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iMac (24-inch, M3, 2023, Four ports) vs MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023)

iMac (24-inch, M3, 2023, Four ports)1MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023)2

Quick look

Quick look: iMac M3 against MacBook Pro M3
FigureiMac M31MacBook Pro M32
Price£1,5993launch price£1,6994launch price
ChipM3chipM3chip
CPU8-coreCPU8-coreCPU
GPU10-coreGPU10-coreGPU
Memory8GBunified memory, base8GBunified memory, base
Storage256GBstorage, base512GBstorage, base
Battery life Not available5No batteryUp to22 hrsvideo playback, claimed
Released7 November 20233ReleasedIn Apple Stores; orderable online from 30 October 2023.7 November 20234ReleasedIn Apple Stores; orderable online from 30 October 2023.
Security updatesNot available6Security updatesNot available7Security updates
Price
The iMac M3 is £1,599 at launch, per Apple Newsroom (UK); the MacBook Pro M3 is £1,699 at launch, per Apple Newsroom (UK).
Kind of Mac
The iMac M3 is an all-in-one; the MacBook Pro M3 is a laptop. The MacBook Pro M3 has a battery, whereas the iMac M3 has none.

True to scale

iMac (24-inch, M3, 2023, Four ports) · 547 × 461 mm frontMacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023) · 312.6 × 221.2 mm footprint

An all-in-one and a laptop are different shapes, so they stand side by side rather than superposed: the front face of one and the footprint of the other, from Apple’s published dimensions, at one scale. Corner rounding is our drawing convention, not a measurement.

Specifications

Each figure is from the source marked by its Mac’s name unless it carries its own small number, which links to where that figure was read.

Body

Body: Apple iMac (24-inch, M3, 2023, Four ports) against Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023)
SpecificationiMac M31MacBook Pro M32
Dimensions461 x 547 x 147 mm15.5 x 312.6 x 221.2 mm
Weight4.48 kg1.55 kg
ColoursBlue, Green, Pink, Silver, Yellow, Orange, PurpleSpace Gray, Silver
PortsTwo Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports, two USB 3 ports (up to 10Gb/s), 3.5 mm headphone jack, Gigabit EthernetTwo Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports, HDMI port, SDXC card slot, MagSafe 3 port, 3.5mm headphone jack
Thunderbolt ports22
Thunderbolt versionThunderbolt 3Thunderbolt 3
USB-A portsNot available8No USB-A ports.9
HDMINo HDMI port.10HDMI port
SD card slotNo SD card slot.10Yes
Headphone jackYesYes
MagSafeNot available11Yes
KeyboardMagic Keyboard with Touch IDBacklit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID
Touch IDYesYes
Touch BarNot available12No Touch Bar.13

Display

Display: Apple iMac (24-inch, M3, 2023, Four ports) against Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023)
SpecificationiMac M31MacBook Pro M32
Display size24 in14.2 in
Resolution4480 x 25203024 x 1964
Pixel density218 ppi254 ppi
Display type4.5K Retina displayLiquid Retina XDR display
Brightness500 nits600 nits
Peak brightness (HDR)Not available141,600 nits
Refresh rateNot available8120 Hz
Wide colour (P3)YesYes
Nano-texture optionNo nano-texture display option.10No nano-texture display option.13

Chip and memory

Chip and memory: Apple iMac (24-inch, M3, 2023, Four ports) against Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023)
SpecificationiMac M31MacBook Pro M32
ChipApple M3 chipApple M3 chip
Apple siliconYesYes
CPU cores88
Performance cores44
Efficiency cores44
GPU cores1010
Neural Engine cores1616
Chip optionsM3 with 8-core CPU and 10-core GPUM3 with 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU15
Memory (base)8GB8GB
Memory (maximum)24GB24GB
Memory options8GB, 16GB or 24GB8GB, 16GB or 24GB
Memory upgradeable by userNo, as Apple documents16No, as Apple documents17
Memory bandwidth100 GB/s100 GB/s
Storage (base)256GB512GB
Storage (maximum)2TB2TB
Storage options256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB512GB, 1TB or 2TB
Media engineHardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes and ProRes RAWvideo decode enginevideo encode engineProRes encode and decode engineAV1 decodeHardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAWvideo decode enginevideo encode engineProRes encode and decode engineAV1 decode

Battery and power

Battery and power: Apple iMac (24-inch, M3, 2023, Four ports) against Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023)
SpecificationiMac M31MacBook Pro M32
Battery capacityNot available570 Wh
Rated charge cyclesNot available51,000 cycles18
Video playback (claimed)Not available522 h
Wireless web (claimed)Not available515 h
Included power adapter143 W1970 W
Fast chargingNot available5Yes

