Apple M3 (8-core) vs Apple M3 Max (16-core)
69.8Single-core71.2
43.3Multi-core71
93.3Efficiencyspec-based93.3
35Platformspec-based60
0 spec wins — Apple M3 (8-core)9 spec wins — Apple M3 Max (16-core)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M3 Max (16-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 72.9 to 57.6, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+28) and single-core (+1). 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 M3 (8-core)
No decisive spec advantages — this side competes on price and preference.
Reasons to pick the Apple M3 Max (16-core)
- Stronger multi-core score: 71 vs 43
- 433% higher Max memory: 128 GB vs 24 GB
- 200% higher Performance cores: 12 vs 4
- 133% higher Cinebench R23 (multi): 24,200 vs 10,400
- 116% higher PassMark: 41,192 vs 19,056
General
| Spec | Apple M3 (8-core) | Apple M3 Max (16-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023 | 2023 |
| Process | 3 nm | 3 nm |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M3 (8-core) | Apple M3 Max (16-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 8 | 16+100% |
| Performance cores | 4 | 12+200% |
| Efficiency cores | 4 | 4 |
| Threads | 8 | 16+100% |
| Boost clock | 4.1 GHz | 4.1 GHz |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M3 (8-core) | Apple M3 Max (16-core) |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 10-core GPU | Apple 40-core GPU |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M3 (8-core) | Apple M3 Max (16-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5-6400 |
| Max memory | 24 GB | 128 GB+433% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M3 (8-core) | Apple M3 Max (16-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,090Top 13% | 3,130+1%Top 11% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 11,700Top 49% | 21,200+81%Top 8% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,900Top 29% | 1,950+3%Top 25% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 10,400Bottom 41% | 24,200+133%Top 12% |
| PassMark | 19,056Bottom 46% | 41,192+116%Top 12% |
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