Apple M4 3nm Chip Launched with Up to 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, hardware-accelerated ray tracing

During its 'Let Loose' event, Apple unveiled the M4, the latest ARM-based SoC succeeding the M3 series introduced last October. Utilizing second-generation 3-nanometer process technology, it boasts over 28 billion transistors and offers a unified memory bandwidth of up to 120 GB/s.

Sporting up to a 10-core CPU, including 4 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores, the M4 delivers a 50% faster CPU performance compared to its predecessor, the M2. Its 10-core GPU is up to 4 times faster than the M2, featuring enhancements like Dynamic Caching and hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing, marking their debut on the iPad.

The chip debuts a novel display engine, ensuring exceptional precision, color accuracy, and uniform brightness on the Ultra Retina XDR display, achieved by fusing the light from two OLED panels. Apple claims that pro rendering applications such as Octane will experience up to 4 times faster performance than with the M2, thanks to the increased unified memory bandwidth.

In terms of power efficiency, the M4 can deliver equivalent performance using only half the power compared to the M2. Compared to the latest PC chip found in thin and light laptops, the M4 can achieve the same performance with just a quarter of the power, according to Apple.

The M4 Neural Engine is a standout feature, capable of handling 38 trillion operations per second, marking a massive leap in performance compared to the first Neural Engine in the A11 Bionic.

Availability -

Availability-wise, the Apple M4 will debut in the new iPad Pro unveiled during the event. More M4 chips are expected to join the lineup later this year, likely powering future MacBooks.