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Macs With M3 Chip Still Officially Support Only a Single External Display
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You mean something like a MacBook Pro?
I'm an 8GB M1 MBA user, so don't take my outdated opinions too seriously 
but this base MBP is a joke and serves only to artificially lower the starting price. If I was looking to upgrade, I'd need more enticement to justify the added weight. Oh, it has a built in HDMI port that I'll use twice a year? Whoopie.
but this base MBP is a joke and serves only to artificially lower the starting price. If I was looking to upgrade, I'd need more enticement to justify the added weight. Oh, it has a built in HDMI port that I'll use twice a year? Whoopie.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Watch the video. That guy highlights the downgrades pretty well and with hard, tangible proof from Apple's own website and published information.
Defenders will spin that none of that matters, that "99% won't be able to notice", etc. but they shouldn't have to defend. Progress should be FORWARD, not selectively backwards to harvest a few more bucks of margin.
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My terrible Dell Latitude that I have from work can run two displays. And costs about £400. This is truly getting ridiculous. Oh, and thanks Tim for the 20% hike in my Apple One subscription.
Celeron processors from 10 years ago support three displays.
Chromebooks at Best Buy selling for $200 support two external displays.
Intel based MacBook Air supported two external displays.
This is far from a “Pro” feature.
Chromebooks at Best Buy selling for $200 support two external displays.
Intel based MacBook Air supported two external displays.
This is far from a “Pro” feature.
Don't give Tim ideas.
And who pays for the computer to drive those displays? I'd venture a guess it's not you, so why would you care how much Apple charges?
At the end of the day, 2+ external displays is an incredibly niche market, particularly for Apple. And nearly the entire niche is filled by a) businesses, who get a discount plus a tax write-off, b) tech nerds, who wouldn't be buying an entry-level machine anyway, and c) creative pros, same.
Yes and how much more energy does it use? How much does is reduce overall performance.
Two modes:
at home open or clamshelled with the external monitors for desktop performance
-or-
on the road...with just the built in monitor or possibly sidecar an iPad
It’s common everywhere. Pretty much every Costco sells a 2-pack monitor, 24 or 27-inch.
Receptionists get two, bank tellers get two. For $100 per monitor, who isn’t running two these days? Unless, you can’t.
Need to drive 2 $100 1080p displays? Spend $400 extra on the M3 Pro. Makes perfect sense.
Doesn't just apply to 6k displays. This was something the old low-end Intel 13" MBPs from 2016 could do. It's not really a tall ask IMO.
I think you're (also) confusing Mac Mini external display support with Macbook Pro external display support. Macbook Pro with M2 Pro also only supports two external displays. It seems logical that when M3 Pro comes in the Mac Mini, it will support 3 displays just like M2 Pro.
So what you're saying is Apple should make a terrible £400 laptop that can run two displays and and have everyone be miserable. 😉
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No they don't have a point. Not every 'pro' is rendering 3d graphics or whatever you think you need the Pro or Max for.
Documentation, coding, terminal(s), slack, mail, calendar, video conferencing, and god knows how many other web browser tabs. 3 screens with multiple spaces, and no need for any more power than the base processor. The vast majority of professional users are not doing anything compute intensive and get way more benefit out of screen real estate than from a faster processor. But we can't have them buying the least expensive machine can we, so Apple limits the ability.
The artificial limitations of external monitors is the biggest blotch on Apple's hardware lineup.
Strangely, the M3 MacBook Pro doesn’t support two external monitors. You have to get M3 Pro MacBook Pro. I guess Apple wants to be extra sure you’re a real “Pro” first.
Apple has you covered. Simply choose the M3 Pro option if you need to drive two 6K displays.
I dont see the big deal. I’ve seen plenty of m1 and m2 pros drive multiple monitors - it wasn’t a such big deal then for the tradeoff (to have it built-in to the laptop) why is it such a big deal now?
If you want multiple displays just get an external display adapter (as mentioned in the article).
If you want multiple displays just get an external display adapter (as mentioned in the article).
No worries, mate. Stick it to Apple and simply purchase a non-Apple laptop that meets your requirements. And find happiness.
I principally disagree, although it does seem that specifically the M3Pro is less impressive than the other two. But, I will always argue that moving forward as a whole can totally be done by taking one step back in certain areas. Apple does this all the time. Having mantras that every individual component must be a step-up from before is not how you deliver the best, most coherent overall product.
But, this is on a principal level. I repeat, I do agree that M3Pro is less impressive. I reserve judgement on whether it is actually a step back though, until we get actual reviews and benchmarks.
This being said, the video does highlight several areas where there are improvements that Apple didn't mention, it's not all bad, and saying M3 is a downgrade is pushing it.
Also, I believe Apple has been pushing hard to avoid raising the price, given the increases in materials, shipping etc that the world has seen. The "shell" of a Mac is likely a lot more expensive compared to the internals, compared to most competitors, for instance in the amount of aluminum used. So Apple will have been hit pretty hard on materials cost. I'm not following prices for the competitors, so I have no clue whether Lenovo prices are up or down, this is just based on my experience in my own line of work.
My work machine is a MBP that spends most of its time in clamshell docked to 1xUHD and 2xQHD displays at home, and occasionally, the once in a while I go in, 2xQHD displays in the office (in the office I usually leave it open and use the built in screen as my third display), but also is portable and I use it on the road and around the house away from my desk.
That’s why
Not to mention the ability to do presentations/etc by hooking up to TVs/projectors. Every conference room in every office my employer has has a pair of 4K TVs to plug into for ex
They probably don't have them covered. There's no M2 Pro 15" MBA, probably won't be a M3 Pro 15" MBA.