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The M4 MacBook Pro is here after being announced by Apple on the 30th October 2024.
We met Apple’s new M4 chip with the release of the latest 13-inch M4 iPad Pro in early 2024, and it’s already proved to be capable of an awful lot to put it mildly. And now it is making it’s way into the MacBook Pro.
In this product overview, we’re going to unpack everything you need to know about the M4 MacBook Pro. We’ll explore the M4 chip’s performance, look at the unified memory options and talk through the pricing options.
Our full MacBook Pro buying guide is here to help!
M4 Chip: Overkill for most?
The M4 chip, Apple’s latest in the Silicon lineup, sets yet another standard for performance. We’ve already seen how impressive it is in our 13-inch iPad Pro M4 review.
Built on 3-nanometer technology, the M4 offers some improvements in performance and energy efficiency over its predecessor, the M3. But the really significant gains are found when compared to the M1 and M2 chips.
Benchmarks show that the M4 chip is about 26% faster than the M3 chip in single-core performance. This compares to 43% faster than the M2 chip and a hugely impressive 56% faster than the M1 chip.
So right off the bat, it is clear that if you’re thinking about upgrading, you will notice the most difference from the M1 chip.
One main reason for this is the core configuration.
Core Configuration:
- M4: 10 total CPU cores (4 performance cores + 6 efficiency cores)
- M3, M2 and M1 : 8 total CPU cores (4 performance cores + 4 efficiency cores)
As you can see, the M4 chip has 10 CPU cores as standard. This is a first for Apple and means that the M4 chip has a faster overall architecture.
The 1.5:1 ratio of efficiency to performance cores marks a departure from the previous 1:1 ratio seen in the M1, M2, and M3 chips. This change in core structure improves efficiency, with the M4’s design offering a balance between performance and battery life.
Graphics:
The M4 retains the hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading—features that were introduced in the M3. These advancements mean enhanced graphical capabilities for gaming, video editing, and other GPU-intensive tasks.
Despite the maintained 10-core configuration of its predecessor, the M4’s GPU cores are new and clocked faster. This enhancement has led to an approximate 25% increase in graphics performance over the M2 MacBook Pro.
Read our M3 MacBook Pro buying guide for more info
Neural Engine:
- M4: 16-core Neural Engine capable of up to 38 TOPS (trillions of operations per second)
- M3: 16-core Neural Engine with 18 TOPS
Apple says that the M4 chip includes a more advanced 16-core Neural Engine aimed at optimising their products for Apple Intelligence. This adds increased performance related to AI and machine learning tasks, enhancing real-time language translation, image processing, and more.
Apple claims it’s their fastest Neural Engine ever, capable of performing up to 38 trillion operations per second. This represents a staggering 60-fold increase in speed compared to the first Neural Engine introduced in the A11 Bionic chip.
See how the M4 chip stacks up in our M4 iPad Pro vs M3 MacBook Pro comparison.
AI features and applications
The M4 chip’s advanced AI capabilities open up new features and applications. Apple introduced a range of AI-powered functionalities at WWDC 2024, including improvements to Siri and other system-wide features from Apple Intelligence.
The M4 MacBook Pro includes:
- Enhanced content creation: The ability to generate essays in Pages or create entire presentations in Keynote with AI assistance.
- Advanced image and video processing: Features like Visual Look Up for object identification in photos and videos, and the ability to isolate subjects from backgrounds in 4K videos with a single tap in Final Cut Pro.
- More natural and helpful Siri: Siri has long been overdue an update. Apple Intelligence has refined Siri, making it more responsive and acurate.
Apple Intelligence isn’t restricted to the M4 chip. You can access the same features on an device using the M1 chip or later.
M4 MacBook Pro Screen Sizes
The M4 MacBook Pro comes in two different sizes depending on the specific chip you buy:
- 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max
- 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro and M4 Max
Chip Variations
The base-level M4 chip has a 10-core CPU and a 10-core GPU.
The M4 Pro starts with a 12-core CPU and 16-core GPU, configurable with up to 14 CPU cores and 10 GPU cores. For those seeking even more power, M4 Max chip starts at a 14-core CPU and 32-core GPU, configurable up to 16 CPU cores and 40 GPU cores.
