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Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) vs Apple M4 Max (16-CPU 40-GPU)
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Summary
The Apple M1 Max and the newer Apple M4 Max are aimed at professional users. The M4 Max offers increased overall performance.
The Apple M1 Max (5 nm) features a 32-core graphics unit and 410 GB/s memory bandwidth. The Apple M4 Max (3 nm) offers 16 CPU cores, a 40-core graphics unit, and 546 GB/s memory bandwidth.
Both enable good AI performance through high memory bandwidth. Single-core tests show the Apple M4 Max to be significantly more powerful. In multi-core applications, it considerably surpasses the M1 Max, with the exception of Cinebench R23 Multi-Core, where the M1 Max achieves a significantly higher score.
For gaming, the Apple M4 Max offers superior performance and higher frame rates thanks to its new architecture and more GPU cores. The Apple M4 Max is more energy-efficient due to its more efficient 3 nm process, consuming less energy and exhibiting lower thermal design power. The Apple M4 Max is usually more expensive.
The Apple M1 Max offers a more attractive price-performance ratio in older models. The Apple M1 Max offers robust performance. The Apple M4 Max is a significant advancement and the better choice for the highest computing and graphics performance, especially for AI workloads.
Both enable good AI performance through high memory bandwidth. Single-core tests show the Apple M4 Max to be significantly more powerful. In multi-core applications, it considerably surpasses the M1 Max, with the exception of Cinebench R23 Multi-Core, where the M1 Max achieves a significantly higher score.
For gaming, the Apple M4 Max offers superior performance and higher frame rates thanks to its new architecture and more GPU cores. The Apple M4 Max is more energy-efficient due to its more efficient 3 nm process, consuming less energy and exhibiting lower thermal design power. The Apple M4 Max is usually more expensive.
The Apple M1 Max offers a more attractive price-performance ratio in older models. The Apple M1 Max offers robust performance. The Apple M4 Max is a significant advancement and the better choice for the highest computing and graphics performance, especially for AI workloads.
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
- 5 nm manufacturing process
- 32-core graphics unit
- 410 GB/s maximum memory bandwidth
- Attractive price-performance ratio in older models
Apple M4 Max (16-CPU 40-GPU)
- 3 nm manufacturing process
- 16 CPU cores, 40-core graphics unit
- 546 GB/s maximum memory bandwidth
- Superior single-core and multi-core performance (exception Cinebench R23 Multi-Core)
Benchmarks
Performance Overview
Average performance across multiple benchmarks
Single-core performance
Multi-core performance
Cinebench 2026 Single-Thread
Single-core performance
10C / 10T · 3.20 GHz
16C / 16T · 4.51 GHz
Cinebench 2026 Multi-Core
Multi-core performance
10C / 10T · 3.20 GHz
16C / 16T · 4.51 GHz
Cinebench 2024 Single-Core
Single-core performance
10C / 10T · 3.20 GHz
16C / 16T · 4.51 GHz
Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core
Multi-core performance
10C / 10T · 3.20 GHz
16C / 16T · 4.51 GHz
Cinebench R23 Single-Core
Single-core performance
10C / 10T · 3.20 GHz
16C / 16T · 4.51 GHz
Cinebench R23 Multi-Core
Multi-core performance
10C / 10T · 3.20 GHz
16C / 16T · 1.26 GHz
Geekbench 6 Single-Core
Single-core performance
10C / 10T · 3.20 GHz
16C / 16T · 4.51 GHz
Geekbench 6 Multi-Core
Multi-core performance
10C / 10T · 3.20 GHz
16C / 16T · 1.26 GHz
iGPU - FP32 Performance (Single-precision GFLOPS)
Apple M1 Max (32 Core)
Apple M4 Max (40 Core)
AI performance (NPU)
10C / 10T · 0.60 GHz
16C / 16T · 1.26 GHz
More benchmarks
Cinebench 2026 (ST)
218 entries
218 entries
Cinebench 2026 (MC)
219 entries
219 entries
Cinebench 2024 (SC)
427 entries
427 entries
Cinebench 2024 (MC)
422 entries
422 entries
Cinebench R23 (SC)
690 entries
690 entries
Cinebench R23 (MC)
665 entries
665 entries
Geekbench 6 (SC)
1,989 entries
1,989 entries
Geekbench 6 (MC)
1,927 entries
1,927 entries
Geekbench 5 (SC)
2,512 entries
2,512 entries
Geekbench 5 (MC)
2,483 entries
2,483 entries
