Apple’s recent launch event brought the introduction of the company’s new lineup of chips for personal computers, which includes the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max.
These chips are featured in the newly unveiled 14″ and 16″ MacBook Pro laptops, and the entry-level variant is also found in the 24″ iMac. We have covered those in a separate article.
The most significant enhancement in these chips is the GPU, designed to enhance the performance of professional applications and gaming. Notably, these chips will support hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading, marking a pioneering achievement for Apple’s silicon. Additionally, Apple takes the lead by being the first to employ a 3nm manufacturing process for personal computer chips.
The base M3 chip is equipped with an eight-core CPU, divided into two clusters, with four cores dedicated to performance and the other four for efficiency. Its 10-core GPU boasts a next-gen architecture and delivers a remarkable 65% improvement in graphics performance compared to the M1. Unified storage support is extended up to 24 GB.
Moving up to the M3 Pro, it features a 12-core CPU, evenly split between six cores for performance and six for efficiency. Its 18-core GPU excels with a 40% boost in graphics performance compared to the M1 Pro. Unified storage support can accommodate up to 36 GB.
The flagship of Apple’s chip lineup, the M3 Max, takes performance to the next level with a 16-core CPU, consisting of 12 cores for performance and 4 for efficiency. Its 40-core GPU is a significant leap forward, delivering a 50% overall performance boost compared to the M1 Max, with graphics alone achieving an 80% improvement.
This represents a substantial performance increase, especially considering that the M2 Max was only 30% faster than its predecessor the previous year.
Significant power efficiency is a hallmark of the M3 chips, given their transition to the 3nm manufacturing process, similar to the A17 Pro platform featured in the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max.
During the presentation, Apple conducted a performance comparison between the M3 CPU and GPU and a laptop equipped with an Intel Core i7 1360P processor, which is equipped with a basic Iris Xe graphics chip. Apple asserted that the M3 delivers comparable performance while utilizing only 25% of the power.
The M3 chip will be made available in the iMac, and the 14″ MacBook Pro will feature both the M3 and M3 Pro chips, with the availability of these devices starting from November 7. As for the M3 Max, it will begin shipping with the 14″ and 16″ MacBook Pro laptops later in November.
Is it really fast or apple slow down the previous generations?