M4 Pro (12 cores) vs Xeon Gold 6326
M4 Pro (12 cores)
Xeon Gold 6326
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar M4 Pro (12 cores)
Performance Per Dollar Xeon Gold 6326
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | M4 Pro (12 cores) | Xeon Gold 6326 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Legacy / 3 nm) | ✨ Modern (Ice Lake-SP (2021) / 10 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | M4 Pro (12 cores) | Xeon Gold 6326 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
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 Pro (12 cores) and Xeon Gold 6326
M4 Pro (12 cores)
The M4 Pro (12 cores) is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 30 October 2024 (1 year ago). It features 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.592 GHz, with boost up to 4.51 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 4 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5X. Passmark benchmark score: 32,853 points. Launch price was $499.
Xeon Gold 6326
The Xeon Gold 6326 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ice Lake-SP (2021) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4189. Thermal design power (TDP): 185 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 33,764 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The M4 Pro (12 cores) packs 12 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6326 offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Xeon Gold 6326 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.51 GHz on the M4 Pro (12 cores) versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6326 — a 25.2% clock advantage for the M4 Pro (12 cores) (base: 2.592 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Xeon Gold 6326 is built on the Ice Lake-SP (2021) architecture. In PassMark, the M4 Pro (12 cores) scores 32,853 against the Xeon Gold 6326's 33,764 — a 2.7% lead for the Xeon Gold 6326. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 18,904 vs 24,500 (25.8% advantage for the Xeon Gold 6326). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 3,812 vs 1,631, a 80.1% lead for the M4 Pro (12 cores) that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 20,076 vs 16,254 (21% advantage for the M4 Pro (12 cores)).
| Feature | M4 Pro (12 cores) | Xeon Gold 6326 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 12 / 12 | 16 / 32+33% |
| Boost Clock | 4.51 GHz+29% | 3.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.592 GHz | 2.9 GHz+12% |
| L3 Cache | — | 24 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB+300% | 1 MB (per core) |
| Process | 3 nm-70% | 10 nm |
| Architecture | — | Ice Lake-SP (2021) |
| PassMark | 32,853 | 33,764+3% |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 18,904 | 24,500+30% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 3,812+134% | 1,631 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 20,076+24% | 16,254 |
Memory & Platform
The M4 Pro (12 cores) uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Gold 6326 uses LGA4189 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches LPDDR5x-8000 on the M4 Pro (12 cores) versus DDR4-3200 on the Xeon Gold 6326 — the M4 Pro (12 cores) supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Gold 6326 supports up to 4096 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 193.8% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (M4 Pro (12 cores)) vs 8 (Xeon Gold 6326). PCIe lanes: 0 (M4 Pro (12 cores)) vs 64 (Xeon Gold 6326) — the Xeon Gold 6326 offers 64 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Apple SoC (M4 Pro (12 cores)) and C621A,Ice Lake-SP (Xeon Gold 6326).
| Feature | M4 Pro (12 cores) | Xeon Gold 6326 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | none | LGA4189 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 4.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | LPDDR5x-8000+25% | DDR4-3200 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | 4096 GB+6300% |
| RAM Channels | 1 | 8+700% |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 64 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Xeon Gold 6326 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: Apple Virtualization (M4 Pro (12 cores)) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon Gold 6326). The M4 Pro (12 cores) includes integrated graphics (M4 Pro 16-core GPU), while the Xeon Gold 6326 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: M4 Pro (12 cores) targets High-end Content Creation, Xeon Gold 6326 targets High-core Server. Direct competitor: M4 Pro (12 cores) rivals Ryzen 9 8945HS; Xeon Gold 6326 rivals EPYC 7313.
| Feature | M4 Pro (12 cores) | Xeon Gold 6326 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | M4 Pro 16-core GPU | — |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | Yes |
| Virtualization | Apple Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | High-end Content Creation | High-core Server |
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