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Comparative Analysis of Apple's M4 and M3 Chips

GOOVER DAILY REPORT 6/7/2024
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. Introduction
  2. Apple M4 Chip Overview
  3. Differences Between M4 and M3 Chips
  4. Device Integration
  5. Performance Analysis
  6. Market Impact and Consumer Considerations
  7. Glossary
  8. Conclusion
  9. Source Documents

1. Introduction

  • This report provides a detailed comparative analysis of Apple's latest M4 chip against its predecessor, the M3 chip, as well as an overview of the new features and configurations in Apple's recently launched products using these chips.

2. Apple M4 Chip Overview

  • 2-1. Introduction to the M4 Chip

  • Apple has introduced the M4 chip, which is the successor to the M3 chip. The M4 is currently available only in the 2024 iPad Pro, with various memory and storage configurations. It is expected to be available in other Apple devices by late 2024 and early 2025. Notably, the M3 chip is present in several MacBook models and the 24-inch iMac but has never been used in iPads.

  • 2-2. Manufacturing Process

  • Both the M3 and M4 chips are manufactured using a 3nm process. The M2 chip, which preceded the M3, was a 5nm chip. The move from 5nm to 3nm enabled Apple to enhance performance and efficiency significantly. The M4, being a second-generation 3nm chip, brings incremental improvements in efficiency and output over the M3.

  • 2-3. CPU and GPU Specifications

  • The M3 chip features an 8-core CPU (four performance cores and four efficiency cores) and comes with either an 8-core or 10-core GPU. The M4 chip, on the other hand, is equipped with up to a 10-core CPU (up to four performance cores and six efficiency cores) and a 10-core GPU. While the M4 shows an incremental increase in cores, it also delivers up to 1.5x faster CPU performance compared to the M2 chip. The new GPU architecture includes Dynamic Caching and hardware-accelerated ray tracing, significantly boosting performance in demanding applications and games.

  • 2-4. Neural Engine Capabilities

  • The Neural Engine in the M4 chip can perform 38 trillion operations per second (TOPS), which is a major leap from the M2 and M3, which performed at 15.8 TOPS and 18 TOPS respectively. It's worth noting that while the M4 shows a higher TOPS score, the difference in real-world performance might be less dramatic once equalized across data types.

  • 2-5. Memory and Storage Configurations

  • The M4 chip has a memory bandwidth of 120Gbps, compared to the M3's 100Gbps. Additionally, the M4 packs 28 billion transistors, while the M3 houses 25 billion. These upgrades contribute to the enhanced performance and efficiency in various applications.

  • 2-6. Display Engine Innovations

  • One of the key features introduced in the M4 chip is its new display engine, which supports the Ultra Retina XDR display. This engine enhances precision, color accuracy, and brightness uniformity in the new iPad Pro. The display is created by combining two OLED panels, a first for Apple devices.

3. Differences Between M4 and M3 Chips

  • 3-1. Transistor Count

  • The M4 chip is packed with 28 billion transistors, compared to the M3's 25 billion. This increase in transistors contributes to improved efficiency and performance in the M4 chip.

  • 3-2. Core Architecture

  • The M3 chip features an 8-core CPU made up of four performance cores and four efficiency cores. It also includes a GPU with either 8 or 10 cores and a 16-core Neural Engine. In contrast, the M4 chip comes with a 9-core or 10-core CPU, having either three or four performance cores and six efficiency cores. The M4 also has a 10-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine, indicating minor yet notable improvements over the M3.

  • 3-3. Manufacturing Process

  • Both the M3 and M4 chips utilize a 3nm manufacturing process. However, the M4 is identified as a second-generation 3nm chip, suggesting small enhancements in efficiency and output compared to the first-generation 3nm process used in the M3 chip.

  • 3-4. Performance Benchmarks

  • Performance benchmarks indicate that the M4 chip achieves a score of 9,234 in machine learning tests on Geekbench, showing a 10% improvement over the M3. Despite being incremental rather than seismic, these results still demonstrate the M4 chip's enhanced capabilities.

  • 3-5. Neural Engine Enhancements

  • The M4 chip's Neural Engine is capable of performing 38 trillion operations per second (TOPS), surpassing the M3's 18 TOPS at FP16 precision. However, when normalized to the same data type (INT8), the M4's performance is approximately 5% better than the M3's.

  • 3-6. Memory Bandwidth

  • Another notable difference is in memory bandwidth. The M4 chip boasts a memory bandwidth of 120Gbps, which is a significant enhancement over the M3's 100Gbps. This improvement allows for faster data transfer and overall better performance.

4. Device Integration

  • 4-1. Devices Featuring the M4 Chip

  • As of now, the M4 chip is exclusively found in the 2024 iPad Pro. This device has multiple configurations of the M4 chip, including variations in memory and storage capacities. Specifically, models with 256GB and 512GB storage come with three high-performance CPU cores and six efficiency cores, as well as 8GB of RAM. Meanwhile, the 1TB and 2TB models feature the M4 with all four high-performance CPU cores enabled and come with 16GB of RAM. Every M4 iPad Pro includes a 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine, and offers 120GB/s of memory bandwidth.

  • 4-2. M3 Chip Device Comparisons

  • The M3 chip, a predecessor to the M4, is found in various devices including the 14-inch MacBook Pro, 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air, and the 24-inch iMac. Unlike the M4, the M3 has not appeared in any iPad models. The M3 configurations include an 8-core CPU (four performance cores and four efficiency cores), with either an 8-core or 10-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine.

