Apple M2 vs M3 Chip Comparison (2024)

FAQs

Apple M2 vs M3 Chip Comparison? ›

According to Apple's benchmarks, it can be seen that the CPU efficiency of the M3 series chips is 30% higher than the M2 series and 50% higher than the M1 series chips. The CPU performance of M3 series chips is 15% faster than M2 series chips and 30% faster than M1 series chips.

The biggest difference between the M2 and M3 models is in the chip that runs the laptops. And if you want the very best performance, especially for AI applications (both on the cloud and on-device), look to the M3.

The 16-inch M3 Pro and M2 Pro chips both offer 12 CPU cores, but the M2 Pro actually offers one extra GPU core over the M3 Pro. Still, Apple claims it's 10 percent faster than the M2 Pro's GPU and 40 percent faster than the M1 Pro's GPU. The new M3 chips also sport other GPU improvements the M2 series lacks.

The M3 chip certainly delivers better performance than M1, based on our testing. If that's your priority, you should consider getting the new M3-powered 13- and 15-inch laptops. However, if you don't need the performance boost M3 provides, you might be better off sticking with the MacBook Air M1 you currently own.

Meanwhile, the M2 chip is 15% to 18% faster in multicore tasks. If you're a heavy power user or plan on using your MacBook Air to the limit, you would notice slightly better performance.

The MacBook Air M3 is certainly worth the $100 if you can actually benefit from the extra GPU performance (and multi-display support), but as a basic laptop, you won't find a better option for under $1,000 than the M2 MacBook Air.

Apple M3 chip: Performance

Apple says the performance cores are up to 30% faster than M1, while efficiency cores are up to 50% faster. The M3 line will apparently have the same multi-core performance as M1 but use as little as half the power — up to 35% more performance at peak power, according to Apple.

For graphics-intensive tasks like video editing or 3D rendering, the M3 shines. But for everyday users, the M2's GPU might suffice.

The MacBook Pro M3 Pro proves to be a good work tool for everyday tasks. It's noticeably faster than the MacBook Pro M3–the extra money you must pay to upgrade from the M3 to the M3 Pro is well spent money. The MacBook Pro M3 isn't a bad laptop–it's Apple's pricing that is out whack.

Apple's unified memory architecture allows it to use memory more efficiently, meaning that 8GB of RAM on a Mac is comparable to 16GB on other systems. Real-world usage suggests that 8GB of memory is sufficient for average workloads on base-model Macs, as long as they don't involve graphics-heavy tasks.

Should I upgrade to M3? ›

Upgrading from an Intel MacBook to an M3 MacBook is a no-brainer that brings 3 major benefits: Enhanced speed and performance. Extended battery life. Advanced security features.

The M1 chip is still plenty fast for the average person, but the design is certainly dated. Anyone on an Intel Mac should have upgraded long ago, but any stragglers are in for a treat with this new M3. It is the perfect refinement of power, portability, and battery life (18 hours, same as the M2 Air).

The MacBook Air M2 and the MacBook Air M3 may be similar when it comes to display, build quality, weight, and other physical attributes, but the main difference lies with the new M3 chipset, which Apple claims is way faster than its predecessor.

Apple officially claims that the M3 series offers up to a 15% improvement in graphics processing power compared to the M2 series. This has great benefits for graphics-intensive tasks such as image editing, 3D rendering and games.

Apple MacBook Air 2024: Verdict

That's only available in a 13-inch size, please note. The truth is the M2 processor is plenty fast, easily enough to satisfy most users. But M3, for the extra $100, offer something noticeably faster, which will give the laptop a greater lifespan in the long term.

Apple admits that the 12-core Core i7 processor is faster than the M2 chipset. However, the M2 chipset retains an advantage in terms of power consumption. Apple's main point is that the M2 can provide exceptional performance while consuming a fraction of the power of an Intel Core i7-1260P CPU.

M2 Max: The World's Most Powerful and Efficient Chip for a Pro Laptop. With 67 billion transistors — 10 billion more than M1 Max and more than 3x that of M2 — M2 Max pushes the performance and capabilities of Apple silicon even further.

Compared with the M1, the M2 delivers 18% greater multicore CPU performance, up to two extra GPU cores, 50% increase in memory bandwidth, 25% higher graphics performance at the same power level as M1 and up to 35% higher performance at its max, 25% increase in transistor count, 2.3x faster performance at the same power ...

The M1 chip has 8 cores, while the M2 chip has 10 cores, allowing the M2 chip to provide up to 25% higher graphics performance than the M1 while at the same power level. This is especially prevalent when running multiple tasks or complex applications.

When it was first announced in the iMac and MacBook Pro, Apple did mention that even the base M3 could do some basic gaming thanks to all the new graphics prowess. In its press release, Apple says that some games will run up to 60% faster than an M1 MacBook Air.