I've been a digital nomad 6 years and love the 16 inch. It's about 1 lbs heavier but so much easier to do real work on. I use my 12.9 inch iPad as 2nd display and I'm golden.
Haha you know, it's the iPad 12.9 with keyboard that feels so heavy. Especially the keyboard. Sometimes, I'll use the smartfolio and that helps. I also bring my Elgato Streamdeck XL everywhere because I use macros for so many common ChatGPT functions and email templates. So, it's not super light but my Lowerpro Protactic 240 bag is fantastic. 4-years with it and about 6 countries and nonstop travel and it still looks and works like new. Camera bags are great tech bags.@@HeyMarkL
That's what I was thinking. I had the 16" Intel i9 one. The screen broke recently so I'm looking for what to buy next. I got the 16" for its size, but also because it came with dedicated graphics which you couldn't get in the smaller sizes (I had a 2014 13" before this). The 16" was amazing to be productive on and multitask with, but since there's no real advantage in performance over the smaller size anymore, I'm really not sure what to do. The 16" got even bigger than what I'm used to and heavier as well. And the 14" will already have way better battery life than what I'm used to. I use my computer docked with an external monitor quite a lot which makes me lean towards the 14, but also use it a lot as a laptop (like on my actual lap) which makes me lean more towards the 16 because it's a super comfortable size and amazing for having 2 windows next to each other. Also considered the 15" Air because it's probably more than plenty for what I need to do (except gaming, but I didn't assume the situation would be very desirable anyways with an M series Mac vs my old Intel one with dedicated graphics and Bootcamp?) - but one external monitor and it being perhaps less future proof are holding me back a little. It's actually gotten super difficult this time around... I haven't even picked the color (although thinking about ditching silver for the very first time and going with black) and don't know if I need an M3 Pro, M3 Max, ...
The fact that the max m3 powerhouse doesn't throttle on the 14" model is quite amazing and is really telling about the efficiency of these new M processors. I went through several windows computers in the last few years, and there is just nothing that beats the MacBook Pro at the moment for this amount of performance in a small form factor, while maintaining great battery life. I agree with you that portability is just fantastic on the 14" model, particularly for airplane travel. (written from my M3 Max 14")
I have also tossed up the decision between 14 & 16. In the end I chose the 16 for the simple reason: the 14 **_needs_** an external monitor for anything serious. With the 16 I can go to the beach, a cafe, even sit on a clifftop, and not affect productivity in a huge way. With the 14 it's too small to really be busy, unless your demands are relatively simple - in which case why are you buying the Pro or Max? If you only travel between locations where you definitely always have external displays to connect to, then the 14 is the better bet. The 16 however is the winner if you are sometimes without that luxury.
You forgot to mention that in the cafe it's going to push that cup off the table, and you're also going to have to carry it to the clifftop on your back.
I decided to go with the 14" M3 MAX and will buy a larger screen for working at home, love the smaller one even thou I did try the 16" for some weeks but ended up returning it
Good insights on things spec sheets can't cover. But I can't help but notice, did you manage to typo EVERY reference of Multi-core performance except for the first one @ 1:29? I had to re-watch just to make sure you weren't comparing apples to oranges. Script was solid tho - and thank goodness for that!
So yeah I didn’t notice the typo on those until it was too late to re-upload haha but thank you for being so kind and understanding! I’m a one man band haha so more complicated videos like these are hard work.
Finally a great review comparing 14 vs 16. Totally agree on the 14 inch MBP portability. I will sacrifice a little screen real estate, battery life, a little performance for the ease of carry my setup around. I travel from studio to studio and also on planes so the 14 inch made the most sense for me.
I agree. I mess around on my laptop on the couch. While the 16" sounds tempting I think it would be a pain maneuvering with it. I think the 14" is the sweet spot. That or beef up the 15" MBA if wanting a bigger screen.
As someone that has experienced both, I prefer the 14". It's usually plugged to a couple monitors at home base and away it is just much easier to haul around and work with in tight spaces like the front seat of a pickup. I get the appeal of the 16", but for me, the 14" was the mama bear.
If I didn't already have a Mac mini, I'd probably plug in this 14" every time I'm home but I travel so often that I'm on the MacBook Pro 75% of the time.
I always laugh when I hear people say the 16in MBP is a desktop replacement. Having used many PC Desktop Replacement laptops that weigh upwards of 9Lbs not including the charger, the 16MBP is an ultra light in comparison lol. Great video!
Definitely happy I picked the 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max-it's just so much more portable. The 14-inch size is already a step up from my old M1 Air, and anything bigger like my old 15.6-inch Intel MacBook Pro from 2019 just kills the portability for me. If I ever need a bigger screen, I just hook it up to an external monitor. The 14 or 13-inch models are perfect for mobility; I can easily get work done in cafes or on train rides without any hassle. I never really hit any performance limits with real-life tasks; my CPUs hardly ever max out. This 14-inch M3 Max is like a small miracle of technology-a portable laptop that packs a serious punch. Plus, I can always switch it to low power mode when I'm on the move, and it becomes as quiet and efficient as a MacBook Air. Basically, the 14-inch MBP is a transformer: it's a MacBook Air when I want cool, quiet, and long battery life, and it turns into a beastly M3 Max when I need to power through heavy tasks that would drag on forever on an Air. When you go for the 16-inch, you lose this transformer ability. It just won’t fit in your sports bag or a typical backpack. How do you even bike around the city with a 16-inch? With the 14-inch, I can always have it with me and use any 15-minute break to chip away at my projects. I bet the 16-inch owners just end up leaving it at home. And if you consider a MacBook Air, sure, it stays cool and portable, but it starts to throttle under heavy loads because it doesn’t have a fan. And then there’s the 16-inch MacBook Pro Max-much heavier, bulkier, and a pain to carry around, especially if you put it in a protective case (which you have to, if you don’t want it to break). And what are you really gaining over the 14-inch? Just a bit of extra theoretical performance? Which, in real life, hardly makes a difference. The M3 Max 14-inch remains the most versatile option. You get high power when you need it, low power when you don’t, and you can always connect to a bigger screen at home. You get the best of both worlds-a powerful device that’s still super portable.
