Apple M3 (8-core) vs Apple M3 Pro (12-core)
69.8Single-core70.5
43.3Multi-core52.2
93.3Efficiencyspec-based93.3
35Platformspec-based43.4
0 spec wins — Apple M3 (8-core)10 spec wins — Apple M3 Pro (12-core)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M3 Pro (12-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 62.7 to 57.6, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+9) 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 Pro (12-core)
- Stronger multi-core score: 52 vs 43
- 50% higher cores: 12 vs 8
- 50% higher Performance cores: 6 vs 4
- 50% higher Efficiency cores: 6 vs 4
- 50% higher threads: 12 vs 8
General
| Spec | Apple M3 (8-core) | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023 | 2023 |
| Process | 3 nm | 3 nm |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M3 (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 | 4.1 GHz | 4.1 GHz |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M3 (8-core) | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 10-core GPU | Apple 18-core GPU |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M3 (8-core) | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5-6400 |
| Max memory | 24 GB | 36 GB+50% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M3 (8-core) | Apple M3 Pro (12-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,090Top 13% | 3,100Top 12% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 11,700Top 49% | 15,300+31%Top 21% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,900Top 29% | 1,930+2%Top 27% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 10,400Bottom 41% | 14,800+42%Top 36% |
| PassMark | 19,056Bottom 46% | 24,069+26%Top 40% |
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