Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Apple - M3 Max | Apple - M4 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 26800 | 29800 |
| Boost clock | 4.05 GHz | 4.5 GHz |
| TDP | 60 W | 55 W |
Between the M3 Max and M4 Max, the M3 Max comes out ahead in several specs, while the M4 Max wins on cinebench r23 (multi) / boost clock. Overall, the M3 Max scores 50 and the M4 Max scores 52.3 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (50 vs 52.3). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
The M3 Max does not pull ahead on any single popular-comparison spec — its strengths sit in the spec-table groups rather than the headline advantages.
Pick the M4 Max if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. Its strongest claims are cinebench r23 (multi), boost clock, tdp. The single most decisive one: Cinebench R23 (multi) — 11.19% more. 29800 vs 26800.
Both ship with comparable cores, l3 cache, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Apple - M3 Max or Apple - M4 Max?
Apple - M4 Max leads the current Mars Score by 2.3 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare boost clock, tdp against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Apple - M3 Max if…
Apple - M3 Max does not lead a decisive measured field here, so choose it for price, ecosystem, design, or availability when those matter more to you.
Choose Apple - M4 Max if…
Apple - M4 Max has the measurable edge on cinebench r23 multi, boost clock ghz, tdp w.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Apple - M3 Max wins
- No decisive advantages.
Why Apple - M4 Max wins
- ▲Cinebench R23 (multi) — 11.19% more. 29800 vs 26800.
- ▲Boost clock — 11.11% more. 4.5 GHz vs 4.05 GHz.
- ▲TDP — 5.00 W less. 55 vs 60.
Spec comparison
Cores
| Spec | Apple - M3 Max | Apple - M4 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Coresⓘ | 16 | 16 |
| Threadsⓘ | 16 | 16 |
| Base clockⓘ | 0 GHz | 0 GHz |
| Boost clockⓘ | 4.05 GHz | 4.5 GHzlead |
| L3 cacheⓘ | 32 MB | 32 MB |
Platform
| Spec | Apple - M3 Max | Apple - M4 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Socketⓘ | Soldered | Soldered |
| TDPⓘ | 60 W | 55 Wlead |
| Integrated graphicsⓘ | true | true |
| DDR5ⓘ | true | true |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple - M3 Max | Apple - M4 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi)ⓘ | 26800 | 29800lead |
| Cinebench R23 (single)ⓘ | 2100 | 2280lead |