Apple M4 Max (14 cores) vs Apple M4 Max (16 cores) vs Apple M4 (8 cores)

Apple M4 Max (14 cores)

The 14-core Apple M4 Max is a powerful ARM architecture processor (SoC) for laptops and mini-PCs that debuted in Sep 2024. It features 10 performance CPU cores running at well over 4 GHz along with 4 efficient cores running at under 3 GHz. The 32-core M4 Max GPU and at least 36 GB of fast 410 GB/s LPDDR5x on-package memory depending on the configuration are included as well, as is USB 4 and Thunderbolt 5 support.

The built-in 16 core neural engine (up to 38 TOPS) is found across the whole M4 chip family. Furthermore, all M4 processors are thought to be based on the ARM v9.4-A architecture to a certain degree.

Performance

The M4 Max is set to be just a bit faster than the 14-core M4 Pro, meaning it outguns the 16-core M3 Max by a small margin. This is nothing to scoff at, yet it's the new integrated graphics adapters that are the real stars of the show.

Graphics

The 32-core M4 Max GPU has hardware support for ray tracing as well as mesh shading and other modern technologies. It 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.

Its gaming performance is set to be about as good 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

The slower M4 Pro (14 cores) consumes around 80 W when under full load but is happy with just 2 W to 7 W when idling. We presume the 14-core M4 Max needs just slightly more juice than its slower brother to keep going.

The 2nd generation 3 nm TSMC process the M4 Max is built with delivers good power efficiency, as of late 2024.

Apple M4 Max (16 cores)

The 16-core Apple M4 Max is a powerful ARM architecture processor (SoC) for laptops and mini-PCs that debuted in Sep 2024. It features 12 performance CPU cores running at well over 4 GHz along with 4 efficient cores running at under 3 GHz. The 40-core M4 Max GPU and at least 48 GB of fast 546 GB/s LPDDR5x on-package memory depending on the configuration are included as well, as is USB 4 and Thunderbolt 5 support.

The built-in 16 core neural engine (up to 38 TOPS) is found across the whole M4 chip family. Furthermore, all M4 processors are thought to be based on the ARM v9.4-A architecture to a certain degree.

Performance

The M4 Max is set to be just around 15% faster than the 16-core M3 Max. This is very, very impressive.

Graphics

The 40-core M4 Max GPU has hardware support for ray tracing as well as mesh shading and other modern technologies. It 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.

Its gaming performance is set to be about as good the GeForce RTX 4070 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

To let so many CPU and GPU cores breathe, some really high TDP figures are required. We assume the chip consumes 90 W to 100 W when under full load.

The 2nd generation 3 nm TSMC process the M4 Max is built with delivers good power efficiency, as of late 2024.

Apple M4 (8 cores)

Der 8-Kern-Apple M4 ist die kleinste Variante des M4-SoC für Notebooks, All-in-One und Tablets. Er wurde im Oktober 2024 mit dem iMac vorgestellt. Er bietet 8 der 10 ARM-kompatible Kerne. Im Vergleich zum normalen M4 bietet er eine reduzierte Anzahl der Effizienzkerne. Die Performance-Kerne takten weiterhin mit 4 GHz.

Dies ist das dritte Mitglied der M4-Familie. Er gesellt sich zum 10-Kern M4 und dem 9-Kern M4 die vor einigen Monaten vorgestellt wurden. Es ist noch nicht bekannt, ob es sich bei diesem neuen Chip um einen 10-Core M4 handelt, bei dem einige Module deaktiviert sind, oder ob es sich tatsächlich um einen neuen Chip handelt, der von vornherein weniger CPU- und GPU-Kerne hat.

Die SME2-Unterstützung scheint darauf hinzudeuten, dass eine stark angepasste Version der ARM v9.4a Mikroarchitektur sowohl für die Leistungskerne als auch für die Effizienzkerne verwendet wird. Das M4 wird mit 16 GB oder 24 GB LPDDR5X-7500 RAM sowie Wi-Fi 6E und BT 5.3 ausgeliefert. Thunderbolt 3 und USB 4 sind ebenfalls an Bord, ebenso wie DisplayPort-Unterstützung.

Die Leistung dürfte für alle alltäglichen Aufgaben ausreichen, da die Leistungskerne der aktuellen Generation von Apple eine erstaunliche Single-Thread-Leistung liefern und der Chip über 4 davon verfügt. Wir erwarten, dass das M4 etwa 12.000 Geekbench 6.3 Multi-Punkte und ~850 Cinebench 2024-Punkte erreichen wird.

Was den Stromverbrauch betrifft, so verbraucht das SoC bei Langzeitauslastung wahrscheinlich etwa 6 W. Wir werden diesen Abschnitt aktualisieren, sobald wir den neuen iMac zum Testen erhalten haben.