Apple M3 (8-GPU) Apple A18
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Apple M3 (8-GPU) vs Apple A18

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The Apple M3 (8-GPU) was designed for desktop systems and laptops to achieve high computing performance while maintaining moderate energy consumption.

The processor, manufactured using the 3 nm process, is based on the M3 architecture and features eight cores. With a memory bandwidth of 102 GB/s and support for PCIe 4.0, the system is optimized for fast data transfers. In terms of multi-core performance, the Apple M3 (8-GPU) shows a significant lead over the mobile model, making it suitable for multitasking and creative applications.

The integrated Apple M3 (8-core) graphics unit benefits from the higher core count and bandwidth, allowing games to run more smoothly. Due to the thermal design for larger housings, the computing power remains stable even under load, making it the ideal choice for stationary users. The Apple A18 is a processor specifically developed for use in mobile devices.

It is manufactured using the 3 nm process and uses the Donan architecture with six cores. The single-core performance is at a comparable level to the Apple M3 (8-GPU), ensuring a fast response for everyday tasks. The memory bandwidth is smaller at 60 GB/s, as the focus is heavily on energy efficiency.

In scenarios that require many cores simultaneously, the Apple A18 ranks behind the desktop model. The Apple A18 (5 GPU Cores) graphics unit is tailored to the mobile sector, which is why the graphical performance is lower. This processor is suitable for compact devices where low heat generation and long battery life are priorities.

The price-performance ratio is optimized for the mobile mass market, while the Apple M3 (8-GPU) is more geared towards the professional segment.

Apple M3 (8-GPU)

  • Manufactured in a 3 nm process
  • High memory bandwidth of 102 GB/s
  • Integrated Apple M3 (8-core) graphics unit
  • PCIe 4.0 support

Apple A18

  • Efficient Donan architecture
  • Integrated Level 3 cache of 24 MB
  • Optimized for passively cooled devices
  • High single-core performance in 3 nm design

Performance Overview
Average performance across multiple benchmarks

Single-core performance
Rank 2 - 92 %
Apple M3 (8-GPU)
Rank 1 - 100 %
Apple A18
Multi-core performance
Rank 1 - 100 %
Apple M3 (8-GPU)
Rank 2 - 71 %
Apple A18
Geekbench 6 Single-Core

Geekbench 6 Single-Core
Single-core performance

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
8C / 8T · 4.06 GHz
3,125
Apple A18
Apple A18 100 %
6C / 6T · 4.04 GHz
3,384
Geekbench 6 Multi-Core

Geekbench 6 Multi-Core
Multi-core performance

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
8C / 8T · 4.06 GHz
11,863
Apple A18
Apple A18 71 %
6C / 6T · 4.04 GHz
8,430
iGPU - FP32 Performance (Single-precision GFLOPS)

iGPU - FP32 Performance (Single-precision GFLOPS)

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
Apple M3 (8 Core)
2,840
Apple A18
Apple A18 76 %
Apple A18 (5 GPU Cores)
2,150
AI performance (NPU)

AI performance (NPU)

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
8C / 8T · 0.70 GHz
35.0 TOPS
Apple A18
Apple A18 100 %
6C / 6T · 0.70 GHz
38.0 TOPS

More benchmarks

At a glance

Wischen
Apple M3 (8-GPU)Apple A18
FamilyApple M series (38)Apple A series (27)
CPU groupApple M3 (6)Apple A18 (2)
ArchitectureM3Donan
Technology3 nm3 nm
SegmentNotebookSmartphone / Tablet
Socket
PredecessorApple M2 (8-GPU)Apple A16 Bionic
SuccessorApple A19

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

Wischen
Apple M3 (8-GPU)Apple A18
CPU Cores / Threads8 / 86 / 6
Hyperthreading / SMT
Core architecturehybrid (big.LITTLE)hybrid (big.LITTLE)
Core Cluster 1: 4x Ibiza P-Core
0.70 - 4.06 GHz
2x Donan P-Core
0.70 - 4.04 GHz
Core Cluster 2: 4x Ibiza E-Core
0.74 - 2.75 GHz
4x Donan E-Core
0.74 - 2.30 GHz
L2-Cache20.00 MB20.00 MB
L3-Cache24.00 MB
Overclocking

Integrated graphics (iGPU)

Wischen
Apple M3 (8-GPU)Apple A18
GPU nameApple M3 (8 Core)Apple A18 (5 GPU Cores)
GPU frequency0.39 - 1.40 GHz0.39 - 1.68 GHz
CUs / Shader128 / 102420 / 640
Raytracing
Max. displays21
Max. GPU Memory24 GB8 GB
Technology3 nm3 nm
Release dateQ4/2023Q3/2024

NPU AI performance

Wischen
Apple M3 (8-GPU)Apple A18
AI hardwareApple Neural EngineApple Neural Engine
AI specifications16 Neural cores @ 35 TOPS16 Neural cores @ 38 TOPS
NPU + CPU + iGPU

Memory & PCIe

Wischen
Apple M3 (8-GPU)Apple A18
MemoryLPDDR5-6400 (102.4 GB/s)
LPDDR5X-7500 (60.0 GB/s)
Max. Memory24 GB8 GB
Memory channels21
ECCNoNo
PCIe4.0
PCIe Bandwidth

Thermal Management

Wischen
Apple M3 (8-GPU)Apple A18
TDP22 W12 W
TDP (PL2)
TDP up
TDP down10 W
T. junction max.100 °C

Technical details

Wischen
Apple M3 (8-GPU)Apple A18
Chip designMonolithicChiplet
AES-NI
Operating systemsmacOS, iPadOSiOS
Instruction setArmv8-A (64 bit)Armv9-A (64 bit)
ISA extensionsRosetta 2 x86-Emulation
Release dateQ4/2023Q3/2024
Release price
Documents

Your rating

Here you can rate one or both of the processors. The average rating of Apple M3 (8-GPU) is 4.5 stars (130 ratings), while Apple A18 has received 4.0 stars (216 ratings).

Click on the stars to rate one or both processors.

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
Apple M3 (8-GPU)
8C / 8T · 0.70 - 4.06 GHz
Apple A18
Apple A18
6C / 6T · 0.70 - 4.04 GHz

Most popular CPUs in both categories

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
Apple M3 (8-GPU)
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