Apple M3 (8-core) vs Apple M5 (10-core)
63.3Single-core100
30.9Multi-core47.2
93.3Efficiencyspec-based93.3
35Platformspec-based40
0 spec wins — Apple M3 (8-core)10 spec wins — Apple M5 (10-core)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M5 (10-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 68.4 to 51, pulling ahead mainly in single-core (+37) and multi-core (+16). 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 M5 (10-core)
- Stronger single-core score: 100 vs 63
- Stronger multi-core score: 47 vs 31
- 53% higher Cinebench R23 (multi): 15,893 vs 10,400
- 50% higher Efficiency cores: 6 vs 4
- 48% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 17,314 vs 11,700
General
| Spec | Apple M3 (8-core) | Apple M5 (10-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023 | 2025 |
| Process | 3 nm | 3 nm |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M3 (8-core) | Apple M5 (10-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 8 | 10+25% |
| Performance cores | 4 | 4 |
| Efficiency cores | 4 | 6+50% |
| Threads | 8 | 10+25% |
| Base clock | — | 3.1 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.1 GHz | 4.6 GHz+14% |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M3 (8-core) | Apple M5 (10-core) |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 10-core GPU | Apple 10-core GPU |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M3 (8-core) | Apple M5 (10-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5X-9600 |
| Max memory | 24 GB | 32 GB+33% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M3 (8-core) | Apple M5 (10-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,090Top 21% | 4,228+37%Top 5% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 11,700Top 65% | 17,314+48%Top 24% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,900Top 42% | 2,459+29%Top 2% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 10,400Top 84% | 15,893+53%Top 50% |
| PassMark | — | 26,752Top 59% |
Related comparisons
Apple M3 (8-core)vs Intel Core Ultra 7 258VVSApple M3 (8-core)vs Intel Core Ultra 9 288VVSApple M3 (8-core)vs Apple M2 Max (12-core)VSApple M3 (8-core)vs Intel Core Ultra 9 185HVSApple M5 (10-core)vs AMD Ryzen 9 9955HXVSApple M5 (10-core)vs Apple M3 Max (16-core)VSApple M5 (10-core)vs Intel Core Ultra 9 275HXVSApple M5 (10-core)vs Intel Core Ultra X9 388HVS