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All of Apple’s processors are scattered throughout the various MacBook models, and you can find older models at other online retailers, either new or refurbished. If you’re disappointed with its old chips (which came out four years ago), you might be wondering how it compares to other options. We distinguish the difference between everyone.
Image of M5
M5: M5 chips are the latest options from Apple, starting in late 2025 for the launch of the 14-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro. The base M5 still has a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, although there is also a lower-tier 9-core CPU available in iPad Pro. The M5 is about 10 to 15 percent faster in terms of CPU performance, and it also takes a bigger role in GPU, AI workloads, and storage speed. Like Apple’s chips, the M5 is also available in the MacBook Air.
M5 Pro: Available on the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros right now, the M5 Pro comes with an 18-core CPU and a 20-core GPU. The base version starts with a 15-core CPU and a 16-core GPU, though. As in previous generations, the “Pro” chip gets all the advantages of the M5 design, but adds more cores and improved memory bandwidth. The main advantage is in the GPU and in hardware AI performance. This time, however, both the M5 Pro and M5 Max also released something called “Fusion Architecture,” a new version of UltraFusion (previously only used on Ultra chips) that combines two dies together in a high-speed way.
M5 Max: M5 Max and M5 Pro-only GPU power. You get access to up to 40 GPU cores, which turns the MacBook Pro into a high-end gamer for graphics processing. Add in the neural accelerators that are now built into each GPU, and you have one of the most powerful AI laptops on the market. In the case of Apple’s layout, it is only used properly for the GPU and the M3 Ultra, which is only available in Mac Studio.
Figure M4
M4: The M4 was first launched in 2024. It has a 10-core CPU and a 10-core GPU. Apple claims it offers 1.8 times faster CPU performance and 2.2 times faster GPU performance than the M1. Meanwhile, the neural engine is three times faster than the original and twice as fast as the M3. It also starts with 16 GB of integrated memory, which will help the power Apple Intelligence (group of artificial intelligence companies) very well. Available at 14-inch MacBook Pro (2024), iMac (2024)and MacBook Air (13-inch and 15-inch2025).
M4 Pro: The M4 Pro has a 14-core CPU (which Apple says is 1.9 times faster than the M1 Pro) up to a 20-core GPU, with up to 64 GB of memory. Built on a second-generation 3-nanometer, it also supports GPU features such as mesh shading and ray tracing—the latter of which is now twice as fast as M3 chips. You will find on the 2024 MacBook Pro (14-inch and 16-inch) and Mac Mini (2024).
M4 Max: This chip has a 16-core CPU to a 40-core GPU with support for up to 128 GB of integrated memory. Apple claims the CPU is 2.2 times faster than the M1 Max, while the GPU is 1.9 times faster. As with the M4 Pro, it carries support for mesh shading and ray tracing. The M4 Max is available as an option in 2024 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Proand you can also find it as an option in Mac studio modern.
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M3: The M3 was found on the 14-inch MacBook Pro (late 2023), 13-inch MacBook Air (2024), 15-inch MacBook Air (2024), and 24-inch iMac (2023). It packs an 8-core CPU to a 10-core GPU with 24 GB of integrated memory. Compared to the M1, Apple claims the CPU is up to 35 percent faster, and GPU performance is up to 65 percent faster. The company said the CPU and GPU are both 20 percent faster than the M2. As with the M1 and M2, it was good for basic tasks like word processing, emailing, spreadsheets, and light gaming. With the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air, you also had support for two external displays (one display with 6K resolution at 60 Hz and another with up to 5K resolution at 60 Hz).
M3 Pro: With a 12-core CPU and 18-core GPU, Apple says the M3 Pro’s GPU is up to 10 percent faster than the M2 Pro—making this a significant upgrade from its predecessor. Compared to the M1 Pro, however, the M2 Pro had 40 percent faster GPU performance and 20 percent faster CPU performance. It was available on the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro from 2023. It was ideal among those who need a chip that is more powerful than the M3 but does not use all the power of the M3 Max.
M3 Max: This was the next step from the M2 Max and the most powerful of the three chips (but still not as powerful as the M2 Ultra). It had a 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, up to 128 GB of integrated memory. According to Apple, CPU performance is up to 80 percent faster than the M1 Max and up to 50 percent faster than the M2 Max. As for the GPU performance, it is said to be 50 percent faster than the M1 Max and 20 percent faster than the M2 Max. The M3 Max was available on 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro (late 2023).
