M3 vs. M2 MacBook Pro: What Distinctions Exist?

The M3 MacBook Pros are now available, and with its new 3nm chips—which appear to represent yet another paradigm breakthrough in computing—Apple has once again completely outperformed its competitors. But this begs the question: Should you replace your old MacBook Pro with the newest M3 model? In this thorough comparison of the M3 vs. M2 MacBook Pro, let’s find out.

Crucial Specifications of the M3 vs M2 MacBook Pros

Before getting into the details, here’s an overview of everything these 4 powerful Macs have to offer.

Specifications	14-inch M3 MacBook Pro	14-inch M2 MacBook Pro	16-inch M3 MacBook Pro	16-inch M2 MacBook Pro
Starting price	$1,599	$1,999	$2,499	$2,499
Display and resolution	14.2-inch 120Hz XDR 3456 x 2234	14.2-inch 120Hz XDR 3456 x 2234	16.2-inch 120HZ XDR 3456 x 2234	16.2-inch 120Hz XDR 3456 x 2234
CPU Cores	M3 (8-core), M3 Pro (11/12-core), M3 Max (14/16-core)	M2 Pro (10/12-core) or M2 Max (12-core)	M3 Pro (12-core) or M3 Max (14/16-core)	M2 Pro (12-core) or M2 Max (12-core)
GPU Cores	M3 (10-core), M3 Pro (18-core) or M3 Max (30/40-core)	Apple M2 Pro (16/19-core) or M2 Max (30-core)	M3 Pro (18-core) or M3 Max (30/40-core)	M2 Pro (19-core) or M2 Max (38-core)
Unified Memory	M3 (8GB, 16GB, 24GB), M3 Pro (18GB, 36GB), M3 Max (36GB, 96GB)	16GB, 32GB, 64GB, or 96GB	18GB, 36GB (M3 Pro or M3 Max with 14-core CPU), 48GB (M3 Max with 16-core CPU), 64GB (M3 Max with 16-core CPU), 96GB (M3 Max with 14-core CPU), 128GB (M3 Max with 16-core CPU)	16GB, 32GB, 64GB, or 96GB
Storage	M3 (up to 1TB) M3 Pro (up to 4TB), M3 Max (up to 8TB)	Up to 8TB	Up to 8TB	Up to 8TB
Ports	2 x USB 4.0 with Thunderbolt 4 support, SDXC card slot, HDMI, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm jack	3 x USB 4.0 with Thunderbolt 4 support, SDXC card slot, HDMI, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm jack	3 x USB 4.0 with Thunderbolt 4 support, SDXC card slot, HDMI, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm jack	3 x USB 4.0 with Thunderbolt 4 support, SDXC card slot, HDMI, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm jack
Power adapter	Type-C, 70W or 96W	Type-C, 67W or 96W	Type-C, 140W	Type-C, 140W
Colors	Silver, Space gray (M3), Space black (M3 Pro, M3 Max)	Space gray, Silver	Space gray, Silver	Space black, Silver
Other features	True Tone, Touch ID, 1080p Webcam, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3	True Tone, Touch ID, 1080p Webcam, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3	True Tone, Touch ID, 1080p Webcam, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3	True Tone, Touch ID, 1080p Webcam, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3

Present, Create, and Construct

The M1 MacBook Pro, which was first released in 2021, and the latest 14- and 16-inch M3 MacBook Pro versions both have similar designs. We’ve become accustomed to the robust, squared-off aluminum chassis seen on all Pro models. The new Space Black colour for the M3 Pro and M3 Max MacBook Pro models is the only change from the original Space Grey colour.

Regarding the screen, the 120Hz Liquid Retina XDR display with tiny bezels and a notch at the top is still present in all MacBook Pro models, but it is still incompatible with Face ID. To Apple’s credit, though, while watching the SDR video, the M3 models’ displays are 600 nits brighter than the M2 models’.

The new M3 MacBook Pros are essentially the same as their predecessors if we ignore the addition of 600 nits of brightness, the new Space Black colorway, and the elimination of a connector on the right side.

Performance of the CPU and GPU

The performance of the CPU and GPU is the main distinction between the M3 and M2 MacBook Pros. Compared to Apple’s 5nm M2 series of processors, the M3 family of chips delivers substantially greater CPU and GPU performance with a considerably lower power drain because of the new 3nm design.

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Similar to the M2, the entry-level M3 processor featured in the base 14-inch MacBook Pro has an 8-core CPU with four performance and four efficiency cores in addition to a 10-core GPU. The M3 chip contains 25 billion transistors, compared to the M2 chip’s 20 billion, even if the number of cores hasn’t increased.

When it comes to the M3 Pro, things become a little more complicated. It has an 18-core GPU, slower Unified memory (50GB/s), and 37 billion transistors, as opposed to the M2 Pro’s 40 billion. Additionally, Apple switched out two of the M3 Pro’s performance cores for efficiency cores, even though we still got a better 12-core CPU.

As a result, the M3 Pro chipset has six performance and eight efficiency cores as opposed to the eight performance and four efficiency cores of the M2 Pro chipset from the previous year.

