly new mac, wait 5 years. squirrel away $200 a year and you can easily get one without hassle. I'm using a grey box intel mac because I'm waiting for the honeymoon phase to be over and they work out all the kinks and programming changeover to be done.

 

[iluvcrap2000]

Let me guess: The M3 Mac "Pro" will have non-upgradable RAM and a non-upgradable hard drive? Leave it to Tim Cook to be so mediocre as to not know the importance of having RAM and the hard drive be upgradable on a Mac Pro. Clueless Cook is so out of touch with users.

Totally agree, They already hurt the prosumers, and want to screw the industrial users with no upgrade paths. Why would they want to invest all that money into a limited system? just go back to windows and affordable PC's. Tim Cook will drag down Apple with his poor decisions.

 

[seek3r]

They should lower the price of the Mac Pro So Consumers will buy it, Charging so much will only let rich people/large companies get it, pricing out the prosumer market altogether. It's a shame what this company has become. Totally lost sight on what Apple could be.

I wish the MP was cheaper too, the 2010/2012 5,1s like my own may be the best price/value machines apple has ever built, but some perspective for a sec: the SE/30 cost $6500 in 1989, adjusted for inflation that’s a whopping $16,554 today, so this isnt exactly new

 

[aj_niner]

If that chart is accurate (which I find hard to believe) why would they bother, since the Pro that has a much higher sell price and margin is supposedly selling 3%, or one third of all desktop Macs? Even if this was based on dollar values sold instead of units sold, that sounds way too high. If true, Apple must be looking at their stacks of cash and laughing at all these comments of “why does this model exist”.

Fleet purchases?

 

[zombierunner]

I am looking forward to replacing my ageing 2015 27 inch iMac. Looking to get the MacStudio and Studio display unless by some miracle they drop an iMac Pro.

 

[j26]

It'll be at least M4, or possibly M5 before I update my M2 Mini.

That thing is a wee champion!

 

[DrWojtek]

What if Apple does the right thing and kicks off WWDC with the M4 series, and the Mini, Studio and Pro are the first to get it? The Macbook Pro’s would follow late 2024. We would have gone back to a regular 12-month upgrade schedule and everyone would rejoice. Except those who bought the M2 Ultra, lol.

If the Scary Fast event was indeed a ”****, we need to stop dragging our asses, we are losing to the competition. Send the M3 out even though we don’t have supply for all models and make it a short cycle instead of a very long one due to COVID and supply restraints”. It would explain it.

However, if they rushed it because of.. ?? then this is likely not happening.