M3 Mac mini, 14-inch &16-inch MacBook Pro aren't coming in the fall
The first wave of M3 models may not include the usual suspects, a report claims, with an M3-equipped Mac mini and upgraded 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro likely to arrive later than originally thought.
![2023 Mac mini](https://photos5.appleinsider.com/gallery/55536-112781-52599-105325-Mac-mini-M2-Under-Monitor-xl-xl.jpg)
2023 Mac mini
Apple is expected to introduce its M3 chip in the fall, along with the first Mac models to use it. While the Mac mini is usually among the first to receive the initial salvo of Apple Silicon chips in a new generation, it may not be the case for the M3.
Writing in his "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman insists it's "a sure thing that an M3 version of the Mac mini is eventually coming." But rather than be in the fall launches, it could possibly be held back until late 2024.
As the M2 Mac mini arrived over two years after the first M1 model, Gurman suspects Apple doesn't believe the Mac mini needs annual or more regular refreshes, unlike some other Mac models like the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros.
Typically a later-in-cycle release, Gurman also says the 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro won't be in the October releases. Since they're going to use the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips, a mid-2024 launch is more appropriate.
Of the remaining candidates, Gurman does still think a 13-inch MacBook Pro with M3 will be in the first wave, along with a 13-inch MacBook Air update and a 24-inch iMac.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
The 14" MBP is overpriced. It should be around the £1800-£1900 mark IMO, especially since the 15" MBA is only £1399 and the 13" MBP £1349. In fact £1860 is the price of the US 14" MBP, including the UK's 20% sales tax. For some reason though Apple feels the need to charge UK customers £2149 which is the equivalent of $2760. It's way overpriced.
It’s perfectly okay for pundits to revise their forecasts if they get updated information, but I do wish they’d be better about disclosing that, or admitting when they were just plain wrong — which even the best of the rumour-mongers often are.
Now, the shoe is on the other foot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgLrBSQ6x7E&t=553s
They are still selling a lot of them due to it being a cheaper entry point into the Pro lineup than the 14". Part of the reason for this is the spec though - 8GB/256GB/M2. With the spec bumped to 16GB/512GB, the 13" MBP is $1699 vs $1999 for the 14" and this $300 difference gets M2 Pro and XDR display.
If the 14" had an 8GB/256GB option, it could start at $1599. They might be able to reach $1299 with M2 but $1499 would be doable with M2 Pro and that would allow them to drop the 13" but they'd probably have to still sell them at the same time to make sure they weren't losing sales. They could easily be selling 4 million of the entry ones, which is ~$5b.
They might not be able to produce enough XDR panels to sell the 14" at a lower price point yet.
If people start opting for the 15" Air, that could allow them to discontinue the 13" Pro.
It has happened before, in 2011, 2012 and 2013, there were two MBP updates:
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/index-macbookpro.html
This year it would be justified for the Air because it's their best-selling Mac and the 13" Air update was over a year ago. If they don't, they won't have an Air update in 2023 and probably no more Mac updates for the year. An M3 13"/15" would be a good update for education buyers. I expect MBP updates in 2024 (March-June).
The 14" has a higher entry spec than the 15" and it has a much nicer display. The XDR display is like OLED quality, the Airs just have standard IPS panels.
15" Air $1299 -> £1399 (1.07x)
14" Pro $1999 -> £2149 (1.07x)
They do seem to be adding something extra into the price, maybe it's to cover the 2 year EU-mandated warranty:
https://www.apple.com/uk/legal/warranty/products/uk-ireland-warranty-edition.html
If it just used the exchange rate plus tax, the prices would be 15" Air = £1199, 14" Pro = £1899.
It's rare, but it has happened, especially when there was new technology they wanted to push. The 4 Gen iPad was the first with a Lightning connector and a Retina display.
It’s as you say, for most people the MBA is the best option, anyone that generates power loads that need a fan needs a 14 or 16 inch MBP.
I have the M1 MBA with BTO 2TB storage and exquisite (and expensive with all the tiered batteries) wedge shape. It's aesthetics are superior to the current M2 MBA. It supports an external 6k display - reaching the limit of human usefulness. An M3 'block' MBA won't sway me to upgrade. Apple will have to up its MBA design to make me upgrade. Perhaps ask Sir Jony for a hand?
the price difference is not $800, and it is a bargain. If you upgrade SSD and RAM of the 13" MBP to match the base-model 14" (512GB & 16GB), the difference is just $200 (you can't seriously claim 14" should be cheaper than 13" with same specs, can you?)
That $200 gets you bigger and better screen, a pro-CPU with >50% better multicore and graphics performance, MagSafe, more ports etc. That's a bargain if you need that storage/RAM/performance/etc. If you don't, a pro laptop I not for you anyway. And the 13" MBP is not a pro laptop. They could call it just "MacBook", and both the lineup and pricing would make more sense.