Last week, Apple announced a surprise event titled “Scary Fast,” causing a stir among tech enthusiasts who speculated that the company would introduce new chips to power their latest line of Macs. As expected, the event showcased a new 24-inch iMac and a MacBook Pro refresh, with the centerpiece being Apple’s M3 chip lineup. Let’s delve into the key highlights of the event.
Key Takeaway
Apple’s October event unveiled the new M3 chips, which power the 24-inch iMac and MacBook Pro models. The M3 chips offer enhanced graphical capabilities and speed compared to their predecessors, making them a promising upgrade for Apple users.
New M3 Chips
The highlight of Apple’s Scary Fast event was the introduction of the M3 chip lineup. The M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips will be integrated into Apple’s new 24-inch iMac and MacBook Pro models. Apple has placed a significant emphasis on graphical prowess, incorporating features such as hardware-accelerated ray tracing, mesh shading, and Dynamic Caching. The M3 chips have been benchmarked against the M1 predecessor, demonstrating a 2.5x rendering speed improvement and a 30% increase in CPU performance.
New MacBook Pro Models
Apple’s new MacBook Pro models, available in 14-inch and 16-inch variants, come with upgraded internals and a striking new color: Space Black. The M3 chips power these models, focusing on maximizing the GPU capabilities. Additionally, Apple claims that both the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros offer an impressive battery life of 22 hours on a single charge. The 14-inch model starts at $1,599, while the baseline 16-inch model is priced at $2,499. The specific pricing for the M3 Max chip upgrade has yet to be disclosed.
New M3 iMac
The iMac line also received an update with the introduction of the new M3 chip. Retaining the familiar 24-inch form factor, the revamped iMac boasts a 4.5K retina display, a 1080p FaceTime camera, and a six-speaker system supporting Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio. Customers can choose from a range of vivid color options, including green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver. The baseline variant is priced at $1,299, while an upgraded version with a 256GB SSD is available at $1,499.
A Sneaky iPhone Showcase
As the event came to a close, Apple discreetly mentioned that the entire event had been shot on an iPhone and edited on a Mac, showcasing their technological prowess. This unexpected revelation served as a testament to Apple’s commitment to innovation.
If you missed the Scary Fast event or simply want to relive its highlights, you can watch the full archive on Apple’s website via the embedded YouTube player.
