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Apple M2 vs Apple M1 vs Apple M3

Apple M2

► remove from comparison Apple M2

The Apple M2 is a System on a Chip (SoC) from Apple that is found in the late 2022 MacBook Air and, MacBook Pro 13. It offers 8 cores divided in four performance cores and four power-efficiency cores. The big cores offer 192 KB instruction cache, 128 KB data cache, and 16 MB shared L2 cache (up from 12 MB). The four efficiency cores are a lot smaller and offer only 128 KB instruction cache, 64 KB data cache, and 4 MB shared cache. The efficiency cores (E cluster) clock with  up to 2,4 GHz, the performance cores (P cluster) with up to 3,5 GHz and therefore higher than the M1 cores. The architecture should be similar to the A15 (iPhone 13) with Avalanche and Blizzard cores.

The chip features a unified memory architecture for the CPU and GPU cores and supports up to 24 GB LPDDR5-6400 for a bandwidth of up to 100GB/s.

According to Apple, the M2 offers a 18% higher CPU performance at the same power consumption level compared to the Apple M1. In our tests, the MacBook Pro 13 with active cooling was able to reach the 18% in Geekbench Multi. In other benchmarks we measured 12 to 15% gains compared to the M1. Therefore, the performance is now near the M1 Pro with 8 cores. The passively cooled MacBook Air may however suffer from throttling in longer load scenarios.

The integrated graphics card in the M2 offers 8 or 10 cores and a peak performance of 3.6 TFLOPs.

Furthermore, the SoC integrates a fast 16 core neural engine with a peak performance of 16 TOPS (for AI hardware acceleration), a secure enclave (e.g., for encryption), Thunderbolt / USB 4 controller, an ISP, and media de- and encoders.

The Apple M2 includes 20 billion transistors (up from the 16 billion of the M1) and is manufactured in the second generation 5nm process at TSMC (most likely N5P). The power consumption is rated at 20W what we also measured under CPU load.

Apple M1

► remove from comparison Apple M1

The Apple M1 is a System on a Chip (SoC) from Apple that is found in the late 2020 MacBook Air, MacBook Pro 13, and Mac Mini. It offers 8 cores divided in four performance cores and four power-efficiency cores. The big cores offer 192 KB instruction cache, 128 KB data cache, and 12 MB shared L2 cache. According to Apple the performance of these cores should be better than anything on the market (in late 2020). The four efficiency cores are a lot smaller and offer only 128 KB instruction cache, 64 KB data cache, and 4 MB shared cache. The efficiency cores (E cluster) clock with 600 - 2064 MHz, the performance cores (P cluster) with 600 - 3204 MHz.

The M1 is available in two TDP variants, a passive cooled 10 Watt variant for the MacBook Air and an active cooled faster variant for the MacBook Pro 13 and Mac Mini. Those should offer a better-sustained performance according to Apple.

The integrated graphics card in the M1 offers 8 cores (7 cores in the entry MacBook Air) and a peak performance of 2.6 teraflops. Apple claims that it is faster than any other iGPU at the time of announcement.

Furthermore, the SoC integrates a fast 16 core neural engine with a peak performance of 11 TOPS (for AI hardware acceleration), a secure enclave (e.g., for encryption), a unified memory architecture, Thunderbolt / USB 4 controller, an ISP, and media de- and encoders.

The Apple M1 includes 16 billion transistors (up from the 10 billion of the A12Z Bionic and therefore double the amount of a Tiger Lake-U chip like the i7-1185G7) and is manufactured in 5nm at TSMC.

Apple M3

► remove from comparison Apple M3

The Apple M3 is a system on a chip (SoC) from Apple for notebooks that was introduced in late 2023. It integrates a new 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores with up to 4.06 GHz and 4 efficiency cores running at up to 2.75 GHz. Apple claims that the CPU is up to 20% faster than in the old Apple M2 (3.5 GHz)

Due to the higher clock speeds and architecture improvements, the processor performance is also significantly better than the M2 in benchmarks (see e.g. Geekbench below) and can keep up with the fastest CPUs in short single-core tests (like the Raptor Lake i9-13950HX).

