Apple has revealed its refreshed MacBook Pro series lineup as part of its week of Mac-themed launches. Powered by the M4 family of chips, Apple promises that MacBook Pro will continue to be “the world’s best pro laptop”.
But what’s changed from last year’s M3 series-equipped MacBook Pro lineup? We’ve highlighted the main differences between the two lineups below, so you can see what’s really new with this year’s MacBook Pro.
Price
The MacBook Pro 2024 is currently available for pre-order and will launch officially in 28 countries and regions, including the US and UK, on 8th November. It is available in either a 14- or 16-inch model, with the former starting at £1599/$1599 and the latter starting at £2499/$2499.
The MacBook Pro 2023 is also available in either a 14- or 16-inch model and starts at £1699/$1699 and £2599/$2599 respectively.
The MacBook Pro 2024 runs on the M4 series
The MacBook Pro 2024 runs on Apple’s M4 series of processors: M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max. M4 is the standard (and cheapest) of the three and sports a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU and starts with 16GB of unified memory and 120GB/s of memory bandwidth.
Apple explains that the M4 chipset is up to 1.8 times faster than the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1 for tasks such as photo editing, plus its Neural Engine is over three times more powerful than the M1 too.
The M4 Pro is designed for professionals with a more demanding workflow, as its 20-core GPU is twice as powerful as the standard M4. It is also promised to sport a massive 75% increase in memory bandwidth over the MacBook Pro running the M3 Pro chipset.
Finally, the M4 Max is designed for maximum performance, with Apple promising it will empower users to “work on projects that were previously only imaginable on a desktop.” Thanks to a massive 16-core CPU, up to 40-Core GPU and a Neural Engine that is over three times faster than the M1 Max, the M4 Max is the most powerful processor found in the MacBook Pro series.
The MacBook Pro 2023 instead runs on Apple’s M3 series of processors: M3, M3 Pro and M4 Max. Similarly, the M3 is the standard edition of the three, while the M3 Max is designed for intense and heavy workloads.
The MacBook Pro M4 Pro and M4 Max support Thunderbolt 5
Regardless of the size you opt for, the MacBook Pro M4 Pro and M4 Max both include three Thunderbolt 5 ports that increase transfer speeds up to 120Gb/s to enable faster external storage, expansion chassis and powerful docking and hub solutions.
The MacBook Pro M4, like the MacBook Pro M3 series, includes Thunderbolt 4 ports instead. However, the M4 sports three Thunderbolt 4 ports while the MacBook M3 series has just two ports.
Otherwise, the MacBook Pro M4 lineup features an HDMI port that supports up to 8K resolution, an SDXC slot, MagSafe 3 and a headphone jack.
The MacBook Pro M4 has Centre Stage
All MacBook Pro M4 models include a 12MP webcam, which is an upgrade from the MacBook Pro M3. The 12MP webcam is also fitted with Apple’s Centre Stage technology, which ensures both individuals and groups are kept centred in the frame during video calls, even as they’re moving around.
In addition, the 12MP webcam also supports Desk View which allows users to show their face and an overhead view of their desk at the same time without the need for a complicated set-up.
The MacBook Pro M4 displays SDR content in 1000 nits
In our review of the MacBook Pro M3 Max, we hailed the display as “one of the best laptop screens around for HDR content” yet it seems Apple is promising to improve this with the MacBook Pro M4 series.
Apple explains the new MacBook Pro M4 lineup sports an “all-new nano-texture display” that reduces glare and distractions from reflections. While it still displays HDR content at up to 1600 nits of peak brightness, the MacBook Pro M4 can now show SDR content at up to 1000 nits, which is a vast improvement on the M3’s 600 nits.
Both will support Apple Intelligence
Both last year’s MacBook Pro M3 lineup and the new MacBook Pro M4 support Apple’s personal intelligence system, Apple Intelligence. This means that you should definitely not upgrade to the newest MacBook Pro M4 solely for Apple Intelligence.
Apple Intelligence has started rolling out across compatible devices that are set to US English, though features are limited right now, with more rolling out in the coming months.
Early verdict
We’ll hold off from giving a conclusive verdict until we review the MacBook Pro M4 lineup. However, at this early stage, we’d suggest that if you already own a MacBook Pro M3, or even a MacBook Pro M2, then it might not necessarily be worth upgrading to the new MacBook Pro M4.
Having said that, the MacBook Pro M4 series does sport premium upgrades to its predecessor, including Thunderbolt 5 ports, better SDR content and a faster chipset lineup than the M3 series that could appeal to pro-level users.
