16-inch M3 Pro/Max vs M2 Pro/Max MacBook Pro: Do you need more speed?

Macworld

The 16-inch MacBook Pro lineup has been given a refresh with Apple bringing its new M3 range of processors to the table. But are they worth paying for or could you save some money and buy the older M2 variants which are still being sold by some stockists? We see how the M3 Pro and Max machines stand up to the ones they replace.

We discuss what’s new about the M3 MacBook Pro separately in 13-inch M2 vs 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro: Big upgrades in a small package and the 14-inch models are compared here: New vs old 14-inch MacBook Pro.

16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro/Max vs M2 Pro/Max: Specs

Before we delve too deep into how the various components in the new and old MacBook Pros compare, here’s a quick look at the tech specs for both:

16-inch MacBook Pro (M2 Pro/Max)16-inch MacBook Pro (M3 Pro/Max)Dimensions0.66 x 14.01 x 9.77in / 1.68 x 35.57 x 24.81cm0.66 x 14.01 x 9.77in / 1.68 x 35.57 x 24.81cmWeightM2 Pro: 4.7lbs / 2.15kg; M2 Max: 4.8lbs / 2.16kgM3 Pro: 4.7lbs / 2.15kg; M3 Max: 4.8lbs / 2.16kgProcessorM2 Pro or M2 MaxM3 Pro or M3 MaxCPUM2 Pro: 12-core CPU (8 performance and 4 efficiency); M2 Max 12-core CPU (8 performance and 4 efficiency)M3 Pro: 12-core (6 performance and 6 efficiency); M3 Max: 14-core CPU (10 performance and 4 efficiency)GPUM2 Pro: 19-core; M2 Max: 38-coreM3 Pro: 18-core; M3 Max: 30-core or 40-coreNeural Engine16-core16-coreRAMM2 Pro: 16 or 32GB; M2 Max: 32, 64 or 96GBM3 Pro: 18GB or 36GB; M3 Max: 36, 48, 96 or 128GBStorageM2 Pro: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB or 8TB SSD; M2 Max: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB or 8TB SSDM3 Pro: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB or 4TB; M3 Max: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB or 8TB SSDDisplay16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR panel, 3456 x 2234, 1,000 nits HDR (1,600 peak), 500 nits SDR, Wide Color (P3), True Tone, 120Hz ProMotion16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR panel, 3456 x 2234, 1,000 nits HDR (1,600 peak), 600 nits SDR, Wide Color (P3), True Tone, 120Hz ProMotionFaceTime Camera1080p1080pPorts3x Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports, HDMI, SDXC card slot, 3.5mm headphone3x Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports, HDMI, SDXC card slot, 3.5mm headphoneBattery Life15hrs web, 22hrs video15hrs web, 22hrs videoPower Adapter140W USB-C with MagSafe140W USB-C with MagSafeNew features for the M3 are in bold.

16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro/Max vs M2 Pro/Max: Price

Apple discontinued the M2-powered 16-inch MacBook Pro M2 machines when the M3-equipped upgrades launched. This means you won’t be able to buy them from Apple and are only able to buy standard configurations. However, you should be able to find the laptops in various retailers at a discount for as long as the existing stock takes to sell through.

Conversely, the M3 Pro and Max variants are available at the Apple store and at all good consumer tech retailers. Here are the prices at launch:

16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro (18GB/512GB): $2,499/£2,599

16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro (36GB/512GB): $2,899/£2,999

16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max (14-core CPU, 30-core GPU, 36GB/1TB): $3,499/£3,599

16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max (16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, 48GB/1TB): $3,999/£4,099

At launch, the 16-inch MacBook Pro M2 Pro or Max were priced as follows. If you find a deal from a third-party dealer, the launch prices combined with the prices of the next generation, should give you a guide of what to expect to pay. You can find the best prices for every model in our round-up of the best MacBook Pro deals.

16-inch MacBook Pro M2 Pro (12-core CPU, 19-core GPU, 16GB/512GB): $2,499/£2,699

16-inch MacBook Pro M2 Pro (12-core CPU, 19-core GPU, 16GB/1TB): $2,699/£2,899

16-inch MacBook Pro M2 Max (12-core CPU, 38-core GPU, 32GB/1TB): $3,499/£3,749

As you can see there are some changes to the pricing, with some equivalent models costing more and others less than they used to.