The M3 also integrates a new graphics adapter with dynamic caching, mesh shading and ray tracing acceleration. According to Apple, it is 20% faster than the GPU in the M2. The chip integrates again 10 GPU cores, but the cheaper variant only offers 8 cores (e.g. in the entry iMac). Furthermore, the GPU only supports 2 displays (an additional 6K60 display to the internal one).

Both GPU and CPU can access the unified memory on the package together. It is still available in 8, 16 and 24 GB variants and offers the same 100 GB/s maximum bandwidth (unlike the Pro models that feature a reduced memory bandwidth). 

The integrated 16-core Neural Engine has also been revised and now offers 18 TOPS peak performance (versus 15.8 TOPS in the M2 but 35 TOPS in the new A17 Pro). The video engine now supports AV1 decoding in hardware. H.264, HEVC and ProRes (RAW) can still be decoded and encoded.

Unfortunately, the integrated wireless network module only supports Wi-Fi 6E (no Wi-Fi 7) and due to the support of only a single external monitor, the chip also has to make do with no Thunderbolt 4 (Thunderbolt 3 / USB 4 support only for up to 40 Gbit/s).

The chip is manufactured on the current 3nm TSMC process (N3B most likely) and contains 25 billion transistors (+25% vs. Apple M2). The 3nm process should also contribute to the excellent efficiency of the chip. Under load, the M3 CPU consumes approximately 20 Watt.

ModelApple M2Apple M1Apple M3
SeriesApple M2Apple M1Apple M3
Series: M3
Apple M2 Max2.42 - 3.7 GHz12 / 12 cores48 MB L3
Apple M2 Pro2.42 - 3.5 GHz12 / 12 cores24 MB L3
Apple M2 Pro 10-Core2.42 - 3.7 GHz10 / 10 cores24 MB L3
Apple M2 « 2.42 - 3.48 GHz8 / 8 cores8 MB L3
Apple M1 Max2.06 - 3.22 GHz10 / 10 cores48 MB L3
Apple M1 Pro2.06 - 3.22 GHz10 / 10 cores24 MB L3
Apple M1 Pro 8-Core2.06 - 3.22 GHz8 / 8 cores16 MB L3
Apple M1 « 2.06 - 3.22 GHz8 / 8 cores8 MB L3
Apple M3 Max 16-Core2.75 - 4.06 GHz16 / 16 cores
Apple M3 Max 14-Core2.75 - 4.06 GHz14 / 14 cores
Apple M3 Pro 12-Core2.75 - 4.06 GHz12 / 12 cores
Apple M3 Pro 11-Core2.75 - 4.06 GHz11 / 11 cores
Apple M3 « 2.75 - 4.06 GHz8 / 8 cores
Clock2424 - 3480 MHz2064 - 3220 MHz2748 - 4056 MHz
L1 Cache2 MB2 MB
L2 Cache20 MB16 MB4 MB
L3 Cache8 MB8 MB
Cores / Threads8 / 88 / 88 / 8
4 x 4.1 GHz Apple M3 P-Core
4 x 2.7 GHz Apple M3 E-Core
TDP20 Watt
Transistors20000 Million16000 Million25000 Million
Technology5 nm5 nm3 nm
FeaturesARMv8 Instruction SetARMv8 Instruction SetARMv8 Instruction Set
iGPUApple M2 10-Core GPU ( - 1398 MHz)Apple M1 8-Core GPUApple M3 10-Core GPU
ArchitectureARMARMARM
Announced
Manufacturerwww.apple.comwww.apple.com

