Apple
Apple M4 Max
16C CPU · 40C GPU · 16-core Neural Engine
97
/ 100
From $1,299
VS
Apple M4 Max wins by 1
AMD
EPYC 9654
Zen 4 · 96C/192T · SP5
96
/ 100
From $11,805
Specdex verdict
Apple M4 Max takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Apple M4 Max lands at 97 and EPYC 9654 at 96. That puts Apple M4 Max ahead by 1 points — a narrow 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 EPYC 9654 if…
- ✓Massive core counts
- ✓ECC memory support
- ✓Workstation/server-grade platform
Apple M4 Max 97
vs 96 EPYC 9654
Score breakdown
Apple M4 Max
97 single 98
multi 96
gaming 82
efficiency 100
EPYC 9654
96 single 88
multi 96
gaming 76
efficiency 78
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Apple M4 Max | EPYC 9654 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 16 (12P+4E) | ▲ 96 |
| Threads | 16 | ▲ 192 |
| Memory bandwidth | 546 GB/s | — |
| Neural engine | 16-core, 38 TOPS | — |
| Process | TSMC N3E | — |
| Max memory | 128 GB unified | — |
| Architecture | — | Zen 4 |
| Socket | — | SP5 |
| Release year | — | 2022 |
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
EPYC 9654
Pros
- +Massive core counts
- +ECC memory support
- +Workstation/server-grade platform
Cons
- −Niche platform, limited motherboards
- −High TDP requires serious cooling
- −Premium price
FAQ: Apple M4 Max vs EPYC 9654
Which is better, Apple M4 Max or EPYC 9654? +
Apple M4 Max scores 97 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 1. 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 EPYC 9654 worth the price? +
At $11,805, EPYC 9654 delivers a Specdex score of 96 — strongest in multi.
Does Apple M4 Max or EPYC 9654 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.