Apple MacBook M3 Pro – Long Term Review: It’s Aging SO Well!
Summary
TLDRIn this long-term review, Andrew shares his experience with the 14-inch MacBook Pro featuring the M3 Pro chip after 250 days of use. He discusses the laptop's strong battery life, exceptional display, and impressive performance in daily tasks, including video editing. However, he also notes some thermal throttling during heavy workloads. The review highlights the laptop's durability, future-proofing with upcoming macOS updates, and overall value, making it a great option for professionals seeking a reliable and powerful device.
Takeaways
- 💻 The 14" MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro chip has been used as a primary laptop for 250 days, handling tasks from video editing to docked setups.
- 🔋 Battery life is a standout feature, often approaching the claimed 30 hours, though it drains faster during specific tasks like playing music or rendering large video files.
- 🎨 The display remains sharp and bright, but there's a small decrease in color gamut coverage compared to previous models, which may affect professionals in photography or color grading.
- 🔥 The laptop experiences thermal throttling during sustained heavy loads, especially in tasks like editing large 4K video files, which may affect performance.
- 🎹 The keyboard continues to provide a satisfying typing experience, with good key depth and actuation, and the touch ID remains convenient.
- 🎨 The space black color is durable and resists fingerprints, becoming a favorite color option after extensive use.
- 📈 Software updates from developers like Adobe and Blackmagic Design have improved performance and efficiency, making the M3 Pro chip even more powerful over time.
- 🌡️ The M3 Pro chip's 3nm architecture contributes to longer battery life and cooler operation, though users pushing the laptop to its limits might consider the 16" model for better heat management.
- 💡 The upcoming macOS Sequoia and Apple Intelligence updates are expected to optimize power management, improve graphics performance, and future-proof the M3 Pro chip.
- 💼 The M3 Pro is recommended for professionals using demanding creative applications and is expected to offer 5-10 years of solid use, especially for those upgrading from Intel-based Macs or older Windows laptops.
Q & A
What is the main purpose of the review in the script?
-The review aims to provide a long-term evaluation of the 14" MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro chip after 250 days of use, focusing on aspects like battery life, thermal performance, and overall value.
How does the reviewer describe the keyboard of the MacBook Pro?
-The reviewer describes the keyboard as still enjoyable to type on, with fantastic key depth, satisfying actuation, and well-sized keys that contribute to typing accuracy. Touch ID remains convenient.
What are the reviewer's observations on the display quality of the MacBook Pro?
-The reviewer notes that the 14-inch display remains sharp, powerful for creative use, and bright at 600 nits, peaking at 1,600 nits for HDR content. However, there is a small decrease in color gamut coverage compared to previous models, which might affect professionals in fields like photography or color grading.
What does the reviewer mention about the battery life of the MacBook Pro?
-The reviewer highlights that the battery life has been a strong point, with Apple claiming 30 hours on a single charge. Although the reviewer doesn't always hit that range, the laptop still lasts nearly all day under various workloads.
What thermal issues has the reviewer encountered with the MacBook Pro?
-The reviewer has encountered thermal throttling when editing large 4K video files, which causes the chip to downclock its speed to avoid overheating. This results in throttled performance and a slower experience during video editing.
Why does the reviewer recommend the 16-inch model over the 14-inch in certain cases?
-The reviewer suggests considering the 16-inch model if you frequently push the laptop to its limits, as its larger size helps manage increased temperatures under heavy load, reducing the likelihood of thermal throttling.
How has the performance of the MacBook Pro improved over time?
-The reviewer notes that performance and efficiency have improved due to software updates from developers like Adobe and Blackmagic Design, which have optimized their software for the M3 chipset.
What advice does the reviewer give regarding the M3 Max chip?
-The reviewer mentions that while the M3 Max chip offers more cores and better performance, the M3 Pro is sufficient for most users, especially those involved in video editing and 3D animation, making it a more cost-effective choice.
What future updates does the reviewer anticipate for the MacBook Pro?
-The reviewer anticipates that the upcoming Mac OS Sequoia and Apple Intelligence updates will further optimize power management, improve graphics processing, and enhance overall performance, making the M3 Pro a future-proof investment.
Who does the reviewer believe would benefit most from the MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro chip?
