Apple M4 vs Apple M3

The Apple M3 and Apple M4 are desktop processors from Apple Inc., developed for a wide user base, from creative professionals to everyday users.

Both chips are manufactured using the advanced 3nm fabrication process and feature an integrated graphics unit with 10 cores each. In performance benchmarks, the Apple M4 shows higher single-core and multi-core performance than the Apple M3 in most tests. For example, the Apple M4 surpasses its predecessor by more than 10 percent in both categories in Geekbench 6 and Cinebench 2024.

An exception is the Cinebench R23 multi-core benchmark, where the Apple M3 shows higher performance based on the available data. For gaming scenarios, both integrated graphics units offer a solid foundation. The Apple M4 benefits from a slightly higher maximum memory bandwidth of 120 GB/s compared to the Apple M3's 102 GB/s, which can be advantageous in graphics-intensive applications.

Both CPUs are known for their high energy efficiency, with the Apple M4 expected to offer improved performance per watt. In terms of price, the Apple M4, as the newer generation, is typically more expensive. The price-performance ratio depends on individual needs: The Apple M4 is for users who require the highest performance for demanding tasks such as video editing or 3D rendering.

The Apple M3 remains a very powerful and often more cost-effective option for general productivity and creative work.