I’ve been running the 14 inch hard with photo imports and processing for hours over the past three days, and I haven’t heard the fan kick in once. Plus, I’m getting about 9 hours of battery life on low power mode, which is incredible. For those worried about battery life while on the move, here’s a tip: just drop a power adapter or power bank into your backpack. It's still way more portable than lugging around a bigger laptop. This way, the size of your laptop doesn’t increase, but you still get all the power you need for extended use. Honestly, the 16-inch might offer a bit more battery theoretically, but if you're never going to carry it around because of its size, what's the point? That's exactly why I switched from the bulky 15.6-inch MacBook Pro to the 13.3-inch MacBook Air M1 initially. The Air was always with me because it was so easy to carry around. Now, the 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max offers the best of both worlds: it’s powerful enough to handle heavy tasks and still portable enough to take anywhere. It's perfect for anyone who needs the power of a Pro but wants the day-to-day convenience of an Air.
Please when making comparisons, put the numbers side by side. Better yet, overlay or compare both graphs on a single view. After having shown 4 to 5 digit numbers, until the animations are done and the next device is shown, I already have forgotten the exact numbers... so I had to scroll back and forth to be able to compare them.
4:01 - I don't understand something... why compare _"Single Core in Max" vs "Multi Core in Pro"?_ What's the comparison? _"Aspect (A) of Processor (1)" vs "Aspect (B) of Processor (2)"?_ Why? That's like comparing the door of an apartment to the window of a house. Like... Whatt?? And the headline above says "16 M3 Max"? 4:56 - Same... _Feature (A) of Processor (1) vs Feature (B) of Processor (2)_ with a headline of _"14 M3 Max"_ 🫤 This hurts my brain and makes me need to take notes so I can compare and still not be sure if you accidentally made a mistake in labelling the sub-titles of the bars.
@@HeyMarkL Your charts are also incorrectly labeled. You have been writing 14 MacBook Pro - M3 Pro under the bars for the 14 inch in all your charts... for someone that just watches videos on silent to view the benchmarks, this can be extremely misleading!
Nice video with to the point and upto date information. I wish you showed those scores side by side for 14 vs 16 as most of those went above my head. I use 2x27" Monitors so I guess maxed out 14" M3 Max would be my choice. Thanks again for that inside.
Given that you have both M3 pro and M3 max, which should I go for ? I do productivity tasks (photoshop, lightroom, video editing). Is there major difference between the pro and max chip ? Has pro or max ever throttled on you ?
Kids today think a 5lb laptop with the computational power of the Space Station is heavy. Sheesh! Get off the couch and start lifting weights or take vitamins ;-)
Been using a 16" M1 Max in my voice-over studio for 3 years and it's a beast. The screen decided it was time to take a break from life over the weekend though and while it's in the the shop getting fixed up I'm giving a 14" MBP a shot. I carry my laptop back and forth from my recording booth to my control desk (a monumental 6' walk, hah) all day long and I'm interested to see how that feels with the 14 after all of these years of moving the 16 from point A to B 20x per day. I don't use an external monitor so the 16" has been amazing to split-screen scripts and my DAW and even Zoom for live sessions with clients when recording and I figured it would be a night-and-day difference doing the same with the 14 but so far it's not as pronounced as I thought it would be. This video convinced me that the 14 can handle the Max chip if/when I decide to go that direction instead. If the 14 works well from a function standpoint over the next few days it might win me over for whenever it's time to upgrade again. Solid video; good presentation.
@@mendoza9007 once my 16” was out of the shop I decided to stick with it. Wasn’t the right time to make the swap to the 14” for me. As a business owner every dollar I spend needs to have good ROI and making that change now just wouldn’t. That said, whenever I do feel like it’s worth it to make an upgrade I think I’m going to pick up a 14”. Might be when the M4 gen comes out, might be M5, but it’ll be the smaller form factor for me as long as thermal control stays the same or improves from gen to gen.
....Hey man huge fan here, love your videos, you are in your way to 100K sub's so congrats in advance mate, keep rocking😀😀,... Btw lovely video, Huge fan of m series macbooks, thank you so much for the upload man.....
Hey! I am getting started in the audiovisual production sector. (video, photo apps and musical production of course) I also use excel and word programs a lot!! Seems to me that the 14” could have temperature issues? Though, I usually travel and I am thinking as well to get a pad for my drawings… Which one should I get in your opinion and why?
I never had a problem with thermals once. So it’s most likely not gonna be a problem. I deal with a ton of heavy 4K clips and motion graphics and this works really well.
i like the bigger size screen but will be fine without it since I am connecting to a monitor, I don't care that it's heavier (i currently carry a much heavier laptop) for me the decision is going to be the price difference between what I want. $2879 (16"MBP , 12core, 1tb, 36gb) VS 2,559 (14" MBP, 12core,1tb, 36gb) are those $320 worth it or better off throwing it at a docking station. 🤷♂
Only reason I got a M3 Max 16” MacBook Pro is its battery efficiency. I got a 4090 custom build PC for gaming so I don’t need a windows laptop with a 4080 with 2 hours battery life. I need a laptop that can last 8 hours of moderate work, and the M3 Max fits perfectly. I only got the 1 TB SSD version, now I’m beginning to doubt that decision.