FP32 SP (iGPU)
2,219 entries
2,219 entries
Blender 3.1 Benchmark
213 entries
213 entries
PassMark CPU-Mark
2,504 entries
2,504 entries
CPU performance per watt (efficiency)
140 entries
140 entries
AI performance (NPU)
218 entries
218 entries
Specifications
At a glance
|
Wischen
|
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) | Apple M4 Max (16-CPU 40-GPU) |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Apple M series (38) | Apple M series (38) |
| CPU group | Apple M1 (9) | Apple M4 (7) |
| Architecture | M1 | M4 |
| Technology | 5 nm | 3 nm |
| Segment | Notebook | Notebook |
| Socket | ||
| Predecessor | Apple M3 Max (16-CPU 40-GPU) | |
| Successor | Apple M2 Max (38-GPU) | Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU) |
CPU Cores and Base Frequency
|
Wischen
|
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) | Apple M4 Max (16-CPU 40-GPU) |
|---|---|---|
| CPU Cores / Threads | 10 / 10 | 16 / 16 |
| Hyperthreading / SMT | ✗ | ✗ |
| Core architecture | hybrid (big.LITTLE) | hybrid (big.LITTLE) |
| Core Cluster 1: | 8x Firestorm 0.60 - 3.20 GHz |
12x Donan P-Core 1.26 - 4.51 GHz |
| Core Cluster 2: | 2x Icestorm 0.60 - 2.06 GHz |
4x Donan E-Core 1.02 - 2.59 GHz |
| L2-Cache | 28.00 MB | 52.00 MB |
| L3-Cache | ||
| Overclocking | ✗ | ✗ |
Integrated graphics (iGPU)
|
Wischen
|
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) | Apple M4 Max (16-CPU 40-GPU) |
|---|---|---|
| GPU name | Apple M1 Max (32 Core) | Apple M4 Max (40 Core) |
| GPU frequency | 0.39 - 1.30 GHz | 0.39 - 1.58 GHz |
| CUs / Shader | 512 / 4096 | 640 / 5120 |
| Raytracing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Max. displays | 5 | 3 |
| Max. GPU Memory | 32 GB | 96 GB |
| Technology | 5 nm | 3 nm |
| Release date | Q3/2021 | Q4/2024 |
NPU AI performance
|
Wischen
|
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) | Apple M4 Max (16-CPU 40-GPU) |
|---|---|---|
| AI hardware | Apple Neural Engine | Apple Neural Engine |
| AI specifications | 16 Neural cores @ 11 TOPS | 16 Neural cores @ 38 TOPS |
| NPU + CPU + iGPU |
Memory & PCIe
|
Wischen
|
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) | Apple M4 Max (16-CPU 40-GPU) |
|---|---|---|
| Memory | LPDDR5-6400 (409.6 GB/s) | LPDDR5X-8533 (546.0 GB/s) |
| Max. Memory | 64 GB | 128 GB |
| Memory channels | 4 | 8 |
| ECC | No | No |
| PCIe | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| PCIe Bandwidth |
Thermal Management
|
Wischen
|
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) | Apple M4 Max (16-CPU 40-GPU) |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 45 W | 90 W |
| TDP (PL2) | ||
| TDP up | ||
| TDP down | ||
| T. junction max. | 100 °C |
Technical details
|
Wischen
|
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) | Apple M4 Max (16-CPU 40-GPU) |
|---|---|---|
| Chip design | Monolithic | Monolithic |
| AES-NI | ✓ | ✓ |
| Operating systems | macOS | macOS, iPadOS |
| Instruction set | Armv8.5-A (64 bit) | Armv9.2-A (64 bit) |
| ISA extensions | Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation | Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation, AVX2, SME |
| Release date | Q3/2021 | Q4/2024 |
| Release price | ||
| Documents |
User Reviews
Your rating
Here you can rate one or both of the processors. The average rating of Apple M1 Max (32-GPU) is 4.8 stars (206 ratings), while Apple M4 Max (16-CPU 40-GPU) has received 4.8 stars (737 ratings).
Click on the stars to rate one or both processors.
Most popular CPUs in both categories
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Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 32-GPU)
18C / 18T · 4.61 GHz
2
Apple M5 Max (18-CPU 40-GPU)
18C / 18T · 4.61 GHz
3
Apple M2 Ultra (76-GPU)
24C / 24T · 3.50 GHz
4
Apple M1 Ultra (64-GPU)
20C / 20T · 3.20 GHz
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Apple M1 Ultra (48-GPU)
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Apple M4 (8-CPU)
8C / 8T · 4.46 GHz
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Apple M2 Ultra (60-GPU)
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Apple M4 Max (16-CPU 40-GPU)
16C / 16T · 4.51 GHz
9
Apple M1 Max (32-GPU)
10C / 10T · 3.20 GHz
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