Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Apple - M3 | AMD - Ryzen 7 7800X3D |
|---|---|---|
| L3 cache | 16 MB | 96 MB |
| TDP | 22 W | 120 W |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 14400 | 18000 |
| Boost clock | 4.05 GHz | 5.0 GHz |
Between the M3 and Ryzen 7 7800X3D, the M3 comes out ahead in tdp, while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D wins on l3 cache / cinebench r23 (multi). Overall, the M3 scores 43.6 and the Ryzen 7 7800X3D scores 49.8 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Ryzen 7 7800X3D edges ahead on the Mars Score (43.6 vs 49.8), but the 6.2-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. The single most decisive one: TDP — 98.00 W less. 22 vs 120.
Pick the Ryzen 7 7800X3D 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 l3 cache, cinebench r23 (multi), boost clock. The single most decisive one: L3 cache — 500.00% more. 96 MB vs 16 MB.
Both ship with comparable cores, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: Apple - M3 or AMD - Ryzen 7 7800X3D?
AMD - Ryzen 7 7800X3D leads the current Mars Score by 6.2 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare boost clock, tdp against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Apple - M3 if…
Apple - M3 has the measurable edge on tdp w.
Choose AMD - Ryzen 7 7800X3D if…
AMD - Ryzen 7 7800X3D has the measurable edge on cache l3 mb, cinebench r23 multi, boost clock ghz.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Apple - M3 wins
- ▲TDP — 98.00 W less. 22 vs 120.
Why AMD - Ryzen 7 7800X3D wins
- ▲L3 cache — 500.00% more. 96 MB vs 16 MB.
- ▲Cinebench R23 (multi) — 25.00% more. 18000 vs 14400.
- ▲Boost clock — 23.46% more. 5.0 GHz vs 4.05 GHz.
Spec comparison
Cores
| Spec | Apple - M3 | AMD - Ryzen 7 7800X3D |
|---|---|---|
| Coresⓘ | 8 | 8 |
| Threadsⓘ | 8 | 16lead |
| Base clockⓘ | 0 GHz | 4.2 GHzlead |
| Boost clockⓘ | 4.05 GHz | 5.0 GHzlead |
| L3 cacheⓘ | 16 MB | 96 MBlead |
Platform
| Spec | Apple - M3 | AMD - Ryzen 7 7800X3D |
|---|---|---|
| Socketⓘ | Soldered | AM5 |
| TDPⓘ | 22 Wlead | 120 W |
| Integrated graphicsⓘ | true | true |
| DDR5ⓘ | true | true |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple - M3 | AMD - Ryzen 7 7800X3D |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi)ⓘ | 14400 | 18000lead |
| Cinebench R23 (single)ⓘ | 1950lead | 1880 |