All of Apple’s processors are scattered all through completely different MacBook fashions, and yow will discover older fashions at particular third-party retailers on-line, both fully new or refurbished. When you do come upon its older chips (which got here out 4 years in the past), you is likely to be questioning how they evaluate to different choices. We break down the variations between every one.
M5 Collection
M5: The M5 chips are the newest choices from Intel, having began in late 2025 on the launch of the 14-inch MacBook Professional, iPad Professional, and Imaginative and prescient Professional. The bottom M5 nonetheless has as much as a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, though there’s additionally a lower-tier 9-core CPU that is out there within the iPad Professional. The M5 is round 10 to fifteen % sooner in CPU efficiency, but additionally takes a major step up in GPU, AI workloads, and even storage pace. Like Apple’s cellular chips, the M5 is now out there on the MacBook Air as nicely.
M5 Professional: Obtainable completely on the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Professionals proper now, the M5 Professional comes with as much as an 18-core CPU and a 20-core GPU. The bottom configuration begins with solely a 15-core CPU and 16-core GPU, although. Like in earlier generations, the “Professional” chip will get all the identical advantages within the M5 structure, however provides extra cores and improved reminiscence bandwidth. The most important benefit is in GPU and on-device AI efficiency. This time round, nevertheless, each the M5 Professional and M5 Max additionally debuted one thing referred to as “Fusion Structure,” a brand new model of UltraFusion (which beforehand solely used on the Extremely chips) that mixes two dies collectively throughout a super-fast interconnect.
M5 Max: The M5 Max is the M5 Professional—solely extra GPU energy. You get the choice for as much as 40 GPU cores, which turns places the MacBook Professional on the extent of high-end gaming laptops by way of graphics efficiency. Add within the neural accelerators that are actually constructed into every GPU core, and you have got probably the most highly effective AI laptops available on the market. When it comes to Apple rankings, it is solely bested in GPU efficiency by the M3 Extremely, which is at the moment solely out there within the Mac Studio.
M4 Collection
M4: The M4 initially launched in 2024. It has a 10-core CPU and a 10-core GPU. Apple claims it delivers 1.8 occasions sooner CPU efficiency and a pair of.2 occasions sooner GPU efficiency than the M1. In the meantime, the neural engine is over 3 times sooner than the unique and twice as quick because the M3. It additionally begins with 16 GB of unified reminiscence, which is able to 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 occasions sooner than the M1 Professional) and as much as a 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 2024 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 occasions sooner than the M1 Max, whereas the GPU is as much as 1.9 occasions sooner. As with the M4 Professional, it packs assist for mesh shading and ray tracing. The M4 Max is obtainable as an possibility on the 2024 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Professional, and you may as well get it as an possibility within the present Mac Studio.
M3 Collection
M3: The M3 was out there 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 a 10-core GPU with 24 GB of unified reminiscence. When in comparison with the M1, Apple claimed CPU efficiency was as much as 35 % sooner, and GPU efficiency was as much as 65 % sooner. The corporate stated the CPU and GPU are each 20 % sooner than the M2. As with the M1 and M2, it was nice for fundamental duties like phrase processing, sending emails, utilizing spreadsheets, and lightweight gaming. With the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air, you additionally had 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 claimed the M3 Professional’s GPU is barely as much as 10 % sooner than the M2 Professional—making this a marginal improve from its predecessor. In comparison with the M1 Professional, nevertheless, the M2 Professional had as much as 40 % sooner in GPU efficiency and 20 % sooner in CPU efficiency. It was out there on the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Professional from 2023. It was the best in-between for individuals who want a chip that is extra highly effective than the M3 however would not make the most of the complete energy of the M3 Max.
M3 Max: This was the subsequent 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 had a 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, and as much as 128 GB of unified reminiscence. In accordance with Apple, the CPU efficiency was as much as 80 % sooner than the M1 Max and as much as 50 % sooner than the M2 Max. As for GPU efficiency, it was stated to be as much as 50 % sooner than the M1 Max and 20 % sooner than the M2 Max. The M3 Max was out there 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. Confusingly, it stays probably the most highly effective chip within the M-series lineup—even higher than the newest M4 Max and M5. 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 occasions 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 TB. This chip is at the moment solely out there on the 2025 Mac Studio.
M2 Collection
M2: You may assume the M2 was higher than the M1 Professional or M1 Max, however you would be improper. It was an entry-level chip just like the M1, with barely extra processing energy. It packed 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 stated the second-generation chip has an 18 % sooner CPU and a GPU that’s 35 % extra highly effective. The M2 was nice for day by day duties like phrase processing and net looking, 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 subsequent two chips). It was 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 was the subsequent step up from the M2. It had 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 claimed efficiency was as much as 20 % sooner than the 10-core M1 Professional and graphics are 30 % sooner. We beneficial this chip for intermediate video and picture editors. It was a marginal improve in comparison with the M1 Professional, but it surely was the best choice for individuals who desire a extra future-proof processor. You would discover it within the MacBook Professional (14-inch and 16-inch) from early 2023 and the Mac Mini (2023).
M2 Max: The M2 Max packed 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). In accordance with Apple, graphics are 30 % sooner than the M1 Max. The M2 Max is a wonderful alternative 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 for those who’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 the Mac Studio (2023).
M2 Extremely: This was the successor to the M1 Extremely. It was 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 had a 24-core CPU and a GPU configurable with 60 or 76 cores. Apple claimed the CPU delivered as much as 20 % sooner efficiency and a 30 % sooner GPU than the M1 Extremely. This was the chip to get for those who’re working with extraordinarily heavy-duty content material that you just believed the M1 Extremely, M2 Professional, or M2 Max merely would not have the ability to deal with. You’d have identified for those who wanted a chip this strong.
M1 Collection
M1: For years, Apple continued to promote the M1 MacBook Air by means of Walmart for simply $599, which was a killer worth for this laptop computer. It has since been formally changed by the MacBook Neo, which makes use of the A18 Professional iPhone chip. The M1 was 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 was a lot sooner than any earlier Intel-powered MacBook Professional, and it was the sensible alternative for most individuals, because it was inside probably the most reasonably priced MacBook Air you should purchase (from third-party retailers). It packed greater than sufficient processing energy to get you thru widespread day-to-day duties, even gentle gaming, and it might deal with extra intense jobs like picture enhancing.
M1 Professional: From there, the subsequent step up was the M1 Professional. It had 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 stated the efficiency and graphics have been each twice as quick as on the M1. We discovered it to be significantly extra succesful than the bottom chip, supreme for anybody who works closely on MacBooks for music manufacturing or picture and video enhancing. Solely the MacBook Professional (14-inch and 16-inch) from 2021 used this chip.
M1 Max: Just like the M1 Professional, the M1 Max had a 10-core CPU however a heftier 32-core GPU (with assist for as much as 64 GB of unified reminiscence). Apple stated it was 4 occasions sooner than the M1 by way of graphics. As confirmed in testing, this chip was extraordinarily highly effective and dealt with each heavy-duty process with ease. It was the go-to alternative for those who wanted a pc that might deal with a number of streams of 8K or 4K video footage, 3D rendering, or growing apps and operating demos. You in all probability already knew whether or not you want this a lot energy. It was out there within the MacBook Professional (14-inch and 16-inch) from 2021.
M1 Extremely: The M1 Extremely was probably the 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 occasions 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.
