Between the M3 and Core Ultra 7 268V, the M3 comes out ahead in l3 cache and cinebench r23 (multi), while the Core Ultra 7 268V wins on boost clock. Overall, the M3 scores 43.6 and the Core Ultra 7 268V scores 45 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (43.6 vs 45). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the M3 if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. The biggest gaps in its favor are l3 cache, cinebench r23 (multi), tdp.
Pick the Core Ultra 7 268V if you care most about boost clock. Its strongest claims are boost clock.
Both ship with comparable cores, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Apple - M3 wins
- ▲L3 cache — 33.33% more. 16 MB vs 12 MB.
- ▲Cinebench R23 (multi) — 26.32% more. 14400 vs 11400.
- ▲TDP — 8.00 W less. 22 vs 30.
Why Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V wins
- ▲Boost clock — 23.46% more. 5.0 GHz vs 4.05 GHz.
Spec comparison
Cores
| Spec | Apple - M3 | Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V |
|---|---|---|
| Coresⓘ | 8 | 8 |
| Threadsⓘ | 8 | 8 |
| Base clockⓘ | 0 GHz | 2.2 GHzlead |
| Boost clockⓘ | 4.05 GHz | 5.0 GHzlead |
| L3 cacheⓘ | 16 MBlead | 12 MB |
Platform
| Spec | Apple - M3 | Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V |
|---|---|---|
| Socketⓘ | Soldered | BGA2833 |
| TDPⓘ | 22 Wlead | 30 W |
| Integrated graphicsⓘ | true | true |
| DDR5ⓘ | true | true |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple - M3 | Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi)ⓘ | 14400lead | 11400 |
| Cinebench R23 (single)ⓘ | 1950lead | 1860 |
Frequently asked
Spec-level deep dives
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