Apple M2 (8-core) vs Apple M3 Pro (12-core)
58.1Single-core70.5
38.7Multi-core52.2
80Efficiencyspec-based93.3
35Platformspec-based43.4
0 spec wins — Apple M2 (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 50.4, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+14) and single-core (+12). Apple M2 (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 M2 (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 58
- Stronger multi-core score: 52 vs 39
- 70% higher Cinebench R23 (multi): 14,800 vs 8,700
- 57% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 15,300 vs 9,750
- 54% higher PassMark: 24,069 vs 15,648
General
| Spec | Apple M2 (8-core) | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022 | 2023 |
| Process | 5 nm | 3 nm+40% |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M2 (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 | 3.5 GHz | 4.1 GHz+16% |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M2 (8-core) | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 10-core GPU | Apple 18-core GPU |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M2 (8-core) | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5-6400 |
| Max memory | 24 GB | 36 GB+50% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M2 (8-core) | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,600Top 44% | 3,100+19%Top 12% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 9,750Bottom 38% | 15,300+57%Top 21% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,580Bottom 34% | 1,930+22%Top 27% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 8,700Bottom 29% | 14,800+70%Top 36% |
| PassMark | 15,648Bottom 33% | 24,069+54%Top 40% |
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