M4 (8 cores)
VS
Xeon Gold 6226

M4 (8 cores) vs Xeon Gold 6226

M4 (8 cores)

8 Cores8 Thrd4 WWMax: 4 GHz2024
VS
Intel

Xeon Gold 6226

12 Cores24 Thrd125 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2019

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar M4 (8 cores)

#111
Ryzen 5 PRO 5675U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $180
110%
#119
Ryzen 7 PRO 250
MSRP: $400|Avg: $380
105%
#120
Core i7-11850HE
MSRP: $400|Avg: $75
103%
#124
Core i5-1240P
MSRP: $309|Avg: $200
101%
#125
Core i7-13700H
MSRP: $502|Avg: N/A
100%
#126
M4 (8 cores)
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon Gold 6226

#115
Xeon W-1370
MSRP: $323|Avg: $323
103%
#119
Xeon 6505P
MSRP: $563|Avg: $563
102%
#125
Xeon Gold 6226
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#130
EPYC 9115
MSRP: $726|Avg: $726
97%
#131
EPYC 74F3
MSRP: $913|Avg: $824
97%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($0) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon Gold 6226 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightM4 (8 cores)Xeon Gold 6226
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
✨ Modern (Legacy / 3 nm)
✨ Modern (Cascade Lake (2019−2020) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The M4 (8 cores) ($0), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($0 less, NaN% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightM4 (8 cores)Xeon Gold 6226
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M4 (8 cores) and Xeon Gold 6226

M4 (8 cores)

The M4 (8 cores) is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 28 October 2024 (1 year ago). It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.89 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 4 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5x. Passmark benchmark score: 20,761 points. Launch price was $299.

Intel

Xeon Gold 6226

The Xeon Gold 6226 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 19.25 MB. L2 cache: 12 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 20,619 points. Launch price was $1,776.

Processing Power

The M4 (8 cores) packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6226 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Xeon Gold 6226 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the M4 (8 cores) versus 3.7 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6226 — a 7.8% clock advantage for the M4 (8 cores) (base: 2.89 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Xeon Gold 6226 is built on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. In PassMark, the M4 (8 cores) scores 20,761 against the Xeon Gold 6226's 20,619 — a 0.7% lead for the M4 (8 cores).

FeatureM4 (8 cores)Xeon Gold 6226
Cores / Threads
8 / 8
12 / 24+50%
Boost Clock
4 GHz+8%
3.7 GHz
Base Clock
2.89 GHz+7%
2.7 GHz
L3 Cache
19.25 MB
L2 Cache
12 MB
Process
3 nm-79%
14 nm
Architecture
Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark
20,761
20,619
🧠

Memory & Platform

The M4 (8 cores) uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6226 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureM4 (8 cores)Xeon Gold 6226
Socket
none
LGA3647
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0+33%
PCIe 3.0