-The reviewer believes that the MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro chip is ideal for users who are upgrading from Intel-based Macs or older Windows laptops, especially those involved in demanding creative applications and looking for a future-proof laptop.
Outlines
💻 Long-Term Review of the MacBook Pro M3 Pro
After 250 days of use, the reviewer provides an in-depth assessment of the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro chip. They discuss the laptop's strong performance in various tasks like video editing, its durable design, excellent keyboard, and bright display. However, they note minor issues such as thermal throttling under heavy loads and slightly reduced color accuracy compared to previous models. Despite these issues, the reviewer praises the laptop's battery life, build quality, and overall value, making it a solid choice for professionals.
🖥️ Optimized Desktop Setup with Logitech Accessories
The reviewer highlights their desktop setup using the MacBook Pro M3 Pro in clamshell mode, paired with Logitech accessories. They recommend the Logitech MX Keys S keyboard and MX Master 3S mouse for their compatibility, ergonomic design, and high performance. The reviewer also notes the improved software optimization for the M3 chip, which enhances the overall experience with better performance and efficiency. They conclude that this setup provides a powerful and productive environment, ideal for intensive workflows.
🔋 Future-Proofing and Long-Term Benefits of the MacBook M3 Pro
The final paragraph focuses on the future potential of the MacBook Pro M3 Pro, especially with upcoming MacOS Sequoia and Apple Intelligence updates. These updates are expected to optimize power management, extend battery life, and improve graphics performance. The reviewer considers the M3 Pro a great investment for those upgrading from older Intel Macs or Windows laptops, highlighting its balance of power, efficiency, and longevity. They recommend the M3 Pro as a safe buy for most professionals and emphasize its long-term value.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡M3 Pro chip
💡Thermal throttling
💡Battery life
💡Clamshell mode
💡Color gamut coverage
💡3-nanometer process
💡External storage
💡macOS Sequoia
💡Logitech MX Keys S and MX Master 3S
💡Future-proofing
Highlights
Andrew provides a 250-day review of the 14" MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro chip, discussing its long-term performance and durability.
The MacBook's keyboard remains enjoyable to type on with satisfying key actuation and Touch ID continues to be very convenient.
The 14-inch display is sharp and powerful, though there is a slight decrease in color gamut coverage compared to the M1 and M2 models.
The space black color of the MacBook has held up well over time, resisting fingerprints and scratches despite frequent use.
Battery life is a strong feature of the M3 Pro, often lasting close to Apple's claim of 30 hours on a single charge, though certain activities like playing music and rendering large video files drain the battery faster.
The new 3nm chip process in the M3 Pro improves power utilization, contributing to longer battery life and cooler operation under heavy load.
Thermal throttling issues have been observed when editing large 4K video timelines, causing the chip to downclock and slow performance.
For those pushing the laptop to its limits, the 16-inch model may be a better option to avoid thermal throttling due to its larger size.
Using an app like Alente to cap the charge at 80% can help preserve battery life and extend the charging cycles of the MacBook.
The M3 Pro performs well in clamshell mode, providing a powerful and ergonomic setup when connected to an external display.
The Logitech MX Keys S and MX Master 3S are highlighted as high-quality accessories that pair well with the MacBook for a productive desktop setup.
Software updates from developers like Adobe and Blackmagic Design have improved performance and efficiency on the M3 Pro over time.
Mac OS Sequoia is expected to further optimize power management, graphics processing, and video editing performance on the M3 Pro.
The M3 Pro is seen as a future-proof investment, especially for users upgrading from Intel-based Macs or older Windows laptops.
For most professionals, the M3 Pro offers a blend of power, efficiency, and design that makes it a safe and strong contender in the laptop market.
