Apple M3 Max (16-core) vs Apple M4 Max (16-core)
71.3Single-core84.9
70.9Multi-core79.8
93.3Efficiencyspec-based93.3
60Platformspec-based60
1 spec wins — Apple M3 Max (16-core)7 spec wins — Apple M4 Max (16-core)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple M4 Max (16-core) wins this laptop processor face-off, 80.2 to 72.9, pulling ahead mainly in single-core (+14) and multi-core (+9). Apple M3 Max (16-core) still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Apple M3 Max (16-core)
No decisive spec advantages — this side competes on price and preference.
Reasons to pick the Apple M4 Max (16-core)
- Stronger single-core score: 85 vs 71
- Stronger multi-core score: 80 vs 71
- 24% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 3,880 vs 3,127
- 21% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 25,760 vs 21,254
- 15% higher Cinebench R23 (multi): 27,595 vs 24,022
General
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Apple M4 Max (16-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023 | 2024 |
| Process | 3 nm | 3 nm |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Apple M4 Max (16-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 16 | 16 |
| Performance cores | 12 | 12 |
| Efficiency cores | 4 | 4 |
| Threads | 16 | 16 |
| Boost clock | 4.1 GHz | 4.5 GHz+11% |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Apple M4 Max (16-core) |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | Apple 40-core GPU | Apple 40-core GPU |
Memory
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Apple M4 Max (16-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | LPDDR5-6400 | LPDDR5X-8533 |
| Max memory | 128 GB | 128 GB |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple M3 Max (16-core) | Apple M4 Max (16-core) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,127Top 10% | 3,880+24%Top 4% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 21,254Top 4% | 25,760+21%Top 2% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,959Top 24% | 2,209+13%Top 2% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 24,022Top 13% | 27,595+15%Top 10% |
| PassMark | 41,192Top 12% | 43,917+7%Top 10% |
| PassMark (single thread) | 4,780+4%Top 3% | 4,589Top 6% |
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