Best prices for the 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro, from $2,499/£2,599

Best prices for the 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max, from $3,499/£3,599

Best prices for the 16-inch MacBook Pro M2 Pro, from $2,499/£2,699

Best prices for the 16-inch MacBook Pro M2 Max, from $3,499/£3,749

16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro/Max vs M2 Pro/Max: Design

Apple seems happy with the design it bestowed on the M2 generation as it uses the same one for the M3 MacBook Pros. In fact you’d be hard pushed to find any differences: the dimensions are identical at 0.66 x 14.01 x 9.77in / 1.68 x 35.57 x 24.81cm; the weight is the same, with the two variants coming in at M2/M3 Pro: 4.7lbs / 2.15kg; M2/3 Max: 4.8lbs / 2.16kg.

They are also equally fitted with the same ports, webcam, sound systems, display (with a minor change), and metal bodies.

The only difference is that the M2 MacBooks come in Space Grey and Silver, while the M3 Pro and M3 Max offer the choice of Space Black or Silver. Space Black is the first new color for the MacBook Pro since 2016.

The MacBook Pro with M3 Pro or M3 Max is available in Space Black.Apple

16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro/Max vs M2 Pro/Max: Performance

The real difference between these devices is the chipsets found inside. Apple seems to have been working hard to improve the performance of the M3 Pro and Max, with good results. Apple claims that the performance cores in the M3 processors are about 15 percent faster than those in the M2 generation, while the efficiency cores are 30 percent faster. There are also boosts for the GPU and Neural Engine, which are quicker than the variants found in the previous models.

Of course, if you can find an M2 machine that was the higher CPU-core model, rather than the baseline, then the pricing might make it worthy of consideration as it could offer the same kind of performance as the baseline M3 Pro or Max. Here’s a chart of the various benchmarks we’ve run on the M-series processors so you can see for yourself how they fare against each other.

For more details, you can check out our M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max comparison.

16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro/Max vs M2 Pro/Max: Display

In this department, there are only the most minor changes between the M2 and M3 models. Both come with a 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR panel running at a resolution of 3,456 x 2,234. They all feature the ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate for supper smooth scrolling, Wide Color (P3), True Tone, and 1,000 nits HDR (1,600 peak) of brightness, with the M3 machines having 600 nits SDR and the M2 a marginally lower 500 nits SDR.

You’ll also find a notch in the center of the top edge of the display which houses the FaceTime camera. This isn’t a TrueDepth one like on iPhones and some iPads, so you won’t get Face ID or Center Stage on the current MacBook Pros. Rest assured though, that you don’t lose any screen space due to the notch, as the displays have a 16:10 aspect ratio, which is a little taller than the 16:9 found on earlier MacBook Pros. Essentially, you get an extra space at the top that wraps around the notch and can display extra information.

The MacBook has a notch which conceals the FaceTime camera.Foundry

16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro/Max vs M2 Pro/Max: Audio

Apple has held steady in the audio equipment for these devices. Whatever model you buy you’ll get the same six-speaker High-Fidelity sound system with force-cancelling woofers. These emit a wide stereo sound and support Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos. AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max users will also be able to enjoy dynamic head-tracking when using Spatial Audio. If you prefer a wired connection, then the 3.5mm headphone jack is available and has support for high-impedance headphones.

All of the 16-inch MacBook Pros come with onboard HDMI ports that can handle multi-channel audio output, plus a triple mic array with directional beamforming for clear audio on video calls.

16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro/Max vs M2 Pro/Max: Webcam

Apple retains the 1080p FaceTime HD camera from the M2 in the M3 models. Again, you don’t get Face ID or Center Stage, but you should at least look good on Zoom calls.

16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro/Max vs M2 Pro/Max: Battery Life

Battery life is the same in either the M2 or M3 MacBook Pros, which is not surprising as all the 16-inch models come fitted with a 100-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery. This is accompanied by a 140W USB-C charger that supports Fast Charge, so you’ll be back in business before long. Apple states the batteries deliver 15 hours of web use or 22 hours of video playback, as before.

16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro/Max vs M2 Pro/Max: Verdict

As Apple has now discontinued the M2 MacBook Pros, you’ll have to shop around to find them. But that could well be worth the effort as they are great machines and practically indistinguishable from their newer counterparts. If you don’t need the extra power, then you might be able to save some money by going for one of the M2 models. Those who do require the power, want to configure a bespoke system, or simply want the best Apple has to offer will find the new 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro and Max models hard to best. At least until the next upgrade.

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