Apple M4 Pro 14 Cores: CPU and 20-Core GPU Performance

The Apple M4 Pro 14 Cores was introduced on October 30, 2024, and the first computers equipped with it went on sale on November 8. The chip features a 14-core CPU with 10 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores, a 20-core GPU, and memory bandwidth of 273 GB/s. Compared with the M3 Pro, multithreaded performance increased by more than 45%, and in some CPU tests the M4 Pro even surpassed the 16-core M3 Max.

The processor was used in the 2024 MacBook Pro 14, MacBook Pro 16, and Mac mini. In 2026, it was succeeded by the M5 Pro.

Architecture and CPU

The M4 Pro is manufactured using TSMC’s second-generation 3nm process. The main change compared with the M3 Pro is the increase in performance cores from 6 to 10, while the number of efficiency cores was reduced from 6 to 4.

The performance cores reach a maximum frequency of approximately 4.5 GHz, compared with 4.1 GHz for the M3 Pro. Together with the architectural changes, this delivered a 24% increase in single-threaded performance in Cinebench 2024.

In multithreaded workloads, the M4 Pro already competes with the 16-core M3 Max. However, the performance increase was accompanied by higher power consumption. In Notebookcheck’s multithreaded tests, the M4 Pro reached up to 46 W before subsequently dropping to approximately 40 W.

CPU Benchmarks: M4 Pro vs. M3 Pro, M3 Max, and M4 Max

The comparison uses results from specific MacBook Pro models in Geekbench 6, Cinebench R23, and Cinebench 2024.

Newer versions of Geekbench 6, starting with version 6.3, use SME matrix instructions supported by the M4 generation. This affects comparisons with the M3, so Geekbench results should be considered alongside Cinebench 2024.

Compared with the M3 Pro, the higher-end M4 Pro is 46% faster in Geekbench 6 Multi-Core, 55% faster in Cinebench R23, and 57% faster in Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core.

The results are closer when compared with the M3 Max. The M4 Pro scores 6% higher in Geekbench 6 Multi-Core and 8% higher in Cinebench 2024, but trails by 2.5% in Cinebench R23. Both processors were tested in 14-inch MacBook Pro models.

The M4 Max with 12 performance cores is 21% faster than the M4 Pro in Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core and 14% faster in Geekbench 6 Multi-Core.

The cooling system also affects the results. In Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core, the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 Pro scored 1,729 points, compared with 1,662 points for the 14-inch model-a difference of 4%.

Graphics: M4 Pro vs. M3 Pro and M4 Max

The higher-end M4 Pro features a 20-core GPU with hardware ray tracing, Dynamic Caching, and mesh shading support.

In Wild Life Extreme Unlimited, the M4 Pro’s graphics performance is 33% ahead of the M3 Pro, while its advantage increases to 52% in Cinebench 2024 GPU.

However, the M4 Max with its 40-core GPU is 94% faster than the M4 Pro in Wild Life Extreme Unlimited and 74% faster in Cinebench 2024 GPU.

H.264, HEVC, and ProRes exports use specialized media engine blocks, so increasing the number of GPU cores does not provide a proportional speedup in every video-editing workload.

M4 Pro with 12 or 14 Cores: Is the Upgrade Worth It?

The M4 Pro was released in two configurations. The lower-end version features a 12-core CPU-8 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores-and a 16-core GPU. The higher-end version has a 14-core CPU and a 20-core GPU.

The difference in Geekbench 6 Single-Core is approximately 2%. In multithreaded tests and graphics workloads, the higher-end version has a significantly larger advantage.

The 3DMark Steel Nomad Light results were obtained using Metal.

At launch, the premium for the 14-core M4 Pro was $200. In the Mac mini, upgrading from the 12/16 configuration to the 14/20 configuration increased the price from $1,399 to $1,599 with the same 24 GB of memory and 512 GB SSD.

For the 14-inch MacBook Pro with 24 GB of memory and a 1 TB SSD, the difference was also $200: $2,199 versus $2,399.

The two configurations are close in single-threaded performance. The higher-end version is 10-26% faster in multithreaded tests and 14-17% faster in graphics tests. The largest difference, in Cinebench R23, demonstrates the advantage of the additional performance cores under sustained load.

The MacBook Pro 16 was not released with the 12-core M4 Pro. This model was equipped from the start with a 14-core CPU and a 20-core GPU.

Memory, Local LLMs, and Video Editing

The M4 Pro has memory bandwidth of 273 GB/s, compared with 150 GB/s for the M3 Pro. The integrated graphics use the same memory as the CPU.

The MacBook Pro with the M4 Pro supported up to 48 GB of unified memory, while the Mac mini supported up to 64 GB.

The 64 GB configuration can run larger quantized language models than the 24 GB or 48 GB versions. Memory bandwidth affects generation speed, especially when performance is limited by reading the model’s weights.

The M5 generation introduced specialized Neural Accelerators in its GPU cores. The M4 Pro does not have them, although its GPU supports compute through Metal, while the Neural Engine is used for compatible machine-learning workloads.

The M4 Pro’s media engine provides hardware encoding and decoding for H.264, HEVC, and ProRes, accelerates ProRes RAW processing, and supports AV1 decoding.

Devices and Prices

At launch in November 2024, the M4 Pro 14 Cores was offered in three Mac models. A MacBook Pro with the M4 Max is included for comparison.

The prices are listed in US dollars and reflect the launch prices of the respective configurations.

Is the M4 Pro Worth Buying in 2026?

In March 2026, Apple began selling MacBook Pro models with the M5 Pro, and in September it released the Mac mini with the same processor.

The M5 Pro features up to 18 CPU cores, up to 20 GPU cores, and memory bandwidth of 307 GB/s. Its GPU cores include Neural Accelerators for speeding up supported machine-learning workloads.

At launch, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro started at $2,199, while the Mac mini started at $1,699. These are the prices of the base configurations of the new generation, which differ from the M4 Pro 14/20 in core counts and configuration.

At comparable prices, the M5 Pro is preferable for multithreaded computing and supported AI workloads. The M4 Pro should be compared with it based on its actual price, especially on the used market.

The Mac mini with 64 GB of memory is a separate case. For running large local language models, it may be more useful than a new computer with 24 GB if the model does not fit in the smaller amount of memory.

Conclusion

The Apple M4 Pro 14 Cores significantly outperforms the M3 Pro: multithreaded performance is 46-57% higher, while the integrated graphics are 33-52% faster in the tests considered.

In CPU benchmarks, the M4 Pro comes close to the 16-core M3 Max and surpasses it in some tests. The M4 Max remains 14-21% faster in multithreaded workloads and 74-94% faster in graphics tests.

The difference between the M4 Pro 12 and 14 Cores is 10-26% in multithreaded tests and 14-17% in graphics tests. With a $200 launch premium, the higher-end configuration provided two additional CPU cores and four additional GPU cores.

In 2026, buying the M4 Pro 14 Cores is primarily justified when it is available at a significant discount compared with the M5 Pro.