Apple
Apple M4
10C CPU · 10C GPU · Ray-Tracing
92
/ 100
From $1,099
VS
Apple M5 Max wins by 6
Apple
Apple M5 Max
16C CPU · 40C GPU · 570 GB/s
98
/ 100
From $3,499
Specdex verdict
Apple M5 Max takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Apple M4 lands at 92 and Apple M5 Max at 98. That puts Apple M5 Max ahead by 6 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Apple M4 if…
- ✓Industry-best perf-per-watt
- ✓Hardware ray tracing on iGPU
- ✓LPDDR5X 120 GB/s
Pick Apple M5 Max if…
- ✓Leads the industry in perf-per-watt
- ✓128 GB unified memory option
- ✓Best-in-class ML acceleration
Score breakdown
Apple M4
92 single 100
multi 86
gaming 72
efficiency 100
Apple M5 Max
98 single 99
multi 98
gaming 85
efficiency 100
Specs side-by-side
Spec
Apple M4
Apple M5 Max
Cores
10 (4P+6E)
16 (12P+4E)
Memory bandwidth
120 GB/s
570 GB/s
Neural engine
16-core, 38 TOPS
16-core, 60 TOPS
Process
TSMC N3E
—
GPU cores
—
40
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
Apple M5 Max
Pros
- +Leads the industry in perf-per-watt
- +128 GB unified memory option
- +Best-in-class ML acceleration
Cons
- −Macs only, no DIY
- −Expensive
- −Gaming library still limited
FAQ: Apple M4 vs Apple M5 Max
Which is better, Apple M4 or Apple M5 Max? +
Apple M5 Max scores 98 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 6. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Apple M4 worth the price? +
At $1,099, Apple M4 delivers a Specdex score of 92 — strongest in single.
Is Apple M5 Max worth the price? +
At $3,499, Apple M5 Max delivers a Specdex score of 98 — strongest in efficiency.
Does Apple M4 or Apple M5 Max 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.