The M3 Max supports up to 128GB of unified memory, while the M3 maxes out at 24GB, the same as the M2.

80% faster than M1 Max.

Let’s take a look at the M3 lineup of chips. Like the M1 and M2 before it, the base M3 has an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU. The M3 Pro starts with 12 CPU cores and an 18-core GPU, and the M3 Max has a 16-core CPU and up to a 40-core GPU (the M2 Max topped out at 38 cores).

There’s greater efficiency thanks to the 3-nanometer process and across-the-board improvements over the original M1 chip.

M3 chip ‘delivers unbelievable performance for our most popular devices’.

65% faster the M1.

M3 can do the same CPU performance as the M1, but using just half the power. Similar with graphics performance as well.

One of the best things about the M1 (and M2) was how it was a great performer, but didn’t drain the battery life of your MacBook. Glad to see this continuing.

Will bring a whole new graphics performance to Macs with M3 chips. Could our dreams of gaming MacBooks come true?

Next generation GPU brings mesh shading, and ray tracing – the first time Macs get realistic lighting and shadows.

Here’s the logos:

The M3’s GPU will be Apple’s first silicon to feature hardware-accelerated ray tracing, mesh shading, as well as something it calls Dynamic Caching, which better allows the GPU to allocate memory more efficiently.

M3 is the world’s first 3nm consumer-grade processor to hit the market, compared to the 5nm Apple M2. This has allowed Apple to squeeze in 25% more transistors onto the SoC (25 billion compared to 20 billion).

Introducing M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max!

Apple’s Johny Srouji is in his lab (Apple is leaning into the Halloween theme, and I’m here for it), and he’s giving us a recap of previous MacBooks using Apple silicon.

Cook is talking about how Apple silicon has helped transform Macs, especially MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.

Something wicked this way comes… it’s Tim Cook!!

Oooh spooky flyover of Apple’s HQ in California. I was there a few years ago!

‘You’re on a Mac, how hard can it be?’ – Oh you don’t know how easily I can break ANY laptop…

Little cameo from a Mac Studio. Don’t think we’ll get one of those, though.

OK so first up seems to be a video about how versatile MacBooks are. Def feels like we’ll get a new one…

‘Hello’

And we’re off!

The Apple Store is down! Always a sign we are getting new products…

There were rumors of Apple also showing off a new iPad tonight. Again, this is all possible, but it would go against tradition, as Apple usually keeps its Mac and iPad launches separate.

But then lots of things about tonight’s event are unusual…

Three minutes! Now I can’t get The Final Countdown out of my head…

Right, so much for that. I’ll just pretend it’s playing something that hints at what we might be getting. Maybe something from Hot Chip…

I can’t hear any music… this is a good start…

Got a message from Christian: “shazam the song they’re playing in the livestream holding feed right now and see if the lyrics are relevant”

I shall try to do that. In the name of science!

Either way, we’re only eight minutes away from finding out! Despite being REALLY REALLY TIRED, I am very excited to see what Apple has in store.

But, will we really see new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros tonight, when Apple already launched new models in January of this very year?

This is Apple, so all bets are off, but I do worry if that does happen what people who bought a new M2 MacBook Pro will think if they get superseded today…

According to regular leaker Mark Gurman, Apple will be revealing three new M3 processors and revamped MacBook Pros along with a refreshed iMac at its ‘Scary Fast’ event (as shared in his newsletter for Bloomberg).

Gurman provides specs for those new M3 SoCs, which are the M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max (as expected).

If not a MacBook Air, then maybe new MacBook Pros? That certainly seems to be the current rumor… but that also raises certain questions…

But… then there’s the fact Apple just launched an M2-toting 15-inch MacBook Air. Would the company release an M3 model so soon?

There have also been rumors of a new MacBook coming tonight – so what could that be?

If Apple is indeed launching the M3 chip, I’d have thought it would also launch a MacBook Air as well – after all, it’s Apple’s most popular laptop.

My colleague Lance will be watching along, of course! And I also have my trusted computing editors John Loeffler and Christian Guyton by my side to help cover this event.

I’m still not sure about that, to be honest. It doesn’t feel that long ago that the M2 came out… well, OK it was last year, but Apple only just launched the M2 MacBook Air 15-inch a few months ago.

Surely it’s too soon for the M3… isn’t it?

It makes sense to fit a new iMac with the M2 chip found in the recent MacBook Airs – though some rumors have said we could see an entirely new range of chips, perhaps called the M3, at tonight’s event.

The old M1 iMac was a good looking bit of kit, so I’d love to see a new model with some upgraded components.

But! What am I hoping to see tonight? Well, apart from my nice, warm, bed, I’d like to see some new iMacs. It’s been a while since Apple updated its all-in-one PC, so I think it’s about time!

Or, it could just be that Apple hates me. That might be it.

Others think that as the event is called ‘Scary Fast’, and it’s nearly Halloween, that having it late at night suits the overall theme.

It’s 11:30pm here in the UK, so this is pretty late for an Apple event – they’re usually held earlier in the day. Why is this one kicking off so late (in about 30 mins)? Good question – some people think it might be because it’s going to be gaming-focussed and so Apple wants it to be in Japanese business hours.

If you haven’t checked out our guide on how to watch Apple’s October event, then make sure you pop over there, as we have embedded the live stream there.

Welcome to TechRadar’s ‘Scary Fast’ Apple live blog! I’ll be watching along as Apple showcases… something. The company has been tight lipped, of course, but there’s been some convincing leaks that suggest we’ll see some new iMacs and MacBooks tonight.