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Apple M2 Max vs Apple M3 Pro (12-core CPU): specs and benchmark comparison

AApple · ARM64

Apple M2 Max

  • 12 cores

2023

BApple · ARM64

Apple M3 Pro (12-core CPU)

  • 12 cores

2023

Short verdict

In the available comparable benchmarks the difference is below the noticeable threshold, so no significant advantage was found.

Compare with AI
← Apple M2 MaxApple M3 Pro (12-core CPU) →

  • Multi-thread performance

    ≈ parity

    The difference in available benchmarks is below the noticeable threshold, so there is no significant advantage.

No comparable benchmarks yet: single-thread performance, gaming (cpu-bound scenarios), power efficiency.

Advantages

Only measured and rated values: a noticeable benchmark gap and specs where more is better.

Where Apple M2 Max is better0

No advantages found in our data.

Where Apple M3 Pro (12-core CPU) is better0

No advantages found in our data.

Benchmarks

Results are compared within one benchmark, one version and the same conditions.

  • Blender Benchmark 4.5.0

    CPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom · samples/min, higher is better

    3.4% difference, within the threshold

    Position among tested models (89)

    B · 252A · 261
    0200400600800
    Each dot is one model’s median in this benchmark. The scale starts at zero, samples/min.

    The 3.4% difference is below the noticeable threshold (5%).

    About the measurement and source
    A · Apple M2 Max

    260.8 samples/min · community measurement, sample 34 · November 14, 2026

    Blender Open Data (Blender Foundation)

    Median of 34 submissions (3 outliers excluded), interquartile range 257.19–264.06; submissions 2025-07-17 to 2026-04-08; CPU backend. Snapshot 2026-11-14.

    B · Apple M3 Pro (12-core CPU)

    252.2 samples/min · community measurement, sample 22 · November 14, 2026

    Blender Open Data (Blender Foundation)

    Median of 22 submissions (1 outliers excluded), interquartile range 226.59–259.29; submissions 2025-07-17 to 2026-02-26; CPU backend. Snapshot 2026-11-14.

    difference = |A − B| ÷ the smaller value × 100%. The 5% noticeable threshold is a UX heuristic, not statistical significance.

    Cycles render in Blender Benchmark. Median of the sum of samples per minute over three scenes after removing outliers.

Other comparable benchmarks (3)
BenchmarkABDifference
Blender Benchmark 4.2.0CPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom251.7249.3A +1%
Blender Benchmark 4.0.0CPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom255.2256.6B +0.5%
Blender Benchmark 4.3.0CPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom251.8248.5A +1.3%

Each benchmark version has its own scale: numbers are compared only within a row.

Reference results (12)
BenchmarkABDifference
Blender Benchmark 5.1.1CPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom252.1249reference
Blender Benchmark 5.2.0CPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom244.8234.1reference
Blender Benchmark 3.2.1CPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom244.5—no pair
Blender Benchmark 3.3.0CPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom263.5—no pair
Blender Benchmark 3.4.0CPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom254.1—no pair
Blender Benchmark 3.5.0CPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom252.9—no pair
Blender Benchmark 3.6.0CPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom254.4256.8reference
Blender Benchmark 4.1.0CPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom249256.6reference
Blender Benchmark 4.4.0CPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom256.2253reference
Blender Benchmark 5.0.0CPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom243.7—no pair
Blender Benchmark 5.1.0CPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom256.2250.4reference
Blender Benchmark 5.3.0CPU, sum of scenes monster + junkshop + classroom215.5—no pair

Each benchmark version has its own scale: numbers are compared only within a row.

Specifications

Cores and clocks

  • Cores

    A12 (8P + 4E)

    B12 (6P + 6E)

    equal

    Cores of different types may differ in performance.

Platform

  • Process node

    A5 nm

    B3 nm

    differs

Memory and interfaces

  • Memory type

    AUnified memory

    BUnified memory

    equal

  • Max memory capacity

    A96 GB

    Bno data

    no data for B

  • Integrated graphics

    AApple M2 Max (30 / 38-core GPU)

    BApple M3 Pro (14 / 18-core GPU)

    differs

“More” does not always mean “better”: higher power draw or size is a system requirement, not an advantage (such bars are dimmed).

Compare with AI

An AI model reviews the specs and benchmarks of this pair and gives a plain-language verdict on who each model suits.

AI verdict

Questions and answers

Do these CPUs have integrated graphics?

Apple M2 Max: Apple M2 Max (30 / 38-core GPU). Apple M3 Pro (12-core CPU): Apple M3 Pro (14 / 18-core GPU).

Which is faster: Apple M2 Max or Apple M3 Pro (12-core CPU)?

In the available comparable benchmarks the difference is below the noticeable threshold, so no significant advantage was found.

Data sources (2)
  • Apple — specifications of Apple M2 Max, specifications of Apple M3 Pro (12-core CPU)checked November 14, 2026
  • Blender Open Data (Blender Foundation) — benchmark Blender Benchmark 4.2.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 4.5.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 5.1.1, benchmark Blender Benchmark 5.2.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 3.2.1, benchmark Blender Benchmark 3.3.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 3.4.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 3.5.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 3.6.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 4.0.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 4.1.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 4.3.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 4.4.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 5.0.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 5.1.0, benchmark Blender Benchmark 5.3.0checked November 14, 2026

How we compare: methodology. Where the data comes from: sources.

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