Apple A4 vs Apple M4
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CPU comparison with benchmarks
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| Apple A4 | Apple M4 | |
CPU comparisonIn this CPU comparison, we compare the Apple A4 and the Apple M4 and use benchmarks to check which processor is faster.
We compare the Apple A4 1 core processor released in Q2/2010 with the Apple M4 which has 9 CPU cores and was introduced in Q2/2024. |
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| Apple A series (22) | Family | Apple M series (25) |
| Apple A4 (1) | CPU group | Apple M4 (2) |
| 4 | Generation | 4 |
| A4 | Architecture | M4 |
| Mobile | Segment | Mobile |
| -- | Predecessor | Apple M3 |
| -- | Successor | -- |
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CPU Cores and Base FrequencyThe Apple A4 is a 1 core processor with a clock frequency of 0.80 GHz (1.00 GHz). The processor can compute 1 threads at the same time. The Apple M4 clocks with 0.70 GHz (4.41 GHz), has 9 CPU cores and can calculate 9 threads in parallel. |
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| Apple A4 | Characteristic | Apple M4 |
| 1 | Cores | 9 |
| 1 | Threads | 9 |
| normal | Core architecture | hybrid (big.LITTLE) |
| No | Hyperthreading | No |
| No | Overclocking ? | No |
| 0.80 GHz (1.00 GHz) 1x Cortex-A8 |
A-Core | 0.70 GHz (4.41 GHz) 3x P-Core |
| -- | B-Core | 0.74 GHz (2.85 GHz) 6x E-Core |
NPU AI performanceThe performance values of the processor's AI unit. The isolated NPU performance is specified here, the total AI performance (NPU+CPU+iGPU) can be higher. Processors with support for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can process many calculations, especially audio, image and video processing, much faster than classic processors. |
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| Apple A4 | Characteristic | Apple M4 |
| -- | AI hardware | Apple Neural Engine |
| -- | AI specifications | 16 Neural cores @ 38 TOPS |
| -- | NPU + CPU + iGPU | -- |
Integrated graphics (iGPU)Graphics (iGPU) integrated into the processor not only enable image output without having to rely on a dedicated graphics solution, but can also efficiently accelerate video playback. |
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| PowerVR SGX535 | GPU | Apple M4 (10 Core) |
| GPU frequency | 0.39 GHz | |
| -- | GPU (Turbo) | 1.40 GHz |
| -- | GPU Generation | -- |
| 65nm | Technology | 3 nm |
| 1 | Max. displays | 2 |
| 2 | Compute units | 160 |
| 2 | Shader | 1280 |
| No | Hardware Raytracing | Yes |
| No | Frame Generation | No |
| -- | Max. GPU Memory | 24 GB |
| 10.1 | DirectX Version | -- |
Hardware codec supportA photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos. |
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| PowerVR SGX535 | GPU | Apple M4 (10 Core) |
| No | Codec h265 / HEVC (8 bit) | Decode / Encode |
| No | Codec h265 / HEVC (10 bit) | Decode / Encode |
| No | Codec h264 | Decode / Encode |
| No | Codec VP9 | Decode / Encode |
| No | Codec VP8 | Decode |
| No | Codec AV1 | Decode |
| No | Codec AVC | Decode |
| No | Codec VC-1 | Decode |
| No | Codec JPEG | Decode / Encode |
Memory & PCIeUp to GB of memory in a maximum of 1 memory channels is supported by the Apple A4, while the Apple M4 supports a maximum of 8 GB of memory with a maximum memory bandwidth of 120.0 GB/s enabled. |
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| Apple A4 | Characteristic | Apple M4 |
| LPDDR2-800 | Memory | LPDDR5X-7500 |
| Max. Memory | 8 GB | |
| 1 (Single Channel) | Memory channels | 2 (Dual Channel) |
| -- | Max. Bandwidth | 120.0 GB/s |
| No | ECC | No |
| 0.51 MB | L2 Cache | 18.00 MB |
| -- | L3 Cache | -- |
| -- | PCIe version | 4.0 |
| -- | PCIe lanes | -- |
| -- | PCIe Bandwidth | -- |
Thermal ManagementThe Apple A4 has a TDP of --. The TDP of the Apple M4 is 22 W. System integrators use the TDP of the processor as a guide when dimensioning the cooling solution. |
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| Apple A4 | Characteristic | Apple M4 |
| -- | TDP (PL1 / PBP) | 22 W |
| -- | TDP (PL2) | -- |
| -- | TDP up | -- |
| -- | TDP down | 15 W |
| -- | Tjunction max. | 100 °C |
Technical detailsThe Apple A4 has 0.51 MB cache and is manufactured in 45 nm. The cache of Apple M4 is at 18.00 MB. The processor is manufactured in 3 nm. |
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| Apple A4 | Characteristic | Apple M4 |
| 45 nm | Technology | 3 nm |
| Chiplet | Chip design | Chiplet |
| Armv7-A (32 bit) | Instruction set (ISA) | Armv9-A (64 bit) |
| -- | ISA extensions | Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation, AVX2, SME |
| -- | Socket | -- |
| None | Virtualization | Apple Virtualization Framework |
| No | AES-NI | Yes |
| iOS | Operating systems | macOS, iPadOS |
| Q2/2010 | Release date | Q2/2024 |
| -- | Release price | -- |
| show more data | show more data | |
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Rate these processors
Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)
Geekbench 5 is a cross plattform benchmark that heavily uses the systems memory. A fast memory will push the result a lot. The single-core test only uses one CPU core, the amount of cores or hyperthreading ability doesn't count.
Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)
Geekbench 6 is a benchmark for modern computers, notebooks and smartphones. What is new is an optimized utilization of newer CPU architectures, e.g. based on the big.LITTLE concept and combining CPU cores of different sizes. The single-core benchmark only evaluates the performance of the fastest CPU core, the number of CPU cores in a processor is irrelevant here.
Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)
Geekbench 6 is a benchmark for modern computers, notebooks and smartphones. What is new is an optimized utilization of newer CPU architectures, e.g. based on the big.LITTLE concept and combining CPU cores of different sizes. The multi-core benchmark evaluates the performance of all of the processor's CPU cores. Virtual thread improvements such as AMD SMT or Intel's Hyper-Threading have a positive impact on the benchmark result.
AI performance (NPU)
The performance values of the processor's AI unit. The isolated NPU performance is given here, the total AI performance (NPU+CPU+iGPU) can be higher.
Processors with the support of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can process many calculations, especially audio, image and video processing, much faster than classic processors. The performance is given in the number (trillions) of arithmetic operations per second (TOPS).
Processors with the support of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can process many calculations, especially audio, image and video processing, much faster than classic processors. The performance is given in the number (trillions) of arithmetic operations per second (TOPS).
Devices using this processor |
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| Apple A4 | Apple M4 |
| Apple iPhone 4 | Apple iPad Pro 11 (2024) |
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