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Apple M3 GPU (10-core) vs M2 Max GPU (38-core)

Apple M3 GPU (10-core)
VS
Apple M2 Max GPU (38-core)
Apple M3 GPU (10-core)
Apple M2 Max GPU (38-core)

We compared two integrated laptop professional GPUs: the Apple M3 GPU (10-core) with 160 pipelines and 1280 shaders against the 10 months older M2 Max GPU (38-core) that utilizes 608 pipelines and 4864 shaders. Here you will find complete details about specs, efficiency, performance tests, and more.

  1. Review
  2. Differences
  3. Benchmarks
  4. AI
  5. Specs
  6. Comments

Review

General comparison of performance in games, applications, power efficiency, and other metrics
Gaming
Performance in DirectX, OpenCL, and Vulkan games
Workstation
Perf. in 3D modeling, video editing and rendering apps
AI/ML
Capabilities for machine learning and AI-related tasks
Energy Efficiency
Power consumption efficiency in different scenarios
DeviceFacts Final Score
Overall video card score

Key differences

Key distinctions and advantages of M2 Max GPU (38-core) over M3 GPU (10-core)
Reasons to consider the Apple M3 GPU (10-core)
  • Manufactured using a more efficient 3 nm process technology
Reasons to consider the Apple M2 Max GPU (38-core)
  • Performs significantly better (up to 2.7x) in 3DMark Steel Nomad Lite
  • 3.9x higher maximum theoretical performance (13.6 vs 3.5 TFLOPS)
  • Has 4x higher memory bandwidth: 409.6 vs 102.4 GB/s
  • Achieves 2.9x more points in the GeekBench 6 Compute test (86K vs 30K)
  • Has 3.8x more shading units (4864 vs 1280)
GPU
M3 GPU (10-core)
vs
M2 Max GPU (38-core)

Benchmarks

Graphics cards’ performance in recent benchmarking apps

3D Mark

Multiplatform graphics benchmark suite that directly correlates with performance in modern games
Steel Nomad Lite Score
Solar Bay 13531 30368
Wild Life Extreme 8237 24948
Sources: 3DMark [1], [2]

GeekBench 6 OpenCL

GPU test for computational tasks (image processing, photography, computer vision, and ML)
GB6 Compute Score
Background Blur 60.3 img/sec 149 img/sec
Face Detection 40.8 img/sec 98.1 img/sec
Horizon Detection 1.21 Gpixels/sec 3.8 Gpixels/sec
Edge Detection 1.64 Gpixels/sec 6.88 Gpixels/sec
Gaussian Blur 1.2 Gpixels/sec 4.44 Gpixels/sec
Feature Matching 0.37 Gpixels/sec 0.73 Gpixels/sec
Stereo Matching 102.6 Gpixels/sec 264.9 Gpixels/sec
Particle Physics 3293.3 FPS 11144.2 FPS
API OpenCL OpenCL
Sources: Geekbench [3], [4]

Cinebench 2024 GPU

Hardware benchmark using Maxon's Cinema 4D rendering engine
Cinebench 2024 GPU

Blender

Rendering performance test for 3D modeling
Blender GPU
M3 GPU (10-core)
154.87
M2 Max GPU (38-core) +1047%
1776.37
Sources: Blender [9], [10] – 309 & 301 samples
Add your GPU benchmark result

Recent User Tests

The latest benchmark tests that have been submitted by users
Apple M3 GPU (10-core)
DateBenchmarkResult
📘 2025-04-24 (Alex)Geekbench 6 OpenCL31004
Add View all (1)
Apple M2 Max GPU (38-core)
No benchmark results yet
Add

Artificial Intelligence Tests

Performance in machine learning and artificial intelligence tasks

GeekBench 6 ML

Tests throughput of AI operations in single, half, and quantized precision
GB6 ML Single Precision
GB6 ML Half Precision
GB6 ML Quantized
Image Classification (SP) 1579 6657
Image Segmentation (HP) 2944 13854
Image Super Resolution (Q) 4425 18642
Face Detection (HP) 6661 27965
Pose Estimation (Q) 15020 83144
Text Classification (SP) 2984 2377
Machine Translation (HP) 5876 2052
Object Detection (SP) 1826 6495
Depth Estimation (Q) 9339 31105
Style Transfer (SP) 22291 135686
Framework Core ML Core ML
Backend CPU GPU
Sources: Geekbench [9], [10]

Specifications

Technical specifications of Apple M3 GPU (10-core) and M2 Max GPU (38-core)

General

Vendor Apple Apple
Build Integrated Integrated
Released October 31, 2023 January 17, 2023
Case Laptop Laptop
Purpose Professional Professional
Segment Mid-range High-end
Architecture Apple M GPU Apple M GPU
Rival Equivalent - GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop - GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop
Successor - Apple M5 GPU (10-Core) - Apple M5 Max GPU (40-core)
Recommended CPU - Apple M3 or above -
Used in CPUs - Apple M3 - Apple M2 Max
Laptop GPU ranking (81st and 42nd place)

Graphics Processing Unit

Base Clock 500 MHz 450 MHz
Boost Clock 1380 MHz 1398 MHz
Shading Units 1280 4864
Texture Mapping Units (TMUs) 80 304
Render Output Units (ROPs) 40 152
Compute Units (Pipelines) 160 608
Instructions Per Cycle 2 IPC 2 IPC

Raw Performance

Pixel Fill Rate 55 GPixel/s 212 GPixel/s
Texture Fill Rate 110 GTexel/s 425 GTexel/s
FLOPS (FP32)
M3 GPU (10-core)
3.5 TFLOPS
M2 Max GPU (38-core) +289%
13.6 TFLOPS

Physical

Interface Custom Custom
TGP 15 W 70 W
Manufacturing TSMC TSMC
Fabrication Process 3 nm 5 nm
Transistor Count 13.8 billion 52 billion
Max. Temperature 100°C 94°C

Memory

Memory Type System Shared System Shared
Memory Clock 6400 MHz 6400 MHz
Effective Memory Speed 12800 Mbps 12800 Mbps
Bus 128-bit 512-bit
ECC No No
Memory Bandwidth
M3 GPU (10-core)
102.4 GB/s
M2 Max GPU (38-core) +300%
409.6 GB/s

API

Ray Tracing Yes No
DLSS No No

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