M4 vs M2 - How Much Faster?

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Level 2

304 points

M4 vs M2 - How Much Faster?

I just finished the install of a Mac Mini M4. It replaced and older Mac Mini M2. Before shutting down the M2, I ran the Geekbench tests, then ran the same tests with the M4 once I got it up and running. Here are the results:

The migration from the M2 to the M4 was made very easy, simple, and fast using the Mac Migration Utility. There were a few bumps along the way, but the process was all completed in about 3 hours. I've done these kinds of migrations on Windows machines, and they can take three DAYS to get working. Sure love this little Mac!

Mac mini, macOS 26.3

Posted on Jun 23, 2026 8:40 AM

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Answer 1

Old Toad

Level 10

218,040 points

Jun 27, 2026 12:03 PM in response to Old_Video_Guy

This is what my Mac Mini M4, 16 GB memory, 1 TB storage and 10 core gas on the Geekbench test:

I purchased it in December, 2024. It certainly is fast. My previous Mac was a 2017 i7 Intel with 16 GB memory and 1 TB storage. Accordingly to Geekbench the M4 was 3 times faster but is seems like at least 10x.

And almost the best part with a 32" LG 4k monitor it24" was $600 US less than a similarly configured M4 iMac.

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Answer 2

den.thed

Level 10

96,874 points

Jun 23, 2026 9:01 AM in response to Old_Video_Guy

Thanks for sharing the Geekbench scores and how easy it was to move from one Mac to a new Mac.

Enjoy the new M4 Mac mini.

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Answer 3

Jun 23, 2026 11:29 AM in response to Old_Video_Guy

These are the results I get from my M4 booted from a 2 TB NVMe in a Thunderbolt enclosure.

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Answer 4

Jun 23, 2026 11:49 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

These are from my M2 booted from a 1 TB NVMe in a Thunderbolt enclosure.

Note that I am using Geekbench 6.

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Answer 5

Jun 24, 2026 12:33 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

Just for anyone new reading this, my M2 and M4 minis are both the base (£530 after Amazon/John Lewis discount) models with the 256 GB SSDs

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Answer 6

VikingOSX

Level 10

128,978 points

Jun 24, 2026 6:54 AM in response to Old_Video_Guy

I moved from a M2 Mac Mini Pro to an M4 Mac Mini Pro (c14 g20 64 GB 1 TB) and the real world performance increase was quite noticeable. Didn't reqret the hardware upgrade.

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Answer 7

Jun 28, 2026 2:07 AM in response to Old Toad

One of the other advantages is that when your mini becomes obsolete you still have the monitor to use with your next machine.

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Answer 8

Old Toad

Level 10

218,040 points

Jun 28, 2026 9:57 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

Ian R. Brown wrote:

One of the other advantages is that when your mini becomes obsolete you still have the monitor to use with your next machine.

OT

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