New M4 chip features Apple's most powerful neural engine yet
Apple has introduced its latest technological marvel, the M4 chip, at the recently concluded iPad-focused event. Specifically designed for the new iPad Pro, this chip houses the fastest Neural Engine ever created by Apple. The company claims that it can execute up to 38 trillion operations per second, surpassing "the neural processing unit of any AI PC today." This innovation positions the new iPad Pro as a powerful tool for artificial intelligence applications.
M4 chip: Advanced technology and enhanced performance
The M4 chip is a product of cutting-edge technology, constructed on a second-generation 3nm process. It comprises up to 10 CPU cores, divided between four performance cores and 6 efficiency cores. This setup reportedly delivers performance that is 1.5 times faster than the M2 chip in the previous iPad Pro model. However, Apple made no comparison of M4's performance with the M3 chip available in some Macs.
M4 chip's display engine and power efficiency
In addition to its remarkable speed, the M4 chip introduces a new display engine that supports both OLED and ProMotion, with refresh rates ranging from 10Hz to 120Hz. The GPU has also been upgraded, now featuring 10 cores along with hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading capabilities. Apple asserts that the M4 matches the performance of the M2 while using only half as much power.
M4 chip: Enhanced machine learning and codec support
The M4 chip offers hardware acceleration support for the AV1 codec, in addition to H.264, HEVC, and ProRes. It also introduces next-generation machine learning accelerators that improve features such as Face ID and QuickType suggestions. These accelerators also enhance photo categorization based on subject matter. Pre-orders for the new M4-powered iPad Pro are now open, with shipping set to commence on May 15. Apple has hinted at the possibility of releasing M4-powered Macs later this year.
