Apple
Apple M4 Max
16C CPU · 40C GPU · 16-core Neural Engine
97
/ 100
From $1,299
VS
Apple M4 Max wins by 5
Apple
Apple M4
10C CPU · 10C GPU · Ray-Tracing
92
/ 100
From $1,099
Specdex verdict
Apple M4 Max takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Apple M4 Max lands at 97 and Apple M4 at 92. That puts Apple M4 Max ahead by 5 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Apple M4 Max if…
- ✓Industry-best perf-per-watt
- ✓128 GB unified memory option
- ✓Hardware ray-tracing
Pick Apple M4 if…
- ✓Industry-best perf-per-watt
- ✓Hardware ray tracing on iGPU
- ✓LPDDR5X 120 GB/s
Score breakdown
Apple M4 Max
97 single 98
multi 96
gaming 82
efficiency 100
Apple M4
92 single 100
multi 86
gaming 72
efficiency 100
Specs side-by-side
Spec
Apple M4 Max
Apple M4
Cores
16 (12P+4E)
10 (4P+6E)
Threads
16
—
Memory bandwidth
546 GB/s
120 GB/s
Neural engine
16-core, 38 TOPS
16-core, 38 TOPS
Process
TSMC N3E
TSMC N3E
Max memory
128 GB unified
—
Apple M4 Max
Pros
- +Industry-best perf-per-watt
- +128 GB unified memory option
- +Hardware ray-tracing
Cons
- −Apple ecosystem lock-in
- −Not user-replaceable
- −Limited Windows gaming
Apple M4
Pros
- +Industry-best perf-per-watt
- +Hardware ray tracing on iGPU
- +LPDDR5X 120 GB/s
Cons
- −Only in Apple products
- −Limited Windows gaming
- −Entry-tier 8 GB RAM is tight for ML
FAQ: Apple M4 Max vs Apple M4
Which is better, Apple M4 Max or Apple M4? +
Apple M4 Max scores 97 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 5. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Apple M4 Max worth the price? +
At $1,299, Apple M4 Max delivers a Specdex score of 97 — strongest in efficiency.
Is Apple M4 worth the price? +
At $1,099, Apple M4 delivers a Specdex score of 92 — strongest in single.
Does Apple M4 Max or Apple M4 last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.