Apple M3 (8-GPU) Apple M4 (10-CPU)
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Apple M3 (8-GPU) vs Apple M4 (10-CPU)

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The Apple M3 (8-GPU) is a system-on-a-chip designed for a wide range of Apple devices.

It targets general users as well as creatives who need solid performance for everyday tasks and more demanding applications. Manufactured using the modern 3-nm process, the Apple M3 (8-GPU) offers high energy efficiency. It integrates CPU cores and an 8-core graphics unit on a single chip, enabling optimized communication.

The Level 2 cache is 20 MB. The maximum memory bandwidth is 102 GB/s. In single-core scenarios, the Apple M3 (8-GPU) shows good performance. For multi-core applications, it delivers solid performance for most tasks. For gaming scenarios, the Apple M3 (8-GPU) offers adequate performance, especially for casual gaming and less demanding titles, thanks to its integrated 8-core graphics unit.

Due to the 3-nm manufacturing process, the Apple M3 (8-GPU) is known for its high energy efficiency, leading to lower power consumption. The Apple M3 (8-GPU) offers good value for money for users seeking a balanced mix of performance and efficiency. It is an excellent choice for users looking for an efficient and powerful solution for everyday tasks, creative work, and occasional gaming.

The Apple M4 (10-CPU) represents the next generation of Apple's system-on-a-chips, also intended for a variety of Apple devices.

It targets professional users and power users who require the highest performance for computationally intensive tasks and specialized workflows. Also manufactured using the advanced 3-nm process, the Apple M4 (10-CPU) is characterized by improved transistor integration. It features 10 CPU cores, offering higher processing capacity.

The Level 2 cache is 20 MB, and the maximum memory bandwidth is 120 GB/s, higher than that of the M3. The Apple M4 (10-CPU) significantly outperforms the Apple M3 (8-GPU) in single-core performance and shows significantly higher multi-core performance in most benchmarks. This makes it ideal for demanding applications such as video editing, 3D rendering, and software development.

In the gaming sector, the Apple M4 (10-CPU) delivers noticeably better performance, enabling smoother frame rates and higher fidelity in demanding games. Despite its higher performance, the Apple M4 (10-CPU) maintains high energy efficiency thanks to the 3-nm process.

The Apple M4 (10-CPU) positions itself as a premium processor. It offers superior performance for professional users, justifying the investment for those hungry for performance. It is the preferred option for professional users and anyone who needs maximum performance for demanding workflows, intensive multitasking scenarios, and high-end gaming.

Apple M3 (8-GPU)

  • Efficient 3-nm manufacturing process
  • Good single-core performance
  • Integrated 8-core graphics unit
  • Balanced price-performance ratio

Apple M4 (10-CPU)

  • Advanced 3-nm manufacturing process
  • Superior single- and multi-core performance
  • 10 CPU cores for demanding tasks
  • Higher memory bandwidth

Performance Overview
Average performance across multiple benchmarks

Single-core performance
Rank 2 - 84 %
Apple M3 (8-GPU)
Rank 1 - 100 %
Apple M4 (10-CPU)
Multi-core performance
Rank 2 - 77 %
Apple M3 (8-GPU)
Rank 1 - 100 %
Apple M4 (10-CPU)
Cinebench 2026 Single-Thread

Cinebench 2026 Single-Thread
Single-core performance

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
8C / 8T · 4.06 GHz
557 pts
Apple M4 (10-CPU)
10C / 10T · 4.46 GHz
653 pts
Cinebench 2026 Multi-Core

Cinebench 2026 Multi-Core
Multi-core performance

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
8C / 8T · 4.06 GHz
2,672 pts
Apple M4 (10-CPU)
10C / 10T · 4.46 GHz
3,908 pts
Cinebench 2024 Single-Core

Cinebench 2024 Single-Core
Single-core performance

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
8C / 8T · 4.06 GHz
137 pts
Apple M4 (10-CPU)
10C / 10T · 4.46 GHz
175 pts
Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core

Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core
Multi-core performance

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
8C / 8T · 4.06 GHz
659 pts
Apple M4 (10-CPU)
10C / 10T · 4.46 GHz
962 pts
Cinebench R23 Single-Core

Cinebench R23 Single-Core
Single-core performance

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
8C / 8T · 4.06 GHz
1,965 pts
Apple M4 (10-CPU)
10C / 10T · 4.46 GHz
2,161 pts
Cinebench R23 Multi-Core

Cinebench R23 Multi-Core
Multi-core performance

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
8C / 8T · 4.06 GHz
10,437 pts
Apple M4 (10-CPU)
10C / 10T · 0.91 GHz
13,682 pts
Geekbench 6 Single-Core

