Apple Event Live Blog: MacBook Pro and iMac Updated With New M3 Chip Family

Apple's "Scary Fast" event kicks off today at the unusual time of 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, and we're expecting to see the debut of the M3 family of Apple silicon chips with updated iMac and MacBook Pro models and perhaps some other announcements.

scary fast oct 2023 live coverage
Apple is providing a live video stream on its website, on YouTube, and in the company's TV app across various platforms. We will also be updating this article with live blog coverage and issuing Twitter updates through our @MacRumorsLive account as the event unfolds. Highlights from the event and separate news stories regarding today's announcements will go out through our @MacRumors account.

Apple's online store was taken down approximately 30 minutes ahead of the event, much closer to the start than usual.

Sign up for our newsletter to keep up with Apple news and rumors.

Live blog transcript ahead...

10:52 am:

4:30 pm: 30 minutes to go! Get your snacks and drinks prepped and get ready to settle in!

4:35 pm: Apple's online store has just gone down, only 30 minutes ahead of the event.

4:41 pm: The event stream is now live in Apple's TV app and should start showing up shortly on the Apple website and YouTube. For now, the stream is just showing shifting lighting and shadows on the spooky Apple event logo while ambient music plays.

4:48 pm: With just over 10 minutes to go, the stream is live on Apple.com

4:59 pm: We're now live on YouTube, and just one minute away from this unusual and spooky evening Apple Event!

4:59 pm: (Evening on the East Coast, at least)

4:59 pm: We're starting!

f 905832d596643d93f4fb3cc8d25e0dbc963269a2

f ce820408c96681d77f21898897378961cf9509b3

5:01 pm: We're starting with a scientist in a lab... and then a basketball coach trying to use his Mac... and then soccer coaches for Lionel Messi... and a college student. Lots of Mac users.

5:02 pm: The Mac users want things to be fast. A Porsche designer... girls who code ("it's not that hard")... "but is it as hard as breathing?"

5:02 pm: "But you're on a Mac, so how hard can it be?"

f b4c8a649568b3af461667221ad93d8267849c533

5:02 pm: Now we have an Apple logo as the full moon, glowing through the clouds over Apple Park.

f d4d4c4b15edb83d4b1da918ab41240b2c9187e18

5:03 pm: Tim Cook, in all black, welcomes us to ‌Apple Park‌. "We're doing something special to celebrate a product we all love."

5:03 pm: It inspires us "to do the best work of our lives."

f 44d82eb29396f0fea9ded0a7c1f010453a23a5ee

5:04 pm: Apple Silicon has driven the creation of the strongest and most capable lineup in the history of the personal computer.

5:04 pm: This transition has been especially profound for MacBook Air and ‌MacBook Pro‌. This has given them extraordinary capabilities and extraordinary battery life.

5:04 pm: There's a new family of breakthrough chips, being brought to the world's best pro laptop: ‌MacBook Pro‌.

f d9cfcd8d76fecbd6311aed7410a3050446b05a44

5:05 pm: Johny Srouji: "Welcome to my lab."

5:05 pm: State of the art design, industry-leading power efficiency, and advanced technologies.

5:06 pm: Our latest technologies to more users faster than ever. 3 breakthrough chips at the same time. M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max.

f 50db92c8c5aa0a3ec5ec67eb6273e2f46f6e4d3f

5:06 pm: Groundbreaking technologies and show how far ‌Apple Silicon‌ has come since the debut of the M1 family.

5:06 pm: First chips for a PC using 3 nanometer technology.

f 9539c07da394ac3f8e7455f8de104262e5e33516

5:07 pm: Every component of the new chips uses 3nm to deliver increased performance. Next-generation GPU with the largest leap forward in graphics architecture for ‌Apple Silicon‌. A new microarchitecture with a breakthrough feature called Dynamic Caching.

f 782c909ccf99b31fb3ac3a9eb6e3fc1f8dc7b6c5

5:07 pm: In traditional architecture, software determines how much GPU utilization to allocate, meaning the GPU is underutilized. In next-gen GPU, local memory is dynamically allocated by hardware, in real time. Only the exact amount of memory needed is used for each task.

5:07 pm: This is transparent to developers and the cornerstone to our new GPU architecture.

5:08 pm: New rendering features like hardware accelerated mesh shading.

