iFixit Shares M3 MacBook Pro Teardown, Explains How Apple Created Space Black Finish

Repair website iFixit today shared a video teardown of the new 14-inch MacBook Pro with both the M3 and M3 Pro chips, providing a closer look inside the laptops. The internal design is virtually unchanged compared to the previous MacBook Pro models.

m3 mbp space black
iFixit also shared a blog post in which it explains how it believes Apple achieved its new, darker Space Black finish for the MacBook Pro. In short, it said that Apple managed to make the Space Black finish's anodized surface "more uneven" at a microscopic level, resulting in more light reflecting off it for a darker appearance.

"Apple found they could etch the already rough anodized surface, making it more uneven," wrote iFixit's Kevin O'Reilly. "The resulting nooks and crannies further diffuse incoming light rays, sending them off in even more directions. Less white light makes its way to our eyeballs—resulting in that slick matte finish."


iFixit provides an in-depth, scientific overview of the Space Black finish, including the new anodization seal that reduces fingerprints, in its blog post.

The new MacBook Pro models launched earlier this week.

Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: MacBook Pro

Popular Stories

2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Changes Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday January 16, 2025 6:45 am PST by
Apple today adjusted estimated trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models in the U.S., according to its website. Some values increased, while others decreased. The changes were not too significant, with most values rising or dropping by $5 to $50. We have outlined some examples below: Device New Value Old Value iPhone 15 Pro Max Up to $630 U ...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock Light

iOS 19 Leak Reveals All-New Design

Friday January 17, 2025 2:42 pm PST by
iOS 19 is still around six months away from being announced, but a new leak has allegedly revealed a completely redesigned Camera app. Based on footage it obtained, YouTube channel Front Page Tech shared a video showing what the new Camera app will apparently look like, with the key change being translucent menus for camera controls. Overall, the design of these menus looks similar to...
Generic iOS 18

Everything New in iOS 18.3 Beta 3

Thursday January 16, 2025 12:39 pm PST by
Apple provided the third beta of iOS 18.3 to developers today, and while the betas have so far been light on new features, the third beta makes some major changes to Notification Summaries and also tweaks a few other features. Notification Summary Changes Apple made multiple changes to Notification Summaries in response to complaints about inaccurate summaries of news headlines. For...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 1 Redux

'iPhone 17 Air' Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Wednesday January 15, 2025 7:16 am PST by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the "ultra-thin" device. Overall, the "iPhone 17 Air" is shaping up to be a mixed bag. Due to its thinness, the device is expected to have some limited specifications compared to the iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, only a single speaker, no SIM...
iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Horizontal Single Feature

iPhone 17 Rumored to Feature Major Thermal Design Upgrade

Friday January 17, 2025 4:33 am PST by
The iPhone 17 lineup will feature a vapor chamber heatsink to improve thermal performance, according to a new report. The news comes from Chinese tech news site MyDrivers, which claims that the entire iPhone 17 lineup, consisting of the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, will adopt the improved thermal heat spreader. Vapor chamber technology is already used...
iPad Pro vs iPhone 17 Air Feature

Here's How Thin the iPhone 17 Air Might Be

Friday January 17, 2025 3:38 pm PST by
For the last several months, we've been hearing rumors about a redesigned version of the iPhone 17 that Apple might call the iPhone 17 "Air," or something along those lines. It's going to replace the iPhone 17 Plus as Apple's fourth iPhone option, and it will be offered alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We know the iPhone 17 Air is going to be super slim, but...
HomePod mini and Apple TV

Apple Expected to Launch 20+ Products This Year: Here's the Full List

Friday January 17, 2025 5:30 am PST by
2025 promises to be quite a big year for Apple, with the company rumored to be planning more than 20 product announcements this year. Apple's rumored smart home hub will be its second all-new product to launch in as many years, following the Apple Vision Pro headset last year. And of course, we will get several new iPhone and Apple Watch models, like every year. Beyond that, Apple could...
iOS 19 Alleged Camera App Render

iOS 19 Rumored to Feature Redesigned Camera App Inspired by visionOS

Friday January 17, 2025 1:48 pm PST by
iOS 19 will feature a redesigned Camera app inspired by visionOS, according to a new video from Jon Prosser, host of the YouTube channel Front Page Tech. A re-created render of iOS 19's redesigned Camera app (Credit: Front Page Tech) Prosser obtained video of the alleged new Camera app, but he elected to share his own re-created images to protect his sources. The images reveal that the app...

Top Rated Comments

Apple_Robert Avatar
16 months ago
He says he filled up the RAM usage in 15 minutes. This guy talks like he doesn't have a real clue how MacOS uses RAM. Yes, SSD swap is a real thing but, the SSD would still last longer than most people ever dream of. This iFixit guy doesn't sound objective to me in his presentation.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
boak Avatar
16 months ago
Less light reflecting… Not more
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
eicca Avatar
16 months ago
I own several flashlights in a dang-tough matte black anodized finish. Apple is just overhyping late and inferior versions of stuff that already exists. Again.

And no my flashlights are not covered in fingerprints either.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
boak Avatar
16 months ago

He says he filled up the RAM usage in 15 minutes. This guy talks like he doesn't have a real clue how MacOS uses RAM. Yes, SSD swap is a real thing but, the SSD would still last longer than most people ever dream of. This iFixit guy doesn't sound objective to me in his presentation.
There’d be a problem if memory weren’t filled up lol
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
surfzen21 Avatar
16 months ago

He says he filled up the RAM usage in 15 minutes. This guy talks like he doesn't have a real clue how MacOS uses RAM. Yes, SSD swap is a real thing but, the SSD would still last longer than most people ever dream of. This iFixit guy doesn't sound objective to me in his presentation.
iFixit is the last place I would look for objective information regarding Apple.

They have a fevered hatred for Apple. The despise the fact Apple doesn't make a product that caters towards iFixit's business model of providing inferior parts for all things Apple.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
XXPP Avatar
16 months ago
Why is the lid close sensor paired? It is very easy. It's about the security of USB ports. When the flap is closed and you log out, everything is encrypted. The sensor is permanently assigned and paired so that it cannot be deceived.
Less hate - more knowledge.

Why are other parts linked and encrypted? So that it doesn't make sense to steal Apple devices, even for parts.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)