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Apple today announced the first of its M4 Mac models, but how much better really is the M4 chip over its predecessor?

M3-vs-M4-Feature.jpg

The M4 chip debuted in the iPad Pro earlier this year, promising around 20% faster performance than the M3 chip in both single and multi-core tasks. All of the key differences between the two chip generations are listed below:

M3 Chip (2023–2024)M4 Chip (2024)
Made using TSMC's 3nm technology (N3)Made using TSMC's enhanced 3nm technology (N3E)
Based on iPhone 15 Pro's A17 Pro chip (2023)Based on iPhone 16's A18 chip (2024)
25 billion transistors28 billion transistors (+12%)
8-core CPU
(4 performance + 4 efficiency cores)
Up to 10 CPU cores
(4 performance + 6 efficiency cores)
4.05 GHz CPU clock speed4.3 GHz CPU clock speed
16-core Neural Engine, 18 trillion operations per second16-core Neural Engine, 38 trillion operations per second (+111%)
LPDDR5 memoryLPDDR5X memory
100 GB/s memory bandwidth120 GB/s memory bandwidth (+20%)
Dedicated display engine
GPU with standard power efficiencyMore power-efficient GPU: Maintains performance with significantly less power


Most of these upgrades, with the exception of core counts and memory bandwidth, apply to the entire selection M3 and M4 chips. Using Geekbench benchmarks, these are the approximate performance gains you can expect from the M4 chip:

Benchmark TypeM3 Chip PerformanceM4 Chip Performance (Improvement)
Single-core CPU3,0883,864 (+25.1%)
Multi-core CPU11,71115,288 (+30.5%)
Metal GPU47,46657,603 (+21.4%)


While the M4 chip features notable enhancements over the M3, such as increased CPU and GPU performance and improved efficiency, the practical differences for users upgrading from an M3 system may not be as radical as the specifications suggest. The M3 chip already delivers impressive performance and efficiency, making it a formidable contender in its own right.

The 25.1% improvement in single-core performance and 30.5% in multi-core performance highlight technical advancements, but for many users, especially those already equipped with M3-based devices, the everyday experience will likely not feel dramatically different. Tasks that benefit from single-core speeds, like launching apps and light productivity work, will be snappier, but for those accustomed to the M3's capabilities, this difference may not significantly impact their workflow.

Similarly, the 21.4% increase in GPU performance means better graphics rendering and gaming capabilities, yet users who have enjoyed the M3's performance may find these enhancements less noticeable in routine tasks. The improvements in gaming and creative applications will benefit users who are heavily engaged in graphics-intensive work, but those using the M3 might not feel compelled to upgrade solely for these reasons.

The 111% boost in the Neural Engine is a standout figure, emphasizing the chip's impressive artificial intelligence and advanced machine learning capabilities. However, for many users, especially with less demanding requirements, the difference might not justify the upgrade, especially as both the M3 and M4 chip support Apple Intelligence. That being said, the M4 chip's significantly improved Neural Engine makes it more likely to support and effectively run new Apple Intelligence and AI features as they emerge over the years.

In terms of memory bandwidth, the 20% increase allows for faster data transfer, which is beneficial for data-heavy applications. Yet, again, for users already using the M3, this improvement may not translate into a dramatic change in performance.

Ultimately, while the M4 chip certainly pushes the boundaries of what is possible in Apple's silicon, it may not represent a radical shift for those already using the M3. Instead, the M4 is likely aimed at users looking to upgrade from M1 chips or older Intel systems, where the jump in performance is far more pronounced.

For existing M3 users, the decision to upgrade may hinge more on specific needs and applications rather than a broad expectation of enhanced performance. For example, M3 Max chip users who push their system to the limit with highly intensive tasks may have good reason to upgrade. Likewise, if your current M3 or M3 Pro system seems to be insufficient for your workflow, you could consider upgrading to an "M4 Pro" or "M4 Max" device when they're available, but these upgrade paths will be unusual.

Article Link: M3 vs. M4 Chip Buyer's Guide: How Much Better Really Is M4?
 
Last edited:

jmckenzie

macrumors member
Oct 31, 2022
51
93
So the base M4 is roughly comparable to an M3 Pro. Seems good to me. (Edit: Wrote "M4 Pro," thanks all for understanding what I meant to type…)
 
Last edited:

sw1tcher

macrumors 603
Jan 6, 2004
5,982
21,639
So the base M4 is roughly comparable to an M4 Pro. Seems good to me.
Do you mean M3 Pro?

Single core score for M4 is actually a tiny bit better than M3 Pro while Multi core numbers are about the same from what I can see.
 

FoxyKaye

macrumors 68000
Super happy with my M3 Max MacBook Pro - I don't push it to the limit, save for the occasional delve into Final Cut Pro, so it's really an investment in durability over time for me. Really cool to see the M series of chips advancing at the rate that they are - by the time my M3 is feeling long in the tooth, the actual and perceived upgrade in speed and efficiency should be incredible. I admit I was skeptical when Apple first decided to roll its own chips, especially after the G5 to Intel transition paid off as handsomely as it did, but so far the few remaining Intel-based apps I have on my laptop have no perceivable performance degradation whatsoever. This is also the first laptop where I've not needed to have any installation of Windows available for specific tools and systems that have finally migrated to Apple silicon, which is a bonus.
 
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bigandtasty

macrumors 6502a
Dec 26, 2006
537
573
Please do a comparison of M1 vs M4. There's where we can see how ripping these new chips are between when M series chips first came out and where they are at today. Would love to see just how far they've come in terms of performance.

YOU CAN DO IT!
 

theluggage

macrumors 604
Jul 29, 2011
7,990
8,421
So the base M4 is roughly comparable to an M4 Pro. Seems good to me.
(edit: M3 Pro)

Pretty much - what the article didn't mention is that going by the iMac specs, the base 10 core M4:
  • Supports up to 4 Thunderbolt 4 ports, up from 2 with previous base Mx chips
  • Supports at least 3 displays, total, up from 2.
The latter point you have to deduce from the spec for the better/best iMacs where the ports are described as "four Thunderbolt 4 ports". TB4 branding requires the system to support at least 2 external displays via TB (plus, the iMac has a built-in display, and can hardly run in clamshell mode like the M3 MBA!)

The very base 8/8 core config still has the "Two Thunderbolt/USB4 ports" spec, so presumably they've disabled the extra display on the 8-core GPU.
 

CrazyDaveinNeb

macrumors newbie
Nov 24, 2015
11
7
Any word on if the base M4 will be able to run 2 external displays with the laptop open? with the M3, you needed M3Pro for that. I run 2 external displays for work, but use my laptop screen as well for the 3rd (and keyboard)

BTW, Im still on the 2020 Intel version of the MBP.
 
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