Apple M2 Max (12-core) vs Apple M3 (8-core)
60.4Single-core69.8
51.9Multi-core43.3
80Efficiencyspec-based93.3
52.8Platformspec-based35
7 spec wins — Apple M2 Max (12-core)4 spec wins — Apple M3 (8-core)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M2 Max (12-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 59.1 to 57.6, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+9). Apple M3 (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 Max (12-core)
- Stronger multi-core score: 52 vs 43
- 300% higher Max memory: 96 GB vs 24 GB
- 100% higher Performance cores: 8 vs 4
- 50% higher cores: 12 vs 8
- 50% higher threads: 12 vs 8
Reasons to pick the Apple M3 (8-core)
- Stronger single-core score: 70 vs 60
- 40% lower process: 3 nm vs 5 nm
- 19% higher Cinebench R23 (single): 1,900 vs 1,600
- 12% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 3,090 vs 2,760
- 10% higher Boost clock: 4.1 GHz vs 3.7 GHz
General
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Apple M3 (8-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023 | 2023 |
| Process | 5 nm | 3 nm+40% |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Apple M3 (8-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 12+50% | 8 |
| Performance cores | 8+100% | 4 |
| Efficiency cores | 4 | 4 |
| Threads | 12+50% | 8 |
| Boost clock | 3.7 GHz | 4.1 GHz+10% |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Apple M3 (8-core) |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 38-core GPU | Apple 10-core GPU |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Apple M3 (8-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5-6400 |
| Max memory | 96 GB+300% | 24 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M2 Max (12-core) | Apple M3 (8-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,760Top 34% | 3,090+12%Top 16% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 14,500+24%Top 28% | 11,700Top 48% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,600Bottom 41% | 1,900+19%Top 29% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 14,600+40%Top 37% | 10,400Bottom 42% |
| PassMark | 26,834+41%Top 28% | 19,056Bottom 48% |
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