MacBook Pro Will Receive M4 Update (but Not MacBook Air)
The new 2024 MacBooks are finally here, although regular users may be a little disappointed. As expected, the MacBook Pro will receive a whole host of updates, both in terms of specifications and build itself, but the MacBook Air will only have one change.
M4 comes to MacBook Pro
Biggest update? New chips. This year’s MacBook Pro could be equipped with either the base M4 chip released with the iPad Pro earlier this spring , the M4 Pro announced just yesterday alongside the new Mac Mini , or the recently introduced M4 Max . This is normal for Apple for now. The company also confirmed that it’s done with major Mac announcements for now, so it’s likely that power desktop users will have to wait until next year to get their hands on the M4 Ultra and the updated Mac Studio or Mac Pro. (Don’t ask me why “ultra” should be more powerful than “max”.)
Yesterday, Apple gave potential buyers a small glimpse of what the M4 Pro’s performance will look like alongside the Mac Mini, so let’s get straight to the M4 Max. According to Apple, a MacBook Pro equipped with an M4 Max is 4.6 to 30.8 times faster than a MacBook Pro with an M1 Max in rendering, processing, and plotting performance, depending on the program. That’s a pretty big difference, and while it can’t be compared to the M3 Max, it does mean Apple is tuning this machine for heavy workloads. To that end, the M4 Max can have up to 16 CPU cores and 40 GPU cores, as opposed to the 10/10 core limit on the base M4. More reliable numbers will have to wait until reviewers get their hands on the devices, but overall Apple claims the M4 Max is “2.2 [times] faster than the processor in the M1 Max and up to 2.5 [times] faster than the latest AI-PC.” chip.”
Additionally, while the M4 Max still only supports 128GB of memory (more than most people need), its memory bandwidth is slightly higher: 546GB/s versus the M3 Max’s 400GB/s . There’s also Thunderbolt 5 support for faster data transfer speeds on compatible accessories.
As for the laptop itself, like previous models, it is available in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes. Both sizes can be equipped with any of these three M4 chips, so your choice depends on comfort: do you prefer a larger screen or a more portable laptop?
No matter what you choose, you’ll get a mini-LED Retina XDR LCD display (too bad there’s no OLED option like on the M4 iPad Pro), and what Apple promises is the “longest” battery life on a Mac with stated 24 hours. There’s also a new 12MP Center Stage webcam, and you can optionally set the screen to have an anti-glare “nano-texture” coating. MacBook Pros with the M4 Pro or M4 Max chip will also have Thunderbolt 5 support on all three USB-C ports.
MacBook Air will receive only one “update”
Again, this is generally in line with Apple’s past strategy for the MacBook Pro, but the company’s approach to the Air is a bit disappointing this time around. The MacBook Air doesn’t get M4 chips yet, although the MacBook Air M2 and M3 increase storage to 16GB (without price change) to match the MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac Mini. Perhaps Apple doesn’t want to cut back on iPad Pro sales, or maybe we’ll see an M4 MacBook Air later.
Either way, that extra RAM could be intended to support Apple Intelligence, which launched on Macs running macOS Sequoia 15.1 earlier this week , but it could also just be a sign of the times —8GB is often no longer enough , even for casual browsing web pages.
The 2024 MacBook Pro (black or silver) is available now and will go on sale on November 8, while the 16GB M2 and M3 Macs are already shipping to customers. M4 MacBook Pro models start at $1,599, while the M4 Max model will set you back at least $3,199. The M4 Pro starts at $1,999. If you go all out with every available upgrade, you’ll pay $7,848, but at least you’ll get Final Cut Pro.