Notebookcheck Logo

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.

SeriesApple M4

Series: M4

Apple M4 Max (16 cores) « 2.59 - 4.51 GHz16 / 16 cores
Apple M4 Max (14 cores) compare2.59 - 4.51 GHz14 / 14 cores
Apple M4 Pro (14 cores) compare2.59 - 4.51 GHz14 / 14 cores
Apple M4 Pro (12 cores) compare2.59 - 4.51 GHz12 / 12 cores
Apple M4 (10 cores) compare2.89 - 4.46 GHz10 / 10 cores
Apple M4 (9 cores) compare2.9 - 4.4 GHz9 / 9 cores
Apple M4 (8 cores) compare2.9 - 4 GHz8 / 8 cores
Clock Rate2592 - 4512 MHz
Level 2 Cache4 MB
Number of Cores / Threads16 / 16
12 x 4.5 GHz Apple M4 P-Core
4 x 2.6 GHz Apple M4 E-Core
Power Consumption (TDP = Thermal Design Power)90 Watt
Manufacturing Technology3 nm
FeaturesUnified Memory LPDDR5X-8533 (546 GB/s), 16-Core Neural Engine, Dual Media Engine (Encoding / Decoding: H.264, HEVC, ProRes, ProRes RAW, AV1 Decoding only)
GPUApple M4 Max 40-Core GPU
64 Bit64 Bit support
ArchitectureARM
Announcement Date10/30/2024

Benchmarks

Cinebench 2024 - Cinebench 2024 CPU Single Core
178 Points (100%)
Cinebench 2024 - Cinebench 2024 CPU Multi Core
min: 2015     avg: 2042     median: 2042 (38%)     max: 2069 Points
Cinebench R23 - Cinebench R23 Multi Core
27595 Points (26%)
Restrict / Search: Model: Max. age: years
Cinebench R23 - Cinebench R23 Single Core
2209 Points (93%)
Restrict / Search: Model: Max. age: years
Cinebench R20 - Cinebench R20 CPU (Single Core)
563 Points (61%)
Cinebench R20 - Cinebench R20 CPU (Multi Core)
6995 Points (17%)
Cinebench R15 - Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
3647 Points (23%)
Restrict / Search: Model: Max. age: years
019038057076095011401330152017101900209022802470266028503040323034203610Tooltip
Cinebench R15 - Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64 Bit
307 Points (85%)
Restrict / Search: Model: Max. age: years
Blender - Blender 3.3 Classroom CPU *
167 Seconds (2%)
Geekbench 6.4 - Geekbench 6.4 Single-Core
3880 points (97%)
Geekbench 6.4 - Geekbench 6.4 Multi-Core
25760 points (100%)
Restrict / Search: Model: Max. age: years
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Kraken 1.1 Total Score *
256.2 ms (0%)
Octane V2 - Octane V2 Total Score
116813 Points (88%)
WebXPRT 4 - WebXPRT 4 Score
353 Points (97%)
WebXPRT 3 - WebXPRT 3 Score
543 Points (97%)
CrossMark - CrossMark Overall
2255 Points (84%)
Power Consumption - Idle Power Consumption - external Monitor *
6 Watt (4%)
0123456Tooltip
Power Consumption - Idle Power Consumption 150cd 1min *
7.3 Watt (8%)
012345678Tooltip
- Range of benchmark values
red legend - Average benchmark values
* Smaller numbers mean a higher performance

Add one or more devices and compare

In the following list you can select (and also search for) devices that should be added to the comparison. You can select more than one device.

search for model:
v1.33
log 29. 22:37:13

#0 ran 0s before starting gpusingle class +0s ... 0s

#1 no ids found in url (should be separated by "_") +0s ... 0s

#2 not redirecting to Ajax server +0s ... 0s

#3 did not recreate cache, as it is less than 5 days old! Created at Mon, 28 Jul 2025 05:37:44 +0200 +0.014s ... 0.014s

#4 composed specs +0.023s ... 0.037s

#5 did output specs +0s ... 0.037s

#6 getting avg benchmarks for device 18560 +0.018s ... 0.056s

#7 got single benchmarks 18560 +0.016s ... 0.071s

#8 got avg benchmarks for devices +0s ... 0.071s

#9 min, max, avg, median took s +0.337s ... 0.408s

#10 return log +0.001s ... 0.409s

Please share our article, every link counts!
Mail Logo

» Mobile CPU Comparison
Comparison of all mobile CPU series

» Mobile Processors - Benchmarklist
Benchmarklist of all known CPUs that are used in laptops (desktop and laptop CPUs)

Other CPUs of the series M4

» Apple M4 Max (16 cores)
   16x 2.59 GHz - 4.51 GHz
» Apple M4 Max (14 cores)
   14x 2.59 GHz - 4.51 GHz
» Apple M4 Pro (14 cores)
   14x 2.59 GHz - 4.51 GHz
» Apple M4 Pro (12 cores)
   12x 2.59 GHz - 4.51 GHz
» Apple M4 (10 cores)
   10x 2.89 GHz - 4.46 GHz
» Apple M4 (9 cores)
   9x 2.9 GHz - 4.4 GHz
» Apple M4 (8 cores)
   8x 2.9 GHz - 4 GHz

Surrounding CPUs

+ Intel Core 5 220U
   0.9 GHz - 5 GHz
+ Intel Core 7 250U
   1.2 GHz - 5.4 GHz
+ Intel Core Ultra 7 255U
   1.7 GHz - 5.2 GHz
» Apple M4 Max (16 cores)
   16x 2.59 GHz - 4.51 GHz
- AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D
   16x - 5.4 GHz
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX
   24x 2.1 GHz - 5.5 GHz
- AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX
   16x - 5.4 GHz
- Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
   24x 2.1 GHz - 5.4 GHz
- AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395
   16x 3 GHz - 5.1 GHz
Klaus Hinum (Update: 2025-01- 6)