My new MacBook Pro 14 with M3 processor and 18GB RAM is running slow

Are you on the latest version of macOS? If not, you might want to update to the latest version to see if the issues persist

If they persist, boot your Mac in the safe mode. If your issues are not persisting in the safe mode, they are most likely caused by an external piece of software, you might want to evaluate the software installed to your Mac

1. On your Mac, choose Apple menu  > Shut Down.
2. Wait for your Mac to shut down completely. A Mac is completely shut down when the screen is black and any lights (including in the Touch Bar) are off.
3. Press and hold the power button on your Mac until “Loading startup options” appears.
4. Select a volume.
5. Press and hold the Shift key, then click Continue in Safe Mode.
6. The computer restarts automatically. When the login window appears, you should see “Safe Boot” in the menu bar.