The original Apple M1 chip was the first ever chip in the series. Now, the Apple M4 chip has been released on the market. How much improvement does M4 have over the original M1 chip? Here, we have compared both chips in-depth with benchmarks and performance to determine which gives you better value for money.
Main Differences
- M1 has 8 CPU Cores and Threads compared to M4, which has 10 CPU Cores and Threads.
- M4 has a 4.41 CPU Clock speed, while M1 has a 3.2 GHz CPU Clock speed.
- M1 is 3 years and 6 months older
- M4 has an 1800 MHz GPU clock speed, while M1 has a 1278 MHz GPU clock speed.
- M1 is built on a 5nm fabrication process, while M4 is built on a 3nm fabrication process.
- M4 has 10 GPU Cores compared to M1, which has 8 GPU Cores.
Specs Comparison
Before we take a look at benchmarks, let’s compare some specifications for both the CPUs.
| Apple M4(10-core) | Apple M1(8-Core) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 10 | 8 |
| Performance Cores | 4 | 4 |
| Efficiency Cores | 6 | 4 |
| Threads | 10 | 8 |
| Performance Threads | 4 | 4 |
| Efficiency Threads | 6 | 4 |
| Base Clock Speed (Performance Core) | 4.41 GHz | 3.2 GHz |
| Base Clock Speed (Efficiency Core) | 2.59 GHz | 2.1 GHz |
| Instruction Set | ARMv9 | ARMv8 |
| Socket | Apple M-Socket | Apple M-Socket |
| L1 Cache | 192K/core | 192K/core |
| L2 Cache | 16MB(shared) | 12MB(shared) |
| Multiplier | 44x | – |
| Fabrication Process | 3nm | 5nm |
| Transistors | 28 billion | 16 billion |
| TDP | 22 W | 14 W |
| Max Temperature | 100°C | 100°C |
| Integrated Graphics | Apple M4 GPU | Apple M1 GPU |
| GPU Core | 10 | 8 |
| GPU Base Clock Speed | 500 MHz | 450MHz |
| GPU Boost Clock Speed | 1800 MHz | 1278 MHz |
| Memory | LPDDR5X-7500 | LPDDR4X-4266 |
| Memory Size | 32 GB | 16 GB |
| Memory Channels | 4 | 2 |
| ECC Support | No | No |
| Release date | 07, May 2024 | 20, November 2020 |
Benchmarks
Now that we have compared basic specs, let’s compare some popular benchmark standards between these two CPUs to find out which one comes out on top in performance.
Passmark Single Core (Higher is Better)
- M4 – 4601(+24%)
- M1 – 3689
PassMark Multi-Core (Higher is Better)
- M4 – 24386(+72%)
- M1 – 14151
Geekbench 6 Single Core (Higher is Better)
- M4 – 3869(+65%)
- M1 – 2338
Geekbench 6 Multi-Core (Higher is Better)
- M4 – 13460(61%)
- M1 – 8359
Cinebench 2024 Single Core (Higher is Better)
- M4 – 174(+56%)
- M1 – 111
Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core (Higher is Better)
- M4 – 976(+91%)
- M1 – 510
Productivity benchmark tests
If you are wondering how these chips compare to each other for productivity and content creation like 3D design and video editing. Here, we are also sharing some productivity benchmarks with you.
Adobe After Effects (Higher is Better)
- M4 – 943(+50%)
- M1 – 626
Adobe Photoshop (Higher is Better)
- M4 – 10975(+168%)
- M1 – 4084
Adobe Premiere Pro (Higher is Better)
- M4 – 4843(68%)
- M1 – 2872
Price
The brand new Apple MacBook Pro(2024) with M4(10-Core) costs $1400, and the Lowest Price For Apple MacBook Air(2020) with M1 (8-Core) is available at resale for $649. So, the New Apple MacBook Pro 2024 is about 115% more expensive right now.
Note: Prices are at the time of creation of this comparison. It may not have been updated to the latest price when you are looking at this comparison.
Conclusion – Which one should you buy?
Now, it’s time to look at all the data and figure out which one is the best option for you. First up, the Apple MacBook Air(2020) with M1 (8-Core) is 115% cheaper.
When it comes to the traditional benchmarks, there is a huge difference between the two chips in single-core performance. Same thing when you look at multicore benchmarks. The M4(10-Core) is far better than the M1 Pro(10-Core)
Now speaking about productivity and content creation benchmarks, the same difference is noticeable, it becomes even huge for Photoshop, where the M4(10-Core) performs a whooping 168% better than the M1(8-Core).
Apple chips aren’t particularly great at gaming, so we have skipped that comparison. If you are looking for a Gaming CPU, you are better off with Intel or AMD. They provide far better value compared to Apple.
In conclusion, Apple M4(10-Core) is the clear winner when it comes to performance. However, the M1 (8-Core) is significantly cheaper and provides much better value for money.
So, if you are looking for better value for money, then MacBook Air(2020) with M1(8-Core) is a great choice. However, if you do have the budget, then you can also choose the MacBook Pro(2024) with M4(10-core), It’s significantly faster and has new features and other upgrades over the original one.