Great video, thank you! I've always been a fan of the smaller MacBook models. Currently, I own the 13-inch MacBook 2018 model, and it's about time for an upgrade. I'm considering upgrading to the latest MacBook Max 14-inch model with semi-maxed-out specs. I carry my laptop with me everywhere I go, and I think the 14-inch size would be a better fit for me. However, the heating issue you mentioned is making me somewhat doubtful if this is the right choice, especially since my current MacBook suffers from overheating even during basic tasks. Do you think I should reconsider the size choice? I will primarily use the m3 max laptop for coding and web browsing, nothing too demanding at the moment. However, I might use it for more heavy-duty tasks in the future, such as machine learning. Hence, I am leaning towards a more maxed-out setup.
Get the 14" M3 MAX and enable Low Power Mode if it gets hot. Max Tech did a comparison that showed how impressive is the performance on M3 MAX while in low-power mode while saving a lot of battery and being cool.
Great video; thank you! I have a 15inch MBP that's about 9 years old and definitely aging. I thought I would go with the 16inch as my next unit, but got the 14in on sale. It is noticeably smaller than the 15in that I've been used to. Do you think one gets used to a smaller machine over time, recognizing that I'll eventually get the 16in to replace my old 15in. I guess I could get the 15in Air, but I like the brightness of the Pro machines over the Airs. Thoughts? thanks again!
16” is still smaller and lighter than the typical Windows laptop. Plus, who actually uses a laptop on an airplane? That’s where the iPad shines. At work, my MacBook sits in a stand and functions as a fifth monitor, so I appreciate the larger screen daily. But when I travel, I’d much rather have the larger screen since I’m relegated to a single screen plus my iPad as an extension.
14's compactness-to-power ratio is just unmatched, you can just buy a monitor but those times that you don't want people to see your business in public spaces outweighs the bigger display and battery of the 16'
I just got the 16” and it’s so big and heavy 32gb 512ttb. I am switching from a 15” Microsoft surface which is much lighter but only 8gb. I use it primarily for day trading. So I thought the 16 would be better but I’m almost thinking to get the 14 and an iPad for an extra screen. What are your thoughts?
@@HeyMarkL thanks marc. For someone who only uses their laptop for trading (2-3 programs running at once), would you go with the 14 pro m3 max or the 15” new air m3. I’m having a difficult time deciding between these two and am not sure what the m3 difference would mean for me if I need the max or the m3 is fine. I’d appreciate your input as this spec business is all new to me and I only learned about it when my current 8gb laptop was lagging. Thank you
Which model should I get? ( 1st time thinking of a macbook pro, I do visual communications ( student for now ). 14 or 16? Also which version would be ideal? I would have access to the apple education discount as well. Im clueless seeking advice / help / tips greatly appreciated ! sooooo context is that I currently own a Legion Pro 5 16IRX8 , 4060, 32ram, 1tb space , 13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-13900HX. However it is heavy af .... because its a 16 laptop if im not wrong? but ofcos its legion so its meant to be heavy.... the issue is that my battery life is not so high when I do some school work and I have to be plugged in to better use my laptop performance otherwise it will cause some lag ?? I have changed some settings which helps with battery life but Im just wondering if getting a macbook pro is worth it at all? and like would it be better than my current specs as of now? and how much battery life am i expecting. Basically in short, the macbook is meant for bringing to school so its easier on my back ache and I can bring it out to cafe etc to study at the same time while leaving my legion at home as the main work desk etc i guess ? Im open to hear all kinds of replies so do hit me with your reasons and suggestions :) thank you !
Go for 15" M3 Air maxed out with 24GB RAM and 2TB SSD. It'll be as powerful, if not more powerful than your current laptop but will barely weigh anything. Plus you don't need to be plugged in to get full power. If you think you need more power, go for the 14" M3 Pro with 36GB RAM and 1TB SSD.
Every reviewer gives you numbers and increase in performance percentages. None of them says wether you could or could not video edit without any issues with M3Pro or at least shows on on their screen.
I have the 14" M1 MBP and love it but.... I don't travel much and it sits on my desk 90% of the time. I am considering the 16"M3 as it will just be a nicer computer on my desk.
The real thing is nobody's gonna realize wether the SSD is 3000/7000 speed. Specially for programmers. For video editors might be different. Coming from leaving vfx industry where I wrote 3.6 tb on a SSD SATA and I was okay. Faster is indeed desired but at some point there's no big difference.
@@HeyMarkL Thanks. It is a toss up between these two for me... I think I would like the bigger screen as I onl connect to a display once or twice a week
I dont travel, im a windows user, this gonna be my 3rd laptop. First Apple. I hate upgrading. I think for future proofing, I guess maxing out the specs. So no more upgrading in the future?
If you’re planning on keeping this laptop for 5-10 years. Go with this spec: M3 Max16-Core CPU/40-Core GPU, 4TB SSD and 64GB RAM. You don’t need 96GB/128GB of RAM. You don’t need 8TB SSD. You’ll be more than fine with my recommended spec.
When it’s under heavy heavy load. It was VERY loud. But when I’m video editing and doing my most to really get the machine to work. It doesn’t get loud at all. So I’d say 80% of the time it’s near quiet and 20% loud.
I edit 4k Canon R5C clips (heavy codecs) and use a good amount of effects/grading + Lightroom Personally. I don’t like fan noise. You think the 14inch or 16inch would make loud audible noise? And would either handle it well? I’m tossed between M3 max and M2 Max, also tossed on which size.
If you can go for 16 M3 Max go absolutely all the way. This will serve you better for long term usage and any future cameras you may upgrade to. This 16” M3 Max won’t make too much noise vs the 14”
I want to get the macbook pro 14 but the fanless idea of the Air really interest me, how often do your hear the fans if you dont do any of the creator stuff by pushing the Laptops CPU/GPU and if so how loud do they get?
Honestly I only really heard it when I benchmarked it via Cinebench and when I’m rendering out a 10+ min 4K video timeline in FCPX. Besides that, while I’m editing I haven’t heard the fans one bit.
