Apple has unveiled its latest lineup of MacBook Pros, and they’re more powerful and stylish than ever. Alongside updates to the iMac and an entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro, the company is introducing upgraded models of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, featuring the new M3 Pro and M3 Max chips. These laptops retain their classic design and port layout but now come in a stunning “space black” color, replacing the previous space gray.

The new MacBook Pros bring several significant improvements, ranging from sheer performance to customization options. One standout feature is the staggering 128GB of RAM that the M3 Max MacBook Pro can be configured with, setting a new standard for Apple’s laptops. Preorders for these machines start today, with M3 Pro models available on November 7th, while M3 Max units will arrive later in November.

Apple claims that the space black finish is less prone to fingerprint smudges compared to the dark blue “midnight” MacBook Air, thanks to a groundbreaking anodization seal that reduces fingerprints. However, it may not do much to prevent scratches or scuffs. Still, the new color looks darker and more imposing than the previous space gray.

In terms of performance, these laptops are powerhouses. The M3 Pro boasts a 12-core CPU and up to an 18-core GPU, offering a speed boost of up to 40% compared to the M1 Pro. You can configure it with up to 36GB of RAM. The M3 Max takes things a step further with a 16-core CPU and up to a 40-core GPU, making it up to 80% faster than the M1 Max chip from two years ago.

Apple’s focus this time is on graphics enhancements, as all M3 chips support hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading, which is great news for Mac gaming. The improved GPU performance is achieved through a feature called Dynamic Caching, which optimizes memory allocation for each task in real-time.

Battery life is impressive, with the 16-inch M3 Pro model promising up to 22 hours of usage. The M3 Max might have slightly shorter endurance due to its more power-hungry GPU cores. These MacBook Pros remain similar to the M2 Pro/Max models released earlier this year, featuring a vibrant Mini LED display, outstanding speakers, multiple Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI, an SD card reader, and MagSafe for charging. The displays are now even brighter, reaching up to 600 nits for SDR content, a 20% improvement.

Pricing starts at $1,999 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro, while the 16-inch model begins at $2,499. Prices can increase significantly when opting for the Max chip or adding more storage and memory, with a fully loaded 16-inch MacBook Pro costing a substantial $7,199.

For those on a tighter budget, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the standard M3 chip starts at a more affordable $1,599, albeit with 8GB of memory. These new MacBook Pros offer a range of options, catering to a wide array of users.