13 inch MacBook Pro M3 release window speculation

When will we see a 13" MacBook Pro with M3 chipset?

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The first rumors/speculation of a 13 inch MacBook Pro M3 release date window have surfaced, though besides this there’s very little to go on. Nevertheless, we can make a good few educated guesses about when roughly a 13″ MacBook Pro M3 might land, plus what the likely specs and pricing will be.

Whilst currently, this is all speculation, we’ll be updating this page with the latest leaks and rumors as they come out.

13 inch MacBook Pro M3 release window prediction

Renowned Apple commenter Mark Gurman has said in his regular Bloomberg newsletter ‘Power Up‘ that he thinks the launch of a new 13 inch MacBook Pro with M3 chipset is likely this October. To be clear a ‘launch’ is not the same thing as a release date, more when the device is first shown off to the public, so the actual release could land in November.

Apple has established a trend of making significant product releases in October. In 2020, they hosted the ‘Hi, Speed’ virtual event on Tuesday, October 13th, during which they showcased the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and HomePod mini. The following year, on Monday, October 18th, 2021, they organized the Apple Unleashed event, where they unveiled the new MacBook Pros. However, in 2022, Apple took a different approach and opted not to hold a formal event. Instead, they announced the new iPad Pro through a press release on Tuesday, October 18th.

Based on all the above then, a reveal would seem probable in the 2nd-3rd week of October, with the release between sometime in the 1-3 weeks after that (as the usual pattern goes). Consequently, we predict a 13 inch MacBook Air M3 release window somewhere between 25th Oct – 17th Nov, 2023, but we’ll have to see if this has any weight to it!

13-inch MacBook Pro M3 specs (speculated)

Given the current MacBook Pro devices remain highly sought-after, quality devices, we don’t envisage a massive design change for any new models apart from the chipset upgrade, though tweaks in some areas are likely.

We think the screen and panel will likely remain the same as in the current MacBook Pro (2022) model, given that its already well ahead of most competing Windows laptops in terms of brightness, and has great contrast (even if not as good as OLED laptops) and color replication.

As with any new MacBook Air, one area in which we think Apple should consider updating the specs is the Wi-Fi card tech. The existing MacBook Pro 16, along with the majority of new, premium Windows laptops come with Wi-Fi 6E support, however, the smaller size variant only has Wi-Fi 6. We’ve even seen the first WiFi 7 Windows laptops released, and though this isn’t as big of a requirement given that Wi-Fi 7 is likely going to land in Q1 2025 at the earliest, including a Wi-Fi 7 card would guarantee more future-proofing.

We expect to see the number of USB-C ports remain the same, but for the current Thunderbolt 3 support to be improved to Thunderbolt 4 like the latest 2023 MacBook Air has.

• CPU: Apple M3 chip
• Screen size & resolution: 13.3-inch 16:10 (2560×1600, 227ppi)
• Display: 60Hz/120Hz ProMotion, Liquid Retina XDR (500nits SDR / 1000nits XDR / 1600nits HDR content) non-touchscreen
• Memory: 16/32/24GB unified memory
• Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB SSD
• Ports: 2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4), 1x 3.5mm headphone jack
• Dimensions: 0.61″ x 11.97″ x 8.36″ (approx)
• Weight: 3.0lbs (approx)
• Misc: 1080p webcam, Wi-Fi 6E/7, Bluetooth 5.3, 4 speakers
• Colors: silver, space gray

13-inch MacBook Pro M3 price prediction

The 13 inch MacBook Pro with M2 chip was originally priced at $1,299 for the starting loadout when it was released (which it still retains as an MSRP), as was the 13 inch MacBook Pro with M1 chip when that came out.

We current expect the M2 version drop to $1,099 – $1,199 over the next few months and then for the 13 inch MacBook Pro M3 price to be $1,299 as before.

13-inch MacBook Pro M3 release FAQs

Will there be a M3 MacBook Pro?

It’s highly likely that there will be an M3 MacBook Pro released at some point, the only questions are ‘when?’ and ‘which?’

We currently expect that the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M3 chip will come out before the end in 2024, with the larger sizes coming later.

Will there be a MacBook Pro with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips?

Again it’s highly likely that M3 Pro and M3 Max chipsets will end up in MacBook pros at some point, but we don’t expect to see thiese chipsets until 2024, and, as before, they may be limited to the larger size macBook Pros (i.e. not the 13-inch models).

13 inch MacBook Pro M3 release date window speculation

As we actually get more substantial info we’ll be updating this 13 inch MacBook Pro M3 release date, specs & price page with the latest leaks, rumors, and news. Do have a read of our other laptop and Apple pieces for more info on the latest releases and news from the sector. If you’re looking for a laptop for your studies also consider reading our best laptop for students guide.