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Apple M4 Pro (14 cores) vs Apple M4 (8 cores) vs Apple M4 Pro (12 cores)

Apple M4 Pro (14 cores)

► remove from comparison Apple M4 Pro (14 cores)

The 14-core Apple M4 Pro 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 up to 4.5 GHz along with 4 efficient cores running at up to 2.6 GHz. The 20-core M4 GPU and at least 24 GB of fast 273 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

In our testing, the M4 Pro delivered multi-thread benchmark scores very close to those of the 16-core M3 Max as well as the Intel Core i9-12950HX. Some small generation-to-generation improvement is obviously present but it's the new integrated graphics adapters that are the real stars of the show.

Graphics

The 20-core M4 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 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.

Power consumption

When under heavy CPU and GPU load, the SoC briefly consumes around 80 W before settling at around 70 W later. With no load at all, it makes do with 2 W to 7 W. A single P-core of the chip eats around 6 W when under heavy load.

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

Apple M4 (8 cores)

► remove from comparison Apple M4 (8 cores)

The 8-core Apple M4 is an ARM architecture processor (SoC) that sports 8 CPU cores along with an 8-core GPU with hardware RT support and other modern features. A 16-core neural engine, USB 4 and Thunderbolt 4 are onboard, too.

The processor debuted in October 2024; it cuts down on the number of efficient cores but thankfully has the same 4 performance cores that its more powerful M4 brothers (non-Pro, non-Max) have. The P-cores probably run at 4.1 GHz or more; we don't have exact figures as of yet. The E-cores probably run at sub-3 GHz clock speeds.

This is the third member of the M4 (non-Pro, non-Max) family. It joins the 10-core M4 and the 9-core M4 that were unveiled several months before it.

The chip is believed to be based on the ARM v9.4-A microarchitecture to a certain extent. It comes with 16 GB or 24 GB of fast on-package LPDDR5x-7500 RAM; M3 processors had to be content with 6400 MT/s, for reference, while higher end M4 Pro and M4 Max processors get LPDDR5x-8533. It is not yet clear if this new chip is a 10-core M4 with several modules disabled, or if it's actually a new die that has fewer CPU and GPU cores by design.

Its performance is set to be very close to what Intel Lunar Lake processors such as the 256V deliver.

As far as power consumption is concerned, the SoC probably eats about 10 W when under long-term workloads. We'll update this section once we have one of the new Macs in for testing.

Apple M4 Pro (12 cores)

► remove from comparison Apple M4 Pro (12 cores)

The Apple M4 Pro 12-Core CPU is a high-end SoC for laptops and mini PCs that was introduced in September 2024. It has 8 of the 10 powerful CPU cores running at up to 4.5 GHz and 4 efficient cores running at up to 2.6 GHz. The integrated 16-core GPU and at least 24 GB of fast LPDDR5x memory at 273 GB/s (depending on configuration) are included, as well as USB 4 and Thunderbolt 5 support.

The integrated neural engine with 16 cores (up to 38 TOPS) can be found in the entire M4 chip family. In addition, all M4 processors are assumed to be based on the ARM v9.4-A architecture to some degree.

The CPU performance when using all cores is similar to a AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 (Cinebench R23 slightly faster on average). The modern Core Ultra 9 288V can be clearly outperformed. In terms of single-core performance, the M4 Pro scores very well and is on a par with the fastest Intel chips, such as the Core i9-14900HX. Interestingly enough, the M4 and the faster M4 Pro variant with 14 cores were 4-5% faster than the slimmed-down entry-level M4 Pro in Cinebench (Geekbench at the same level).

The power consumption during Cinebench 2024 Multi is around 40 Watt at the beginning (according to powermetrics) and then goes down to around 32 Watt (sustained). Combined with the GPU (Cinebench + Valley) the SoC can hit 47,5 Watt peak at the beginning, but then reduces its power draw to 31 Watt combined (22 W CPU + 9 W GPU).

The 3 nm TSMC process of the 2nd generation, with which the M4 Pro is manufactured, offers good energy efficiency.

