Apple’s MacBook Pro line is more convoluted than it seems, with touch bar and no-touch bar models still being sold. The new M3 upgrades may streamline things going into 2024.
According to multiple sources and the ever-dwindling inventory of the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros on Apple’s storefront, the two larger laptop models are expected to debut with fresher M3 Pro and M3 Max chips during the “Scary Fast” event.
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Expect a similar form factor as the MacBooks that launched back in January, with mini LED displays that get plenty bright and all the ports for professional users, but with a meaningful improvement to the performance and battery life. The new 3nm process should also yield a greater gaming experience, like how the A17 Pro enables the iPhone 15 Pro to run triple-A titles with hardware-accelerated ray tracing.
As for the 13-inch MacBook Pro that debuted about a year and a half ago, Apple has three ways to go about it:
- Keep the design (including the touch bar) but replace the M2 chip with an M3
- Modernize the design (and remove the touch bar) and replace the M2 chip with an M3
- Not do anything at all