M4 MacBook Air Benchmark Suggests GPU on Par With M4 iPad Pro

[MacRumors]

Graphics benchmarks for Apple's yet-to-be announced MacBook Air models with M4 processors have popped up on Geekbench, giving us an idea of how much faster the GPU component of Apple's second-generation 3-nanometer chips are compared to the existing M3 models.

A Geekbench 6 result listing for a "Mac16,12" was recorded on February 23 whose specs include a 10-core chip and 24GB of RAM. Notably, the machine is running a special 24C2101 build of macOS Sequoia 15.2 – the same version that Apple accidentally released back in December that originally confirmed the existence of next-generation 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models. This strongly suggests the benchmark is legit.

As for the result, the machine recorded a Metal score of 55,516. Scores for the existing 13-inch M4 iPad Pro are in the same ballpark, which we would expect. For added context, the existing M3 MacBook Air averages a Metal score of around 48-49,000.

Both the MacBook Air and iPad Pro lack fans for thermal management, so it makes sense that there would be little if any difference between the chips' graphics performance. For comparison, an M4 MacBook Pro with fans can average around ~57,000 on the same benchmark.

According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman's latest report, Apple is preparing its marketing, sales, and retail teams for a March launch of new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models. Gurman has previously said the new models will be released "within weeks." Apart from the new M4 chip, no other significant revisions are expected.

Article Link: M4 MacBook Air Benchmark Suggests GPU on Par With M4 iPad Pro

 

[Yimbaz]

Well... yeah?

 

[macbookj0e]

Is a shame it’s taken Apple so long to get these to the airs seeing as they were in the wild coming up to a year ago.

I’m tempted by a new air but don’t like the idea the tech is already so old!

 

[MayaUser]

Is a shame it’s taken Apple so long to get these to the airs seeing as they were in the wild coming up to a year ago.

I’m tempted by a new air but don’t like the idea the tech is already so old!

until " 2nm" from 2026, this is not old...old compared to what? M5 that will be an tok from tik tok
Since you want the Air..you look at M4 and not M4 Pro/Max so tech is kind of irrelevant when you look at the base Macs

 

[thefrost]

Release the damn M4 Macbook Air already Apple!

 

[turbineseaplane]

"GPU on Par With M4 iPad Pro"

Is that good?


"Apple is preparing its marketing, sales, and retail teams for a March launch of new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models."

M3
M4

"Ok .. we are ready ... release 'em!"

 

[Isengardtom]

until " 2nm" from 2026, this is not old...old compared to what? M5 that will be an tok from tik tok
Since you want the Air..you look at M4 and not M4 Pro/Max so tech is kind of irrelevant when you look at the base Macs

agreed for the MB Air.
I think they are waiting too long for the likes of the Mac Studio though

 

[Howard2k]

Is a shame it’s taken Apple so long to get these to the airs seeing as they were in the wild coming up to a year ago.

I’m tempted by a new air but don’t like the idea the tech is already so old!

There were no M4 MacBooks Airs in the wild a year ago. That was the M3.

 

[usersince86]

Ready to buy - let's go, Apple!

 

[Alwaysfindsaway]

Yet we can’t have anything like MacOS on iPad! 🙄

 

[Chancha]

Lemme guess, a pallet of 200 MacBook boxes somehow ended up in Russia early, again?

 

[mysticmanix]

There were no M4 MacBooks Airs in the wild a year ago. That was the M3.

He's saying it's already been almost a year since they debuted in the M4 ipad pro, thus the chip already almost being old tech

 

[arcite]

So....that'll equal a few more fps.

 

[kazmac]

I understand no fans since it's the Air. Yet I forget: Didn't Apple include some kind of heat sink or heat dissipation in the M4 iPad Pro?

 

[nostradumbass]

It’s not like people buy an Air to run Cyberpunk 2077, even when the macOS version comes out.

 

[mrhansolo]

Is a shame it’s taken Apple so long to get these to the airs seeing as they were in the wild coming up to a year ago.

I’m tempted by a new air but don’t like the idea the tech is already so old!

Yes, with the announcement of the MacPros in the refurb store a few weeks ago. I priced a 14" M4 Pro MacBook Pro with 24GB of RAM, versus a a 15" M3 Air (Using it as a price comparison until the M4's were announced), with 24GB RAM and there was so little difference that I just decided to to with the refurb pro. Definitely not unhappy with the decision.

 

[MacBH928]

wait , the ipad is more powerful now?

 

[MacBH928]

Yes, with the announcement of the MacPros in the refurb store a few weeks ago. I priced a 14" M4 Pro MacBook Pro with 24GB of RAM, versus a a 15" M3 Air (Using it as a price comparison until the M4's were announced), with 24GB RAM and there was so little difference that I just decided to to with the refurb pro. Definitely not unhappy with the decision.

why do you need 24GB ram? do you do 3D games?

 

[svish]

Good to know. Chips are same and both lack a fan and hence similar performance is to be expected. Waiting to see the new laptop. Will be nice if there is a new colour option.

 

[sw1tcher]

I understand no fans since it's the Air. Yet I forget: Didn't Apple include some kind of heat sink or heat dissipation in the M4 iPad Pro?

The original MBA had a fan. Would be nice if they still had fans, but I guess Apple needed a way to differentiate between MBA and MBP

 

[dmr727]

It’s not like people buy an Air to run Cyberpunk 2077, even when the macOS version comes out.

Exactly. I'm not expecting MBP like performance - just hoping for a nano-texture option. 🤞

 

[sw1tcher]

Exactly. I'm not expecting MBP like performance - just hoping for a nano-texture option. 🤞

Wouldn't be surprised if that stays as a MacBook Pro exclusive.

 

[bmark]

wait , the ipad is more powerful now?

M4 iPad Pro not the base iPad.

 

[batmanofvietnam]

Did anyone here go from a 2019 intel mbp to a M3 air? How was it?

 

[Olde Dave]

Did anyone here go from a 2019 intel mbp to a M3 air? How was it?

Not a MBP, but my wife went from a 2019 MBA to an M3 MBA last month and she loves it. She has commented a few times about how much faster her new Air is and she’s very satisfied with the upgrade.