M3 Ultra: While the M3 lineup was introduced in 2023, Apple announced the M3 Ultra in 2025. Surprisingly, it remains the most powerful chip in the M-series—even better than recently M4 Max and m5. It has up to a 32-core CPU (with 24 cores) and a GPU with 80 cores. Apple says it is 2.5 times faster than the M1 Ultra. It also comes with 96 GB of integrated memory, with the option of upgrading to 512 GB, while the SSD storage can be expanded up to 16 TB. This chip is only available in 2025 Mac Studio.
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M2: You might think the M2 was better than the M1 Pro or M1 Max, but you’d be wrong. It was an entry-level chip like the M1, with slightly more power. It packs an 8-core CPU to a 10-core GPU (two more GPU cores than its predecessor), and supports up to 24 GB of integrated memory. Apple said the second-generation chip has an 18 percent faster CPU and a GPU that is 35 percent more powerful. The M2 was fine for everyday tasks like sound processing and web browsing, but tasks like editing multiple 4K image streams and 3D rendering should be reserved for the M1 Pro or M1 Max (or the next two chips). It was available in MacBook Air (13-inch, 2022), MacBook Air (15-inch, 2022), and MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2022).
M2 Pro: The M2 Pro was the next step up from the M2. It had 12 cores in the CPU to a 19-core GPU, with 32 GB of memory. Apple claims performance is up to 20% faster than the 10-core M1 Pro and graphics are 30% faster. We recommended this chip in the middle of video and photo editing. It was a slight upgrade over the M1 Pro, but it was a great option for those looking for a future-proof processor. You can find it in MacBook Pro (14-inch and 16-inch) from early 2023 and Mac Mini (2023).
M2 Max: The M2 Max packs up to a 12-core CPU to a 38-core GPU (supported up to 96 GB of integrated memory). According to Apple, images are 30 percent faster than the M1 Max. The M2 Max is an excellent choice for those who work with a lot of graphics, including graphics, 3D modeling, and heavy video. But as with the M2 Pro, it’s an additional upgrade if you’re coming from the M1 Max. It is available in MacBook Pro (14-inch and 16-inch) that came out in early 2023 and Mac Studio (2023).
M2 Ultra: This is the successor to the M1 Ultra. It was found in the second generation Mac Studio and Mac Pro (2023). Built with M2 Max chips, using Apple’s UltraFusion technology, the M2 Ultra had a 24-core CPU and a flexible GPU with 60 or 76 cores. Apple said the CPU provided 20% faster performance and 30% faster GPU than the M1 Ultra. This was a chip to pick up if you were working with it very much loads you believe the M1 Ultra, M2 Pro, or M2 Max can’t handle. You should know if you want such a solid chip.
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M1: For many years, Apple continued to sell M1 MacBook Air via Walmart for only $599, which was a killer price for this laptop. It was officially replaced by the MacBook Neo, which uses the A18 Pro iPhone chip. The M1 was the first silicon that Apple released for it MacBook Air in 2020. It has 8-core CPU to 8-core GPU. Initially, there was support for up to 16 GB of integrated memory (RAM) at an additional cost, but nowadays you can buy an 8-GB model. It was much faster than the previous Intel-powered MacBook Pro, and it was a practical choice for many people, since it was inside the cheapest MacBook Air you could buy (from other vendors). It packs more than enough power to help you carry out daily tasks, even light gaming, and it can handle demanding tasks like photo editing.
M1 Pro: From there, the next step was M1 Pro. It had 10 cores in the CPU to a 16-core GPU, with 32 GB of memory. Apple said performance and graphics were both twice as fast as on the M1. We found it to be more capable than a chip, perfect for anyone who works a lot on MacBooks for creating music or editing photos and videos. Only the MacBook Pro (14-inch and 16-inch) from 2021 used this device.
M1 Max: Like the M1 Pro, it is M1 Max it had a 10-core CPU but a much larger 32-core GPU (supporting up to 64 GB of integrated memory). Apple said it was four times faster than the M1 in terms of graphics. As proven in testing, this chip was very powerful and handled any heavy duty with ease. It was a choice to make if you wanted a computer capable of handling multiple 8K or 4K videos, 3D rendering, or creating software and demos. You probably already know if you need that much power. It was found in MacBook Pro (14-inch and 16-inch) from 2021.
M1 Ultra: M1 Ultra was the most powerful of them all. It’s two M1 Max chips connected by a technology called UltraFusion. It packs a 20-core CPU, a 64-core GPU (which can be set up to 128 GB of shared memory), and a 32-core neural engine – packed with seven times more transistors than the base M1. Although the M3 Ultra is now available, the M1 Ultra remains powerful and a solid option for anyone who needs a heavy-duty processor with great visuals and graphics. It was only available in the first generation Mac Studio.