Thanks for doing this review! Though...5k for a laptop is laughable. A comparable desktop could have so much more. People that want a larger screen should also consider why they actually need it. These laptops especially the Pro and Max can drive 2-3 ultrawide 4k monitors. Also if you just need another portable screen consider getting an external screen or casting to a ipad or similar tablet. Also curious what the tradeoffs are for video editing over thunderbolt (40gbps) to a large storage media device vs on device. With a solution like that you can spend the extra $2000 on a high end NAS with a thunderbolt connection + solid state drives.
I don't travel and I don't have an external monitor at home. Just need one for college and for work down the line + personal projects. Which one should i get? 16" or 14"?
So almost no difference between them. What about compared to then m3 pro. Aside from gaming I didn’t see a use case for using the m3 max in your examples.
Who uses large laptops nowadays🤣 If you do serious work on a laptop, then it’s not that serious. Can use the price difference plus a couple of hundred bucks to buy yourself a decent external monitor.I adore my 14 inch- packs both punch and portability. For work- two 32 inch displays do the task.
These sound tests are really laughable when I have to listen at it on my big Samsung TV at home....on its tinny, very stupid "telephone quality" speakers. 😂. I noticed no difference at all.
WhyTF would you not overlay the Geek Bench results so we ca see the 16 and the 14 numbers next to each other? Your benchmarks are barely the bare minimum and you can't even get that right.
@@UkeTV This is not as cheeky as you think. What this highlights is there are two ways to go about this. Take criticism (and possible do better) or get defensive. Either way, have fun or stay bothered. Hope Mark makes the better choice here.
I'll never understand why someone would be willing to be that much money for a 14 inch screen. Also, your tests don't mean a damn thing unless people know that the numbers mean.
@@yamito3809 i first got the 14 inch then returned it and got the 16 inch. It is still pretty much portable. I used to carry around an 18.4 inch desktop replacement laptop from Acer years ago, so the 16 inch feels small, much smaller than it looks in the videos. If I want something more portable, I get an iPad.
I've been a digital nomad 6 years and love the 16 inch. It's about 1 lbs heavier but so much easier to do real work on. I use my 12.9 inch iPad as 2nd display and I'm golden.
That’s a beastly setup. It’s damn expensive but the best portable setup
Dang! Two heavy products! But I'm sure they work great thanks to continuity on Mac/iOS!
Haha you know, it's the iPad 12.9 with keyboard that feels so heavy. Especially the keyboard. Sometimes, I'll use the smartfolio and that helps. I also bring my Elgato Streamdeck XL everywhere because I use macros for so many common ChatGPT functions and email templates. So, it's not super light but my Lowerpro Protactic 240 bag is fantastic. 4-years with it and about 6 countries and nonstop travel and it still looks and works like new. Camera bags are great tech bags.@@HeyMarkL
Bingo. Digital nomads can't set up expensive work stations in their condo. 16" is a great solution.
That's what I was thinking. I had the 16" Intel i9 one. The screen broke recently so I'm looking for what to buy next. I got the 16" for its size, but also because it came with dedicated graphics which you couldn't get in the smaller sizes (I had a 2014 13" before this). The 16" was amazing to be productive on and multitask with, but since there's no real advantage in performance over the smaller size anymore, I'm really not sure what to do. The 16" got even bigger than what I'm used to and heavier as well. And the 14" will already have way better battery life than what I'm used to.
I use my computer docked with an external monitor quite a lot which makes me lean towards the 14, but also use it a lot as a laptop (like on my actual lap) which makes me lean more towards the 16 because it's a super comfortable size and amazing for having 2 windows next to each other.
Also considered the 15" Air because it's probably more than plenty for what I need to do (except gaming, but I didn't assume the situation would be very desirable anyways with an M series Mac vs my old Intel one with dedicated graphics and Bootcamp?) - but one external monitor and it being perhaps less future proof are holding me back a little. It's actually gotten super difficult this time around... I haven't even picked the color (although thinking about ditching silver for the very first time and going with black) and don't know if I need an M3 Pro, M3 Max, ...
The fact that the max m3 powerhouse doesn't throttle on the 14" model is quite amazing and is really telling about the efficiency of these new M processors. I went through several windows computers in the last few years, and there is just nothing that beats the MacBook Pro at the moment for this amount of performance in a small form factor, while maintaining great battery life. I agree with you that portability is just fantastic on the 14" model, particularly for airplane travel. (written from my M3 Max 14")
Can’t wait to travel with the 14” again. Have a super long flight soon and the 14” will be perfect. I’m sure of it.
Developer Mode causes less down throttle on the 14inch but makes the fans of the 16inch loud. Both have their special unique powers.
I have also tossed up the decision between 14 & 16. In the end I chose the 16 for the simple reason: the 14 **_needs_** an external monitor for anything serious. With the 16 I can go to the beach, a cafe, even sit on a clifftop, and not affect productivity in a huge way. With the 14 it's too small to really be busy, unless your demands are relatively simple - in which case why are you buying the Pro or Max?
If you only travel between locations where you definitely always have external displays to connect to, then the 14 is the better bet. The 16 however is the winner if you are sometimes without that luxury.
Best choice
I have the 16 and 14 the 14 ,I don’t use the 14,I take the I pad pro 12.9 and use it for mobility
You forgot to mention that in the cafe it's going to push that cup off the table, and you're also going to have to carry it to the clifftop on your back.
@regnam503 I am strong and I don't sit at tiny tables. 😬 But yes those are also valid considerations for some. 👍
I decided to go with the 14" M3 MAX and will buy a larger screen for working at home, love the smaller one even thou I did try the 16" for some weeks but ended up returning it
Thermal throttling?
14" is not the best choice with the Max chip
Good insights on things spec sheets can't cover. But I can't help but notice, did you manage to typo EVERY reference of Multi-core performance except for the first one @ 1:29? I had to re-watch just to make sure you weren't comparing apples to oranges. Script was solid tho - and thank goodness for that!