ModelApple M4 Pro (14 cores)Apple M4 (8 cores)Apple M4 Pro (12 cores)
SeriesApple M4Apple M4Apple M4
Series: M4
Apple M4 Max (16 cores)2.59 - 4.51 GHz16 / 16 cores
Apple M4 Max (14 cores)2.59 - 4.51 GHz14 / 14 cores
Apple M4 Pro (14 cores) « 2.59 - 4.51 GHz14 / 14 cores
Apple M4 Pro (12 cores)2.59 - 4.51 GHz12 / 12 cores
Apple M4 (10 cores)2.89 - 4.46 GHz10 / 10 cores
Apple M4 (9 cores)2.9 - 4.4 GHz9 / 9 cores
Apple M4 (8 cores)2.9 - 4 GHz8 / 8 cores
Apple M4 Max (16 cores)2.59 - 4.51 GHz16 / 16 cores
Apple M4 Max (14 cores)2.59 - 4.51 GHz14 / 14 cores
Apple M4 Pro (14 cores)2.59 - 4.51 GHz14 / 14 cores
Apple M4 Pro (12 cores)2.59 - 4.51 GHz12 / 12 cores
Apple M4 (10 cores)2.89 - 4.46 GHz10 / 10 cores
Apple M4 (9 cores)2.9 - 4.4 GHz9 / 9 cores
Apple M4 (8 cores) « 2.9 - 4 GHz8 / 8 cores
Apple M4 Max (16 cores)2.59 - 4.51 GHz16 / 16 cores
Apple M4 Max (14 cores)2.59 - 4.51 GHz14 / 14 cores
Apple M4 Pro (14 cores)2.59 - 4.51 GHz14 / 14 cores
Apple M4 Pro (12 cores) « 2.59 - 4.51 GHz12 / 12 cores
Apple M4 (10 cores)2.89 - 4.46 GHz10 / 10 cores
Apple M4 (9 cores)2.9 - 4.4 GHz9 / 9 cores
Apple M4 (8 cores)2.9 - 4 GHz8 / 8 cores
Clock2592 - 4512 MHz2900 - 4000 MHz2592 - 4512 MHz
L2 Cache4 MB4 MB4 MB
Cores / Threads14 / 14
10 x 4.5 GHz Apple M4 P-Core
4 x 2.6 GHz Apple M4 E-Core
8 / 8
4 x 4.4 GHz Apple M4 P-Core 2.9 GHz Apple M4 E-Core
12 / 12
8 x 4.5 GHz Apple M4 P-Core
4 x 2.6 GHz Apple M4 E-Core
TDP40 Watt5 Watt32 Watt
TDP Turbo PL246 Watt15 Watt40 Watt
Technology3 nm3 nm3 nm
FeaturesUnified Memory LPDDR5X-8533 (273 GB/s), 16-Core Neural Engine, Media Engine (Encoding / Decoding: H.264, HEVC, ProRes, ProRes RAW, AV1 Decoding only)Unified Memory LPDDR5X-7500 (120 GB/s), 16-Core Neural Engine, Media Engine (Encoding / Decoding: H.264, HEVC, ProRes, ProRes RAW, AV1 Decoding only)Unified Memory LPDDR5X-8533 (273 GB/s), 16-Core Neural Engine, Media Engine (Encoding / Decoding: H.264, HEVC, ProRes, ProRes RAW, AV1 Decoding only)
iGPUApple M4 Pro 20-Core GPUApple M4 8-core GPUApple M4 Pro 16-Core GPU
ArchitectureARMARMARM
Announced
Manufacturerwww.apple.comwww.apple.com

