M3 MacBook Pro vs M1: Apple recently released its new M3 MacBook Pro, which is a significant upgrade over the previous M1 model. The M3 chip offers faster performance, improved graphics, and more powerful neural engine. But is it worth upgrading from an M1 MacBook Pro?
Performance
The M3 MacBook Pro is significantly faster than the M1 MacBook Pro. According to Apple, the M3 chip is up to 15% faster for performance cores and up to 30% faster for efficiency cores. This means that the M3 MacBook Pro will be able to handle more demanding tasks, such as video editing and gaming.
Graphics
The M3 MacBook Pro also has improved graphics. The M3 chip has up to 40-core GPU, which is up to 2.5x faster than the M1 MacBook Pro. This means that the M3 MacBook Pro will be able to handle more demanding graphics tasks, such as gaming and video editing.
Neural engine
The M3 MacBook Pro also has a more powerful neural engine. The M3 neural engine is up to 15% faster than the M1 neural engine. This means that the M3 MacBook Pro will be able to handle more demanding machine learning tasks, such as image recognition and natural language processing.
Other features
The M3 MacBook Pro also has a number of other features that are not available on the M1 MacBook Pro. These features include:
- Support for two 8K external monitors at 240Hz
- HDMI 2.1
- Faster SSD storage
Battery life
The M3 MacBook Pro has the same battery life as the M1 MacBook Pro. This means that you can expect to get up to 17 hours of battery life on a single charge.
Here is a table that summarizes the key differences between the M3 MacBook Pro and the M1 MacBook Pro:
| Feature | M3 MacBook Pro | M1 MacBook Pro |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Up to 16-core CPU | Up to 8-core CPU |
| GPU | Up to 40-core GPU | Up to 16-core GPU |
| Neural engine | Up to 16-core neural engine | Up to 16-core neural engine |
| SSD storage | Up to 8TB SSD storage | Up to 2TB SSD storage |
| Memory | Up to 128GB unified memory | Up to 64GB unified memory |
| Battery life | Up to 17 hours | Up to 17 hours |
| Display | 14-inch or 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR display | 13-inch or 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR display |
| Ports | 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports, 2 USB-C ports, HDMI 2.1, MagSafe 3 port | 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports, 2 USB-C ports, HDMI 2.0, MagSafe 3 port |
| Starting price | $2,299 | $1,299 |
Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to upgrade from an M1 MacBook Pro to an M3 MacBook Pro is a personal one. If you are happy with the performance of your M1 MacBook Pro, then there is no need to upgrade. However, if you are looking for the best possible performance, then the M3 MacBook Pro is the way to go.
Conclusion
The M3 MacBook Pro is a significant upgrade over the M1 MacBook Pro. It is faster, has better graphics, and a more powerful neural engine. If you are looking for the best possible performance, then the M3 MacBook Pro is the way to go. However, if you are on a budget, then the M1 MacBook Pro is still a great option.
