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Apple M4 Max
Apple · CPU · M4

Apple M4 Max — Benchmarks & Specs

2024
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Bottom line: how fast is the Apple M4 Max?

At 1080p Ultra, the Apple M4 Max averages 84 fps in Cyberpunk 2077, per Notebookcheck. For local LLM inference it generates 12.5 tokens/sec running llama3.1:70b at q4_K_M under llama.cpp on a machine with 128 GB of unified memory (46.2 GB peak use), per Markaicode. Unified memory is the binding constraint for local inference: the Apple M4 Max ships in configurations of up to 128 GB, per the manufacturer spec sheet, and a 70B model at q4_K_M needs roughly 42 GB for its weights alone (70B parameters at ~4.85 bits per weight, per llama.cpp), so it runs only on configurations with more unified memory than that. In PassMark CPU Mark it scores 44,003 pts, per PassMark.

Every figure above is a row in the tables below, and each row links out to the review or public benchmark database the number was taken from; the memory ceiling and the weight-size estimate are not table rows and link to their sources inline. SpecPicks aggregates published measurements; it does not report first-party benchmark runs.

The Apple M4 Max is a processor from the M4 family released in 2024 from Apple. Key on-paper specs include 16 CPU cores, 40 GPU cores, up to 128 GB of unified memory, 546 GB/s of memory bandwidth. Data on this page draws on 24 synthetic benchmark results (top 10 shown), 20 community AI inference reports (top 12 shown), 10 game frame-rate results, compiled from Notebookcheck, llama.cpp GitHub Discussions, LLMCheck, AppleInsider, Geekbench Browser, LocalLLaMA, Markaicode, Tweaktown, MacGamingDB, Nanoreview/PassMark, PassMark, Tom's Hardware; each table row links to its source. Read this page when shopping the Apple M4 Max, comparing it against other processors in your build, or sizing it for a specific workload (gaming at 1080p/1440p/4K, synthetic benchmark scores, or local LLM inference).

Gaming Performance (reported FPS)

Average and 1% low frame rates by game, resolution, and quality preset. Bars are scaled against the fastest result on this page.

Gaming frame rates for the Apple M4 Max by game, resolution, and quality preset. Rows from aggregator sites are estimates, not measured runs, dated by when SpecPicks fetched them. “1% low” is the frame-time floor that determines perceived smoothness. Each row links to its original review or benchmark database.
Game Resolution Settings Relative Avg FPS 1% low Source
Cyberpunk 2077 2560x1600 Ultra MetalFX Balanced 110 fps — Tweaktown 2025-08-04
Baldur's Gate 3 1080p Ultra 99 fps — Notebookcheck 2024-12-11
Cyberpunk 2077 1080p High 96 fps — Notebookcheck 2025-11-20
Cyberpunk 2077 1080p Ultra 84 fps — Notebookcheck 2025-11-20
Baldur's Gate 3 1080p High FSR Quality 80 fps — MacGamingDB 2026-07-13
Cyberpunk 2077 2560x1600 RT Medium RT on MetalFX Performance 58 fps — Tweaktown 2025-08-04
Assassin's Creed Shadows 1080p High 50 fps — Notebookcheck 2025-11-20
Cyberpunk 2077 1440p RT Ultra RT on MetalFX 37 fps — Notebookcheck 2025-11-20
Cyberpunk 2077 4K Ultra MetalFX Quality 34 fps — Notebookcheck 2025-11-20
Assassin's Creed Shadows 1080p Ultra High 30 fps — Notebookcheck 2025-11-20

AI Inference Performance

Tokens per second under each model + quantization. Higher = faster generation. Bars compare runs across the same model.