5. Performance Analysis

  • 5-1. Benchmark Results

  • Apple's M4 chip has turned up on benchmarking website Geekbench. The M4 achieved a score of 9,234 in the website’s ML 0.6.0 test, which measures machine learning capabilities. This score is about 23% higher than the M2 and around 10% better than the M3.

  • 5-2. Real-World Performance

  • Currently, the M4 chip is only present in the 2024 iPad Pro. The information about its real-world performance is rather limited, yet it has shown incremental changes rather than seismic improvements when compared to the M3. Factors like active cooling and larger internal space in Macs can significantly affect the performance when the chip is used in those devices.

  • 5-3. Machine Learning Capabilities

  • Apple's M4 chip can perform 38 trillion operations per second (TOPS) with the INT8 data type, making it more powerful than any neural processing unit in any AI PC as of now. The M3, by comparison, hits 18 TOPS at FP16 precision, which once equalized to INT8, reflects a 5% improvement in favor of the M4.

  • 5-4. Gaming and Graphical Performance

  • The M4 brings hardware-accelerated ray tracing to the iPad for the first time. However, the number of AAA iPad games that can take advantage of ray tracing is currently limited. The inclusion of Dynamic Caching and mesh shading in the M4 iPad Pro, which were already present in the M3 series, adds to the graphical capabilities.

  • 5-5. AI-driven Features and Applications

  • The M4 chip includes the same advanced AI features like dynamic caching, mesh shading, and hardware-accelerated ray tracing that were introduced in the M3 series. Despite this, Apple's M4 is a subtle improvement over the M3 rather than a monumental leap. Notably, the M4’s second-generation 3nm manufacturing process offers small improvements in efficiency and output.

6. Market Impact and Consumer Considerations

  • 6-1. Pricing and Availability

  • The prices for the 2024 iPad Pro models vary significantly based on storage and RAM configurations. The storage options include 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB. The lower storage models (256GB and 512GB) come with 8GB of RAM, while the higher storage models (1TB and 2TB) include 16GB of RAM. There is a notable price jump from the 512GB to 1TB model, reflecting the increased specifications. In addition, the iPads have a 120GB/s memory bandwidth irrespective of the RAM size. The Wi-Fi-only models start at $999, but additional costs arise for 5G connectivity ($200) and nano-texture glass displays ($100).

  • 6-2. RAM and Storage Scalability

  • Apple's 2024 iPad Pros come with a variation in RAM and storage that impacts performance capabilities. The 256GB and 512GB models are equipped with 8GB of RAM and a nine-core CPU configuration. Conversely, the 1TB and 2TB models have 16GB of RAM and the full ten-core CPU. This segmentation is designed to provide varying performance levels based on the user's storage and RAM needs, reflecting that higher performance is tied to higher storage capacities.

  • 6-3. Efficiency and Battery Life

  • The M4 chip used in the 2024 iPad Pro models is expected to provide improved power efficiency compared to its predecessors. The M4 chipset, fabricated on TSMC's N3E node, is claimed to offer 1.5 times higher CPU performance than the M2 while maintaining lower power consumption. This enhancement is significant for users who require extended battery life for their professional and creative tasks.

  • 6-4. Consumer Use Cases

  • The division in RAM and CPU core configuration within the 2024 iPad Pro models directly affects their suitability for different consumer use cases. For professionals engaged in demanding creative tasks, the 1TB and 2TB models with 16GB of RAM and ten-core CPU configuration would be more appropriate. For general users, the lower-tiered models with 8GB of RAM and a nine-core CPU might suffice. This differentiation ensures that users can select a model based on their specific needs and budget considerations.

  • 6-5. Comparison with Industry Competitors

  • Compared to industry competitors, Apple's M4 chip positions the 2024 iPad Pro models as strong contenders in the AI processing domain. The M4's 10-core GPU and a 16-core NPU (Neural Processing Unit) offer 38 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) of AI compute power, placing it ahead in terms of AI capabilities. This makes the iPad Pro with the M4 chip a robust competitor against devices powered by processors from companies like OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and Meta.

7. Glossary

  • 7-1. Apple M4 Chip [Technology]

  • The Apple M4 chip is a system on a chip (SoC) that enhances power efficiency and performance with improvements in CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine capabilities. It is featured in the 2024 iPad Pro, promising better AI features and graphical performance.

  • 7-2. Apple M3 Chip [Technology]

  • The predecessor to the M4, the M3 chip introduced a new 3nm manufacturing process that improved performance and efficiency over the M2. The M3 is still present in several MacBook and iMac models.

  • 7-3. Neural Engine [Technology]

  • A specialized component within Apple's silicon that accelerates AI and machine learning tasks. In the M4, the Neural Engine can perform 38 trillion operations per second, enhancing AI functionality significantly over the M3.

  • 7-4. Dynamic Caching [Technology]

  • A feature in the M4 GPU that allocates local memory dynamically in hardware, improving GPU performance for demanding applications. First introduced in the M3 series.

  • 7-5. Display Engine [Technology]

  • The new component in the M4, designed to manage OLED displays with high precision, color accuracy, and brightness uniformity, integral to the performance of the 2024 iPad Pro’s Ultra Retina XDR display.

8. Conclusion

  • The Apple M4 chip offers incremental yet significant improvements over the M3, particularly in CPU and neural engine performance. However, consumer decisions will depend heavily on specific use cases, budget considerations, and the anticipated real-world performance boost.

9. Source Documents