The new M3 MacBook Pro laptops come with a range of upgrades. But even with the third generation of the powerful Apple Silicon, a limitation remains on the base M3 MacBook Pro that could be a dealbreaker for some users.
While the first M1-powered MacBooks received high praise overall, a frequent piece of criticism was their ability to only support one external monitor.
Support for two or three displays first arrived on Apple Silicon with the M1 Pro and Pro Max. But when the M2 chip debuted in the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro in June 2022, it still lacked support for multiple external monitors.
Dealbreaker for M3 MacBook Pro buyers?
Now that the M3 chip has arrived alongside the M3 Pro and M3 Max, Apple has revealed that the base M3 MacBook Pro remains limited to supporting just a single external display.
That’s a bummer to see with the third-gen Apple Silicon – but of course, the company uses this as a differentiator between the base M3 and M3 Pro/Max chips. Want support for multiple monitors? Step up to the M3 Pro or Max.
While the lower $1,599 starting price for the 14-inch MacBook Pro may be tempting, that’s a notable compromise to only have support for one monitor – especially for those planning to keep the new machine for a while.
Here’s the breakdown of external display support on the new machines/chips:
| M3 | M3 Pro | M3 Max | |
| External display support | 1 external display at up to 6K/60Hz | Up to 2 external displays at 6K/60Hz over Thunderbolt
Or 1 at 6K/60Hz over Thunderbolt and 1 at 4K/144Hz over HDMI Or 1 at 8K/60Hz or 1 at 4K/240Hz over HDMI |
Up to 4 external displays: 3 at 6K/60Hz over Thunderbolt and 1 at 4K/144Hz over HDMI
Or |
What do you think? Are you disappointed that the base M3 MacBook Pro only supports one external display? Or does it seem reasonable to save it for the M3 Pro/Max machines? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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