5:08 pm: Hardware accelerated ray tracing.

f e01b06160f6dda3b2e76e986e7f8e5da8442affd

5:08 pm: Pro apps can deliver 2.5x faster rendering performance than the ‌M1‌ family of chips.

f 675bb2336a0e4a4c1718195a3ce1b63f5caa11ee

5:09 pm: Performance CPU cores are up to 30% faster than ‌M1‌ while maintaining efficiency. Efficiency cores are up to 50% faster than ‌M1‌.

5:09 pm: Industry-leading performance per watt. Same multithreaded CPU performance as ‌M1‌ with half the power. GPU can do the same with nearly half the power as well.

f 5bf3a97d3ed4715f7c8ff033e85730a3ac5876c1

5:10 pm: Tremendous gains in performance per watt. Compared to 12-core PC laptop chip, uses same performance with 1/4 the power. GPU uses 1/5 the power.

5:10 pm: Faster and more efficient neural engine, up to 60% faster than ‌M1‌ family.

5:11 pm: Advanced media hardware engine with support for H.264, HEVC, ProRes and ProRes RAW, and AV1 (used by YouTube, Netflix, and other services).

f 0cef9239014b4a0ecd49ba31474ab3ac85fb82f9

f 03c63ed1cf3057d0507028a0bed7ce9458519049

f fe056e29cd6062dac91361231cd48849eca1acbe

5:12 pm: M3 chip delivers phenomenal performance for our most popular systems, with 8-core CPU (4-power and 4-efficiency), 10-core GPU (6/4) and up to 24GB RAM.

M3 Pro 12-core CPU and 18-core GPU is up to 40% faster and up to 48GB of RAM.

M3 Max uses 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, and up to 128GB of memory.

f eb2d33200918dab5edf38b6a4269deb081006c4f

5:12 pm: 25 billion, 37 billion, and 92 billion transistors in the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max.

f a96d17bce6a86a9bb57d4e89702d4a9c46f94fcf

5:13 pm: Now on to the ‌MacBook Pro‌.

5:13 pm: "It's the world's best pro laptop."

f 8ee389267b1aed0ee3f66a70605ca8d4354628e9

5:13 pm: "It's a Monster upgrade for anyone still on an Intel-based ‌MacBook Pro‌."

5:14 pm: "The new ‌MacBook Pro‌ is scary fast."

5:14 pm: 14" ‌MacBook Pro‌ starts with M3 chip.

5:14 pm: Includes advanced thermal system (aka a fan) allowing for sustained performance. Up to 60% faster than the 13-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with ‌M1‌.

f 3198e911c9937ae7fd686683e6109bd94523aea4

5:15 pm: Now the 14-inch and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, with M3 Pro, for users with more demanding workflows.

f 56f71b57884033b9de19a022832f3841200f171e

5:15 pm: Up to 40% faster than the 16-inch model with M1 Pro.

5:16 pm: Can drive 2 external high-resolution displays.

5:16 pm: Now ‌MacBook Pro‌ with M3 Max.

5:16 pm: Performance and capabilities that push the limits of computing. Up to 2.5x faster than 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with M1 Max.

f a61d778683ada5d55dc0acc6d295a4eb15a9da1e

5:16 pm: Video post-production on the highest resolution content is a breeze thanks to two ProRes engines.

5:17 pm: Supports 128GB of unified memory.

5:17 pm: Came in the Mac Studio with M1 Ultra. Now, 18 months later, we're bringing it to ‌MacBook Pro‌.

5:17 pm: ‌MacBook Pro‌ with M3 Max can drive 4 high-resolution external displays.

5:17 pm: All models of ‌MacBook Pro‌ deliver same performance whether plugged in or on battery, unlike many PC laptops.

5:18 pm: Up to 22 hours of battery life.

5:18 pm: "Whether you're working all day or all night."

f a8796b42b21caa48dd9453ce52593eb6d1fb8adc

5:19 pm: For users who haven't upgraded from Intel, it's up to 11x faster than the fastest Intel-based ‌MacBook Pro‌. Everything you do will be unbelievably responsive, and for the vast majority of workloads, you'll never hear the fans. 11 more hours of battery life, and many more great features, and industry-leading liquid retina XDR display.

5:19 pm: Apple is pushing hard for owners of older, Intel-based Macs to upgrade.

5:19 pm: SDR content is displayed at up to 600 nits, 20% brighter than before. Users connected to a Studio Display have consistent brightness across their workflows.

5:19 pm: Stunning new color!

