Apple M1 vs Raspberry Pi 4 B (Broadcom BCM2711). Specifications, performance, tests

Comprehensive background on the processors being compared, detailing their series, generation, and targeted market segment.

• Segment
  Mobile Desktop / Server
• Family
  Apple M series Broadcom BCM
• Generation
  1 4
• CPU group
  Apple M1 Broadcom BCM2711

Essential parameters including the number of cores, threads, base and turbo frequencies, and cache size. These metrics provide insight into the processor’s speed—higher values generally indicate better performance.

• Frequency
  3.20 GHz 1.50 GHz
• CPU Cores
  8 4
• Turbo (1 Core)
  No turbo No turbo
• CPU Threads
  8 4
• Hyperthreading
  No No
• Overclocking
  No Yes
• Core architecture
  hybrid (big.LITTLE) normal
• A core
  4x Firestorm 4x Cortex-A72
• B core
  4x Icestorm --

The integrated graphics (iGPU) do not influence the CPU performance significantly; they serve as a substitute for a dedicated graphics card in the absence of one or are utilized in mobile devices.

• GPU name
  Apple M1 (8 Core) Broadcom VideoCore VI
• GPU frequency
  3.20 GHz 0.50 GHz
• GPU (Turbo)
  No turbo No turbo
• Execution units
  128 4
• Shader
  0 64
• Max. GPU Memory
  8 GB 2 GB
• Max. displays
  2 2
• Generation
  1 6
• Technology
  5 nm 28 nm
• Release date
  Q4/2020 06/2019

This section details the built-in codecs used for encoding and decoding media content, which significantly enhance processing speed and efficiency.

• h265 / HEVC (8 bit)
  Decode / Encode Decode
• h265 / HEVC (10 bit)
  Decode / Encode Decode
• h264
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode
• VP9
  Decode / Encode Decode
• VP8
  Decode Decode
• AV1
  Decode No
• AVC
  Decode Decode
• VC-1
  Decode Decode
• JPEG
  Decode / Encode Decode / Encode

Overview of the types and quantities of RAM supported by Raspberry Pi 4 B (Broadcom BCM2711) and Apple M1. The supported memory frequencies may vary depending on the motherboard configuration.

• Memory type
  LPDDR4X-4266
• Max. Memory
  16 GB 8192 GB
• ECC
  No No
• Memory channels
  2 1
• PCIe version
  4.0

• AES-NI
  Yes No

Analyze the TDP (Thermal Design Power) requirements of Apple M1 and Raspberry Pi 4 B (Broadcom BCM2711) to make an informed decision on the appropriate cooling system. Remember that TDP refers to thermal watts, not electrical watts.

• TDP (PL1)
  15 W 7.5 W
• TDP up
  20 W --
• TDP down
  10 W 3 W

Information on architecture, interfaces, and additional instructions supported by Apple M1 and Raspberry Pi 4 B (Broadcom BCM2711), including virtual machine technologies and fabrication processes.

• Instruction set (ISA)
  ARMv8-A64 (64 bit) x86-64 (64 bit)
• Virtualization
  None None
• ISA extensions
  Rosetta 2 x86-Emulation
• L2-Cache
  16.00 MB 1.00 MB
• Architecture
  M1 Cortex-A72
• Technology
  5 nm 28 nm
• Socket
  N/A N/A
• Release date
  Q4/2020 06/2019