Quick Verdict
The M4 raises the bar for efficiency and single-thread performance while delivering stronger multi-core scaling and a much more capable Neural Engine. It is an excellent fit for iPad Pro and Mac users who want fast, cool, and quiet operation, but platform constraints on some devices and the absence of expandable memory/PCIe remain trade-offs.
Overview
Launch
2024
Status
LaunchedGeneration
4th Generation M-series
Market
Tablet, Laptop, Desktop, All-in-One
Apple M4 is an ARM-based system-on-chip built on TSMC’s second-generation 3nm process, pairing up to 10 CPU cores (4 performance + 6 efficiency) with up to a 10-core GPU, a 16-core Neural Engine, and a new display engine. It introduces hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading to iPad and Mac, and adds AV1 decode in the media engine, targeting high-performance, power-efficient workloads across tablets, laptops, and desktops.
Apple M4 is the fourth-generation Apple silicon SoC, debuting in the iPad Pro (7th gen) and later expanding to Mac mini, iMac, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro. It uses TSMC’s second-generation 3nm technology with 28 billion transistors and includes up to 10 CPU cores (4P/6E), up to a 10-core GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading, a 16-core Neural Engine rated at up to 38 TOPS, and an updated media engine with AV1 decode. Official memory bandwidth is 120 GB/s across LPDDR5X unified memory, and M4-based Macs support Thunderbolt 4/USB 4 and external displays up to 6K.
The chip emphasizes performance-per-watt improvements over M2, with Apple claiming same performance at half the power in some workloads. Apple does not publish clock speeds or package TDP for M4.
Specifications
Performance
Very fast single-thread performance and strong multi-core scaling within its power envelope, suitable for demanding productivity workloads on macOS and iPadOS.
High performance-per-watt; Apple claims the same performance as M2 using roughly half the power in tested workloads, and M4 devices typically run cool and quiet.
- •The integrated GPU supports modern features like hardware ray tracing and mesh shading.
- •On macOS, gaming performance is constrained by title availability and reliance on translation/emulation layers.
- •Playability in AAA titles at 1080p is generally limited to low or medium settings on the base M4.
- •M4 iPad Pro focuses more on high-end creative and pro apps than AAA gaming libraries.
- •16-core Neural Engine delivers up to 38 TOPS for on-device AI.
- •Next-generation ML accelerators are integrated into both performance and efficiency CPU cores.
- •Hardware-accelerated AI features in OS and apps (e.g., Live Captions, subject isolation) benefit from the NPU and unified memory bandwidth.
- •Combined GPU and NPU resources make M4 well suited for client-side inference and media AI workloads.
Architecture
3nm (TSMC N3E, second-generation 3nm)
Process Node
10C / 10T
Core Config
Architecture Overview
Apple M4 is a custom ARM-based system-on-chip that extends Apple silicon’s hybrid CPU approach, improves the GPU with next-generation features, and significantly strengthens its AI and media capabilities. It is manufactured on TSMC’s second-generation 3nm process and integrates CPU, GPU, Neural Engine, media engines, display engine, and unified memory on one package.
CPU Design
The CPU combines up to four performance cores and six efficiency cores, with Apple adding more efficiency cores versus the prior M3’s 4P/4E layout. Both core types feature improved branch prediction and next-generation machine-learning accelerators, allowing better per-core throughput and quicker handling of vector operations. Apple does not publish clock speeds.
Memory Subsystem
M4 uses on-package LPDDR5X unified memory at 7500 MT/s, delivering 120 GB/s bandwidth in the base M4 configurations. Unified memory is shared across CPU, GPU, and NPU, reducing data copies and latency for media and AI workloads. Configurations up to 32 GB are offered depending on the device.
PCIe & I/O
Apple does not publish a traditional PCIe lane count for M4; instead, Mac implementations integrate Thunderbolt 4/USB 4 controllers for high-speed I/O and external display support. These implementations effectively provide multiple high-bandwidth IO lanes, but they are not user-configurable or exposed as discrete PCIe lanes.
Overclocking
Apple silicon does not support user-accessible multiplier or voltage overclocking. Power management is fully controlled by the OS and firmware.
- Move to TSMC second-generation 3nm (N3E) from 3nm (N3B) for improved efficiency and density.
- Additional efficiency cores (6 vs 4) and wider per-core execution resources in performance cores.
- Neural Engine performance raised to 38 TOPS.
- New display engine enabling dual-layer OLED tandem drive with ProMotion.
- Media engine adds hardware AV1 decode.
Key Highlights
- Industry-leading performance-per-watt in thin-and-light devices.
- Strong single-core performance and fast responsiveness.
- 16-core Neural Engine with high TOPS for on-device AI.
- Hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading in the GPU.
- Media engine with AV1 decode for efficient streaming.
- Thunderbolt 4/USB 4 and high-bandwidth unified memory on Mac implementations.
- Fanless implementations (e.g., iPad Pro) stay cool and quiet under typical use.
- Apple does not publish clock speeds, TDP, or detailed cache specs.
- Unified memory is not expandable beyond the configured capacity at purchase.
- No traditional socket or user-accessible PCIe lanes for add-in cards.
- Gaming on macOS remains constrained by software compatibility.
- Some configurations implement fewer CPU or GPU cores (e.g., 8- or 9-core CPU variants).
History
Apple introduced M4 in May 2024 with the seventh-generation iPad Pro, making the tablet the launch vehicle for its latest silicon. Built on TSMC’s second-generation 3nm process, M4 expanded Apple’s hybrid CPU layout to four performance and six efficiency cores and added a stronger GPU with ray tracing and mesh shading. Later in 2024, Apple brought M4 into the Mac lineup with the redesigned Mac mini, updated iMac, new MacBook Air models, and a base MacBook Pro 14-inch.