Geekbench 6 Single-Core
Single-core performance

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
8C / 8T · 4.06 GHz
3,125
Apple M4 (10-CPU)
10C / 10T · 4.46 GHz
3,810
Geekbench 6 Multi-Core

Geekbench 6 Multi-Core
Multi-core performance

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
8C / 8T · 4.06 GHz
11,863
Apple M4 (10-CPU)
10C / 10T · 0.91 GHz
14,934
Geekbench 5, 64bit Single-Core

Geekbench 5, 64bit Single-Core
Single-core performance

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
8C / 8T · 4.06 GHz
2,150
Apple M4 (10-CPU)
10C / 10T · 4.46 GHz
2,491
Geekbench 5, 64bit Multi-Core

Geekbench 5, 64bit Multi-Core
Multi-core performance

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
8C / 8T · 4.06 GHz
10,450
Apple M4 (10-CPU)
10C / 10T · 0.91 GHz
12,509
iGPU - FP32 Performance (Single-precision GFLOPS)

iGPU - FP32 Performance (Single-precision GFLOPS)

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
Apple M3 (8 Core)
2,840
Apple M4 (10-CPU)
Apple M4 (10 Core)
4,260
AI performance (NPU)

AI performance (NPU)

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
8C / 8T · 0.70 GHz
35.0 TOPS
Apple M4 (10-CPU)
10C / 10T · 0.91 GHz
38.0 TOPS

More benchmarks

At a glance

Wischen
Apple M3 (8-GPU)Apple M4 (10-CPU)
FamilyApple M series (38)Apple M series (38)
CPU groupApple M3 (6)Apple M4 (7)
ArchitectureM3M4
Technology3 nm3 nm
SegmentNotebookNotebook
Socket
PredecessorApple M2 (8-GPU)Apple M3
SuccessorApple M5 (10-CPU)

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

Wischen
Apple M3 (8-GPU)Apple M4 (10-CPU)
CPU Cores / Threads8 / 810 / 10
Hyperthreading / SMT
Core architecturehybrid (big.LITTLE)hybrid (big.LITTLE)
Core Cluster 1: 4x Ibiza P-Core
0.70 - 4.06 GHz
4x Donan P-Core
0.91 - 4.46 GHz
Core Cluster 2: 4x Ibiza E-Core
0.74 - 2.75 GHz
6x Donan E-Core
0.90 - 2.89 GHz
L2-Cache20.00 MB20.00 MB
L3-Cache
Overclocking

Integrated graphics (iGPU)

Wischen
Apple M3 (8-GPU)Apple M4 (10-CPU)
GPU nameApple M3 (8 Core)Apple M4 (10 Core)
GPU frequency0.39 - 1.40 GHz0.34 - 1.58 GHz
CUs / Shader128 / 1024160 / 1280
Raytracing
Max. displays23
Max. GPU Memory24 GB24 GB
Technology3 nm3 nm
Release dateQ4/2023Q2/2024

NPU AI performance

Wischen
Apple M3 (8-GPU)Apple M4 (10-CPU)
AI hardwareApple Neural EngineApple Neural Engine
AI specifications16 Neural cores @ 35 TOPS16 Neural cores @ 38 TOPS
NPU + CPU + iGPU

Memory & PCIe

Wischen
Apple M3 (8-GPU)Apple M4 (10-CPU)
MemoryLPDDR5-6400 (102.4 GB/s)
LPDDR5X-7500 (120.0 GB/s)
Max. Memory24 GB32 GB
Memory channels22
ECCNoNo
PCIe4.04.0
PCIe Bandwidth

Thermal Management

Wischen
Apple M3 (8-GPU)Apple M4 (10-CPU)
TDP22 W25 W
TDP (PL2)
TDP up
TDP down10 W
T. junction max.100 °C100 °C

Technical details

Wischen
Apple M3 (8-GPU)Apple M4 (10-CPU)
Chip designMonolithicMonolithic
AES-NI
Operating systemsmacOS, iPadOSmacOS, iPadOS
Instruction setArmv8-A (64 bit)Armv9.2-A (64 bit)
ISA extensionsRosetta 2 x86-EmulationRosetta 2 x86-Emulation, AVX2, SME
Release dateQ4/2023Q2/2024
Release price
DocumentsTechnical data sheet

Your rating

Here you can rate one or both of the processors. The average rating of Apple M3 (8-GPU) is 4.5 stars (130 ratings), while Apple M4 (10-CPU) has received 4.7 stars (613 ratings).

Click on the stars to rate one or both processors.

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
Apple M3 (8-GPU)
8C / 8T · 0.70 - 4.06 GHz
Apple M4 (10-CPU)
Apple M4 (10-CPU)
10C / 10T · 0.91 - 4.46 GHz

Most popular CPUs in both categories

Apple M3 (8-GPU)
Apple M3 (8-GPU)
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