Apple M1 (8-core) vs Apple M3 Pro (12-core)
53.6Single-core70.5
35.8Multi-core52.2
80Efficiencyspec-based93.3
31.1Platformspec-based43.4
0 spec wins — Apple M1 (8-core)13 spec wins — Apple M3 Pro (12-core)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M3 Pro (12-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 62.7 to 47.3, pulling ahead mainly in single-core (+17) and multi-core (+16). Apple M1 (8-core) still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Apple M1 (8-core)
No decisive spec advantages — this side competes on price and preference.
Reasons to pick the Apple M3 Pro (12-core)
- Stronger single-core score: 71 vs 54
- Stronger multi-core score: 52 vs 36
- 125% higher Max memory: 36 GB vs 16 GB
- 91% higher Cinebench R23 (multi): 14,800 vs 7,760
- 83% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 15,300 vs 8,350
General
| Spec | Apple M1 (8-core) | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020 | 2023 |
| Process | 5 nm | 3 nm+40% |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M1 (8-core) | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 8 | 12+50% |
| Performance cores | 4 | 6+50% |
| Efficiency cores | 4 | 6+50% |
| Threads | 8 | 12+50% |
| Boost clock | 3.2 GHz | 4.1 GHz+27% |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M1 (8-core) | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 8-core GPU | Apple 18-core GPU |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M1 (8-core) | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR4X-4266 | LPDDR5-6400 |
| Max memory | 16 GB | 36 GB+125% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M1 (8-core) | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,340Bottom 34% | 3,100+32%Top 12% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 8,350Bottom 29% | 15,300+83%Top 21% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,500Bottom 28% | 1,930+29%Top 27% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 7,760Bottom 23% | 14,800+91%Top 36% |
| PassMark | 14,122Bottom 27% | 24,069+70%Top 40% |
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