Apple
Apple M4
10C CPU · 10C GPU · Ray-Tracing
92
/ 100
From $1,099
VS
Ryzen 7 9800X3D wins by 3
AMD
Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Zen 5 · 8C/16T · 104 MB cache · Gaming king
95
/ 100
From $479
Specdex verdict
Ryzen 7 9800X3D takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Apple M4 lands at 92 and Ryzen 7 9800X3D at 95. That puts Ryzen 7 9800X3D ahead by 3 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 Ryzen 7 9800X3D if…
- ✓Fastest gaming CPU on the planet
- ✓Overclockable unlike prior X3D parts
- ✓Excellent efficiency (120 W TDP)
Apple M4 92
vs 95 Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Score breakdown
Apple M4
92 single 100
multi 86
gaming 72
efficiency 100
Ryzen 7 9800X3D
95 single 92
multi 86
gaming 100
efficiency 94
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Apple M4 | Ryzen 7 9800X3D |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | ▲ 10 (4P+6E) | 8 |
| Memory bandwidth | 120 GB/s | — |
| Neural engine | 16-core, 38 TOPS | — |
| Process | TSMC N3E | TSMC 4 nm |
| Threads | — | 16 |
| Base clock | — | 4.7 GHz |
| Boost clock | — | 5.2 GHz |
| L3 cache | — | 96 MB (3D V-Cache) |
| TDP | — | 120 W |
| Socket | — | AM5 |
| iGPU | — | Radeon Graphics (RDNA 2, 2 CUs) |
| Memory | — | DDR5-5600 |
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
Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Pros
- +Fastest gaming CPU on the planet
- +Overclockable unlike prior X3D parts
- +Excellent efficiency (120 W TDP)
Cons
- −Only 8 cores for productivity-heavy workloads
- −AM5 motherboard required
- −Scarce at launch
FAQ: Apple M4 vs Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Which is better, Apple M4 or Ryzen 7 9800X3D? +
Ryzen 7 9800X3D scores 95 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 3. 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 Ryzen 7 9800X3D worth the price? +
At $479, Ryzen 7 9800X3D delivers a Specdex score of 95 — strongest in gaming.
Does Apple M4 or Ryzen 7 9800X3D 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.