Base M3 model has only 8GB RAM (down from 16GB in M2 gen) and 2 Thunderbolt ports instead of 3. SSD uses single NAND chip — ~50% slower read/write than M2 base model.
Methodology v1.0
Excellent build quality but base model spec downgrades (8GB, slower SSD, fewer ports) represent shrinkflation. Limited self-repair options.