Transcripts
This is the 14" MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro chip I've had this laptop for almost 250 days now and
I've been using it as the main laptop for most of my work from video editing while on the road to
using it in a docked setup at home hey friends Andrew here hope you're well so now 250 Days
Later here is my long-term review of the MacBook M3 Pro going over how its battery life has been
holding up some unfortunate thermal isues some software updates and why overall I think that
this is actually a laptop that's aging really well and is still a great buy okay so firstly
this is the configuration that I've been working with this has the M3 Pro chip with 12 core CPU
18 core GPU 18 GB memory and 1 TB SSD and everything is holding up really nicely with
daily use the keyboard on the MacBook Pro is still enjoyable to type on the key depth is fantastic
the actuation is satisfying the keys are the perfect size for typing accuracy and touch ID
is still very convenient the 14-in display remains sharp powerful for Creative use and
plenty bright at 600 nits and Peaks at 1,600 nits for HDL content but I believe something
that I've noticed is there's a very small decrease in color gamut coverage compared
to the M1 and M2 MacBook Pros which means it's not as color accurate but don't worry
it's not that noticeable dayto day for most users it won't even matter but if you're a photographer
or a professional color grader it is something to keep in mind as for the storage 1 tbte has
been plenty I don't really store large files uh locally I mainly just store stuff like PDFs
Excel docs and larger files are in the cloud or on the nas so 1 terabyte locally has been plenty
you can always buy an external hard drive or cloud storage the space black color here is also holding
up really well despite me not babying it at all I've come to actually like the color more and
more to the point that it has probably become my favorite MacBook color uh full stop I complained
about the color in my initial review and I said that I would have liked to see it darker but
after daily use I actually appreciate that it isn't Pitch Black it's this beautiful dark gray
with tints of black under certain lights it also resists fingerprints pretty well and there's zero
scratches so far and like I said I haven't been babying this laptop I've been taking out and about
basically everywhere and yeah it's been holding up really well then there is the battery life which
has been a highlight feature of the M3 Pro so far Apple claimed 30 hours on a single charge during
the launch of this laptop and you know what even though I'm not always hitting that range it does
come quite close day to-day so this has been a reliable laptop when I'm video editing on the
go and need a full day use without a charger it's a huge perk for professionals on the go one thing
that I have noticed is the BR real life drains faster than average when I'm playing music through
the speakers and also rendering multiple large video files outside of those two things though
it'll last the entire day no problem running all sorts of applications and watching YouTube videos
a big part of the very lengthy battery life is that new 3 nanom chip size and long story short
that 3 nanom process has design improvements that optimize how the chip utilizes power so that all
means longer battery life and a cooler operation under heavy load I have unfortunately run into
of course the thermal throttling issues on this 14in MacBook M3 Pro so when I edit 4K mxf format
for example of my Sony fx6 on a very large video timeline let's say 20 minute timeline it starts
to overheat over that sustained heavy load so what happens then the chip then down clocks its speed
to avoid overheating and then this means throttle performance and a slower experience video editing
I think for like 99% of people this isn't going to be a problem but it is a consideration if you
constantly push this laptop to its limits and if that is you or you think that might be you you
might want to consider the 16in model because its larger size will help handle the increased
temperature under load and avoid being throttled also Pro tip use an app called alente which will
cap the charge at 80% to help preserve the battery and get you more charging Cycles out of your new
Macbook still one of my favorite ways to use this laptop is in its clamshell mode because it uses
the GPU to power the external display and creates just a more ergonomic work setup so throwing it
into clamshell mode in a stand and plugging it into a thunderbolt monitor like the studio display
here the M3 Pro chip is plenty powerful to fill an intense workflow and with a dedicated keyboard and
mouse it works as well as an iMac or Mac Mini I've partnered with Logitech on this segment to show
you some of my favorite Logitech accessories that go perfectly with a Macbook in this doc setup so
my go-to keyboard and mouse combo is still the Logitech MX Keys s with the MX Master 3s these
are both one of the best keyboard and mouse combos available and in the new Logitech MX
Keys s combo for Mac set it comes bundled with a pretty comfortable wrist rest so aesthetically the
set is designed for Max with its Mac key layout smart backlit keys that illuminate when I'm about
type and the space gray finish pairs up perfectly with the MacBook M3 Pro that I
have but more importantly they're just really high quality accessories if you've used the MX Master
3s you'll know that this is one of the best mice on the market with its precise pixel tracking up
