macbook m3 8ram better than macbook m2 16ram?

Hmmm...🤔

Two fast processors.

One has a respectable amount of RAM (16 GB) to use for the OS, running multiple applications and browser tabs, and opening more and larger files simultaneously. One has only what I consider to be the bare minimum of RAM that you'd want to have in a Mac these days - 8 GB.

I'd choose the M2/16 GB RAM combination. You can't add RAM after the sale, and I really doubt the speed bump of the cpu will be noticeable in everyday use.

X2 for what D.I. Johnson has recommended.