5:20 pm: BLACK

f 656aade22c80de38573553c8e7448351c977c3d5

f 294923bf190716df76bddba370c3157d0f049ba0

5:21 pm: ‌MacBook Pro‌ in Space Black, a gorgeous dark aluminum finish, with a breakthrough anodization method that resists fingerprints. Enclosure is created from a custom alloy that uses 100% recycled aluminum. Very durable.

5:22 pm: Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, coming to Apple TV+ next month.

5:22 pm: There's a ‌MacBook Pro‌ that's perfect for you.

f 02f97e33c0c3fe38ef8f82bf012413afc4e0d0fe

5:23 pm: The 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with M3.
The 14-inch and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with M3 Pro.
The 14-inch and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with M3 Max.

5:24 pm: There are Halloween-themed easter eggs all over this video.

f 62390fcf8c69aea567096a8cc041522f1dda6fdc

5:24 pm:

f 9914de95291523becfe982a7d7470d496e043151

5:25 pm: 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ starts at $1599. 16-inch starts at $2499.

Order today, models with M3 and M3 Pro available next week. M3 Max available later in November.

f 5caf3a4c689813d31f182e1a82b3723c2e056606

5:25 pm: We're not done... we have another big treat for our users.

f 7bdf315f71cbedc440fca8bfe0f5e7785d923346

5:25 pm: The 24-inch ‌iMac‌ is being updated with the M3 chip.

5:26 pm: ‌iMac‌ keeps the same impossibly thin design and 7 vibrant colors.

5:26 pm: Up to 2x faster than ‌iMac‌ with ‌M1‌.

f 9cda7db5321534abf65de0777cd083e0f321fc44

5:26 pm: For those upgrading from an Intel-based ‌iMac‌, you'll experience a huge difference in performance and features. Versus 27-inch models, it's up to 2.5x faster. Compared to most powerful 21.5-inch ‌iMac‌, up to 4.5x faster.

5:27 pm: 24-inch 4.5K Retina Display is perfect upgrade from 21.5- or 27-inch ‌iMac‌.

f fc34aa06280970720c81f05ad255b11c2b5bb211

f daf35fbbe6b765e8fe7cc2b14cd56b06d0213eec

5:28 pm: ‌iMac‌ starts at $1299, order today, available next week.

5:29 pm: Tim is back. "There's never been a better time to experience a Mac."

5:30 pm: "Taking the best pro laptops in the world and making it even better. The world's best all-in-one becomes even more powerful and more capable."

5:30 pm: "This deep integration is something only Apple can deliver."

f bf8a7aa628c1399aaa4f9ae6a0f939da19537952

5:30 pm: "And we'll never stop innovating. This will shift the way we look at technology and the role it plays for years to come. Thank you all for joining us. Have a great night."

5:31 pm: At the end, a title card notes that "This event was shot on iPhone and edited on a Mac", with a note at the bottom saying it was an iPhone 15 Pro Max.

5:32 pm: Over in just half an hour, it was scary fast. New M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips, in updated versions of the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, and the 24-inch ‌iMac‌.

Popular Stories

apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

iPhone Driver's Licenses: These 17 U.S. States Offer Them or Will Later

Thursday June 19, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states and Puerto...
apple watch ultra 2 new black

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Finally Coming After Two-Year Hiatus

Monday June 16, 2025 8:45 am PDT by
Apple will finally deliver the Apple Watch Ultra 3 sometime this year, according to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities Hong Kong (via @jukanlosreve). The analyst expects both the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to arrive this year (likely alongside the new iPhone 17 lineup, if previous launches are anything to go by), according to his latest product roadmap shared with...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in Three Months With These 12 New Features

Saturday June 14, 2025 5:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of June 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14 Pro have a...
ios 26 call holding

iOS 26 Beta is Hiding a New Ringtone — Here's What It Sounds Like

Thursday June 19, 2025 7:25 pm PDT by
Apple is hiding a new ringtone within iOS 26. The new ringtone is an alternative version of the existing Reflection ringtone, which has been the default ringtone since the iPhone X was released in 2017. It was discovered within the code for the first developer beta of iOS 26, but it remains hidden, so you will not find it in the list of ringtones available in the Settings app for now. It...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.6 Public Beta