So yeah I didn’t notice the typo on those until it was too late to re-upload haha but thank you for being so kind and understanding! I’m a one man band haha so more complicated videos like these are hard work.
Finally a great review comparing 14 vs 16. Totally agree on the 14 inch MBP portability. I will sacrifice a little screen real estate, battery life, a little performance for the ease of carry my setup around. I travel from studio to studio and also on planes so the 14 inch made the most sense for me.
Wow! I appreciate the kind words seriously.
I agree. I mess around on my laptop on the couch. While the 16" sounds tempting I think it would be a pain maneuvering with it. I think the 14" is the sweet spot. That or beef up the 15" MBA if wanting a bigger screen.
Great comparison. Exactly the info I was looking for.
Great comparison, you went into details! Thanks ✌️
As someone that has experienced both, I prefer the 14". It's usually plugged to a couple monitors at home base and away it is just much easier to haul around and work with in tight spaces like the front seat of a pickup. I get the appeal of the 16", but for me, the 14" was the mama bear.
If I didn't already have a Mac mini, I'd probably plug in this 14" every time I'm home but I travel so often that I'm on the MacBook Pro 75% of the time.
@@HeyMarkL Not a bad computer to be on 75% of the time!
I always laugh when I hear people say the 16in MBP is a desktop replacement. Having used many PC Desktop Replacement laptops that weigh upwards of 9Lbs not including the charger, the 16MBP is an ultra light in comparison lol. Great video!
I know you know you're video quality is on point.
Unlike your spelling.
Definitely happy I picked the 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max-it's just so much more portable. The 14-inch size is already a step up from my old M1 Air, and anything bigger like my old 15.6-inch Intel MacBook Pro from 2019 just kills the portability for me. If I ever need a bigger screen, I just hook it up to an external monitor. The 14 or 13-inch models are perfect for mobility; I can easily get work done in cafes or on train rides without any hassle.
I never really hit any performance limits with real-life tasks; my CPUs hardly ever max out. This 14-inch M3 Max is like a small miracle of technology-a portable laptop that packs a serious punch. Plus, I can always switch it to low power mode when I'm on the move, and it becomes as quiet and efficient as a MacBook Air. Basically, the 14-inch MBP is a transformer: it's a MacBook Air when I want cool, quiet, and long battery life, and it turns into a beastly M3 Max when I need to power through heavy tasks that would drag on forever on an Air.
When you go for the 16-inch, you lose this transformer ability. It just won’t fit in your sports bag or a typical backpack. How do you even bike around the city with a 16-inch? With the 14-inch, I can always have it with me and use any 15-minute break to chip away at my projects. I bet the 16-inch owners just end up leaving it at home.
And if you consider a MacBook Air, sure, it stays cool and portable, but it starts to throttle under heavy loads because it doesn’t have a fan. And then there’s the 16-inch MacBook Pro Max-much heavier, bulkier, and a pain to carry around, especially if you put it in a protective case (which you have to, if you don’t want it to break). And what are you really gaining over the 14-inch? Just a bit of extra theoretical performance? Which, in real life, hardly makes a difference. The M3 Max 14-inch remains the most versatile option. You get high power when you need it, low power when you don’t, and you can always connect to a bigger screen at home. You get the best of both worlds-a powerful device that’s still super portable.
I’ve been running the 14 inch hard with photo imports and processing for hours over the past three days, and I haven’t heard the fan kick in once. Plus, I’m getting about 9 hours of battery life on low power mode, which is incredible.
For those worried about battery life while on the move, here’s a tip: just drop a power adapter or power bank into your backpack. It's still way more portable than lugging around a bigger laptop. This way, the size of your laptop doesn’t increase, but you still get all the power you need for extended use. Honestly, the 16-inch might offer a bit more battery theoretically, but if you're never going to carry it around because of its size, what's the point?
That's exactly why I switched from the bulky 15.6-inch MacBook Pro to the 13.3-inch MacBook Air M1 initially. The Air was always with me because it was so easy to carry around. Now, the 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max offers the best of both worlds: it’s powerful enough to handle heavy tasks and still portable enough to take anywhere. It's perfect for anyone who needs the power of a Pro but wants the day-to-day convenience of an Air.
Thermal throttling?
14" is not the best choice with the max chip
Please when making comparisons, put the numbers side by side. Better yet, overlay or compare both graphs on a single view.
After having shown 4 to 5 digit numbers, until the animations are done and the next device is shown, I already have forgotten the exact numbers... so I had to scroll back and forth to be able to compare them.
Bro 37 flights in a year is 2 flights every 3 weeks, that must be exhausting 😅
Great video, helped me decide to go for the 14. Keep up, thanks
Omg are you serious? Hahah I didn’t think of it like that. But hey, I’m glad I could help ya!
Mark why don't you make another video with M4 - M4 Max in 14" vs 16"
4:01 - I don't understand something... why compare _"Single Core in Max" vs "Multi Core in Pro"?_ What's the comparison?
_"Aspect (A) of Processor (1)" vs "Aspect (B) of Processor (2)"?_ Why?
That's like comparing the door of an apartment to the window of a house. Like... Whatt??
And the headline above says "16 M3 Max"?
4:56 - Same... _Feature (A) of Processor (1) vs Feature (B) of Processor (2)_ with a headline of _"14 M3 Max"_ 🫤
This hurts my brain and makes me need to take notes so I can compare and still not be sure if you accidentally made a mistake in labelling the sub-titles of the bars.
It is a typo.
I wish there was more of a side by side comparison related to media consumption. Nobody seems to focus on this aspect.
Very clear and detail comparison, thanks bro!
0:30, 60 core GPU? Doesn’t m3 max only come with 30 and 40 core GPU?
