MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4, 2024) assessment: Current Windows PCs might be green with envy
The recently released 14-inch MacBook Pro, equipped with the Apple M4 chip, has been making waves in the tech world, outperforming Windows laptops powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processors in single-core and GPU performance, while also providing very strong battery life.
### Performance Comparison
The Apple M4 chip, with its 10 cores and 4.46 GHz, has a 31% faster single-core CPU performance compared to the Snapdragon X Elite, with Geekbench v6 single-core scores of 3777 vs. 2880 respectively. The M4's integrated GPU is also significantly more powerful, offering 4.4 TFLOPS compared to the Snapdragon X Plus GPU's 1.7 TFLOPS, providing better graphics and 3D task performance.
Although Qualcomm's CPU has more physical cores and slightly higher theoretical memory bandwidth, the M4 supports quad-channel memory and 120GB/s memory bandwidth, optimising data throughput. Furthermore, the M4 is manufactured on a more advanced 3nm process, aiding efficiency and performance per watt.
### Battery Life Comparison
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip delivers about 18 hours and 32 minutes of battery life in tested scenarios, demonstrating excellent endurance for a high-performance laptop. Qualcomm Snapdragon laptops are known for efficiency, benefiting from ARM architecture, but specific battery life numbers for the Snapdragon X Elite in Windows laptops are not directly available in these results. However, Apple’s unified memory architecture and 3nm fabrication likely contribute to its efficient power use, giving it a probable edge in power efficiency despite Snapdragon’s ARM design.
### Summary
In a nutshell, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the Apple M4 chip delivers superior single-core performance and integrated graphics, along with very strong battery life, likely outperforming Windows laptops with Snapdragon X Elite processors in a balanced real-world use case. Snapdragon X Elite laptops might have advantages in raw multi-core processing potential and RAM capacity but lag behind in single-core speed, GPU power, and possibly efficiency.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro is available now, starting at $1,599 via Apple's official website. With its powerful performance, stunning display, and long battery life, the M4 MacBook Pro is a formidable contender in the high-performance laptop market.
- With its powerful single-core performance and integrated GPU, the 14-inch MacBook Pro outperforms Windows laptops with Snapdragon X Elite processors, as demonstrated by Geekbench v6 scores.
- The tech world is abuzz about the M4 chip's 4.4 TFLOPS graphics performance, besting the Snapdragon X Plus GPU by a significant margin for better graphics and 3D task performance.
- In terms of battery life, the 14-inch MacBook Pro boasts an impressive 18 hours and 32 minutes, surpassing the efficiency of Snapdragon-powered laptops without direct battery life comparisons.
- General-news and lifestyle websites cover the release of the versatile 14-inch MacBook Pro as Apple's latest innovation, touting its potential in the high-performance laptop market.
- As the tech scene eagerly awaits more streaming apps optimized for the Apple M4 chip, sports enthusiasts may soon enjoy smoother stream quality and faster-loading game graphics on their MacBook Pros.