Apple M4
10C CPU · 10C GPU · Ray-Tracing
Apple M5 Pro
14C CPU · 20C GPU · 300 GB/s
Apple M5 Pro takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Apple M4 lands at 92 and Apple M5 Pro at 96. That puts Apple M5 Pro ahead by 4 points — a narrow 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 Pro if…
- ✓Creator-tier silicon in a laptop
- ✓Improved memory bandwidth over M4 Pro
- ✓Excellent media engines
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testGaming
Apple M5 ProFrame-rate-bound workloads — favours cache and single-thread speed
Apple M5 Pro leads on gaming (82 vs 72).
Creators & productivity
Apple M5 ProRendering, compilation, heavy multitasking — favours core count
Apple M5 Pro leads on multi (94 vs 86).
Power efficiency
Apple M4Performance per watt — thermals, PSU headroom, electricity cost
Apple M4 leads on efficiency (100 vs 98).
Value for money
Apple M4Specdex score per dollar at MSRP
Apple M4 more score per dollar ($1,099 vs $2,199).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Apple M4 | Apple M5 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 10 (4P+6E) | ▲ 14 (10P+4E) |
| Memory bandwidth | 120 GB/s | ▲ 300 GB/s |
| Neural engine | 16-core, 38 TOPS | 16-core, 55 TOPS |
| Process | TSMC N3E | — |
| GPU cores | — | 20 |
Apple M4
- +Industry-best perf-per-watt
- +Hardware ray tracing on iGPU
- +LPDDR5X 120 GB/s
- −Only in Apple products
- −Limited Windows gaming
- −Entry-tier 8 GB RAM is tight for ML
Apple M5 Pro
- +Creator-tier silicon in a laptop
- +Improved memory bandwidth over M4 Pro
- +Excellent media engines
- −Only in MacBook Pro / Mac mini
- −Premium pricing
- −Windows ARM gap persists
FAQ: Apple M4 vs Apple M5 Pro
Which is better, Apple M4 or Apple M5 Pro? +
Apple M5 Pro scores 96 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 4. 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 Pro worth the price? +
At $2,199, Apple M5 Pro delivers a Specdex score of 96 — strongest in single.
Does Apple M4 or Apple M5 Pro 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.
Which is better for gaming, Apple M4 or Apple M5 Pro? +
Apple M5 Pro — leads on gaming (82 vs 72). Frame-rate-bound workloads — favours cache and single-thread speed.
Which is better for creator and productivity work, Apple M4 or Apple M5 Pro? +
Apple M5 Pro — leads on multi (94 vs 86). Rendering, compilation, heavy multitasking — favours core count.