How does the memory bandwidth of the MacBook Pro M4 compare to the Dell XPS 15

MacBook Pro M4 Series

The MacBook Pro M4 series includes several configurations:
- Apple M4 Chip: This base model offers a memory bandwidth of 120GB/s, which is suitable for general users and creative tasks[1][3].
- Apple M4 Pro Chip: This model provides a memory bandwidth of 273GB/s, offering a substantial increase for more demanding tasks like video editing and 3D modeling[1][4].
- Apple M4 Max Chip: The top-tier configuration comes in two variants:
- One with a 14-core CPU and 32-core GPU, offering 410GB/s of memory bandwidth.
- Another with a 16-core CPU and 40-core GPU, delivering an impressive 546GB/s of memory bandwidth[1][3][4].

Dell XPS 15

The Dell XPS 15 models vary, but focusing on recent models like the XPS 15 9500 and XPS 15 9530:
- XPS 15 9500: Uses dual-channel DDR4 memory with a speed of 2933 MHz. While the memory bandwidth isn't explicitly stated, DDR4 typically offers bandwidth around 25.6 GB/s per channel, resulting in about 51.2 GB/s for dual-channel configurations[2][8].
- XPS 15 9530: This model uses DDR5 memory with speeds up to 4800 MT/s. DDR5 can offer significantly higher bandwidth than DDR4, typically around 38.4 GB/s per channel, resulting in about 76.8 GB/s for dual-channel configurations[5].

Comparison

The MacBook Pro M4 series, especially the M4 Pro and M4 Max configurations, offer significantly higher memory bandwidth compared to the Dell XPS 15 models. The M4 Pro starts at 273GB/s, while the M4 Max goes up to 546GB/s, which is far beyond what typical DDR4 or DDR5 configurations in the XPS 15 can provide. This makes the MacBook Pro M4 series more suitable for tasks requiring high memory bandwidth, such as professional video editing and complex simulations. In contrast, the XPS 15 is better suited for general productivity and less demanding creative tasks.