Sorry, I was confusing it with M2 Ultra which does have a 60-core GPU
@@HeyMarkL Your charts are also incorrectly labeled. You have been writing 14 MacBook Pro - M3 Pro under the bars for the 14 inch in all your charts... for someone that just watches videos on silent to view the benchmarks, this can be extremely misleading!
I travel but 14" is just way to small of a workspace, airports or not 16" is just the required needed work space.
Nice video with to the point and upto date information. I wish you showed those scores side by side for 14 vs 16 as most of those went above my head. I use 2x27" Monitors so I guess maxed out 14" M3 Max would be my choice. Thanks again for that inside.
Great video. thank you! Its a matter of function and trade offs.
You bet! Thanks for tuning in 👍🏼
Great quality video.
How heavy is the MacBook m3 max 16"?
2,18kg
Given that you have both M3 pro and M3 max, which should I go for ? I do productivity tasks (photoshop, lightroom, video editing). Is there major difference between the pro and max chip ? Has pro or max ever throttled on you ?
Kids today think a 5lb laptop with the computational power of the Space Station is heavy. Sheesh! Get off the couch and start lifting weights or take vitamins ;-)
Wait how old do you think I am? Hahaha
"computational power of the space station" that's precisely what I proudly think when I'm lugging it around
Great video. Did you decide which one you are going to keep the 14 inch or 16 inch for your daily laptop?
Decided the 14” was ultimately better for me! 16” was too heavy to lug around with my camera gear when I travel
@@HeyMarkL oh ok good to know. I was thinking about sticking with the 14 inch size as well as i think it is a great size.
Great video. Thanks so much
Good content good video on point ❤👍
Been using a 16" M1 Max in my voice-over studio for 3 years and it's a beast. The screen decided it was time to take a break from life over the weekend though and while it's in the the shop getting fixed up I'm giving a 14" MBP a shot. I carry my laptop back and forth from my recording booth to my control desk (a monumental 6' walk, hah) all day long and I'm interested to see how that feels with the 14 after all of these years of moving the 16 from point A to B 20x per day. I don't use an external monitor so the 16" has been amazing to split-screen scripts and my DAW and even Zoom for live sessions with clients when recording and I figured it would be a night-and-day difference doing the same with the 14 but so far it's not as pronounced as I thought it would be. This video convinced me that the 14 can handle the Max chip if/when I decide to go that direction instead. If the 14 works well from a function standpoint over the next few days it might win me over for whenever it's time to upgrade again. Solid video; good presentation.
How’s the 14?
@@mendoza9007 once my 16” was out of the shop I decided to stick with it. Wasn’t the right time to make the swap to the 14” for me. As a business owner every dollar I spend needs to have good ROI and making that change now just wouldn’t.
That said, whenever I do feel like it’s worth it to make an upgrade I think I’m going to pick up a 14”. Might be when the M4 gen comes out, might be M5, but it’ll be the smaller form factor for me as long as thermal control stays the same or improves from gen to gen.
What happens if you keep buying and returning laptops from apple?
I’m not sure. The M3 Max 14” and 16” are from Apple. They sent these as review units.
....Hey man huge fan here, love your videos, you are in your way to 100K sub's so congrats in advance mate, keep rocking😀😀,... Btw lovely video, Huge fan of m series macbooks, thank you so much for the upload man.....
Thank you so much 😀
Hey!
I am getting started in the audiovisual production sector. (video, photo apps and musical production of course)
I also use excel and word programs a lot!!
Seems to me that the 14” could have temperature issues?
Though, I usually travel and I am thinking as well to get a pad for my drawings…
Which one should I get in your opinion and why?
I never had a problem with thermals once. So it’s most likely not gonna be a problem. I deal with a ton of heavy 4K clips and motion graphics and this works really well.
i like the bigger size screen but will be fine without it since I am connecting to a monitor, I don't care that it's heavier (i currently carry a much heavier laptop) for me the decision is going to be the price difference between what I want. $2879 (16"MBP , 12core, 1tb, 36gb) VS 2,559 (14" MBP, 12core,1tb, 36gb) are those $320 worth it or better off throwing it at a docking station. 🤷♂
Why do the multi core bars say M3 PRO everywhere?
Only reason I got a M3 Max 16” MacBook Pro is its battery efficiency. I got a 4090 custom build PC for gaming so I don’t need a windows laptop with a 4080 with 2 hours battery life. I need a laptop that can last 8 hours of moderate work, and the M3 Max fits perfectly.
I only got the 1 TB SSD version, now I’m beginning to doubt that decision.
What’s the return window like? 2TB minimum I feel like is that sweet spot nowadays. However external SSDs are getting cheaper
@@HeyMarkLreally 2TB for work?
Parabéns pelo vídeo 👏👏👏👏👏
What model PSP is that at 2:08? Did you jailbreak it?!
It’s not a PSP 😈😈😈
What the heck is it then? LOL
@@HeyMarkL
psvita @@michaelmarcano9200
Nice review
Thanks for the great review! Do you think that the 18 Ram is also worth it? I plan to do a little video editing with it
Waiting for your (and other) reviews on the m4 max MBP. If the 14” MBP doesn’t throttle with a M4 Max, I’m getting that.
Might throttle. Testing the M4. Will test M4 Max and compare it to this M3 Max 🙏🏻
@ hoping for good news!
Great video, thank you!
I've always been a fan of the smaller MacBook models. Currently, I own the 13-inch MacBook 2018 model, and it's about time for an upgrade. I'm considering upgrading to the latest MacBook Max 14-inch model with semi-maxed-out specs. I carry my laptop with me everywhere I go, and I think the 14-inch size would be a better fit for me. However, the heating issue you mentioned is making me somewhat doubtful if this is the right choice, especially since my current MacBook suffers from overheating even during basic tasks. Do you think I should reconsider the size choice? I will primarily use the m3 max laptop for coding and web browsing, nothing too demanding at the moment. However, I might use it for more heavy-duty tasks in the future, such as machine learning. Hence, I am leaning towards a more maxed-out setup.
