M3 vs M4 MacBook Pro: Is the M3 still worth it in 2025?

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Need-To-Knows

– M4 MacBook Pro comes with 16GB unified memory whereas M3 MacBook Pro only has 8GB

– M4 MacBook Pro has two more CPU and GPU cores

– Both MacBooks share the same display

– M3 MacBook Pro is still a great buy if you can get a sizeable discount

Mark’s M4 MacBook Pro review concluded with the not-so-controversial statement that is the best MacBook ever made. You could say this was obvious considering it is the most powerful MacBook and comes with 16GB unified memory as standard.

But does that mean buying the M3 MacBook Pro in 2025 is pointless? Every time a new MacBook is announced, the generation before it gets knocked into a weird space where the price when buying new remains close enough to that of the latest model to make it unclear which to go for.

In this guide, we’ll lay out when you should buy the M3 version and when it makes more sense to buy the M4. Here’s a hint; if you don’t mind buying refurbished, then the M3 MacBook Pro makes for excellent value in 2025.

Shoutout to Hoxton Macs for providing me with the M3 MacBook Pro for this article. Check them out for great deals on high-quality refurbished tech!

Spec comparison

The biggest differences

– M4 MacBook Pro comes with 16GB of unified memory compared to 8GB on the M3 MacBook Pro

– M4 MacBook Pro has 10 CPU cores, M3 MacBook core has 8 CPU cores

– M4 MacBook Pro has hardware accelerated ray tracing for improved graphics performance

– M4 MacBook Pro can support two external displays compared to M3’s ability to support one

– M4 MacBook Pro has an additional Thunderbolt 4/USB-C port

Why the M3 MacBook Pro is still a good buy in 2025

Simple answer? Because the M3 MacBook Pro was only released in November 2024. It is still a very fresh device sporting one of Apple’s fastest base-level chips.

The M3 chip uses the same 3nm technology as the M4 meaning the basic architecture between the two isn’t that different. Compared to the difference between say the M1 chip and M3, going from M3 to M4 is a much smaller jump. But there is still a jump.

What I’m saying is that you don’t need to worry about the performance difference between the two unless you need to the absolute maximum. For what it’s worth, the M4 is about 1.3x faster than the M3 chip.

Beyond the chip, a lot of the hardware is exactly the same. By opting for the M3 MacBook Pro, you aren’t compromising on things like the excellent Liquid Retina XDR display which is the same or Apple Intelligence (although, it would be no great loss if the latter wasn’t included).

The extra Thunderbolt 4 port in the M4 MacBook Pro is handy but only if you are someone who uses lots of peripherals (like external hard drives). The same goes for the ability to use two external displays with the M4 MacBook Pro compared to one with the M3 MacBook Pro. If you’d benefit from that ability then you have your answer.

There aren’t even any huge battery differences to worry about.

But the main reason why the M3 MacBook Pro is still a good buy is the price. You can shop around from different vendors, but to maximise value you should buy refurbished. At Hoxton Macs, you can pick up an M3 MacBook Pro for as little as £895. For less than £1000, you have one of the best laptops ever made.

I’ve been using a MacBook Pro from Hoxton Macs every day for two years now and it has been great. I mean, just look how great this one looks! I’m using it to write this very article. If the reason you’re considering an M3 model is to save money, you may as well save as much as you can.

But of course, there are some pretty significant changes that give the M4 MacBook Pro unique value.

Why the M4 MacBook Pro makes the most sense if you’re buying new

If you are hell-bent on buying a new MacBook Pro, whether that’s M3 or M4, then I’d recommend just spending the extra on the M4 model. There are two big reasons for this.

The first is the amount of unified memory. The base-level M4 MacBook Pro comes with 16GB of unified memory whereas the M3 comes with 8GB. That is a huge difference in terms of value for money.

More unified memory improves performance but crucially gives you more longevity. Your laptop can begin to slow down over time and this happens faster if you have less unified memory. That being said, 8GB unified memory is still enough for most people to complete the tasks they need to, namely word processing and watching videos. 

But it is absolutely nicer to have 16GB and we always advise putting any extra money into adding unified memory to your MacBook purchase.

The M4 MacBook Pro has two more CPU and GPU cores than the M3 too. Again, that means it can execute tasks quicker, handles graphic-intensive tasks more seamlessly and gives you a longer life span.

Caveating this once again with the fact that the core count in the M3 MacBook Pro will be fine for 95% of users, but the M4 offers better computing hardware for the same money as when the M3 was released.

Let’s look at price.

New from the Apple Store, the base-level M4 MacBook Pro costs $1,599/£1,599. You can find the same model on Amazon for $1,499/£1,499. For the M3 MacBook Pro, Amazon is selling the base-level 8GB model new for $1,399/£1,200 at the time of writing.

That extra $299/£299 (which is still a lot) gives you significantly more in terms of computing hardware. That extra unified memory is gold dust and totally worth the money, if you are buying new.

Conclusion – which MacBook should you buy?

To answer the question in the title of this article, yes, the M3 MacBook Pro is still worth it in 2025. But there is a pricing sweet spot.

Overall, the M4 MacBook Pro is a better laptop and has significantly more future-proofing due to the extra memory and cores. But we’re talking very fine margins here. If you’re a normal user, that is someone who isn’t doing lots of coding, graphic design or video editing, then the base-level M3 MacBook Pro will suit your needs too.

If you’re intent on buying new and won’t go for a second-hand machine (if this is you, I recommend rethinking!) then the M4 MacBook Pro offers the best value for money. Just buy it and you won’t look back.

But if you want to squeeze the maximum value out of your purchase then buy the M3 MacBook Pro from anywhere you can find the best deal. I like Hoxton Macs for their high quality so definitely check them out!

Would you still buy the M3 MacBook Pro in 2025? Let me know below!

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