AMD
EPYC 9654
Zen 4 · 96C/192T · SP5
96
/ 100
From $11,805
VS
Apple M4 Max wins by 1
Apple
Apple M4 Max
16C CPU · 40C GPU · 16-core Neural Engine
97
/ 100
From $1,299
Specdex verdict
Apple M4 Max takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, EPYC 9654 lands at 96 and Apple M4 Max at 97. That puts Apple M4 Max ahead by 1 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick EPYC 9654 if…
- ✓Massive core counts
- ✓ECC memory support
- ✓Workstation/server-grade platform
Pick Apple M4 Max if…
- ✓Industry-best perf-per-watt
- ✓128 GB unified memory option
- ✓Hardware ray-tracing
EPYC 9654 96
vs 97 Apple M4 Max
Score breakdown
EPYC 9654
96 single 88
multi 96
gaming 76
efficiency 78
Apple M4 Max
97 single 98
multi 96
gaming 82
efficiency 100
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | EPYC 9654 | Apple M4 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Zen 4 | — |
| Cores | ▲ 96 | 16 (12P+4E) |
| Threads | ▲ 192 | 16 |
| Socket | SP5 | — |
| Release year | 2022 | — |
| Memory bandwidth | — | 546 GB/s |
| Neural engine | — | 16-core, 38 TOPS |
| Process | — | TSMC N3E |
| Max memory | — | 128 GB unified |
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
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
FAQ: EPYC 9654 vs Apple M4 Max
Which is better, EPYC 9654 or Apple M4 Max? +
Apple M4 Max scores 97 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 1. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is EPYC 9654 worth the price? +
At $11,805, EPYC 9654 delivers a Specdex score of 96 — strongest in multi.
Is Apple M4 Max worth the price? +
At $1,299, Apple M4 Max delivers a Specdex score of 97 — strongest in efficiency.
Does EPYC 9654 or Apple M4 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.