Benchmarks

Cinebench 2024 - Cinebench 2024 CPU Single Core
100%
M2 +
121 Points (68%)
91%
M1 +
110 Points (62%)
117%
M3 +
min: 140     avg: 141     median: 141 (79%)     max: 142 Points
Cinebench 2024 - Cinebench 2024 CPU Multi Core
100%
M2 +
513 Points (10%)
87%
M1 +
444 Points (8%)
117%
M3 +
min: 576     avg: 622     median: 599.5 (11%)     max: 712 Points
Cinebench R23 - Cinebench R23 Multi Core
100%
M2 +
min: 8517     avg: 8654     median: 8667 (8%)     max: 8772 Points
90%
M1 +
min: 7409     avg: 7728     median: 7800.5 (7%)     max: 7830 Points
119%
M3 +
min: 10074     avg: 10275     median: 10298 (10%)     max: 10454 Points
Cinebench R23 - Cinebench R23 Single Core
100%
M2 +
min: 1580     avg: 1595     median: 1585 (67%)     max: 1638 Points
96%
M1 +
min: 1496     avg: 1512     median: 1514.5 (64%)     max: 1520 Points
120%
M3 +
min: 1900     avg: 1901     median: 1900 (81%)     max: 1904 Points
Cinebench R20 - Cinebench R20 CPU (Single Core)
100%
M2 +
min: 216     avg: 370.8     median: 381 (42%)     max: 446 Points
106%
M1 +
min: 401     avg: 403     median: 402.5 (45%)     max: 406 Points
132%
M3 +
504 Points (56%)
Cinebench R20 - Cinebench R20 CPU (Multi Core)
100%
M2 +
min: 2231     avg: 2325     median: 2324 (6%)     max: 2416 Points
90%
M1 +
min: 1863     avg: 2040     median: 2093.5 (5%)     max: 2109 Points
121%
M3 +
2818 Points (7%)
Cinebench R15 - Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
100%
M2 +
min: 1209.9     avg: 1222     median: 1215 (8%)     max: 1243 Points
88%
M1 +
min: 1020     avg: 1063     median: 1072 (7%)     max: 1087 Points
123%
M3 +
1499 Points (9%)
Cinebench R15 - Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64 Bit
100%
M2 +
min: 222     avg: 223.8     median: 223 (63%)     max: 229 Points
93%
M1 +
min: 206     avg: 207.3     median: 208 (58%)     max: 208 Points
122%
M3 +
271 Points (76%)
7-Zip 18.03 - 7-Zip 18.03 Multi Thread 4 runs
100%
1 M1 +
34614 MIPS (20%)
7-Zip 18.03 - 7-Zip 18.03 Single Thread 4 runs
100%
1 M1 +
5441 MIPS (64%)
Blender - Blender 3.3 Classroom CPU *
100%
M2 +
min: 540     avg: 620     median: 619.5 (8%)     max: 702 Seconds
64%
M1 +
964 Seconds (12%)
120%
M3 +
min: 491     avg: 590     median: 517 (7%)     max: 761 Seconds
Blender - Blender 2.79 BMW27 CPU *
100%
M2 +
min: 549     avg: 614     median: 597 (4%)     max: 713 Seconds
106%
M1 +
min: 412     avg: 561     median: 561 (4%)     max: 710 Seconds
121%
M3 +
min: 474     avg: 509     median: 494 (3%)     max: 558 Seconds
R Benchmark 2.5 - R Benchmark 2.5 *
100%
1 M1 +
0.7 sec (16%)
3DMark - 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics
100%
1 M1 +
2711 Points (25%)
3DMark - 3DMark Sling Shot (ES 3.0) Unlimited Physics
100%
1 M1 +
min: 1956     avg: 3137     median: 3136.5 (36%)     max: 4317 Points
Geekbench 6.3 - Geekbench 6.3 Single-Core
100%
M2 +
min: 2587     avg: 2609     median: 2599 (66%)     max: 2650 Points
91%
M1 +
2363 Points (60%)
118%
M3 +
min: 3026     avg: 3077     median: 3076 (78%)     max: 3130 Points
Geekbench 6.3 - Geekbench 6.3 Multi-Core
100%
M2 +
min: 10034     avg: 10083     median: 10089 (39%)     max: 10120 Points
85%
M1 +
8622 Points (33%)
119%
M3 +
min: 11863     avg: 11984     median: 11992 (47%)     max: 12066 Points
Geekbench 6.0 - Geekbench 6.0 Single-Core
100%
1 M1 +
2366 Points (75%)
Geekbench 6.0 - Geekbench 6.0 Multi-Core
100%
1 M1 +
8635 Points (35%)
Geekbench 5.5 - Geekbench 5.1 - 5.5 64 Bit Single-Core
100%
M2 +
min: 1887     avg: 1914     median: 1915.5 (75%)     max: 1953 Points
90%
M1 +
min: 1710     avg: 1729     median: 1730 (68%)     max: 1745 Points
122%
M3 +
min: 2256     avg: 2316     median: 2342 (92%)     max: 2350 Points
Geekbench 5.5 - Geekbench 5.1 - 5.5 64 Bit Multi-Core
100%
M2 +
min: 8491     avg: 8812     median: 8956 (16%)     max: 8994 Points
85%
M1 +