Connectivity

Connectivity: Apple iMac (24-inch, M3, 2023, Four ports) against Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023)
SpecificationiMac M31MacBook Pro M32
Wi-FiWi‑Fi 6E (802.11ax)Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
Bluetooth5.35.3
EthernetGigabit EthernetNo Ethernet port.13
External displays (base)11

Camera and audio

Camera and audio: Apple iMac (24-inch, M3, 2023, Four ports) against Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023)
SpecificationiMac M31MacBook Pro M32
Camera1080p FaceTime HD camera1080p FaceTime HD camera
SpeakersHigh-fidelity six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofersHigh-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers
MicrophonesStudio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamformingStudio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming20

Platform

Platform: Apple iMac (24-inch, M3, 2023, Four ports) against Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023)
SpecificationiMac M31MacBook Pro M32
Newest macOSmacOS 27 Golden Gate21macOS 27 Golden Gate22
Model identifierMac15,523Mac15,324
Model year20232023

Benchmarks

Benchmarks: Apple iMac (24-inch, M3, 2023, Four ports) against Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023)
SpecificationiMac M31MacBook Pro M32
Geekbench 7 (CPU, single-core)2,748252,77025
Geekbench 7 (CPU, multi-core)11,6712511,54625
Geekbench 7 (Metal)48,0702547,75625

Sources

  1. Apple Support (UK) — iMac (24-inch, 2023, Four ports) - Tech Specs · Default for iMac M3 · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  2. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023) - Tech Specs · Default for MacBook Pro M3 · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  3. Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple supercharges 24-inch iMac with new M3 chip · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  4. Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple unveils new MacBook Pro featuring M3 chips · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  5. Doesn’t apply: no battery

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  6. Security updates: no end date published. Checked: endoflife.date. Read 22 Sep 2026

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  7. Security updates: no end date published. Checked: endoflife.date. Read 2 Oct 2026

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  8. Not published by Apple. Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — iMac (24-inch, 2023, Four ports) - Tech Specs; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your iMac model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple supercharges 24-inch iMac with new M3 chip. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  9. MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023): No USB-A ports. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023) - Tech Specs. Read 15 Sep 2026

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  10. iMac (24-inch, M3, 2023, Four ports): No HDMI port. No SD card slot. No nano-texture display option. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — iMac (24-inch, 2023, Four ports) - Tech Specs. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  11. Doesn’t apply: MagSafe is a notebook charging port

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  12. Doesn’t apply: the Touch Bar was only fitted to MacBook Pro

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  13. MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023): No Touch Bar. No nano-texture display option. No Ethernet port. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023) - Tech Specs. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  14. Doesn’t apply: Apple lists no separate HDR peak for this display

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  15. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023) - Tech Specs · Apple’s figure · read 9 Oct 2026

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  16. Apple Support (UK) — Install memory in an iMac · Apple’s figure · read 18 Oct 2026

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  17. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro: how to remove or install memory · Apple’s figure · read 18 Oct 2026

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  18. Apple Support (UK) — Determine battery cycle count for Mac laptops · Apple’s figure · read 15 Oct 2026

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  19. Apple Support (UK) — iMac (24-inch, 2023, Four ports) - Tech Specs · Apple’s figure · read 9 Oct 2026

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  20. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023) - Tech Specs · Apple’s figure · read 11 Oct 2026

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  21. Apple Support (UK) — macOS 27 Golden Gate is compatible with these computers · Apple’s figure · read 22 Sep 2026

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  22. Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Pro model · Apple’s figure · read 2 Oct 2026

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  23. Apple Support (UK) — Identify your iMac model · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  24. Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Pro model · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  25. Geekbench Browser (Primate Labs) · third-party figure · read 11 Oct 2026

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Not published by Apple

iMac M3. Apple doesn’t publish for this Mac: storage upgradeable by user, maximum continuous power, the macOS it shipped with. Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — iMac (24-inch, 2023, Four ports) - Tech Specs; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your iMac model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple supercharges 24-inch iMac with new M3 chip, read 9 Oct 2026.

MacBook Pro M3. Apple doesn’t publish for this Mac: storage upgradeable by user, the macOS it shipped with. Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3, Nov 2023) - Tech Specs; Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple unveils new MacBook Pro featuring M3 chips; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Pro model, read 9 Oct 2026.

If you own one of them

Whether to move is a different question from which is better. Each Mac has a page on it: what its successor changes (the newest Mac in its line where Apple sells one, otherwise the Mac this site treats as its replacement, which can be in another line), what it fetches and whether it still gets updates. Should I upgrade my iMac M3 (24-inch, 2023, Four ports)? · Should I upgrade my MacBook Pro M3 (14-inch, Nov 2023)?

The pairs a buyer of either Mac would also weigh. Any two Macs in the catalogue can be compared from the chooser.