M4 MacBook Air GPU Benchmark Leak Reveals Only 5% Performance Difference Compared to Base M4 MacBook Pro

Apple is gearing up to launch the 13-inch and 15-inch variants of the M4 MacBook Air, with the anticipated release set for as early as March. As the countdown to the official unveiling progresses, early benchmark results have surfaced, providing a glimpse into the performance of these new machines. Interestingly, despite both models being equipped with the same Apple Silicon, the benchmarks reveal only minor differences compared to the base M4 MacBook Pro.

Benchmark Insights: M4 MacBook Air Configuration and Performance

The recent leak from Geekbench 6 indicates that the M4 MacBook Air, identified as Mac16, 12, is outfitted with a system-on-chip (SoC) configuration that includes four performance cores and six power-efficient cores. Currently, there is no indication that a 9-core CPU version will be available, which aligns with the current specifications being discussed. This model is noted for its inclusion of 24GB of unified RAM, with the performance cores reportedly peaking at 4.41GHz, marking the highest operating frequency recorded for the M4 series.

M4 MacBook Air Geekbench 6 Metal benchmark results

What’s particularly intriguing is that the M4 MacBook Air appeared in the Geekbench 6 database with a focus on Metal 6 results rather than compute benchmarks. While there remains a discernible performance gap compared to the standard M4 MacBook Pro, the discrepancy is marginal. The latest score for the M4 MacBook Air was recorded at 54, 806, indicating it is approximately 5% slower than the higher-end MacBook Pro model.

Comparison of M4 MacBook Air and M4 MacBook Pro

Several factors could account for this minor performance variance, particularly since the M4 MacBook Air boasts a fan-less design, potentially placing it at a disadvantage compared to the M4 MacBook Pro, which is equipped with a cooling fan. Furthermore, the benchmark was not specifically designed to evaluate sustained workloads or extensively stress the GPU, suggesting that actual performance may align closely once the devices are commercially available.

If you’re considering a purchase before the arrival of the M4 MacBook Air, the base model of the M4 MacBook Pro is available for just $1, 399 on Amazon, benefitting from a $200 discount. This configuration comes with a 10-core CPU, a 10-core GPU, 16GB of unified RAM, and a 512GB storage option.

For ongoing updates, check the details from the Geekbench 6 database.

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