M4 Max chip has 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU and 35% increase in memory bandwidth

Apple’s high-end laptop chip, the M4 Max, debuted today as part of the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro.

In its highest configuration, the M4 Max chip features a 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, and 546 GB/s of memory bandwidth. That compares to the M3 Max specs of 14-core CPU, 40-core GPU and 400 GB/s of memory bandwidth. Through a combination of more and faster cores, Apple says customers should expect a 20% overall performance jump with M4 Max, compared to M3 Max.

Apple is offering the M4 Max in two configurations for the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro. The base configuration has 14 CPU and 32 GPU cores, while the $300 upgraded model has the full 16 core and 40 core GPU spec.

Like the M4 Pro, M4 Max also supports Thunderbolt 5 for the fastest I/O ever in a Mac. Over Thunderbolt 5, your MacBook Pro can talk to peripherals at up to 120 Gb/s speeds.

Apple says the M4 Max is the fastest laptop chip in the world. It cites benchmarks that show CPU performance is up to 1.2x faster than last year’s M3 Max. Similarly, GPU performance is also quoted at 1.2x faster.

We’ll have to wait for official reviews to get more precise numbers and timings as to the performance jump this generation for the Max chip. At least based on Apple’s numbers, the increase is meaningful, although the jump from M3 Pro to M4 Pro will be more significant than the delta between the M3 Max and M4 Max.

The new MacBook Pro lineup is available to pre-order today, with first shipments beginning November 8.