New M3 Macs, Details on Apple’s Holiday Shopping Event, News Updates

Happy Thanksgiving to those celebrating this week! Just ahead in this edition:

• Overview of the new M3-based Macs

• Apple’s Holiday Shopping Event

• Fresh Episode of Basic AF

• News Updates

🔥 Overview of the New M3-based Macs

In its "Scary Fast" event just before Halloween, Apple announced new MacBook Pro and iMac models. Here's a quick overview of the new systems:

MacBook Pro Lineup

Includes a hot new Space Black color with M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips:

• M3: Features an 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU.

• M3 Pro: Steps up to 11 or 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU.

• M3 Max: Boasts a powerful 14 or 16-core CPU, 30 or 40-core GPU.

Memory Options:

• M3: It starts with 8GB, and while the system will run okay with this, it's ridiculously low for a computer that starts at $1599 and cannot be upgraded later.

• M3 Pro: Interestingly, it begins at 18GB and can be upgraded to 36GB.

• M3 Max: Starts at 36 GB and can go up to 128GB.

Storage Options:

• M3: Offers 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB models.

• M3 Pro & M3 Max: Ranging from 512GB to a massive 8TB.

Pricing:

• 14-inch M3: Starting at $1,599.

• 14-inch M3 Pro: Starting at $1,999.

• 16-inch M3 Pro: Starting at $2,499.

Note: Time to pour one out for the Touch Bar. 🍺 The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar has finally been discontinued, marking the end of Touch Bar-equipped MacBooks.

Updated iMac

Apple has also introduced the M3 processor to the iMac lineup while maintaining familiar colors and a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display.

Pricing starts at $1,299.

🎁 Apple’s Holiday Shopping Event

With Black Friday just around the corner, Apple has revealed its upcoming event for the weekend. Shoppers can earn gift cards of various amounts based on their purchases, with highlights including:

• Up to $200 gift card for MacBook Air or Mac Mini.

• Up to $100 gift card for iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad 10th generation, and iPad Mini.

• Up to $75 gift card for iPhone (excluding iPhone 15 and 15 Pro) and selected AirPods models.

• Up to $50 gift card for Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch SE, Apple TV 4K, HomePod, certain keyboards, Apple Pencils, and selected Beats products.

Find all the details on Apple’s site. https://www.apple.com

🎙️ Basic AF #22: New M3 Macs and Using an iPad to Plan a Garage Gym

In the latest Basic AF, Jeff and I discuss the new M3-based Macs, the stingy 8GB of unified memory on the base model, and who should upgrade to the new systems. In the show's second half, we talk about the new garage gym I just installed. I planned and organized everything on my iPad, including sketches, budgets, equipment research, and more, and we dug into that process. Takeaway: the iPad shines in these types of projects!

It's our second show with a new, shorter format. Let me know what you think of it!

Listen now at basicafshow.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, all the other podcast apps, as well as on YouTube and YouTube Music.

📣 News Updates