Apple’s latest M3 Pro chip, which boasts a 12-core CPU, has been found to offer only slightly faster performance compared to its predecessor, the M2 Pro chip, according to a Geekbench 6 result shared by Vadim Yuryev, co-host of the popular YouTube channel Max Tech. While this is just a single benchmark result, further tests are needed to validate its accuracy.
The benchmark result appears to be for the 14-inch model of the recently announced MacBook Pro, as indicated by the “Mac15,6” model identifier listed. In terms of performance, the M3 Pro achieved a single-core score of 3,035 and a multi-core score of 15,173. If these scores are indeed accurate, the M3 Pro offers up to a 14% improvement in single-core performance over the M2 Pro, but only up to 6% improvement in multi-core performance for more demanding tasks and workflows.
Both the M2 Pro and M3 Pro come equipped with a 12-core CPU, but there are some notable differences between the two. The M3 Pro has six high-performance cores and six efficiency cores, while the M2 Pro features eight high-performance cores and four efficiency cores. Although the M3 Pro is manufactured with TSMC’s more advanced 3nm process, compared to the 5nm process of the M2 Pro, the performance gains are diminished due to the two fewer high-performance cores in the M3 Pro. Additionally, the M3 Pro has 25% less memory bandwidth and one fewer GPU core than the M2 Pro.
Apple’s decision to limit the number of high-performance cores in the M3 Pro creates a clearer distinction between the M3 Pro and the M3 Max, which offers up to 12 high-performance cores. However, this design choice means that the M3 Pro only delivers marginal improvements over the M2 Pro.
Earlier Geekbench 6 results showed that the M3 Max is up to 45% faster than the M2 Max, while the regular M3 chip outperforms the standard M2 chip by up to 20%. Therefore, considering the M3 Pro’s performance, it can be seen as the least improved chip in the series. Nonetheless, for users upgrading from an Intel-based Mac, the M3 Pro still represents a significant improvement. Furthermore, the M3 Pro is up to 20% faster than the M1 Pro chip, making it a decent upgrade option.
As always, it’s important to remember that benchmarks provide a reference point, but real-world performance may vary.
The new MacBook Pro models are now available for order, with the M3 and M3 Pro configurations set to arrive on Tuesday, November 7. M3 Max configurations will be released later in November.