Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Apple - M4 | Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 16800 | 11400 |
| L3 cache | 16 MB | 12 MB |
| Cores | 10 | 8 |
| Boost clock | 4.4 GHz | 5.0 GHz |
| TDP | 22 W | 30 W |
Between the M4 and Core Ultra 7 268V, the M4 comes out ahead in cinebench r23 (multi) / l3 cache, while the Core Ultra 7 268V wins on boost clock. Overall, the M4 scores 45.9 and the Core Ultra 7 268V scores 45 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (45.9 vs 45). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the M4 if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. The biggest gaps in its favor are cinebench r23 (multi), l3 cache, cores, among others. The single most decisive one: Cinebench R23 (multi) — 47.37% more. 16800 vs 11400.
Pick the Core Ultra 7 268V if you care most about boost clock. Its strongest claims are boost clock. The single most decisive one: Boost clock — 13.64% more. 5.0 GHz vs 4.4 GHz.
There are no meaningful ties on the headline specs — every popular-comparison metric has a winner.
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 - M4 or Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V?
Apple - M4 leads the current Mars Score by 0.9 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare cores, boost clock, tdp against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Apple - M4 if…
Apple - M4 has the measurable edge on cinebench r23 multi, cache l3 mb, core count.
Choose Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V if…
Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V has the measurable edge on boost clock ghz.
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 - M4 wins
- ▲Cinebench R23 (multi) — 47.37% more. 16800 vs 11400.
- ▲L3 cache — 33.33% more. 16 MB vs 12 MB.
- ▲Cores — 25.00% more. 10 vs 8.
- ▲TDP — 8.00 W less. 22 vs 30.
Why Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V wins
- ▲Boost clock — 13.64% more. 5.0 GHz vs 4.4 GHz.
Spec comparison
Cores
| Spec | Apple - M4 | Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V |
|---|---|---|
| Coresⓘ | 10lead | 8 |
| Threadsⓘ | 10lead | 8 |
| Base clockⓘ | 0 GHz | 2.2 GHzlead |
| Boost clockⓘ | 4.4 GHz | 5.0 GHzlead |
| L3 cacheⓘ | 16 MBlead | 12 MB |
Platform
| Spec | Apple - M4 | Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V |
|---|---|---|
| Socketⓘ | Soldered | BGA2833 |
| TDPⓘ | 22 Wlead | 30 W |
| Integrated graphicsⓘ | true | true |
| DDR5ⓘ | true | true |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple - M4 | Intel - Core Ultra 7 268V |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi)ⓘ | 16800lead | 11400 |
| Cinebench R23 (single)ⓘ | 2110lead | 1860 |