Geekbench 6 Score Comparison: Apple M3 versus M4 Chips
Apple’s M3 and M4 chip families include Base, Pro, and Max variants. Below is a comparison of their Geekbench 6 performance scores, spanning single-core CPU, multi-core CPU, and Metal (GPU) benchmarks:
| Chip | Single-Core Score | Multi-Core Score | Metal GPU Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| M3 (Base) | 3,079 | 11,553 | 47,981 |
| M3 Pro | 3,113 | 15,287 | 74,177 |
| M3 Max | 3,128 | 20,956 | 143,694 |
| M4 (Base) | 3,795 | 14,602 | 57,049 |
| M4 Pro | 3,846 | 22,282 | 112,173 |
| M4 Max | 4,060 | 26,675 | 180,211 |
Upgrade from M3 to M4: Pros and Cons
The raw numbers above highlight substantial performance gains moving from the M3 generation to the M4 generation.
Single Core - M3 vs M4
Multi Core - M3 vs M4
GPU Metal - M3 vs M4
Overview
In particular, the flagship M4 Max chip boasts roughly 30% higher single-core and 27% higher multi-core scores than last year’s M3 Max. Even the base M4 sees about a 20–25% jump in CPU performance over the base M3, both in single and multi-core results. GPU performance has leapt ahead as well — for example, the M4 Max’s Metal score is about 25% higher than the M3 Max’s, reflecting Apple’s improved GPU architecture and core counts. These improvements translate to faster load times, smoother multitasking, and better graphics throughput for media and gaming.
Pros of upgrading from M3 to M4
The M4 Macs offer a significant performance uplift that power users will appreciate. For CPU-intensive workflows, the multi-core boost is especially pronounced on the high-end models — the M4 Pro’s CPU, for instance, scores ~45% higher in Geekbench multi-core than the M3 Pro. This means heavy tasks like 4K video rendering, code compilation, or data analysis run notably faster.
Everyday Tasks
The single-core improvements (~20–30% gen-over-gen in many cases) make everyday tasks snappier as well. Another major advantage is the jump in graphics performance. The M4 Max’s 40-core GPU not only outpaces the M3 Max by a wide margin, but even approaches the performance of Apple’s much larger M2 and M3 Ultra chips. For users working in 3D modeling, video effects, or playing games, the M4 series’ enhanced Metal scores indicate a tangible improvement in frame rates and rendering times. In short, upgrading to an M4 Mac yields cutting-edge performance that can extend the machine’s useful life for years, which is a compelling upside for professionals and enthusiasts.
Cons or considerations
Despite the performance gains, an upgrade from an M3 to an M4 Mac may not be necessary for everyone. The M3 generation Macs from last year are still very powerful, and many users might find the M3’s performance “good enough” for their needs. If your workflows don’t consistently push the limits of the M3, the real-world benefit of the M4’s extra horsepower might be modest.
It’s also worth noting (again) that the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips were only a minor step up from their M2 Pro/Max predecessors. Apple reduced the number of high-performance cores in the M3 Pro (6 performance cores vs. 8 in the M2 Pro) and even cut its memory bandwidth by 25% compared to M2 Pro. As a result, the M3 Pro ended up only ~6–7% faster in multi-core CPU performance than an M2 Pro, and in certain graphics or memory-heavy tasks it could actually perform worse than the prior generation. The M3 Max did see bigger gains over M2 Max in CPU speed, but its GPU improvement was relatively small. (So if you’re a M2 Pro/Max user, this comparison could apply to you as well.)
This context means that if you already own an M3 Pro/Max machine, you experienced a relatively modest gen-to-gen upgrade last cycle — and jumping to an M4, while a bigger leap, might feel like catching up to where the M2 ➔ M3 jump should have been.
From a cost perspective, upgrading yearly can be expensive, and those with an M3 Mac might consider waiting another cycle unless they genuinely need the extra performance. In summary, an M4 Mac will undoubtedly be faster, but the decision to upgrade should weigh whether your current M3 is truly a bottleneck in your work, or if it can serve you well for another year or two.
Overall, Apple’s M4 chips deliver impressive improvements in line with the company’s claims and more substantial year-over-year gains than we saw in the M2-to-M3 transition. The Geekbench 6 scores underscore the M4’s strengths in both CPU and GPU areas — great news for those craving top-notch performance. However, the previous generation M3 Macs are far from obsolete.
The choice to upgrade from M3 to M4 ultimately comes down to your performance needs and budget: if you demand the best and want the longer runway of performance headroom, the M4 machines will not disappoint; if your M3 is already handling everything you throw at it, sticking with it for now is a perfectly reasonable decision.
