The latest M3-powered MacBook Pro laptops and iMac all-in-one computers have officially entered the South African market, following their unveiling at Apple’s “Scary Fast” event on October 30, 2023. Despite maintaining the designs of their predecessors, these devices promise significant upgrades in performance and graphics, thanks to Apple’s groundbreaking first 3-nanometer chip.
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The M3 chip family, available in three options—standard M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max—offers a 35% increase in speed for standard computing tasks and a remarkable 65% improvement in graphics performance compared to the M1 series.
The standard M3 variant features eight CPU cores and 8 or 10 GPU cores, depending on the model. The M3 Pro version is available with a combination of 11 CPU and 14 GPU cores or 12 CPU and 18 GPU cores. The M3 Max offers two derivatives: one with 14 CPU and 30 GPU cores, and a more powerful version with a 16-core GPU and 40-core GPU combo.
These laptops and all-in-one computers are now available at various authorized retailers. The new MacBook Pro comes in nine configurations, while the iMac has three builds. At the iStore, owned by Apple’s official distributor in South Africa, Core Group, prices start at R37,499 for the most affordable 14-inch MacBook Pro with the standard M3 chip, 512GB SSD storage, and 8GB unified memory.
Prices escalate based on specifications, with the top-tier 16-inch MacBook Pro featuring the M3 Max chip costing R93,999. The M3-powered iMacs are also available in various configurations, with prices ranging from R33,799 for the most budget-friendly model to R44,299 for the standard M3 chip variant with 512GB storage.
It’s important to note that these prices do not include potential discounts for trade-ins of older models. Overall, the introduction of the M3-powered devices reinforces Apple’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology and performance to its South African customers.
Here are the summarized prices for the 2023 MacBook Pro and iMac configurations:
2023 14-inch MacBook Pro:
- Apple M3 chip (8-core CPU; 10-core GPU); 512GB SSD; 8GB unified memory – R37,499
- Apple M3 chip (8-core CPU; 10-core GPU); 1TB SSD; 8GB unified memory – R41,999
- Apple M3 Pro chip (11-core CPU; 14-core GPU); 512GB SSD; 18GB unified memory – R46,999
- Apple M3 Pro chip (12-core CPU; 18-core GPU); 1TB SSD; 18GB unified memory – R56,499
- Apple M3 Max chip (14-core CPU; 30-core GPU); 512GB SSD; 36GB unified memory – R75,499
2023 16-inch MacBook Pro:
- Apple M3 Pro chip (12-core CPU; 18-core GPU); 512GB SSD; 18GB unified memory – R58,499
- Apple M3 Pro chip (12-core CPU; 18-core GPU); 512GB SSD; 36GB unified memory – R67,999
- Apple M3 Max chip (14-core CPU; 30-core GPU); 1TB SSD; 36GB unified memory – R81,999
- Apple M3 Max chip (16-core CPU; 40-core GPU); 1TB SSD; 48GB unified memory – R93,999
2023 iMac:
- Apple M3 chip (8-core CPU; 8-core GPU); 256GB SSD; 8GB unified memory – R33,799
- Apple M3 chip (8-core CPU; 10-core GPU); 256GB SSD; 8GB unified memory – R38,999
- Apple M3 chip (8-core CPU; 10-core GPU); 512GB SSD; 8GB unified memory – R44,299