Benchmarks

Cinebench 2024 - Cinebench 2024 CPU Single Core
min: 177     avg: 177.5     median: 177.5 (100%)     max: 178 Points
min: 174     avg: 175     median: 175 (98%)     max: 176 Points
Cinebench 2024 - Cinebench 2024 CPU Multi Core
min: 1662     avg: 1696     median: 1695.5 (32%)     max: 1729 Points
min: 1403     avg: 1431     median: 1435 (27%)     max: 1455 Points
Cinebench R23 - Cinebench R23 Multi Core
min: 23433     avg: 23435     median: 23435 (22%)     max: 23437 Points
min: 18569     avg: 19207     median: 19206.5 (18%)     max: 19844 Points
Cinebench R23 - Cinebench R23 Single Core
min: 2249     avg: 2270     median: 2269.5 (96%)     max: 2290 Points
min: 2172     avg: 2213     median: 2213 (94%)     max: 2254 Points
Cinebench R20 - Cinebench R20 CPU (Single Core)
557 Points (62%)
Cinebench R20 - Cinebench R20 CPU (Multi Core)
5074 Points (12%)
Cinebench R15 - Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
3031 Points (19%)
min: 2706     avg: 2711     median: 2708 (17%)     max: 2720 Points
Cinebench R15 - Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64 Bit
min: 297     avg: 301.5     median: 301.5 (85%)     max: 306 Points
Blender - Blender 3.3 Classroom CPU *
237 Seconds (3%)
Blender - Blender 2.79 BMW27 CPU *
270 Seconds (2%)
Geekbench 6.3 - Geekbench 6.3 Single-Core
min: 3836     avg: 3882     median: 3881.5 (99%)     max: 3927 Points
min: 3837     avg: 3870     median: 3844 (98%)     max: 3928 Points
Geekbench 6.3 - Geekbench 6.3 Multi-Core
min: 22509     avg: 22527     median: 22526.5 (87%)     max: 22544 Points
min: 20385     avg: 20487     median: 20458 (79%)     max: 20617 Points
Geekbench 5.5 - Geekbench 5.1 - 5.5 64 Bit Single-Core
2555 Points (100%)
Geekbench 5.5 - Geekbench 5.1 - 5.5 64 Bit Multi-Core
19529 Points (35%)
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Kraken 1.1 Total Score *
min: 254.3     avg: 254.4     median: 254.4 (0%)     max: 254.5 ms
min: 255.1     avg: 255.6     median: 255.6 (0%)     max: 256 ms
Sunspider - Sunspider 1.0 Total Score *
46.4 ms (1%)
Octane V2 - Octane V2 Total Score
min: 119553     avg: 119754     median: 119754 (100%)     max: 119954 Points
115983 Points (97%)
WebXPRT 4 - WebXPRT 4 Score
min: 337     avg: 345     median: 345 (95%)     max: 353 Points
min: 338     avg: 351     median: 351 (96%)     max: 364 Points
WebXPRT 3 - WebXPRT 3 Score
min: 525     avg: 535     median: 535 (96%)     max: 545 Points
min: 525     avg: 541     median: 541 (97%)     max: 557 Points
CrossMark - CrossMark Overall
min: 2148     avg: 2155     median: 2155 (81%)     max: 2162 Points
min: 2123     avg: 2141     median: 2141 (80%)     max: 2159 Points
Power Consumption - Prime95 Power Consumption - external Monitor *
36.4 Watt (6%)
Power Consumption - Cinebench R15 Multi Power Consumption - external Monitor *
min: 67.9     avg: 69     median: 69 (13%)     max: 70 Watt
Power Consumption - Geekbench 5.5 Power Consumption 150cd *
16.4 Watt (7%)
Power Consumption - Idle Power Consumption - external Monitor *
min: 2.62     avg: 4.2     median: 4.2 (3%)     max: 5.79 Watt
min: 2.59     avg: 4.2     median: 4.2 (3%)     max: 5.83 Watt
Power Consumption - Idle Power Consumption 150cd 1min *
min: 4.28     avg: 6     median: 6 (7%)     max: 7.74 Watt
4.3 Watt (5%)
Power Consumption - Power Efficiency - Cinebench R15 Multi external Monitor
min: 38.7     avg: 39.4     median: 39.4 (29%)     max: 40.1 Points per Watt

Average Benchmarks Apple M4 Pro (14 cores) → 0% n=0

Average Benchmarks Apple M4 Pro (12 cores) → 0% n=0

- Range of benchmark values for this graphics card
red legend - Average benchmark values for this graphics card
* Smaller numbers mean a higher performance
1 This benchmark is not used for the average calculation

v1.28
log 09. 11:56:11

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

#1 checking url part for id 18019 +0s ... 0s

#2 checking url part for id 18018 +0s ... 0s

#3 checking url part for id 18557 +0s ... 0s

#4 redirected to Ajax server, took 1739098571s time from redirect:0 +0s ... 0s

#5 did not recreate cache, as it is less than 5 days old! Created at Fri, 07 Feb 2025 05:17:16 +0100 +0s ... 0s

#6 composed specs +0.01s ... 0.01s

#7 did output specs +0s ... 0.01s

#8 getting avg benchmarks for device 18019 +0.001s ... 0.01s

#9 got single benchmarks 18019 +0.004s ... 0.015s

#10 getting avg benchmarks for device 18018 +0.001s ... 0.015s

#11 got single benchmarks 18018 +0s ... 0.015s

#12 getting avg benchmarks for device 18557 +0s ... 0.016s

#13 got single benchmarks 18557 +0.004s ... 0.02s

#14 got avg benchmarks for devices +0s ... 0.02s

#15 min, max, avg, median took s +0.014s ... 0.034s

#16 return log +0s ... 0.034s

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Benchmarks / Tech > Processor Comparison - Head 2 Head
Redaktion, 2017-09- 8 (Update: 2023-07- 1)