Apple M4 32-core GPU vs Apple M4 20-core GPU vs Apple M4 8-core GPU

Apple M4 32-core GPU

The Apple M4 Max GPU (32 cores) is an integrated graphics adapter that's built into the 14-core Apple M4 Max SoC. It features 32 "cores" and has access to at least 36 GB of fast 410 GB/s LPDDR5x on-package RAM depending on the configuration. As is typical for graphics adapters released in 2024, it has hardware support for ray tracing as well as mesh shading and other modern technologies. It also supports external displays with resolutions as high as "8K" and can HW-decode a few popular video codecs such as h.264, h.265 and AV1.

Performance

Its gaming performance is set to be approximately as good as that of the GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop. Please keep in mind that very few games have been compiled specifically for Apple silicon Macs meaning most titles have to be run via emulation layers. Some of them are displayed with visual artefacts as a result, or don't start at all.

Power consumption

Given the power on offer, we expect the iGPU to consume over 40 W when under heavy loads.

Just like the rest of the Apple M4 Max chip, the integrated graphics adapter is manufactured on a "second generation 3 nm" TSMC process which is still cutting-edge as of late 2024.

Apple M4 20-core GPU

The Apple M4 Pro GPU (20 cores) is an integrated graphics adapter designed by Apple that's built into the 14-core Apple M4 Pro SoC. It features 20 "cores" and has access to at least 24 GB of fast 273 GB/s LPDDR5x on-package RAM depending on the configuration. As is typical for graphics adapters released in 2024, it has hardware support for ray tracing as well as mesh shading and other modern technologies. It also supports external displays with resolutions as high as "8K" and it can HW-decode a few popular video codecs such as h.264, h.265 and AV1.

Performance

Its gaming performance is at least as good as that of the GTX 1660 Ti Laptop. Please keep in mind that very few games have been compiled specifically for Apple silicon Macs meaning most titles have to be run via emulation layers. Some of them are displayed with visual artefacts as a result, or don't start at all.

• The Witcher 3 1080p Ultra = 53 fps (close to the GTX 1660 Ti Laptop)
• Baldur's Gate 3 1440p Ultra = 42 fps (close to the GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop)
• Cyberpunk 2077 2.1 Phantom Liberty 1080p Ultra = 40 fps (close to the GTX 1660 Ti Laptop)

Power consumption

When under heavy CPU and GPU load, the iGPU portion of the 14-core M4 Pro consumes just slightly over 30 W according to monitoring software. With no load, it makes do with as little as 1 W to 3 W.

Just like the rest of the Apple M4 Pro chip, the integrated graphics adapter is manufactured on a "second generation 3 nm" TSMC process which is still cutting-edge as of late 2024.

Apple M4 8-core GPU

Die 8-Kern-GPU Apple M4 ist eine Grafikkarte, die in den kleinsten SoC der kleinsten SoC der Apple M4-Serie die im Oktober 2024 zusammen mit dem neuen iMac. Es ist nicht klar, ob es sich um eine 10-Kern-M4-GPU mit zwei deaktivierten Kernen ist, oder ob Apple tatsächlich einen völlig neuen M4 SoC herstellt, der von vornherein weniger CPU- und GPU-Kerne hat. Einige beliebte Videocodecs können hier HW-dekodiert und HW-enkodiert werden, aber die Liste ist bei weitem nicht so lang wie die aktueller AMD iGPUs, ganz zu schweigen von Intel iGPUs. Es gibt jedoch eine gesunde Auswahl an modernen Technologien wie Raytracing im Angebot.

Genau wie der Rest des Apple M4 Chips wird die Grafikkarte in einem TSMC-Prozess der zweiten Generation (3 nm) gefertigt, der auch Ende 2024 noch auf dem neuesten Stand der Technik ist. Er hat Zugriff auf 16 oder 24 GB LPDDR5X-7500 Unified-RAM und ermöglicht neben dem internen Display des iMac den Anschluss eines weiteren Monitors mit einer "bis zu 6K"-Auflösung, während die 10-Kern-GPU 2 solche Monitore ansteuern kann.

Seine Leistung soll etwa 15% niedriger sein als die der 10-Kern-M4-GPU. Dennoch wird sie mindestens so schnell sein wie die Radeon 760M bei vielen Aufgaben.