Fortunately, the M3 Max does not exhibit this behaviour. Unlike the M2 Max, which has a 12-core CPU and a 38-core GPU, it provides up to a 16-core CPU and 40-core GPU. In addition, the former has 128 GB of unified memory and 98 billion transistors, compared to 96 GB and 67 billion transistors in the latter.

When compared to the M2 versions, the M3 MacBook Pros provide a notable gain in the GPU sector, even if we ignore all of the CPU enhancements. The M3 MacBook Pro’s GPU now offers hardware-accelerated ray tracing for more realistic lighting in addition to a little boost in core count. Dynamic Caching is a new feature that lets the Mac assign extra RAM to the GPU based on the work at hand.

Connectivity and Ports

As far as the ports are concerned, all the 16-inch and 14-inch MacBook Pro models with either M3 Pro and M3 Max or M2 Pro and M2 Max include three Thunderbolt 4 ports with compatibility for Displayport over USB-C. However, there are just two Thunderbolt 3/USB 4 connections on the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3.

The M3 MacBook Pros may, as usual, be connected to external monitors. However, depending on the chip you choose and whether you’re utilizing the HDMI or Thunderbolt connector, the number of monitors and available resolution may vary.

Up to four external monitors may be supported by the M3 Max and M2 Max: three 6K 60Hz displays via Thunderbolt and one 4K 144Hz display via HDMI. In the meanwhile, it can accommodate up to three screens: one 8K 60Hz or 4K 240Hz display via HDMI and two 6K 60Hz displays via Thunderbolt.

In a similar vein, two external screens may be supported by both the M3 Pro and M2 Pro. This may be one 6K 60Hz Thunderbolt display combined with a second 4K 144Hz display over HDMI, or two 6K 60Hz monitors connected. On the other hand, using a single 8K 60Hz or 4K 240Hz external monitor via HDMI is another option.

Last but not least, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 chip is limited to supporting a single external monitor via HDMI at either 6K 60Hz or 4K 120Hz. This is a regrettable but typical constraint shared by the M2 and M1 CPUs on previous Mac models.

Power and Lifespan of Batteries

With the 96W and 140W power bricks for the 14-inch and 16-inch versions, respectively, the M3 and M2 MacBook Pros enable quick charging, reaching 50% of the battery life in 30 minutes. Both models are quite power efficient. But compared to the M2 MacBook Pros, the M3 MacBook Pros may give an even better screen on time because of the state-of-the-art 3nm design.

On a single charge, the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro, the entry-level model, can play videos for 22 hours. The new model replaces the 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro with TouchBar, which has identical specs but lasts 17 hours on a single charge.

Notably, although 18 hours of video playback on a single charge is now possible with the higher-end 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 Pro and M3 Max, up from 17 hours with the M2 Pro or M2 Max MacBook Pro.

Similarly, the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro and M3 Max provides 22 hours of video playback on a single charge, up from 21 hours on the M2 Pro and Max.

Model	Wireless web battery	Video playback	Included power adapter	Battery capacity
14″ M3 MBP	15 hours	22 hours	70W or 96W	70Wh
14″ M3 Pro or Max MBP	12 hours	18 hours	70W or 96W	70Wh
14″ M2 Pro or Max MBP	11 hours	17 hours	67W or 96W	70Wh
16″ M3 Pro or Max MBP	15 hours	22 hours	140W	100Wh
16″ M2 Pro or Max MBP	14 hours	21 hours	140W	100Wh

MacBook Pro M3 vs. M2: Cost and Availability

On November 7, the 14-inch and 16-inch M3 MacBook Pros are scheduled to go on sale.

Model	Price (starts at)
14-inch M2 Pro MacBook Pro	$1,999
16-inch M2 Max MacBook Pro	$2,499
14-inch M3 MacBook Pro	$1,599
16-inch M2 MacBook Pro	$2,499

• The starting price for the 14-inch M3 Pro model is $1,999, while the price for the M3 Max variant is $3119.
• In contrast, the 16-inch M3 Pro variant costs $2499, while the M3 Max model costs $3499 starting at
• Not to mention, starting at $1,599, is the 14-inch M3 model, which takes the place of the 13-inch MacBook Pro M2.

Apple no longer sells the 14- and 16-inch M3 MacBook Pros on its website, even if the M2 variants are still the same price. Therefore, you will need to rely on independent shops if you want to buy the older versions.

Which MacBook Pro Model to Choose Between M3 and M2?

It’s important to take the planned usage and budget into account while deciding between the M3 MacBook Pro and the M2 MacBook Pro. If you’re coming from an M1 or Intel-based MacBook Pro, the M3 MacBook Pro is a powerful alternative.

With a longer battery life, the M3 MacBook Pro is better suited for performing demanding activities like video editing and 3D rendering due to its significant improvements in CPU and GPU performance.

But if you already have an M2 MacBook Pro, the M3 MacBook Pro might not provide a noticeable speed boost, so the M2 is a far better option if you’re on a tight budget or need to handle relatively lighter tasks.

Though a little slower, I think the M2 MacBook Pros can still manage practically any demanding work. In addition, when the updated model becomes more generally accessible, the price of the M2 MacBook Pro is probably going to decrease.