Between the M3 and M3 Max, the M3 comes out ahead in tdp, while the M3 Max wins on cores and l3 cache. Overall, the M3 scores 43.6 and the M3 Max scores 50 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The M3 Max edges ahead on the Mars Score (43.6 vs 50), but the 6.4-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the M3 if you care most about tdp. The biggest gaps in its favor are tdp.
Pick the M3 Max if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. Its strongest claims are cores, l3 cache, cinebench r23 (multi).
Both ship with comparable boost clock, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the M3 Max is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - M3 wins
- ▲TDP — 38.00 W less. 22 vs 60.
Why Apple - M3 Max wins
- ▲Cores — 100.00% more. 16 vs 8.
- ▲L3 cache — 100.00% more. 32 MB vs 16 MB.
- ▲Cinebench R23 (multi) — 86.11% more. 26800 vs 14400.
Spec comparison
Cores
| Spec | Apple - M3 | Apple - M3 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Coresⓘ | 8 | 16lead |
| Threadsⓘ | 8 | 16lead |
| Base clockⓘ | 0 GHz | 0 GHz |
| Boost clockⓘ | 4.05 GHz | 4.05 GHz |
| L3 cacheⓘ | 16 MB | 32 MBlead |
Platform
| Spec | Apple - M3 | Apple - M3 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Socketⓘ | Soldered | Soldered |
| TDPⓘ | 22 Wlead | 60 W |
| Integrated graphicsⓘ | true | true |
| DDR5ⓘ | true | true |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple - M3 | Apple - M3 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi)ⓘ | 14400 | 26800lead |
| Cinebench R23 (single)ⓘ | 1950 | 2100lead |
Spec-level deep dives
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