M3 Mac mini, 14-inch &16-inch MacBook Pro aren't coming in the fall

AppleInsider · July 23, 2023 12:54PM

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

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.

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emcnair · July 23, 2023 3:16PM

I don’t see the point of continuing the 13” MacBook Pro. The M series Apple Silicon chips makes the MacBook Air quite formidable. If you need more power, move up to the 14” or 16” MacBook Pro. Creatives tend to want larger screens. I just can’t imagine a use case where a 13” would be preferred over a 14” for pro users. Not to say that there isn’t a use case. I just don’t see it.

grom007 · July 23, 2023 3:25PM

I was hoping to see a late 2023 mbp 16 m3 release. I heard some that have an m1 are waiting for a m3 to upgrade. It would be a nice Christmas gift to myself. Otherwise, early 2024 would be ok as well. I wouldn’t want to wait until the middle of 2024.

charlesn · July 23, 2023 3:37PM

These predictions never make sense. Since when does Apple update the same products twice in the same year? Exactly right. Never. The Mini just got the M2 AND a complete overhaul in January--so Apple's going to update it again 9 or 10 months later? Ridiculous. The MBPs just got speed-bumped to the M2 in January--and Apple never makes another processor change this soon. I would have guessed that *maybe* the 13" MBA, which has been out just over 1 year, would have gotten the M3 this fall. But with the release of the 15" M2 model, I don't see Apple having the two sizes of MBAs on different processors--I think both models stick with the M2 until maybe next summer.

Wolflow · July 23, 2023 3:39PM

Will Pointer Authentification Code (PAC) design flaw be fixed in M3 chip?

Skeptical · July 23, 2023 4:14PM

Oh no!!! Hunger strike on my horizon until Apple releases these technical marvels. Life isn’t worth living.

stompy · July 23, 2023 5:28PM

It's not a good laptop, but corporate and education buyers want the cheapest "Pro" laptop in the lineup. This computer checks that one box.

elijahg · July 23, 2023 6:39PM

It is significantly cheaper than the 14" model. £800 in fact. I'm surprised it got the M2, I thought it would get neglected as the cheap model like the 21" Intel iMac was; which still had an HDD right up until it was replaced with the M1 iMac.

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.

mikethemartian · July 23, 2023 7:04PM

I remember back in 2008 they released the Early 2008 MBP and then later that same year the Late 2008 MBP.

mikethemartian · July 23, 2023 7:06PM

Maybe they still have a significant inventory of parts they don’t want to charge off.

duke23 · July 23, 2023 8:13PM

I agree with you. I even read about some people wanting them to bring back the 11 inch. The 14 inch is a great sweet spot for most things.

chasm · July 23, 2023 8:40PM

It should be noted that back in May, Gurman held a somewhat different view on the likelihood of the MBPs and iMacs in the fall, but he has held steady on the 13-inch MBP. He’s now waffling on the M3 Mac mini, though, when just last week he sounded more confident about it arriving in this (likely) October event.

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.

As for why the 13-inch MacBook Pro exists, it’s because of EDU and corporate buyers, not to mention that being $700 cheaper than the one that offers just one inch more screen size (yes, and the truly “pro” variants), it’s an entry-level notebook for switchers, budget buyers, and first-timers to the platform, and will suitably impress that audience. Notebooks waaaaaaay outsell desktops these days, and Apple is keenly aware of that.

warnergt · July 23, 2023 10:11PM

Remember when Apple used to bitch about Intel not getting new processors out?
Now, the shoe is on the other foot.

sdw2001 · July 23, 2023 11:03PM

They just updated the MBP to M2 in January. I find it extremely unlikely they will go M3 in the fall. I just bought a 16 inch MBP M2 Max 32GB 2TB 12/30 core. I know I won’t be worried even if they do.

mattinoz · July 23, 2023 11:24PM

During the Talk Show from WWDC2023 Gruber asked the Apple heads on stage. How does the 13-inch pro fit? The answer is customers really like the touch bar.

Marvin · July 23, 2023 11:39PM

Greg Joswiak answered this in a recent interview:

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.

anome · July 24, 2023 12:40AM

2012 they released the 3rd Gen iPad in March, and the 4th Gen in October.

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.

entropys · July 24, 2023 3:14AM

Its one and only purpose is a headline price point for the starting at price of the MBP line, regardless of what anyone at Apple would say publicly.
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.

timmillea · July 24, 2023 8:12AM

The MBA 13" is the perfect first candidate for the M3. The 3nM process will bring significant, 5nM/3nM = 67% approx improvement in performance to power ratio. How Apple decides to share performance to power out in the M3 we don't know. Given the fan-less heat-throttling design, I imagine it will be a large ramp up in speed, for a minute or so, then extended battery life. There would be the opportunity to make it thinner or even to introduce the much-missed 11" version but that is not the direction of travel of Apple since Jony Ive departed.

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?

Jere · July 24, 2023 8:20AM

You are wrong. Here is why:
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.

Jere · July 24, 2023 9:10AM

There's probably some extra due warranty, but there are also other minor things that add costs (or might be more expensive outside US). Like developing and maintaining different language versions (both SW and packaging) and chargers, shipping, marketing etc. And, I think they also raise international prices when there's more uncertainty in the currency markets. They rarely change prices between updates, so whenever they see a currency risk, they take that in to account.

M3 Mac mini, 14-inch &16-inch MacBook Pro aren't coming in the fall

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