iFixit Shares M3 MacBook Pro Teardown, Explains How Apple Created Space Black Finish - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

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

MacBook Pro Low Angle Wide Lens

'MacBook Ultra' May Drive Industry Shift to Hybrid OLED Laptop Displays

Thursday June 4, 2026 6:57 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming OLED MacBook Pro – aka "MacBook Ultra" – is expected to be the primary driver of a hybrid OLED laptop display market worth $4 billion this year, according to a new Omdia research report ($). The report corroborates rumors that Apple's first OLED MacBook will use a hybrid OLED architecture combining oxide TFT (thin-film transistor) and tandem OLED layers. The combination is...
Chrome Feature 22

Chrome Sets Browser Speed Records on M5 MacBook Pro

Friday June 5, 2026 10:38 am PDT by
Google's Chrome browser hit new records on browser benchmarking tools Speedometer 3.1 and JetStream 3, Google said today. Chrome earned a score of 61 on Speedometer, a five percent improvement since last year. It earned a 469 on JetStream 3, a 10 percent improvement since the beginning of 2026. Tests were done on an M5 MacBook Pro running macOS 26.0.1. Google says it holds a dual record...
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Touchscreen MacBook '100% Confirmed,' Says Reputable Leaker

Thursday June 11, 2026 7:30 am PDT by
Apple's first touchscreen MacBook is now "100% confirmed," according to the prolific Chinese leaker known as Instant Digital, who appears to have insider information from sources in the supply chain. The leaker made their definitive statement this morning in a Weibo post. Instant Digital has a good track record for Apple rumors and has provided some strikingly accurate information in the...

Top Rated Comments

Apple_Robert Avatar
35 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)
35 months ago
Less light reflecting… Not more
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
eicca Avatar
35 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)
35 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
35 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)
35 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)