Local LLM inference throughput on the Apple M4 Max, in generated tokens per second for a single request (one user's generation speed). Higher is better; each row links to the community report or benchmark database it came from.
Model Quantization Relative Tokens/sec VRAM used Source
llama3.1:8b — llama.cpp 1000.0 tok/s — llama.cpp GitHub Discussions 2024-11-18
qwen3.5:35b-a3b q4_K_M mlx 130.2 tok/s 20.0 GB markaicode.com 2026-07-10
llama2:7b q4_0 llama.cpp 83.1 tok/s — llama.cpp GitHub Discussion #4167 2024-11-15
Llama 3 8B Q4 MLX 64.0 tok/s — LLMCheck 2026-03-01
Mistral 7B Q8 MLX 55.0 tok/s — LLMCheck 2026-03-01
llama2:7b q8_0 llama.cpp 54.0 tok/s — llama.cpp GitHub Discussion #4167 2024-11-15
llama3.1:8b q4_K_M llama.cpp 51.2 tok/s 5.3 GB Markaicode 2026-05-25
Qwen 3 30B-A3B Q4 MLX 45.0 tok/s — LLMCheck 2026-03-01
qwen3.5:35b-a3b q4_K_M ollama 43.5 tok/s 20.0 GB markaicode.com 2026-07-10
llama2:7b FP16 llama.cpp 31.6 tok/s — llama.cpp GitHub Discussion #4167 2024-11-15
qwen3:0.6b Q4 ollama 31.0 tok/s — LocalLLaMA 2026-04-06
qwen3:97b Q5 llama.cpp 29.0 tok/s — LocalLLaMA 2026-04-13

Synthetic Benchmarks

Higher is better. Bars are scaled within each benchmark family (multi-thread, single-thread, etc.) so you can compare like-with-like at a glance.

Synthetic benchmark scores for the Apple M4 Max — higher is better. Each row links to the public database the number was taken from.
Benchmark Relative Score Source
PassMark CPU Mark 44,003 pts PassMark 2026-04-20
PassMark CPU Mark 44,002 points Nanoreview/PassMark 2024-12-01
PassMark CPU Mark 43,971 points PassMark Software 2026-06-11
Cinebench R23 multi 27,595 points Notebookcheck 2024-12-11
Cinebench R23 multi 27,108 points AppleInsider 2024-11-22
Geekbench 6 Multi-Core 26,675 points Tom's Hardware 2024-11-02
Geekbench 6 multi 26,629 points AppleInsider 2024-11-22
Geekbench 6 multi 25,760 points Geekbench Browser 2024-11-01
Geekbench 6 multi 25,760 points Notebookcheck 2026-01-08
Geekbench 6 Multi-Core (avg) 25,724 points Geekbench Browser 2025-01-01

Systems with the Apple M4 Max

Laptops and desktops that ship with the Apple M4 Max — whole systems, listed separately from the part itself.

Full Specifications

cpu cores16
gpu cores40
neural engine tops38
memory bandwidth gbps546
unified memory max gb128

Apple M4 Max — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Apple M4 Max best used for?
Apple M4 Max is a M4-family processor. Mainstream desktops and gaming builds are the typical workloads.
When was the Apple M4 Max released, and what was its launch MSRP?
Apple M4 Max was released in 2024. Its launch MSRP isn't on file.
Where do the Apple M4 Max benchmark numbers come from?
Each benchmark row on this page names its source (public benchmark databases such as TechPowerUp, PassMark, Geekbench and Cinebench, and community reports such as r/LocalLLaMA threads) and links to it, so every number can be checked against the original.
How many cores does the Apple M4 Max have, and how does it benchmark?
Core and thread counts for Apple M4 Max aren't on file. Synthetic benchmark results (PassMark CPU Mark, Cinebench, Geekbench) are in the Synthetic Benchmarks section.
Where can I buy the Apple M4 Max?
The Apple M4 Max isn't sold on its own in our catalog; the Systems section on this page links laptops and desktops that ship with it. SpecPicks earns a small affiliate commission on qualifying purchases.

Buying guides that rank the Apple M4 Max's class

This page is the raw performance data. The guides below turn it into a ranked pick for a specific build.

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Apple M4 Max
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