The standard M4 chip will serve the majority of people’s needs. It is only really necessary to opt for the M4 Pro or M4 Max if you know you’ll be putting your MacBook through some heavy workloads. The standout difference between the chips is graphics performance which is noticeably better on the M4 Pro and Max variations.
Unified memory and storage options
Apple has made 16GB of unified memory the starting level now after years of persisting with 8GB. The standard M4 MacBook Pro can be upgraded to take 32GB of unified memory. If you need more, then you’ll have to opt for an M4 Pro or M4 Max MacBook Pro.
The M4 Pro starts at 24GB with the ability to boost this up to 48GB. The M4 Max starts at 36GB and goes all the way up to a staggering 128GB of unified memory. A mind-boggling amount that only the top echelon of power users will ever need.
My opinion on the 16GB MacBook Pro
As for storage, the base model remains at a 256GB SSD. Options rise to 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB and a maximum of 8TB available with the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. SSD space is the most expensive thing to add to a MacBook so it makes more sense financially to look into buying a separate hardrive.
Display technology
The display for the M4 MacBook Pro remains largely unchanged, apart from one detail.
There is the same Liquid Retina XDR display, and it’s likely that Apple will continue to use this technology in the M4 lineup. That means no OLED displays yet! It has up to 1,000 nits SDR and 1,600 nits peak brightness which is more than the M3 MacBook Pro.
The main difference is the option to add nano-texture glass to the display for an extra $150/£150. Nano-texture glass is more resistant to reflections and glare than standard glass meaning it is more suitable for use in direct sunlight or even outdoors.
Ports
The base-level M4 MacBook Pro has three Thunderbolt 4 ports, one HDMI port, an SDXC card slot, headphone jack and a MagSafe 3 port. That’s a healthy amount of connectivity options and includes the ability to support up to two external displays.
The M4 Pro improve on the base-level model with three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI port, SDXC card slot, headphone jack and a MagSafe 3 port. Thunderbolt 5 is the latest generation of port and allows for faster data transfer than Thunderbolt 3.
The M4 Max supports up to four external displays, more than the M4 Pro.
Release Date and Pricing
Apple is releasing the M4 MacBook Pro on 8th November 2024.
Pricing starts at $1,599/£1,599 for the base-level 14-inch model. That represents a £100 price drop compared to the M3 MacBook Pro for those in the UK.
Jumping up to the M4 Pro chip raises the price to $1,999/£1,999 for a 14-inch model. The 14-inch M4 Max MacBook Pro starts at $3,199/£3,199.
The 16-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pro starts at $2,499/£2,499, rising up to $3,999/£3,999 for the M3 Max 16-inch.
Our M4 Mac Mini guide is here!
Specification table
Here’s a comparison table for the MacBook Pro 14-inch with M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max:
| Feature | MacBook Pro with M4 | MacBook Pro with M4 Pro | MacBook Pro with M4 Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior Colors | Space Black, Silver | Space Black, Silver | Space Black, Silver |
| Starting Price | £1,599 (16GB/512GB SSD) | £1,799 (16GB/1TB SSD) | £1,999 (24GB/1TB SSD) |
| Chip | Apple M4 | Apple M4 Pro | Apple M4 Max |
| CPU | 10-core (4 performance, 6 efficiency) | 12-core (8 performance, 4 efficiency) | 14-core (10 performance, 4 efficiency) |
| GPU | 10-core | 16-core | 32-core |
| Hardware Ray Tracing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Neural Engine | 16-core | 16-core | 16-core |
| Memory Bandwidth | 120GB/s | 273GB/s | 410GB/s |
| Media Engine | H.264, HEVC, ProRes/ProRes RAW | H.264, HEVC, ProRes/ProRes RAW | H.264, HEVC, ProRes/ProRes RAW |
| Video Decode Engine | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Video Encode Engine | Yes | Yes | Dual engines |
| ProRes Encode/Decode | Yes | Yes | Dual engines |
| AV1 Decode | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Memory Options | 16GB or 24GB (up to 32GB) | 24GB (up to 48GB) | 36GB (up to 128GB with 16-core CPU) |