Across these products, M4 emphasized sustained efficiency and higher AI performance, particularly through the 16-core Neural Engine and updated media engine with AV1 decode. Over time, M4 has underpinned both ultra-thin fanless tablets and compact desktops, showcasing the flexibility of Apple’s unified silicon architecture.
Improvements over Previous Generation
- Move to TSMC second-generation 3nm (N3E) from 3nm (N3B) for improved efficiency and density.
- Additional efficiency cores (6 vs 4) and wider per-core execution resources in performance cores.
- Neural Engine performance raised to 38 TOPS.
- New display engine enabling dual-layer OLED tandem drive with ProMotion.
- Media engine adds hardware AV1 decode.
Alternatives & Competitors
Should You Buy It?
Recommended for the right buyer
Buying an iPad Pro for creative pro workflows, or a compact Mac (Mac mini/iMac) for efficient everyday performance and light-to-medium content creation.
Avoid if…
- Your workloads depend heavily on internal PCIe expansion or high-bandwidth add-in cards.
- You need high sustained-frame-rate AAA gaming at high settings.
- You require more than 32 GB of unified memory.
- You prefer user-upgradable RAM or storage.
Use Cases
Interesting Facts
M4 is Apple’s first chip announced on a second-generation 3nm process (TSMC N3E).
It introduces hardware ray tracing and mesh shading to iPad for the first time.
The Neural Engine is rated at up to 38 trillion operations per second.
A dedicated display engine was added to drive tandem OLED with ProMotion.
Transistor count is 28 billion, up from prior generations.
AV1 decoding comes to iPad and Mac via M4’s updated media engine.
M4 debuted in iPad Pro before appearing in Macs.
Efficiency cores increased from four (M3) to six (M4) in the base SoC.
Apple claims same performance as M2 using roughly half the power in tested workloads.
Mac implementations with Thunderbolt 4 support external displays up to 6K at 60Hz.
People Also Ask
When was Apple M4 announced?
Apple introduced M4 on May 7, 2024 via press release.
What process node is Apple M4 built on?
M4 is fabricated using TSMC’s second-generation 3nm process (N3E).
How many CPU and GPU cores does the base M4 have?
Up to 10 CPU cores (4 performance + 6 efficiency) and up to 10 GPU cores; some device configurations use fewer cores.
What is the Neural Engine performance in Apple M4?
Apple states the 16-core Neural Engine can perform up to 38 trillion operations per second.
Does Apple M4 support AV1 video decoding?
Yes, M4’s media engine includes hardware-accelerated AV1 decode on supported devices.
What is M4’s memory bandwidth?
Apple lists 120 GB/s memory bandwidth for the base M4 in MacBook Air and iPad Pro tech specs.
Does Apple publish M4 clock speeds?
No, Apple does not officially publish CPU or GPU clock frequencies for M4.
Does Apple M4 support ray tracing?
Yes, M4’s GPU includes hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading.
What devices use the Apple M4?
M4 is used in iPad Pro (7th gen), iPad Air (13-inch, M4), iMac (4-port and 2-port models), Mac mini, MacBook Air, and base MacBook Pro 14-inch.
Can you upgrade RAM on Apple M4 systems?
No; M4 uses on-package unified memory that is not user-upgradeable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Apple M4 good for gaming?
The M4 GPU is capable and supports modern features like ray tracing, but macOS gaming depends heavily on title availability. Many AAA titles are playable only at 1080p and low-to-medium settings, and performance can vary due to translation layers.
Does Apple M4 support external displays?
Yes. On M4-based Macs, Thunderbolt 4/USB 4 supports external displays up to 6K at 60Hz. On iPad Pro M4, the USB 4/Thunderbolt port supports one external display up to 6K at 60Hz or 5K at 120Hz, depending on configuration.
What is the maximum memory for M4 systems?
Base M4 configurations offer up to 32 GB of unified memory in devices such as iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Air; higher-tier M4 Pro/Max support more, but the base M4 tops at 32 GB.
Does Apple M4 have PCIe lanes?
Apple does not disclose a standard PCIe lane count for M4. Mac implementations integrate Thunderbolt 4/USB 4 controllers that provide high-speed IO, but these are not user-exposed as traditional PCIe slots.
What is the TDP of Apple M4?
Apple does not publish an official TDP. Actual power draw varies by device (fanless iPad vs. cooled Mac) and workload; measurements from independent testing show sustained SoC power ranging from roughly single-digit watts in tablets to around 30–40 W under heavy load in cooled Macs.
Is Apple M4 faster than M3?
Apple claims up to 1.5x faster CPU performance versus M2 in the previous iPad Pro, and architectural improvements plus higher memory bandwidth give M4 a lead over M3 in many workloads, particularly in single-thread and AI tasks.
Can I run Windows natively on Apple M4?
There is no officially supported way to run Windows natively on Apple silicon. Virtualization options exist for ARM versions of Windows, but mainstream x86 Windows apps require emulation.
What cache sizes does Apple M4 have?
Apple does not publish cache sizes for M4. Independent analyses discuss L2 and system-level cache, but these are not official; to avoid unverified claims, we leave these fields null.
Does Apple M4 support Thunderbolt 4?
Yes, M4-based Macs include Thunderbolt 4/USB 4 ports; M4 iPad Pro includes a USB 4/Thunderbolt-compatible port for external displays and peripherals.
What is Apple M4’s neural engine used for?
The 16-core Neural Engine accelerates AI/ML tasks such as real-time transcription, image and video analysis, subject isolation, and other on-device inference, reducing reliance on cloud processing.