min: 7034     avg: 7501     median: 7578 (14%)     max: 7710 Points
120%
M3 +
min: 10570     avg: 10697     median: 10748 (19%)     max: 10774 Points
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Kraken 1.1 Total Score *
100%
M2 +
min: 440     avg: 450.1     median: 449.2 (1%)     max: 466.8 ms
93%
M1 +
min: 418     avg: 473.8     median: 483 (1%)     max: 516 ms
124%
M3 +
min: 362.8     avg: 366.4     median: 363.1 (0%)     max: 373.2 ms
Sunspider - Sunspider 1.0 Total Score *
100%
1 M1 +
min: 65.2     avg: 75.9     median: 76.4 (1%)     max: 86.1 ms
Octane V2 - Octane V2 Total Score
100%
M2 +
min: 72484     avg: 75019     median: 74878 (62%)     max: 78736 Points
84%
M1 +
min: 62055     avg: 63340     median: 62589.5 (52%)     max: 66974 Points
129%
M3 +
min: 96622     avg: 97216     median: 96933 (81%)     max: 98093 Points
WebXPRT 4 - WebXPRT 4 Score
100%
M2 +
min: 223     avg: 237.8     median: 235 (65%)     max: 256 Points
80%
M1 +
189 Points (52%)
134%
M3 +
min: 313     avg: 314     median: 314 (86%)     max: 315 Points
WebXPRT 3 - WebXPRT 3 Score
100%
M2 +
min: 342     avg: 366.5     median: 376 (68%)     max: 387 Points
75%
M1 +
min: 216     avg: 266.3     median: 280.5 (50%)     max: 304 Points
118%
M3 +
min: 423     avg: 438.7     median: 445 (80%)     max: 448 Points
AnTuTu v8 - AnTuTu v8 UX
100%
1 M1 +
min: 104389     avg: 105297     median: 105297 (88%)     max: 106205 Points
AnTuTu v8 - AnTuTu v8 MEM
100%
1 M1 +
min: 110874     avg: 111266     median: 111266 (90%)     max: 111658 Points
AnTuTu v8 - AnTuTu v8 GPU
100%
1 M1 +
min: 533978     avg: 539206     median: 539206 (99%)     max: 544434 Points
AnTuTu v8 - AnTuTu v8 CPU
100%
1 M1 +
min: 267169     avg: 271808     median: 271808 (98%)     max: 276446 Points
AnTuTu v8 - AnTuTu v8 Total Score
100%
1 M1 +
min: 1017190     avg: 1027580     median: 1027580 (99%)     max: 1037960 Points
Antutu v9 - AnTuTu v9 Total Score
100%
1 M2 +
min: 1257990     avg: 1337360     median: 1337360 (65%)     max: 1416730 Points
83%
1 M1 +
min: 1040910     avg: 1113810     median: 1113810 (54%)     max: 1186710 Points
Antutu v9 - AnTuTu v9 CPU
100%
1 M2 +
min: 294643     avg: 298254     median: 298254 (74%)     max: 301865 Points
85%
1 M1 +
min: 244643     avg: 254253     median: 254252 (63%)     max: 263862 Points
Antutu v10 - AnTuTu v10 Total Score
100%
1 M2 +
min: 1936540     avg: 1954930     median: 1961470 (65%)     max: 1966790 Points
Antutu v10 - AnTuTu v10 CPU
100%
1 M2 +
min: 535127     avg: 540446     median: 537292 (16%)     max: 548919 Points
CrossMark - CrossMark Overall
100%
M2 +
min: 1437     avg: 1515     median: 1507 (56%)     max: 1585 Points
85%
M1 +
min: 1266     avg: 1301     median: 1283 (48%)     max: 1355 Points
123%
M3 +
min: 1847     avg: 1850     median: 1847 (69%)     max: 1857 Points
Power Consumption - Cinebench R15 Multi Power Consumption - external Monitor *
100%
1 M2 +
29 Watt (5%)
107%
1 M1 +
27.2 Watt (5%)
Power Consumption - Geekbench 5.5 Power Consumption 150cd *
100%
1 M2 +
min: 6.86     avg: 8.3     median: 8.4 (4%)     max: 9.71 Watt
98%
1 M1 +
min: 8.23     avg: 8.7     median: 8.5 (4%)     max: 9.49 Watt
Power Consumption - Idle Power Consumption - external Monitor *
100%
1 M2 +
min: 2.03     avg: 2.6     median: 2.4 (2%)     max: 3.98 Watt
80%
1 M1 +
3 Watt (2%)
87%
1 M3 +
min: 2.63     avg: 2.8     median: 2.8 (2%)     max: 2.87 Watt
Power Consumption - Idle Power Consumption 150cd 1min *
100%
1 M2 +
min: 1.631     avg: 3.5     median: 3.6 (4%)     max: 5.32 Watt
116%
1 M1 +
min: 2.29     avg: 2.9     median: 3.1 (3%)     max: 3.22 Watt
82%
1 M3 +
min: 3.94     avg: 4.4     median: 4.4 (5%)     max: 4.7 Watt
Power Consumption - Power Efficiency - Cinebench R15 Multi external Monitor
100%
1 M2 +
42.4 Points per Watt (32%)
88%
1 M1 +
37.5 Points per Watt (28%)

