Between the M4 and Ryzen 5 9600, the M4 comes out ahead in cores and tdp, while the Ryzen 5 9600 wins on l3 cache and boost clock. Overall, the M4 scores 45.9 and the Ryzen 5 9600 scores 48 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (45.9 vs 48). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the M4 if you care most about cores and tdp. The biggest gaps in its favor are cores, tdp.
Pick the Ryzen 5 9600 if you care most about l3 cache and boost clock. Its strongest claims are l3 cache, boost clock.
Both ship with comparable cinebench r23 (multi), so those specs don't 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 tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why Apple - M4 wins
- ▲Cores — 66.67% more. 10 vs 6.
- ▲TDP — 43.00 W less. 22 vs 65.
Why AMD - Ryzen 5 9600 wins
- ▲L3 cache — 100.00% more. 32 MB vs 16 MB.
- ▲Boost clock — 18.18% more. 5.2 GHz vs 4.4 GHz.
Spec comparison
Cores
| Spec | Apple - M4 | AMD - Ryzen 5 9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Coresⓘ | 10lead | 6 |
| Threadsⓘ | 10 | 12lead |
| Base clockⓘ | 0 GHz | 3.8 GHzlead |
| Boost clockⓘ | 4.4 GHz | 5.2 GHzlead |
| L3 cacheⓘ | 16 MB | 32 MBlead |
Platform
| Spec | Apple - M4 | AMD - Ryzen 5 9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Socketⓘ | Soldered | AM5 |
| TDPⓘ | 22 Wlead | 65 W |
| Integrated graphicsⓘ | true | true |
| DDR5ⓘ | true | true |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple - M4 | AMD - Ryzen 5 9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cinebench R23 (multi)ⓘ | 16800 | 16800 |
| Cinebench R23 (single)ⓘ | 2110lead | 2080 |
Frequently asked
Spec-level deep dives
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