Apple unveiled its latest in-house chip, the M4, at their recent Let Loose event, showcasing an impressive focus on enhanced performance for artificial intelligence (AI) tasks. The M4 chip is set to power the next wave of MacBooks and iPads, starting off with the latest iPad Pro model.
Featuring second-generation 3nm technology and a CPU configurable with up to 10 cores, the M4 chip boasts a 10-core GPU and a staggering 28 billion transistors for improved power efficiency. With a combination of four performance and six efficiency cores, the CPU delivers a 1.5 times faster performance compared to its predecessor, the M2.
The GPU enhancements include features like Dynamic Caching, hardware-accelerated mesh shading, and a groundbreaking addition of hardware-accelerated ray tracing. This allows for more realistic shadows and reflections in games and other visually immersive experiences on the iPad Pro.
The M4 chip also introduces a new display engine, enhancing the precision, color accuracy, and brightness of the Ultra Retina XDR display on the iPad Pro. With the fastest-ever Neural Engine capable of up to 38 trillion operations per second, combined with advanced machine learning accelerators and a high-performance GPU, the M4 chip positions the new iPad Pro as a powerhouse for AI applications.
Moreover, the iPad Pro with M4 introduces innovative iPadOS features like Live Captions for real-time audio and Visual Look Up for object identification in photos and videos. With just a tap, users can now isolate subjects from backgrounds in a 4K video using Final Cut Pro.
Ultimately, the M4 chip marks a significant leap forward in AI performance and graphical capabilities for Apple’s devices, positioning them as leading contenders in the tech industry.