Get the 14" M3 MAX and enable Low Power Mode if it gets hot. Max Tech did a comparison that showed how impressive is the performance on M3 MAX while in low-power mode while saving a lot of battery and being cool.
@@emmanuelmanzanilla2955 😂😂😂
Best review and Comparison
I got the 14. Perfect for on the move
Seriously fam. It’s a freaking powerhouse.
With Vision Pro, the 14” is perfect!
Do u won the Vision pro
@@Elcompalui712 Yup. No need to carry a big and heavy laptop.
Great video; thank you! I have a 15inch MBP that's about 9 years old and definitely aging. I thought I would go with the 16inch as my next unit, but got the 14in on sale. It is noticeably smaller than the 15in that I've been used to. Do you think one gets used to a smaller machine over time, recognizing that I'll eventually get the 16in to replace my old 15in. I guess I could get the 15in Air, but I like the brightness of the Pro machines over the Airs. Thoughts? thanks again!
so what m3 max macbook could i run the sims flawlessly on?
Hi everyone, I’m a little bit lost about the single core & multi core
Can anyone please tell and help me 😇😇
16” is still smaller and lighter than the typical Windows laptop. Plus, who actually uses a laptop on an airplane? That’s where the iPad shines. At work, my MacBook sits in a stand and functions as a fifth monitor, so I appreciate the larger screen daily. But when I travel, I’d much rather have the larger screen since I’m relegated to a single screen plus my iPad as an extension.
I've seen plenty of people use their laptop on an airplane! Myself included, especially if you're flying 6+ hours.
I’ve got the 16inch. I’m an AI developer I need the bigger screen. M3 max processor.
Nice Video. keep it up
Why no numpad on the 16 inches ?
Idk why I’m watching this since I have the 14in pro max. I love it honestly worth the $3200
14's compactness-to-power ratio is just unmatched, you can just buy a monitor but those times that you don't want people to see your business in public spaces outweighs the bigger display and battery of the 16'
I just got the 16” and it’s so big and heavy 32gb 512ttb. I am switching from a 15” Microsoft surface which is much lighter but only 8gb. I use it primarily for day trading. So I thought the 16 would be better but I’m almost thinking to get the 14 and an iPad for an extra screen. What are your thoughts?
I think 14” is the perfect size for most people. iPad as an extra screen isn’t a bad idea either.
@@HeyMarkL thanks marc. For someone who only uses their laptop for trading (2-3 programs running at once), would you go with the 14 pro m3 max or the 15” new air m3. I’m having a difficult time deciding between these two and am not sure what the m3 difference would mean for me if I need the max or the m3 is fine. I’d appreciate your input as this spec business is all new to me and I only learned about it when my current 8gb laptop was lagging. Thank you
@@HeyMarkL I think 16” is the perfect size for most people.
I'm debating to get the 14 over 16. Also not entirely sure which chip is suitable for video editing. Need minimum 18gb ram and 2tb SSD storage.
Which model should I get? ( 1st time thinking of a macbook pro, I do visual communications ( student for now ). 14 or 16? Also which version would be ideal? I would have access to the apple education discount as well. Im clueless seeking advice / help / tips greatly appreciated !
sooooo context is that I currently own a Legion Pro 5 16IRX8 , 4060, 32ram, 1tb space , 13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-13900HX. However it is heavy af .... because its a 16 laptop if im not wrong? but ofcos its legion so its meant to be heavy.... the issue is that my battery life is not so high when I do some school work and I have to be plugged in to better use my laptop performance otherwise it will cause some lag ?? I have changed some settings which helps with battery life but Im just wondering if getting a macbook pro is worth it at all? and like would it be better than my current specs as of now? and how much battery life am i expecting.
Basically in short, the macbook is meant for bringing to school so its easier on my back ache and I can bring it out to cafe etc to study at the same time while leaving my legion at home as the main work desk etc i guess ?
Im open to hear all kinds of replies so do hit me with your reasons and suggestions :)
thank you !
Go for 15" M3 Air maxed out with 24GB RAM and 2TB SSD. It'll be as powerful, if not more powerful than your current laptop but will barely weigh anything. Plus you don't need to be plugged in to get full power. If you think you need more power, go for the 14" M3 Pro with 36GB RAM and 1TB SSD.
@@HeyMarkL What about the CPU/GPU/Neural Engine ? Do i just stick it with the default basics? I believe this is only available on the Pro version.
Every reviewer gives you numbers and increase in performance percentages. None of them says wether you could or could not video edit without any issues with M3Pro or at least shows on on their screen.
Mark, did you keep your M3 Pro or did you make the switch to the M3 Max after these reviews? 😛
Hahaha the world may never know 😅
@@HeyMarkL 😂😂
in 7:01 i have those exact same pants
🤣🤣🤣🤣
16" > 14" no matter what.
How conect the controler ps5 ?
I have huge hands. I barely make it on my 15 inch MacBook Pro. 16 is the only way I would go.
I have the 14" M1 MBP and love it but.... I don't travel much and it sits on my desk 90% of the time. I am considering the 16"M3 as it will just be a nicer computer on my desk.
@JimAllen-PersonaWhy? MacBook pro m3 max way faster than Mac Studio m2 ultra
Did you use low power mode? For the 14 inch
For the tests it was all in high power mode. But day to day, it’s set to automatic.
The real thing is nobody's gonna realize wether the SSD is 3000/7000 speed. Specially for programmers. For video editors might be different. Coming from leaving vfx industry where I wrote 3.6 tb on a SSD SATA and I was okay. Faster is indeed desired but at some point there's no big difference.
