MacBook Pro 14 M3 (late 2023): a notable performance gain compared to the Intel MacBook Pro

 The new entry-level model of the MacBook Pro 14 (starting at €1,999) now looks like a heavier MacBook Air 13 with an HDR display.

As configured, the base 14-inch MacBook Pro isn't powerful enough to do anything other than play HDR content. In other words, there's no real "pro" in the cheapest model.

A design that does not evolve

The design is more or less unchanged since the 2021 model. The difference mainly lies in the connectivity, which is determined by the processor version. The MacBook Pro M3 includes two USB-C/Thunderbolt ports and an HDMI port. The MacBook Pro M3 Pro (from €2,499) offers four USB-C/Thunderbolt ports.

The limitation to two USB-C ports won't be a huge drawback for most uses. On the other hand, if you have to work in airports, cafes, or other places where access to outlets is limited, having all the connectivity on one side may pose a problem.

photo credit: Lori Grunin/CNETThe ports on the right side of the MacBook Pro 14 M3 (above) compared to the older M1 Pro version.

The good news concerns increasing autonomy. Apple announces from 3 to 10 p.m. depending on activity. Our own tests place the battery life of the MacBook Pro M3 at around 18 hours.

The M3 Pro model uses the same battery but consumes more power. Its autonomy is the same as before, i.e. 12 to 18 hours. This is a very good performance.

Performance

The screen is essentially the same as the MacBook Pro 16 , which is excellent for everyday use, content creation, and gaming. Despite this environment more conducive to gaming, Apple still does not offer many titles from the most prolific platforms.

photo credit: Lori Grunin/CNETAll connections are located on the left side of the MacBook Pro M3

Some aspects of configuration performance are memory related. In other words, a lack of memory can slow it down due to the unified architecture. Apple has improved graphics optimization to not under- or over-allocate GPU resources, but if you only have 8GB of RAM, the CPU and GPU don't really have much headroom to share it when they are requested together. This may explain some of the unexpected performance differences between the MacBook Pro 14 (16GB) and the iMac (48GB), given that they have the same processor.

But in any case, the new MacBook Pro M3 brings a notable improvement over MacBook Pros based on Intel processors.