All of Apple’s processors are scattered all through totally different MacBook fashions. Whereas Apple solely presently sells M4 MacBooks, you’ll find older fashions at particular third-party retailers on-line both utterly new or refurbished. When you do come across its older chips (which got here out 4 years in the past), you may be questioning how they evaluate to different choices. We break down the variations between every one.
M4 Collection
M4: The M4 is the present entry-level chip, launched in 2024. It has a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU. Apple claims it delivers 1.8 instances sooner CPU efficiency and a couple of.2 instances sooner GPU efficiency than the M1. In the meantime, the neural engine is over thrice sooner than the unique and twice as quick because the M3. It additionally begins with 16 GB of unified reminiscence, which can assist energy Apple Intelligence (the corporate’s suite of synthetic intelligence options) much more easily. It is out there on the 14-inch MacBook Professional (2024), iMac (2024), and MacBook Air (13-inch and 15-inch, 2025).
M4 Professional: The M4 Professional has a 14-core CPU (which Apple claims is as much as 1.9 instances sooner than the M1 Professional) and as much as 20-core GPU, with as much as 64 GB of unified reminiscence. Constructed on a second-generation 3-nanometer course of, it additionally helps enhanced GPU options like mesh shading and ray tracing—the latter of which is now twice as quick as on M3 chips. You may discover it on the newest MacBook Professional (14-inch and 16-inch) and Mac Mini (2024).
M4 Max: This chip has a 16-core CPU and as much as a 40-core GPU with assist for as much as 128 GB of unified reminiscence. Apple says the CPU is as much as 2.2 instances sooner than the M1 Max, whereas the GPU is as much as 1.9 instances sooner. As with the M4 Professional, it packs assist for mesh shading and ray tracing. The M4 Max is presently probably the most highly effective chip you may get in a MacBook, and is accessible on the newest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Professional. It’s also possible to get it as an possibility within the present Mac Studio.
M3 Collection
M3: The M3 is accessible on the 14-inch MacBook Professional (late 2023), 13-inch MacBook Air (2024), 15-inch MacBook Air (2024), and 24-inch iMac (2023). It packs an 8-core CPU and as much as 10-core GPU with 24 GB of unified reminiscence. When in comparison with the M1, Apple claims CPU efficiency is as much as 35 p.c sooner and GPU efficiency is as much as 65 p.c sooner. The corporate says the CPU and GPU are each 20 p.c sooner than the M2. As with the M1 and M2, it is nice for primary duties like phrase processing, sending emails, utilizing spreadsheets, and lightweight gaming. With the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air, you even have assist for 2 exterior shows (one show with as much as 6K decision at 60 Hz and one other with as much as 5K decision at 60 Hz).
M3 Professional: With a 12-core CPU and an 18-core GPU, Apple claims the M3 Professional’s GPU is just as much as 10 p.c sooner than the M2 Professional—making this a marginal improve from its predecessor. In comparison with the M1 Professional, nonetheless, the M2 Professional is as much as 40 p.c sooner in GPU efficiency and 20 p.c sooner in CPU efficiency. It is out there on the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Professional from 2023. It is the perfect in-between for individuals who want a chip that is extra highly effective than the M3 however will not make the most of the complete energy of the M3 Max.
M3 Max: That is the following step up from the M2 Max and probably the most highly effective of the three chips (however nonetheless not as highly effective because the M2 Extremely). It has a 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, and as much as 128 GB of unified reminiscence. Based on Apple, the CPU efficiency is as much as 80 p.c sooner than the M1 Max and as much as 50 p.c sooner than the M2 Max. As for GPU efficiency, it is stated to be as much as 50 p.c sooner than the M1 Max and 20 p.c sooner than the M2 Max. The M3 Max is accessible on the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Professional (late 2023).
M3 Extremely: Whereas the M3 lineup was launched in 2023, Apple introduced an M3 Extremely in 2025. It is confusingly probably the most highly effective chip within the M-series lineup—even higher than the newest M4 Max. It has an as much as 32-core CPU (with 24 efficiency cores) and a GPU with as much as 80 cores. Apple claims it is as much as 2.5 instances sooner than the M1 Extremely. It additionally comes with 96 GB of unified reminiscence, with the choice to improve as much as 512 GB, whereas SSD storage might be elevated to 16 GB. This chip is presently solely out there on the 2025 Mac Studio.