Wednesday June 18, 2025 10:24 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a few days after Apple provided the betas to developers. Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update. When the...
new iphone lockscreen ios 26

iOS 26: Five Changes Coming to Your iPhone Lock Screen

Tuesday June 17, 2025 8:46 am PDT by
With iOS 26, Apple has made some additions to the iPhone Lock Screen that aim to make it more customizable than ever. Of course, things can always change before the software makes its way to the general iPhone-owning public, but here are five new things iOS 26 can do on the Lock Screen as of the current developer beta. Widgets Top or Bottom In iOS 18, the row of widgets on your Lock...
General Spotify Feature

Spotify Preparing to Launch Long-Awaited Lossless Audio Tier on iPhone

Thursday June 19, 2025 1:46 pm PDT by
Spotify appears to be gearing up to launch its long-awaited lossless music tier. Chris Messina (via TechCrunch) and Spicetify (via The Verge) spotted new lossless references within the code for Spotify's desktop app and web player. With assistance from Aaron Perris, MacRumors has confirmed that the latest beta of the Spotify app for the iPhone also contains new lossless-related code....
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

Apple Says iOS 26 Won't Be Available on These iPhone Models

Tuesday June 10, 2025 6:58 am PDT by
Apple this week revealed that iOS 26 is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer. That means that iOS 18 is the end of the road for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, which were all released in 2018. However, those devices will continue to receive security updates for at least a few more years. iOS 26 is compatible with the following iPhone models: iPhone 16e iPhone...
Craig Federighi No

John Gruber Reacts to Apple Declining His Interview After His Criticism

Wednesday June 18, 2025 8:10 pm PDT by
Every year between 2015 and 2024, at least one Apple executive agreed to be interviewed by Daring Fireball's John Gruber for a special WWDC episode of his podcast, The Talk Show. Last year, for example, Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi, marketing chief Greg Joswiak, and top AI researcher John Giannandrea joined Gruber on stage at the California Theatre in San Jose to discuss...

Top Rated Comments

DownUnderDan Avatar
22 months ago
My take on the launch.

Hi I'm Tim and my bonus is at risk if you don't buy something innovative from us. We are very, very innovative. I can't stress that enough. Constantly innovating.

For the love of God, would you people on Intel Macs please upgrade.

We've improved the M3 Pro chip, but not as much as the M3 Max chip. Why? Have you seen our prices on M3 Max.

The new MacBook has a long list of great features, identical to everything in a M1 or M2, but we will go through them anyway, just to sound like something has changed. That's why we decided to launch it in black. Black is a colour never used before in a laptop computer and we are excited to give you this option. To help make the decision easier for you we have coated the new black Mac in a special nano technology that will hide fingerprints right up to the point your credit card clears and you get it home. So even if you own a perfectly fine M1 or M2, now you will be missing out on a colour choice and something compelling to use your Apple polishing cloth on. How's that for innovation.

The new M3 chip opens a world of new possibilities of what you can do with it - like all these things you will never do with it.

You can also play games on the M3 with our new GPU performance, just like on your gaming PC from five years ago and what's more you can use your new Mac to play one of four games. We've never played games at Apple, because we are all older driven executives who have spent a lifetime focussed on climbing the career ladder but I'm sure its good if you are into that kind of thing. Frankly, my biggest preoccupation this past three months has been losing weight so I can fit in these ridiculous clothes they picked out for me. I now list that as my hobby.

Hi I'm another presenter and I will say it again. Will you Intel people please buy a Mac. I mean we've got a chart here that says 4x. What else do we have to do for crying out loud. Just buy a new Mac.

For those of you on Intel iMac's I am going to definitely not mention the screen size of the new M3 iMac, while mentioning how pretty everything looks on it and how expansive the desktop is, without again, mentioning the actual screen size. Look! It comes in pretty colours!

Well that's another show done. Now excuse me while I innovate some spin around our last quarter results, because at Apple we never stop innovating. It's what we do and will always do, as long as we want executive bonuses and a house extension. So just go and buy something and innovate.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klky Avatar
22 months ago
Whoa, they weren't kidding. That WAS scary fast.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CordovaLark Avatar
22 months ago
This could have been an email...
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrGimper Avatar
22 months ago
The “scary” comes when they announce the price.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Aeryn Avatar
22 months ago

College kids in commercials always seem to be living a way better experience than my college years.
Not a single piece of furniture in that apartment was made out of old plywood and cinder blocks.
Clearly these are PRO college students.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BitBLT Avatar
22 months ago
I liked this presentation. I don't need an hour of propaganda commercials with random people clapping and dancing.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)