Binned M4-Pro

[Gabebear]

The Mac mini has a binned M4-Pro option... There aren't any benchmarks I can find yet, but seems like it's a good deal if you would like the double-speed Thunderbolt and better support for large monitors over the regular M4.

I've ordered one, but I wonder what the actual performance downsides will be over the unbinned version. Unlike the M4-Max Apple is allowing any memory config on the binned M4-Pro.

I have two 5K monitors and likely want to add more high-speed storage later.

 

[Andrey84]

What does "binned M4-Pro" mean?

 

[MacCheetah3]

With simple math, it’s a ~16% increase of CPU cores and 25% of GPU cores. However, that assumes perfect scaling and full utilization. Realistically, I’d guess <15% difference. Again, that also depends if you’re actually pushing each processor to its limits.

What does "binned M4-Pro" mean?

Explainer: What is Chip Binning?

You bought a new CPU and it seems to run cool, so you try a bit of overclocking. The GHz climb higher. Did you hit the silicon...

www.techspot.com

 

[Gabebear]

What does "binned M4-Pro" mean?

A “binned M4-Pro” is the M4-Pro with some CPU and GPU cores disabled. “Binning” is when you take slightly defective CPUs and disable the defective parts.

CPUs are designed so they can be binned into different categories. Sometimes perfectly manufactured CPUs have capabilities disabled to make different price points or make them to use less power.

The M4 in the iPad is a binned version where Macs are getting a higher core version.

Many apps can’t use multiple CPUs effectively(they have single thread tasks). The marginal loss of CPU cores generally isn’t a noticeable where having individually fast CPU cores often is.

Losing GPU cores is different. Graphics tasks are generally able to be spread across multiple cores, so the graphics performance does take a noticeable hit.

Apple hasn’t binned the memory support on the M4-Pro(they did on the M4-Max), or the IO support; the M4-Pro supports TB5, which the base M4 doesn’t.

 

[Andrey84]

@Gabebear @MacCheetah3, thanks!

So, this is the binned M4 Pro?

 

[MacCheetah3]

@Gabebear @MacCheetah3, thanks!

So, this is the binned M4 Pro?

View attachment 2447089

Yes.

 

[riptilian]

Enlightening, succinct and practical thread. Thank you all.

 

[MacCheetah3]

There aren't any benchmarks I can find yet

Via Tom’s Hardware, there appear to be Geekbench 6 scores for a few M4 variants.

Geekbench Search - Geekbench

Skimming over the numbers, I settled on these averages for multithreaded/multi-core scores:

M4 (10-core): 14700
M4 Pro (14-core): 22600
M4 Max (16-core): 25700

The potential performance differences from the base M4 or the M4 Pro is up to ~55%.
The M4 Pro to M4 Max is an ~15% increase. The noted Pro and Max, basically, vary by two performance cores, which is the same basic difference between the two M4 Pro offerings. Therefore, we can guesstimate that ~15% increase.

Using U.S. pricing, the cost difference is $1,399 vs. $1,599 (when only choosing the CPU upgrade). That cost differences is ~14%. So, not a bad price as you’re paying for… Well.. What you’re getting or rather what you could benefit.

With all said, including the generally fair value conclusion...

I've ordered one, but I wonder what the actual performance downsides will be over the unbinned version.

Again, ultimately, that will depend if your workflow/usage is an any way near being limited by the CPU (a.k.a. “CPU bottleneck).

 

[Gabebear]

Via Tom’s Hardware, there appear to be Geekbench 6 scores for a few M4 variants.

M4 (10-core): 14700
M4 Pro (14-core): 22600
M4 Max (16-core): 25700

The M4-Pro has double the memory bandwidth of the normal M4; which I'm guessing has a lot to do with the benchmark scores. I want to know the relative difference of the two M4-Pro variants.

The M3-Pro also had binned versions and the CPU benchmarked about 90% of the un-binned version and the GPU benchmarked about 80% of the un-binned version. IF those relative differences are the same for the M4-Pro then the binned version will be just very slightly slower than the M2-Ultra and faster than the M3-Max