The new MacBook Pros equipped with the M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max chips were launched by Apple last week. If the first CPU benchmarks were more than satisfactory, notably surpassing the M2 Ultra chip, the GPU part had not really been pushed. But the results made via Blender Open Data confirm the impressive performance of the Max variant, in terms of Nvidia graphics cards.
Blender benchmarks demonstrate the graphics power of the M4 Max
M4 Max vs. Nvidia competitors
The SoC (System On Chip) M4 Max of Apple obtained an average score of 5208 out of 28 Blender GPU tests, which places it:
- Just below a RTX 4080 for laptops,
- Above a RTX 3080 Ti desktop,
- And above the RTX 4070 desktop.
These results are all the more remarkable since the M4 Max’s GPU is integrated directly into Apple’s chip, unlike Nvidia graphics cards like the RTX 3080 Ti and 4070, which are separate components requiring more space and performance. cooling in a desktop PC.
Here are the scores:
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090: 5360.75
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU: 5312.72
- Apple M4 Max (GPU – 40 cores): 5208.78
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti: 5185.48
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070: 5125.44
The limits of Nvidia’s best offers
However, the M4 Max does not yet compete with the most efficient models from the giant Nvidia. THE RTX 4090 for laptop displays an average score of 6863which is about 30% better than the M4 Max.
For users looking for the highest performance, for games or 3D computing for example, Nvidia remains in the lead. However, the M4 Max’s energy efficiency remains a major plus, consuming far less power than its Windows competitors. An unrivaled power/efficiency ratio, without forgetting its compactness.
Apple has not said its last word
Apple has not said its last word, since Tim Cook’s firm is preparing the useful variant of its latest generation of chips. A hypothetical chip M4 Ultracombining the power of two M4 Max, could outperform some Nvidia cards. This would make the next Mac Studio Or Mac Pro particularly interesting for demanding professionals. As an example, the RTX 4090 desktop achieved an average score of 10,880 on Blender.
Conclusion
The M4 Max of the MacBook Pro M4 represents an excellent compromise between performance and energy efficiency, especially for creatives looking for portability and integration. Although it does not outperform the best Nvidia cards, it allows you to play AAA games without blinking, including the future Cyberpunk 2077 announced for early 2025.