to 8,000 DPI and comfortable design with plenty of shortcut buttons for efficiency the keyboard
has never studded and the low profile switches are just as pleasant to use as the macbook's keyboard
itself plus I'm able to connect them to Three Apple devices at once for fast switching when
I'm working at my desk the new MX Brio webcam also Graces the Apple Pro XR display since it doesn't
have an inbuilt webcam and the webcam comes in clutch for professionall looking 4K video meetings
so altogether it's an aesthetic Match Made for Mac productivity if you'd like to grab the MX
Keys s combo set for your own Mac setup check out the link and discounts in the description
box below so so over the last 6 or so months now I've noticed improved performance and efficiency
with the M3 Pro and this is because developers have fine-tuned software to unlock more out of
the M3 chipset for example Adobe black magic design and finart pro have all released updates
optimizing performance for the new chipset for faster rendering times smoother workflows and also
improved efficiency too it's the same thing we've seen during the change from Intel processors to
Apple silicon as more developers updated software and apps for the M1 chip we saw bigger and bigger
performance bombs so it's great to see that the M3 Pro gets even better with time and even if
you choose to buy an M3 Pro later down the track when for example you know the M4 or maybe even M5
are out you'll still likely benefit from ongoing software optimization for an even bigger range of
apps so there's definitely like an element of future prooved to purchase here I did think to
myself though do I regret not buying the M3 Max because you may remember in my initial review I
said that Apple seems to be pushing users towards the M3 Max chip this year it comes with more cores
a wider memory bus and is obviously aimed at Professionals in video editing 3D animation or
coding but as someone who uses figma blender and edits 4K files the M3 pro has been enough in my
experience and at a more manageable price point too to me it's like the goldilock Zone the M3
Max is super expensive and the return on those dollars just sorts of tapers off but the base
M3 doesn't have enough long-term juice and don't get me started on the minimum base 8 GB of RAM in
2024 yeah it's it it shouldn't be the case but the M3 Pro sits right in the middle of those offerings
and will suit most people's needs let's not forget the elephant in the room though the upcoming Mac
OS sequia and apple intelligence updates they're going to be a big part of maximizing the M3 chip
performance and future proofing it too I think there's a few ways the new Mac OS will improve
the MacBook M3 Pro so firstly Mac OS sequia is likely going to optimize power management
which could mean an even longer battery life on the already great M3 Pro developers also have
the opportunity to optimize their software even further on the M3 Pro architecture there's also
an improved metal framework which is Apple's Graphics framework that could help juice more
Graphics processing power from the M3 Pro for gamers and creatives plus there's even rumored
improved prores acceleration which means even faster encoding and decoding times for video
editors so that's a lot of new upcoming benefits that will improve the MacBook M3 Pro over time and
that's not even including all the upcoming Apple intelligence stuff that could speed up workflows
by automating tasks obviously this is not unique to the M3 Pro but the M3 Pro is positioned to take
the most capability out of the new OS the MacBook M3 Pro is also of course still a premium device
with a price tag that doesn't suit casual users but it's a decent investment I think knowing that
the the M3 chipset is positioned to benefit from the new OS for some time to come okay so after 250
days of using this laptop I think that the person that's going to benefit most from the MacBook M3
Pro is someone that's still either using an Intel based Mac or an older Windows laptop and you're
invested into demanding creative applications and you're looking to invest in a futureproof
laptop I think the M3 Pro is a great bet it's a laptop that's actually sort of hard to fault and
unless you're going to be working on the most intense workflows like large 3D renders the M3
Pro will probably get the job done it's a laptop that I think you'd be able to get a Solid 5 to 10
years of use out of without any issues as long as Apple keeps to its promise of 6 or so years of OS
updates but if you have the previous gen M2 Pro or even the MacBook M2 or M3 air the performance
gains probably don't justify the upgrade cost My overall thought here is that the M3 Pro is still
a really really strong contender in the laptop market and will be for a while the blend of power
efficiency design ergonomics and that super long battery life just makes it a pretty safe buy for
most professionals who push their laptops and if you ever find one on sale I'd say go for it it's
a really safe bet and a great buy so if you made it to the very end of this video comment
the code word sequia and I'll give it a like for watching until the end and if you have the MacBook
M3 Pro or Max yourself have you been enjoying the laptop let me know if you do have a Macbook I'll
drop a video right here to my favorite free Mac apps you probably haven't heard of so go
check it out and as always thanks for watching and I'll see you in the next video oh [Music]
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