MacBook comparison
MacBook Pro M3 vs MacBook Pro M4
Compare MacBook Pro M3 vs MacBook Pro M4 side by side — chip, memory, storage, display, ports, launch price and how each fits in Apple history.
MacBook Pro (M3, 2023)The M3 generation added hardware ray tracing, a darker new Space Black colour, and even brighter screens.
MacBook Pro (M4, 2024)The M4 Pro/Max laptops pushed bandwidth and brightness further, added Thunderbolt 5, bumped the base to 16 GB for Apple Intelligence, and offered a nano-texture screen.Specs side by side
| Spec | MacBook Pro (M3, 2023) | MacBook Pro (M4, 2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Release | November 2023 | November 2024 |
| Launch price | $1,599 | $1,599 |
| Price today | $1,647 | $1,615 |
| CPU | Apple M3 / M3 Pro / M3 Max · 4.05 GHz | Apple M4 / M4 Pro / M4 Max · 4.50 GHz |
| Memory | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB |
| Display | 14.2" or 16.2" Liquid Retina XDR, ProMotion | 14.2" or 16.2" Liquid Retina XDR, ProMotion, nano-texture option |
| Ports | 3× Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, SD, MagSafe 3 | 3× Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SD, MagSafe 3 |
| Operating system | macOS 14 Sonoma | macOS 15 Sequoia |
Method note: historical pricing uses approximate US CPI. CPU clock comparisons are clock-only and do not represent full real-world performance.
Why each matters
MacBook Pro (M3, 2023)
First 3 nm pro laptop chips and a new "Space Black" finish.
MacBook Pro (M4, 2024)
First Macs with Thunderbolt 5 and a higher-brightness, optionally matte XDR screen.
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Last updated: 2026-07-04