Average Benchmarks Apple M2 → 100% n=19

Average Benchmarks Apple M1 → 88% n=19

Average Benchmarks Apple M3 → 122% n=19

- Range of benchmark values for this graphics card
red legend - Average benchmark values for this graphics card
* Smaller numbers mean a higher performance
1 This benchmark is not used for the average calculation

v1.28
log 08. 10:26:24

#0 ran 0s before starting gpusingle class +0s ... 0s

#1 checking url part for id 14521 +0s ... 0s

#2 checking url part for id 12937 +0s ... 0s

#3 checking url part for id 15110 +0s ... 0s

#4 redirected to Ajax server, took 1739006784s time from redirect:0 +0s ... 0s

#5 did not recreate cache, as it is less than 5 days old! Created at Fri, 07 Feb 2025 05:17:16 +0100 +0s ... 0s

#6 composed specs +0.007s ... 0.007s

#7 did output specs +0s ... 0.007s

#8 getting avg benchmarks for device 14521 +0.001s ... 0.008s

#9 got single benchmarks 14521 +0.008s ... 0.016s

#10 getting avg benchmarks for device 12937 +0s ... 0.016s

#11 got single benchmarks 12937 +0.001s ... 0.017s

#12 getting avg benchmarks for device 15110 +0.001s ... 0.018s

#13 got single benchmarks 15110 +0.005s ... 0.023s

#14 got avg benchmarks for devices +0s ... 0.023s

#15 min, max, avg, median took s +0.031s ... 0.054s

#16 return log +0s ... 0.054s

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Benchmarks / Tech > Processor Comparison - Head 2 Head
Redaktion, 2017-09- 8 (Update: 2023-07- 1)