Scary Fast event

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on Scary Fast event:

Should you buy the new MacBook Pro or iMac?

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Should you upgrade?
Here’s some buying advice for the new Macs.
Image: Apple/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Apple introduced the next generation of MacBook Pro and iMac, each powered by the next generation of its in-house silicon: M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max. The Macs run faster than ever before thanks to smaller transistors and additional cores packed into each processor.

The products are already available to order — so is it time for you to upgrade? That all depends on which devices you have, so I’ve put together a buying guide with sharable images and a video to help you decide.

How Apple’s ‘Scary Fast’ event was shot on iPhone [Updated]

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Scary Fast Shot on iPhone video
Apple had a surprise for viewers of its "Scary Fast" event: the camera.
Screenshot: Cult of Mac

Apple’s “Scary Fast” Mac event focused on the new M3 family of chips, refreshed MacBook Pros and an updated iMac. But Apple uncorked a big surprise at the end by revealing the entire presentation was recorded using an iPhone.

This marks the first time Apple used only one of its handsets to film an entire product-launch event. And the company released a behind-the-scenes video showing exactly how the magic was made.

Good riddance: 13-inch MacBook Pro discontinued

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Apple has finally discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Pro.
You can no longer buy a MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar.
Photo/Graphics: Apple/Rajesh

Following Monday’s launch of the M3-powered MacBook Pros, Apple discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Pro. It was the last MacBook in the company’s lineup with a Touch Bar, a thin, customizable OLED strip at the top of the keyboard that replaced the usual row of function keys.

A cheaper 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 chip replaces the older Touch Bar model.

3 new M3 MacBook Pro models promise blazing speed

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The top two new MacBook Pro models now come in a space black aluminum finish.
The top two new MacBook Pro models now come in a space black aluminum finish.
Photo: Apple

In a first, Apple rolled out three new chips at once — the M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max — during its Halloween-themed Scary Fast event Monday. The new Apple processors power updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.

The company also utilized a cool-looking space black aluminum finish for the first time on M3 Pro and M3 Max models. The laptops promise to hit speedy new benchmarks.

“Tonight we’re doing something we haven’t done before, as we bring our latest technologies to a broader set of users more rapidly than ever,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware technologies. “We’re launching the next generation of Apple silicon for the Mac by releasing three great new chips at the same time.”

Apple rolls out updated iMac with M3

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The new iMac with M3 in all seven colors
The new iMac with M3 gets faster internals but the same seven colors.
Photo: Apple

At Monday’s “Scary Fast” event, Apple rolled out a simple update to the iMac, the perennial all-in-one desktop computer, with the new M3 chip. This comes alongside the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro.

“The world’s best all-in-one gets even more powerful and even more capable,” said CEO Tim Cook. “We’re giving the iMac a giant leap in performance while keeping the same, impossibly thin design,” said SVP of hardware engineering John Ternus.

iMac starts at the same price of $1,299. You can order it today and it will be available next week.

Apple M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max boost Mac performance up to 50%

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Apple M3 chip family
Apple unveiled the M3 and didn't make Mac users wait for the M3 Pro and M3 Max.
Image: Apple

Apple broke with tradition and unveiled the M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max processors all at once on Monday, rather than stringing the releases out. The performance cores in the new chips are up to 30% faster than M1, and the efficiency cores are up to 50% faster.

“Apple silicon has completely redefined the Mac experience. Every aspect of its architecture is designed for performance and power efficiency,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s SVP of Hardware Technologies. “With 3-nanometer technology, a next-generation GPU architecture, a higher-performance CPU, faster Neural Engine, and support for even more unified memory, M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max are the most advanced chips ever built for a personal computer.”

Apple’s online store goes down ahead of ‘Scary Fast’ event

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Apple store is down just before the start of the Scary Fast event.
The online Apple store is down just before the start of the Scary Fast event.
Screenshot: Cult of Mac

Apple’s online store has gone down ahead of its ‘Scary Fast’ event this evening. It is typical of Apple to take down its online store before major product launches, but this usually happens hours before. This time it was mere minutes.

This will likely be the company’s last product launch event for 2023.

Get ready to play Scary Fast event bingo

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See if you can get bingo tonight during Apple's Scary Fast event.
See if you can get bingo tonight during Apple's Scary Fast event.
Photo: Basic Apple Guy

If a big Apple event like Monday evening’s Scary Fast is happening, you can you’ll find a selection of bingo cards to play on social media. It could make the event go by quicker. And it’s fun just to check them out to see if the predictions align with your own and spot if anyone got a good joke or two in there.

How to watch Apple’s ‘Scary Fast’ Mac event

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Scary Fast event logo superimposed on aerial photo of Apple Park
Apple’s “Scary Fast” event is a surprise event coming this Monday.
Photo: Arne Müseler/Wikimedia Commons/Apple

 How can you watch the Apple Mac event today? You can stream the event on YouTube, on the apple.com website or on your smart TV.