My 2011 17-inch MacBook Pro was 6.6 pounds
Very cool.
Hack you can put a hollow box etc under 14 inch to get same sound 😂
what was the fan noise like when playing RE?
16” was quieter, but the 14” wasn’t as loud as when I was running Cinebench. Its audible but not loud!
@@HeyMarkL Thanks. It is a toss up between these two for me... I think I would like the bigger screen as I onl connect to a display once or twice a week
I dont travel, im a windows user, this gonna be my 3rd laptop. First Apple. I hate upgrading. I think for future proofing, I guess maxing out the specs. So no more upgrading in the future?
If you’re planning on keeping this laptop for 5-10 years. Go with this spec: M3 Max16-Core CPU/40-Core GPU, 4TB SSD and 64GB RAM. You don’t need 96GB/128GB of RAM. You don’t need 8TB SSD.
You’ll be more than fine with my recommended spec.
@@HeyMarkL Thank You so much! Im literally on the site now building your recommended specs. Highly appreciated your reply.
How loud is the noise on the 14''? Is it very annoying ?
When it’s under heavy heavy load. It was VERY loud. But when I’m video editing and doing my most to really get the machine to work. It doesn’t get loud at all. So I’d say 80% of the time it’s near quiet and 20% loud.
@@HeyMarkL So bad
I edit 4k Canon R5C clips (heavy codecs) and use a good amount of effects/grading + Lightroom
Personally. I don’t like fan noise.
You think the 14inch or 16inch would make loud audible noise?
And would either handle it well?
I’m tossed between M3 max and M2 Max, also tossed on which size.
If you can go for 16 M3 Max go absolutely all the way. This will serve you better for long term usage and any future cameras you may upgrade to. This 16” M3 Max won’t make too much noise vs the 14”
I decided to get the 14”, in term of display even 16” is not enough if that’s the concern
I want to get the macbook pro 14 but the fanless idea of the Air really interest me, how often do your hear the fans if you dont do any of the creator stuff by pushing the Laptops CPU/GPU and if so how loud do they get?
Honestly I only really heard it when I benchmarked it via Cinebench and when I’m rendering out a 10+ min 4K video timeline in FCPX. Besides that, while I’m editing I haven’t heard the fans one bit.
For work, 16" is more convenient for me
Thanks for doing this review!
Though...5k for a laptop is laughable. A comparable desktop could have so much more. People that want a larger screen should also consider why they actually need it. These laptops especially the Pro and Max can drive 2-3 ultrawide 4k monitors. Also if you just need another portable screen consider getting an external screen or casting to a ipad or similar tablet.
Also curious what the tradeoffs are for video editing over thunderbolt (40gbps) to a large storage media device vs on device. With a solution like that you can spend the extra $2000 on a high end NAS with a thunderbolt connection + solid state drives.
I don't travel and I don't have an external monitor at home. Just need one for college and for work down the line + personal projects. Which one should i get? 16" or 14"?
16
With no good deals on M3 pro, M2 pro 14 (16/1tb) or 16 inch (16/512) at 2099 is more worth it.
So almost no difference between them.
What about compared to then m3 pro. Aside from gaming I didn’t see a use case for using the m3 max in your examples.
M3 Pro 16” vs M3 Max 16” battery is 15% longer on Pro, and about half as powerful in terms of CPU performance. There were graphs in the beginning.
well if gaming means running 5 year old games in 1080p, then it's great! :D
16 inch for ever and I pad pro for travel
Who uses large laptops nowadays🤣 If you do serious work on a laptop, then it’s not that serious. Can use the price difference plus a couple of hundred bucks to buy yourself a decent external monitor.I adore my 14 inch- packs both punch and portability. For work- two 32 inch displays do the task.
16 is not that big. 14 is quite small.
no brainer really
Technically, yes it’s not big. But it is much more heavier.
@@HeyMarkL Nope.
I ended up swapping out the 14 inch MacBook Pro for the 16 inch pro
Oh interesting. How come?
Why
and they go silent lol
Guy said “real differences” and then went on to read benchmarks for 5 minutes. LOL.
Content creation/regurgitation.
14" with a bigger display at home to plug into. ❤
Nope because of thermal throttling
That price though, if I want M3 Pro, and want a 16”, it’s like $1k more 😢
The Space Black definitely looks like dump, especially in the overhead music demo shots.
Mac gaming video please
These sound tests are really laughable when I have to listen at it on my big Samsung TV at home....on its tinny, very stupid "telephone quality" speakers. 😂. I noticed no difference at all.
think I will keep my base 14 inch 2021 Pro. not much a gamer or do rendering.
WhyTF would you not overlay the Geek Bench results so we ca see the 16 and the 14 numbers next to each other? Your benchmarks are barely the bare minimum and you can't even get that right.
I’m sure he’d be happy to refund all the money you paid him to do this review.
@@UkeTV This is not as cheeky as you think. What this highlights is there are two ways to go about this. Take criticism (and possible do better) or get defensive. Either way, have fun or stay bothered. Hope Mark makes the better choice here.
I'll never understand why someone would be willing to be that much money for a 14 inch screen. Also, your tests don't mean a damn thing unless people know that the numbers mean.
people who don't like to carry big and heavy stuff will understand, don't worry
@@yamito3809 the 16 inch goes in a eastpak basic bag wtf you're talking about ?
@@yamito3809 i first got the 14 inch then returned it and got the 16 inch. It is still pretty much portable. I used to carry around an 18.4 inch desktop replacement laptop from Acer years ago, so the 16 inch feels small, much smaller than it looks in the videos. If I want something more portable, I get an iPad.
You need to smile more
How do you spot a lazy UA-camr? Look for “Don’t make a mistake” or “The Truth” or “Two weeks later” in the description.
Whew glad I’m not one of those you listed as “Lazy UA-camr” 😮💨
Great work, thank you!