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Apple M3 8 Core
Apple · CPU

Apple M3 8 Core — Benchmarks & Specs

Bottom line: how fast is the Apple M3 8 Core?

At 1080p High with FSR Quality upscaling, the Apple M3 8 Core averages 35 fps in Baldur's Gate 3, per Notebookcheck. For local LLM inference it generates 26.4 tokens/sec running llama2:7b at q4_0 under llama.cpp, per Medium / Dzianis Vashchuk. In PassMark CPU Mark it scores 19,086 points, per PassMark Software.

Every figure above is a row in the tables below, and each row links out to the review or public benchmark database the number was taken from. SpecPicks aggregates published measurements; it does not report first-party benchmark runs.

The Apple M3 8 Core is a processor from Apple. Data on this page draws on 14 synthetic benchmark results (top 10 shown), 1 community AI inference report, 2 measured game frame-rate results, compiled from Notebookcheck, PassMark Software, Geekbench Browser, Medium / Dzianis Vashchuk, Digital Trends; each table row links to its source. Read this page when shopping the Apple M3 8 Core, comparing it against other processors in your build, or sizing it for a specific workload (gaming at 1080p/1440p/4K, synthetic benchmark scores, or local LLM inference).

Gaming Performance (measured FPS)

Average and 1% low frame rates by game, resolution, and quality preset. Bars are scaled against the fastest result on this page.

Measured gaming frame rates for the Apple M3 8 Core by game, resolution, and quality preset. “1% low” is the frame-time floor that determines perceived smoothness. Each row links to its original review or benchmark database.
Game Resolution Settings Relative Avg FPS 1% low Source
Baldur's Gate 3 1080p Low 40 fps — Digital Trends 2024-03-07
Baldur's Gate 3 1080p High FSR Quality 35 fps — Notebookcheck 2024-03-08

AI Inference Performance

Tokens per second under each model + quantization. Higher = faster generation. Bars compare runs across the same model.

Local LLM inference throughput on the Apple M3 8 Core, in generated tokens per second for a single request (one user's generation speed). Higher is better; each row links to the community report or benchmark database it came from.
Model Quantization Relative Tokens/sec VRAM used Source
llama2:7b q4_0 llama.cpp 26.4 tok/s — Medium / Dzianis Vashchuk 2025-06-11

Synthetic Benchmarks

Higher is better. Bars are scaled within each benchmark family (multi-thread, single-thread, etc.) so you can compare like-with-like at a glance.

Synthetic benchmark scores for the Apple M3 8 Core — higher is better. Each row links to the public database the number was taken from.
Benchmark Relative Score Source
PassMark CPU Mark 19,086 points PassMark Software 2026-06-03
Geekbench 6 multi 12,034 points Notebookcheck 2024-03-08
Geekbench 6 multi 12,020 points Geekbench Browser 2024-03-01
Cinebench R23 multi 10,454 points Notebookcheck 2023-11-01
Cinebench R23 multi 10,074 points Notebookcheck 2024-03-08
PassMark Single-Thread Rating 4,713 points PassMark Software 2026-06-03
PassMark CPU Mark Single-Thread 4,707 points PassMark Software 2026-09-04
PassMark Single Thread 4,706 points PassMark Software 2026-10-05
Geekbench 6 single 3,157 points Geekbench Browser 2024-03-01
Geekbench 6 single 3,026 points Notebookcheck 2024-03-08

Apple M3 8 Core — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Apple M3 8 Core best used for?
Apple M3 8 Core is a processor. Mainstream desktops and gaming builds are the typical workloads.
When was the Apple M3 8 Core released, and what was its launch MSRP?
Release year and launch MSRP for Apple M3 8 Core aren't on file.
Where do the Apple M3 8 Core benchmark numbers come from?
Each benchmark row on this page names its source (public benchmark databases such as TechPowerUp, PassMark, Geekbench and Cinebench, and community reports such as r/LocalLLaMA threads) and links to it, so every number can be checked against the original.
How many cores does the Apple M3 8 Core have, and how does it benchmark?
Core and thread counts for Apple M3 8 Core aren't on file. Synthetic benchmark results (PassMark CPU Mark, Cinebench, Geekbench) are in the Synthetic Benchmarks section.
Where can I buy the Apple M3 8 Core?
No verified listing for this exact part is on file yet. The Compare tool and the /benchmarks index cover adjacent parts that are in stock.

Buying guides that rank the Apple M3 8 Core's class

This page is the raw performance data. The guides below turn it into a ranked pick for a specific build.

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