M2 Collection
M2: You may assume the M2 is best than the M1 Professional or M1 Max, however you would be unsuitable. It is an entry-level chip just like the M1, with barely extra processing energy. It packs an 8-core CPU and as much as a 10-core GPU (two extra GPU cores than its predecessor), together with assist for as much as 24 GB of unified reminiscence. Apple says the second-generation chip has an 18 p.c sooner CPU and a GPU that’s 35 p.c extra highly effective. The M2 is nice for every day duties like phrase processing and net searching, however duties like enhancing a number of streams of 4K footage and 3D rendering needs to be reserved for the M1 Professional or M1 Max (or the following two chips). It is out there within the MacBook Air (13 inch, 2022), MacBook Air (15 inch, 2022), and MacBook Professional (13 inch, 2022).
M2 Professional: The M2 Professional is the following step up from the M2. It has as much as 12 cores within the CPU and as much as a 19-core GPU, with as much as 32 GB of unified reminiscence. Apple claims efficiency is as much as 20 p.c sooner than the 10-core M1 Professional and graphics are 30 p.c sooner. We suggest this chip for intermediate video and photograph editors. It is a marginal improve in comparison with the M1 Professional, but it surely’s the most suitable choice for individuals who need a extra future-proof processor. You may discover it within the MacBook Professional (14-inch and 16-inch) from early 2023 and Mac Mini (2023).
M2 Max: The M2 Max packs as much as a 12-core CPU and as much as a 38-core GPU (with assist for as much as 96 GB of unified reminiscence). Based on Apple, graphics are 30 p.c sooner than the M1 Max. The M2 Max is a wonderful selection for individuals who work with graphics-intensive content material, together with graphic design, 3D modeling, and heavy-duty video footage. However as with the M2 Professional, it is an incremental improve should you’re coming from an M1 Max. It is out there within the MacBook Professional (14-inch and 16-inch) that got here out early in 2023 and Mac Studio (2023).
M2 Extremely: That is the successor to the M1 Extremely. It is out there on the second-generation Mac Studio and the Mac Professional (2023). Composed of two M2 Max chips, utilizing Apple’s UltraFusion expertise, the M2 Extremely has a 24-core CPU and a GPU configurable with 60 or 76 cores. Apple claims the CPU delivers as much as 20 p.c sooner efficiency and a 30 p.c sooner GPU than the M1 Extremely. That is the chip to get should you’re working with extraordinarily heavy-duty content material that you just imagine the M1 Extremely, M2 Professional, or M2 Max merely will not be capable to deal with. You may know should you want a chip this sturdy.
M1 Collection
M1: That is the primary customized silicon Apple debuted for its MacBook Air in 2020. It has an 8-core CPU and as much as an 8-core GPU. Initially, there was assist for as much as 16 GB of unified reminiscence (RAM) at an additional price, however these days you’ll be able to solely buy the 8-GB mannequin. It’s a lot sooner than any earlier Intel-powered MacBook Professional, and it’s the sensible selection for most individuals, because it’s in probably the most inexpensive MacBook Air you should buy (from third-party retailers). It packs greater than sufficient processing energy to get you thru frequent day-to-day duties—even mild gaming—and it might deal with extra intense jobs like photograph enhancing.
M1 Professional: Subsequent step up is the M1 Professional. It has as much as 10 cores within the CPU and as much as a 16-core GPU, with as much as 32 GB of unified reminiscence. Apple says efficiency and graphics are each twice as quick as on the M1. We discovered it to be significantly extra succesful than the bottom chip, best for anybody who works closely on MacBooks for music manufacturing or photograph and video enhancing. Solely the MacBook Professional (14-inch and 16-inch) from 2021 use this chip.
M1 Max: Just like the M1 Professional, the M1 Max has a 10-core CPU however a heftier 32-core GPU (with assist for as much as 64 GB of unified reminiscence). Apple says it’s 4 instances sooner than the M1 by way of graphics. As confirmed in testing, this chip is extraordinarily highly effective and handles each heavy-duty process with ease. It was the go-to selection should you wanted pc that would deal with a number of streams of 8K or 4K video footage, 3D rendering, or growing apps and operating demos. You most likely already know whether or not you want this a lot energy. It is out there within the MacBook Professional (14-inch and 16-inch) from 2021.
M1 Extremely: The M1 Extremely is the second-most highly effective of all of them. It is two M1 Max chips linked with a expertise referred to as UltraFusion. It packs a 20-core CPU, 64-core GPU (which might be configured with as much as 128 GB of unified reminiscence), and a 32-core neural engine—full with seven instances extra transistors than the bottom M1. Even with the M3 Extremely now out there, the M1 Extremely stays highly effective and a strong possibility for anybody who wants a heavy-duty processor for working with intense visuals and graphics. It was out there solely on the first-generation Mac Studio.
