Recording summary · December 2023
Unboxing my BRAND NEW M3 MacBook Pro 14 inch
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Overview
Daniel unboxes and examines a base model silver 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro featuring 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, having repacked it after opening it the previous day.
Daniel discusses physical features, including packaging components like the braided MagSafe cable and 70-watt brick, selecting silver to mask fingerprints despite preferring pure white or lighter plastic, and the laptop's quiet performance under light workloads.
Daniel reviews usability aspects including a preference for an external mouse, changes away from macOS defaults like natural scrolling and push-to-click, unfamiliarity with macOS shortcuts compared to Windows, praise for media keys, and the installation of a third-party calculator app with history tracking.
Daniel contemplates whether a lighter MacBook Air would have sufficed or if the Pro might be returned once an M3 MacBook Air launches, noting the Pro allegedly features better speakers and display.
Themes
Unboxing and hardware overview of the base 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro.
Color choice, physical build, and comparisons to plastic or white materials.
Trackpad, keyboard shortcuts, media keys, and peripheral preferences.
macOS software settings and third-party calculator app installation.
Comparisons with MacBook Air models and prospective return plans.
Developments
Daniel opened the MacBook Pro for the first time on the day prior to recording.
Daniel repacked the laptop and packaging materials to stage a re-unboxing.
Daniel installed a replacement calculator app offering visible calculation history.
Uncertainties & gaps
Daniel is uncertain how the MacBook Pro will compare to the forthcoming M3 MacBook Air, despite claims of superior speakers and display on the Pro.
Daniel does not know the source of the smudges found underneath the laptop.