This week, Apple is expected to debut the M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max, roll it out in the 24-inch iMac and MacBook Pro and potentially update the Magic Keyboard, Mouse and Trackpad to USB-C. It’s less likely we’ll see any new iPads or AirPods at this event.

Here’s how you can watch it all live.

All the Macs to expect at Apple’s M3-focused ‘Scary Fast’ October event

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Apple's events page for the Halloween event contains a massive hint.
The Apple M3 series of processors will be scary fast.
Photo: Apple

UPDATE: The “Scary Fast” event has come and gone, and it brought the fresh MacBook Pro models and the iMac — all powered with a new M3 processor — that leaks predicted. Check out Cult of Mac‘s full coverage for more details.


Apple fans are getting a treat this Halloween: an event that’ll bring the M3 processor and a range of new Macs to run it.

Here’s everything we’re expecting at Monday’s event, including an iMac and MacBooks, with some accessories thrown in.

Here’s the latest on new MacBooks to expect from Scary Fast event

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Certain new MacBook Pro models powered by the M3 chip may appear Monday at Apple's Scary Fast event, while others are still in development.
Certain new MacBook Pro models powered by the M3 chip may appear Monday at Apple's Scary Fast event, while others are still in development.
Photo: Apple

UPDATE: The “Scary Fast” event has come and gone, and it brought the fresh MacBook Pro models and the iMac — all powered with a new M3 processor — that leaks predicted. Check out Cult of Mac‘s full coverage for more details.


As Apple’s Monday-evening Scary Fast event fast approaches, the latest rumors Friday say new M3-powered 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are likely to appear, while a new 13-inch M3 model likely remains in development.

Monday’s ‘Scary Fast’ Macs could sport M3 chips after all

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Here are the M3-powered Macs expected in fall 2023
The Apple M3 is almost here, and it’s reportedly going into multiple Macs.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

After Apple invited the world to its Scary Fast product event Monday, speculation turned more seriously to the idea that newly announced Macs might sport faster new M3 chips rather than versions of the current M2 series chips.

One prominent analyst who had said the upgrade wouldn’t happen yet even changed his tune on the matter.

Apple plans ‘Scary Fast’ event for Halloween eve

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Apple plans ‘Scary Fast’ event for Halloween eve
A late-October Apple event is expected to bring out a collection of new Macs.
Image: Apple

With Apple’s invitations sent, it’s official, a second Apple product-release event of autumn takes place the evening before Halloween — Monday, October 30 at 5 p.m. PT. Most folks expect some new Macs to shamble forth.

Pencil in new iPads for March 2024

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iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad
Multiple new iPads could be just five months away.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Spring 2024 could bring array of new iPad models, according to a reliable Apple tipster. This might include models from the smallest iPad mini to the largest iPad Pro.

Some of the changes will be only a faster processor, but other tablets will supposedly see more dramatic improvements.

Trick or treat: New Macs might launch on Halloween

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Apple fall Mac event 2023
A new iMac and MacBook Pro models might appear this Halloween.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Update: This report has now been confirmed. On Tuesday, Apple invited the world to watch a product event on October 30. The theme is “scary fast.”


Fresh MacBooks and an iMac might be the highlights of an Apple event the last week of October, according to a high-profile tipster.

Exactly what’s on the agenda isn’t yet clear, but there are a number of strong possibilities, including some potential surprises.

Wait for new 32-inch iMac could stretch out to 2025

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24-inch iMac 2021 with Apple M1 processor. In blue and pink
Don't hold your breath waiting on a 32-inch iMac.
Photo: Apple

The much-anticipated 32-inch iMac is a couple of years way, according to an industry analyst who’s a reliable source of Apple predictions.

And a refresh to the current 24-inch version won’t be out before the end of 2023, according to the same analyst.

Here are all the M3 Macs in development

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Here are the M3-powered Macs expected in fall 2023
A new M3 Mac with 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU has been spotted in developer logs.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple is working on a slew of M3-powered Macs for late 2023 and 2024, and the latest mystery machine spotted on developers’ logs appears to be a new Mac mini.

The M3 chip, the next-gen Apple silicon that will power these Macs, should be based on the 3nm node, offering superior performance and efficiency.

Here are the M3-powered Macs expected in fall 2023

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Here are the M3-powered Macs expected in fall 2023
The Apple M3 is almost here, and it’s reportedly going into multiple Macs.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The next generation of Apple silicon is right around the corner, and the upcoming M3 processor is supposedly going into multiple new Macs before the end of 2023.

Here is what we know about the iMac and the two MacBooks we have to look forward to this autumn.

Apple’s powerful M3 processor goes into production later in 2023

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Apple M3 processor
The wait for the Apple M3 processor goes on.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Production on the much-anticipated Apple M3 processor will begin in the second half of 2023, according to a reliable source of Apple leaks. The chip is expected to bring a significant performance boost.

The launch will apparently not be in time for the 15-inch MacBook Air rumored to reach store shelves in the next few months.