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M2 vs M3: M3 is 20% faster on CPU and 7% on GPU
Cheapest MacBook Air 13″ with each chip: M2 at $1199 vs M3 at $1099.
CPU
114
GPU
132
M3
MacBook Air 13″ (2024)
M3 (8-CPU/8-GPU), 8GB, 256GB · $1099
CPU
137
GPU
141
M3 vs M2:
CPU +20%
GPU +7%
Price −$100
Scores are relative: 2020 M1 MacBook Air = 100, so 200 is about twice as fast. How we score
Verdict
- Buying used or refurbished
- M3 if the price gap is small: about a fifth more CPU. GPU is nearly the same on base chips.
- Already own an M2
- Keep it. If you upgrade, skip to M4 or M5 for a step that is worth paying for.
- Pro chip buyers
- M3 Pro is barely faster than M2 Pro and its GPU is slightly slower. Compare prices, not generation numbers. M3 Max is the big jump.
Gain by chip tier
| Tier | M2 | M3 | CPU | GPU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base | M2 8 CPU / 10 GPU | M3 8 CPU / 10 GPU | 114 → 137 +20% | 158 → 164 +4% |
| Pro | M2 Pro 12 CPU / 19 GPU | M3 Pro 12 CPU / 18 GPU | 163 → 176 +8% | 271 → 264 −3% |
| Max | M2 Max 12 CPU / 38 GPU | M3 Max 16 CPU / 40 GPU | 168 → 241 +43% | 480 → 517 +8% |
| Ultra | M2 Ultra 24 CPU / 76 GPU | M3 Ultra 32 CPU / 80 GPU | 242 → 325 +34% | 734 → 844 +15% |
Top tested chip of each tier on both sides.
Configurations to compare
| Model | Configuration | CPU | GPU | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Air 13″ (2022) | M2 (8-CPU/8-GPU), 8GB, 256GB | 114 | 132 | $1199 |
| MacBook Air 13″ (2024) | M3 (8-CPU/8-GPU), 8GB, 256GB | 137 | 141 | $1099 |
| MacBook Air 13″ (2022) | M2 (8-CPU/10-GPU), 8GB, 256GB | 114 | 158 | $1499 |
| MacBook Air 13″ (2024) | M3 (8-CPU/10-GPU), 8GB, 256GB | 137 | 164 | $1299 |
| MacBook Air 15″ (2023) | M2 (8-CPU/10-GPU), 8GB, 256GB | 114 | 158 | $1499 |
| MacBook Air 15″ (2024) | M3 (8-CPU/10-GPU), 8GB, 256GB | 137 | 164 | $1499 |
| MacBook Pro 16″ (Early 2023) (2023) | M2 Pro (12-CPU/19-GPU), 16GB, 1TB | 163 | 271 | $2499 |
| MacBook Pro 16″ (Late 2023) (2023) | M3 Pro (12-CPU/18-GPU), 18GB, 512GB | 176 | 264 | $2499 |
FAQ
How much faster is M3 than M2?
Comparing the cheapest configs of each, M3 is about 20% faster on CPU and 7% faster on GPU (CPU 137 vs 114, GPU 141 vs 132).
Is M3 Pro slower than M2 Pro?
On GPU, slightly: 264 vs 271 for the top versions. On CPU, M3 Pro is about 8% faster (176 vs 163).
Is the M2 MacBook Air still worth buying?
Used and cheap, yes for light work. Prefer 16 GB memory: 8 GB is the main limit in 2026.
What do the scores mean?
Every Mac is scored against the 2020 M1 MacBook Air = 100. A score of 200 means about twice as fast. These are MacDiff's own relative scores, not Geekbench points.
All chip variants (16)
| Gen | Chip | Cores | CPU | GPU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M2 | M2 | 8 CPU / 10 GPU | 114 | 158 |
| M2 | M2 | 8 CPU / 8 GPU | 114 | 132 |
| M2 | M2 Pro | 10 CPU / 16 GPU | 139 | 247 |
| M2 | M2 Pro | 12 CPU / 19 GPU | 163 | 271 |
| M2 | M2 Max | 12 CPU / 30 GPU | 168 | 409 |
| M2 | M2 Max | 12 CPU / 38 GPU | 168 | 480 |
| M2 | M2 Ultra | 24 CPU / 60 GPU | 242 | 671 |
| M2 | M2 Ultra | 24 CPU / 76 GPU | 242 | 734 |
| M3 | M3 | 8 CPU / 10 GPU | 137 | 164 |
| M3 | M3 | 8 CPU / 8 GPU | 137 | 141 |
| M3 | M3 Pro | 11 CPU / 14 GPU | 157 | 228 |
| M3 | M3 Pro | 12 CPU / 18 GPU | 176 | 264 |
| M3 | M3 Max | 14 CPU / 30 GPU | 217 | 414 |
| M3 | M3 Max | 16 CPU / 40 GPU | 241 | 517 |
| M3 | M3 Ultra | 28 CPU / 60 GPU | 300 | 737 |
| M3 | M3 Ultra | 32 CPU / 80 GPU | 325 | 844 |