| Battery Life (Video) | Up to 24 hours | Up to 22 hours | Up to 18 hours |
| Battery Life (Web) | Up to 16 hours | Up to 14 hours | Up to 13 hours |
| Power Adapter | 70W or 96W | 70W or 96W | 96W |
| Storage Options | 512GB or 1TB (up to 2TB) | 512GB to 4TB | 1TB to 8TB |
| Ports | 3 Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) | 3 Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) | 3 Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) |
| Display Support | 2 external displays at 6K 60Hz | 2 external displays at 6K 60Hz | 4 external displays: 3 at 6K 60Hz, 1 at 4K 144Hz |
| Display Resolution | 3024×1964, Liquid Retina XDR | 3024×1964, Liquid Retina XDR | 3024×1964, Liquid Retina XDR |
| Display Brightness (HDR) | 1,600 nits peak | 1,600 nits peak | 1,600 nits peak |
| ProMotion | Up to 120Hz adaptive refresh | Up to 120Hz adaptive refresh | Up to 120Hz adaptive refresh |
| Weight | 1.55 kg (3.4 lbs) | 1.60 kg (3.5 lbs) | 1.62 kg (3.6 lbs) |
| Wi-Fi/Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Camera | 12MP Center Stage, 1080p HD | 12MP Center Stage, 1080p HD | 12MP Center Stage, 1080p HD |
| Audio | Six-speaker system, Spatial Audio | Six-speaker system, Spatial Audio | Six-speaker system, Spatial Audio |
| Keyboard/Trackpad | Backlit Magic Keyboard, Touch ID, Force Touch trackpad | Backlit Magic Keyboard, Touch ID, Force Touch trackpad | Backlit Magic Keyboard, Touch ID, Force Touch trackpad |
Read about the M4 iMac here
FAQs
Q. When was the M4 MacBook Pro released?
A. The M4 MacBook Pro was announced on October 30, 2024, and will be available to purchase starting November 8, 2024.
Q. What makes the M4 chip different from the M3 chip?
A. The M4 chip features a 10-core CPU (with an improved efficiency-to-performance core ratio), a faster 10-core GPU with enhanced ray tracing and mesh shading, and a powerful 16-core Neural Engine with up to 38 trillion operations per second. These upgrades provide better performance, efficiency, and AI capabilities over the M3.
Q. What sizes are available for the M4 MacBook Pro?
A. The M4 MacBook Pro is available in 14-inch and 16-inch models, with options for the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips. The 16-inch model is only available with M4 Pro and M4 Max configurations.
Q. How much RAM can I get on the M4 MacBook Pro?
A. The base M4 model supports up to 32GB of unified memory. The M4 Pro supports up to 48GB, while the M4 Max offers up to a massive 128GB, ideal for extreme multitasking and high-demand applications.
Q. What are the storage options for the M4 MacBook Pro?
A. The M4 MacBook Pro starts with 512GB of storage and can be configured up to 8TB with the M4 Pro and M4 Max options.
Q. Are there any design changes in the M4 MacBook Pro?
A. The design remains largely the same as previous models, but Apple offers an optional nano-texture glass display for an extra $150/£150. This glass option reduces glare and reflections, making it ideal for bright environments.
Q. What ports are included in the M4 MacBook Pro?
A. The base model M4 includes three Thunderbolt 4 ports, one HDMI, an SDXC card slot, a headphone jack, and MagSafe 3. The M4 Pro and Max models include Thunderbolt 5 ports, allowing faster data transfer and additional external display support.
Q. Does the M4 MacBook Pro have improved AI features?
A. Yes, the M4’s upgraded Neural Engine enables enhanced AI-driven capabilities, such as AI-assisted content creation in apps like Pages and Keynote, advanced image and video processing, and an updated Siri with Apple Intelligence.
Q. What is the price of the M4 MacBook Pro?
A. The starting price for the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro is $1,599/£1,599, with higher prices for the M4 Pro and M4 Max configurations. The 16-inch M4 Pro starts at $2,499/£2,499, with the M4 Max at $3,999/£3,999.
Q. Is the M4 MacBook Pro worth the upgrade from the M1 or M2 models?
A. If you’re coming from an M1 or M2 model, the M4 offers significant performance and efficiency gains. For M1 users, the difference is especially noticeable, as the M4 is around 56% faster in single-core performance.
