All true, but the custom animation features and the ability to map playing video to physical surfaces makes it a solid tool for me, and even without the path tracer I find the quality high enough for my needs. Now you got me thinking, hmmmmmm… time for an M3… 
This is not a buyers advice, but if you don’t need the screen real estate the 14inch MBP is a really sweet machine 
Another stress test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvdM84x98Ic
Since 2022 I’m on a Mac Studio M1 Max with 32GB Ram, still on Sketchup 22 and Ventura (by experience always very very carefull with updating 
I use Podium renderer, for interior rendering, and it’s brillant with lighting and very easy to setup texturebehavior, and Enscape for when I have to make shots from the outside, because Enscape is much better with vegetation etcetera. For interior rendering I do not like Enscape at all, very difficult to tweak the texture behavior. Podium renders very complex interiors in minutes on my Studio M1, and even faster on my Macbook air M2 16GB Ram which I bought a year ago. Enscape is also very fast on both machines.
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And vegetation is one of the worst things about enscape compared with Twinmotion and D5. It has improved a lot with the last releases though.
Contemplating to purchase this machine.
Apple MacBook Pro, Apple M3 Max Chip 14-Core CPU, 30-Core GPU, 36GB RAM, 1TB SSD, 16 Inch
Would you say that it be perfectly adequate for my need outlined previously?
Unfortunately, I do not have an option to add extra RAM, as the specification MBP is from Costco.
Alternative is to go with higher specification Apple MacBook Pro, Apple M3 Max Chip 16-Core CPU, 40-Core GPU, 36GB RAM, 1TB SSD, 16 Inch for additional £450. But reading comment above, RAM is what I really need to spend my cash on.
My current MBP running this specification, so the new one will be lightyears ahead of it.
It isn’t simple to advise others what is perfect for their needs.
You see buyers who are disappointed about the size of the 16inch as compared to the 14inch, on the other hand for graphics it must also have its advantages.
What I spent on my 14inch was really more than I had hoped for, but 36MB ram to me was the absolute minimum. And I also hope it will last for a while.
I have had 2 MBP’s in the past (one second hand…) where the GPU gave up due to cooling issues. Only time will tell how those new 14inch M3 Max’s are up to their task, with all that power crammed into it. When being pushed to its limits it wont be very pleasant to have such a thing on your lap either.
If it were only for its power and portability, I maybe would have been tempted to get the binned 14inch M3 Max, with my current knowledge. My guess is though that my next Mac will be a replacement for my old Mac Pro.
Edit: For optimal cooling also keep in mind to keep the lid at square angles with the body, so it won’t block the fans.
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