Guest /u/paya_ Posted November 10, 2024 Posted November 10, 2024 [HEADING=1]Geekbench 6 CPU scores[/HEADING] M4 6e/4p/10g: 15 115 M4 Pro 4e/8p/16g: 20 472 M4 Pro 4e/10p/20g: 22 850 M4 Max 4e/10p/32g: 23 137 M4 Max 4e/12p/40g: 26 482 [HEADING=1]Analysis of CPU scores[/HEADING] M4 6e/4p/10g: 1 512 score per core M4 Pro 4e/8p/16g: 1 706 score per core M4 Pro 4e/10p/20g: 1 632 score per core M4 Max 4e/10p/32g: 1 653 score per core M4 Max 4e/12p/40g: 1 655 score per core When going from M4 to 12-core M4 Pro, we are adding p-cores and removing e-cores and thus the increase to score per core is justified. When going from the 12-core M4 Pro to any higher-tier chip, we are again adding p-cores but the score per core decreases, indicating diminishing returns (you would expect the score per core to increase because the e-core / p-core ratio is changing in favor of p-cores). The only explanation for this I have is that either the p-cores in 12-core M4 Pro can be pushed to higher clocks due to thermal/wattage headroom, or the higher tier chips start hitting some kind of thermal/wattage constraints, i.e. they are throttling or they are power starved. Another way to look at this is that by going from 10-core M4 to 12-core M4 Pro, you are adding 2 p-cores (33% increase in p-core count for a total of 8 p-cores) and getting additional 35% multicore CPU performance. By going to 14-core M4 Pro and adding 2 more p-cores (25% increase in p-core count for a total of 10 p-cores), you are getting only additional 11.6% multicore CPU performance. That's a huge discrepancy. The M4 Max upgrade adds 2 more p-cores (20% increase in p-core count for a total of 12 p-cores) and yields additional 14.5% multicore CPU performance, which is still less than expected but not nearly as bad. Going from 12-core to 14-core M4 Pro is the least efficient upgrade of the entire M4 series. Removed the above section because I didn't realize base M4 has 6e/4p and assumed it has 4e/6p. [HEADING=1]Geekbench 6 GPU scores (Metal)[/HEADING] M4 6e/4p/10g: 58 242 M4 Pro 4e/8p/16g: 99 764 M4 Pro 4e/10p/20g: 112 606 M4 Max 4e/10p/32g: 160 893 M4 Max 4e/12p/40g: 193 730 [HEADING=1]Analysis of the GPU scores[/HEADING] M4 6e/4p/10g: 5 824 score per core M4 Pro 4e/8p/16g: 6 235 score per core M4 Pro 4e/10p/20g: 5 630 score per core M4 Max 4e/10p/32g: 5 028 score per core M4 Max 4e/12p/40g: 4 843 score per core The story here repeats. Going from 10g M4 to 16g M4 Pro adds 60% more cores but yields 71% more score. The disproportional increase can be explained by the increased memory bandwidth from 120 GB/s to 273 GB/s on the Pro chip. So, all is good here. Going from 16g M4 Pro to 20g M4 Pro adds 25% more GPU cores but yields only 13% more score. The memory bandwidth stays the same, so you would expect 25% more GPU cores to give you roughly 25% more performance, but instead you get only 13% - massive diminishing returns. This could again be some kind of thermal/wattage constraint. None of the Max chips can reach the 6 235 score per GPU core, in fact the higher up you go, the less GPU score per core you are getting. So proportionally, the 12-core M4 Pro wins again. [HEADING=1]If I am getting M4 Pro, should I go for the 12-core or the 14-core variant?[/HEADING] For $200 more, you are getting: 0% more single-core CPU performance 0% more memory bandwidth 0 additional RAM options (the same 24 GB or 48 GB on MBP) 11.6% more multi-core CPU performance 13% more GPU performance By looking at this excellent chart, you can see that the base M4 has comparable multi-core CPU performance to M2 Pro. If you do some math, the inter-generational performance gains are about 20 - 25% per generation (year) on average, so far. If this trend continues, the base M6 will be on par with the M4 Pro. The 11.6% extra CPU will make a little difference in that regard because it will be vastly overshadowed by the inter-generational gains. Another way to look at this: if you had M1 Mac right now, and someone offered you to wave a magic wand and increase your multi-core CPU by 11.6%, or instead give you $200 towards the purchase of a new M4 Mac, which one would you take? I am on a 6 years old Intel MacBook right now. If someone offered me 11.6% more performance for $200, I would laugh in their face. The 12-core to 14-core M4 Pro upgrade might look tempting today, but in reality it is buying you only half a generation of headroom. You might also say, if I am getting a $2000 MacBook Pro, the extra $200 is 11.6% more multi-core CPU performance and 13% more GPU performance while paying only 10% more. Seems worth it, right? I really applaud Apple for the way they structure their upgrades, it is a top-tier psychological trickery to lead you to cognitive errors. It is the whole laptop that costs $2000, not the 12-core M4 Pro. If you were building a desktop computer for $2000, a top-tier desktop gaming CPU might retail for like $400 out of the entire thing. Paying $200 to upgrade that CPU is 50% more and that makes no sense if you are getting only 11.6% more CPU multi-core performance. On another note, the A18 Pro in iPhone 16 Pro costs Apple $45 to make. The M4 Pro is certainly a different beast, but I guess it can cost Apple up to $200 to make (probably less). A $200 upgrade would be paying 100% more in that case. [HEADING=1]TL;DR[/HEADING] From all of the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, the 12-core M4 Pro is at the peak of the performance curve. All the upper tier chips have diminishing returns. If you are getting M4 Pro and want the best bang for your buck, get the 12-core CPU one. submitted by /u/paya_ [link] [comments]
Recommended Posts