The MacBook Pro with the powerful M4 chip is now available for purchase. Apple announced this new lineup on October 30, 2024, with shipping beginning November 8. The M4 MacBook Pro delivers a massive 75 percent increase in memory bandwidth compared to the previous generation, doubling the capabilities of any AI PC currently on the market.
This latest release represents Apple’s first Mac offering of 2025, featuring enhanced performance specifically designed for artificial intelligence applications. The new models come with Apple Intelligence built in, allowing users to take advantage of advanced AI features right out of the box.
Pre-orders opened immediately after the announcement, with availability in 28 countries and regions through apple.com and the Apple Store app. The timing aligns with Apple’s typical fall release schedule for Pro models, while the MacBook Air with M4 is expected to follow in early 2025.
Latest About M4 MacBook Pro: Complete Guide
Apple’s M4 MacBook Pro represents the latest evolution of Apple Silicon in the Pro laptop lineup. Building on the success of the M1, M2, and M3 generations, the M4 family delivers improved AI performance, stronger GPU capabilities, and greater power efficiency—while maintaining the sleek design and battery life MacBook Pro users expect.
Here’s everything you need to know about the newest M4 MacBook Pro models.
Overview: What Is the M4 MacBook Pro?
The M4 MacBook Pro is powered by Apple’s next-generation M4 series chips, which include:
- M4
- M4 Pro
- M4 Max
These chips are built on an advanced 3nm-class process and focus heavily on AI acceleration, GPU upgrades, and efficiency improvements.
The M4 MacBook Pro lineup is available in:
- 14-inch
- 16-inch
M4 Chip Family Explained
🔹 M4 (Base Model)
Best for students, professionals, and everyday power users.
- 10-core CPU (performance + efficiency cores)
- Up to 10-core GPU
- Improved Neural Engine
- Unified memory starting at 16GB
- Excellent battery life
Ideal for productivity, light video editing, coding, and creative workflows.
🔹 M4 Pro
Designed for developers, photographers, and content creators.
- Higher CPU core count
- Significantly upgraded GPU
- Expanded unified memory options
- Faster memory bandwidth
- Multiple external display support
This model is perfect for 4K video editing, music production, and demanding multitasking.
🔹 M4 Max
Built for serious creative professionals and power users.
- High core-count CPU
- Substantial GPU performance boost
- Large unified memory configurations (ideal for 3D, AI, and heavy video workflows)
- Extreme memory bandwidth
The M4 Max excels at 8K video editing, 3D rendering, AI model work, and advanced professional tasks.
Performance Improvements
Compared to the previous generation, M4 chips bring:
- Faster single-core and multi-core performance
- Major GPU improvements for graphics-intensive tasks
- Enhanced ray tracing performance
- Stronger AI and machine learning acceleration
- Better power efficiency
Apple continues to optimize macOS to take full advantage of the unified memory architecture and Neural Engine.
Display and Design
The M4 MacBook Pro retains the premium design introduced in recent generations:
- Liquid Retina XDR display
- ProMotion technology (up to 120Hz refresh rate)
- Mini-LED backlighting
- High brightness for HDR content
- Slim aluminum chassis
The display remains one of the best laptop panels on the market for creators and media professionals.
Battery Life
Battery performance continues to be a standout feature:
- Up to 18–22 hours of battery life (depending on model and usage)
- Improved efficiency during video playback and web browsing
- Strong performance even on battery power
Unlike many high-performance laptops, the MacBook Pro maintains near-peak performance without being plugged in.
Connectivity & Ports
Apple continues offering a pro-friendly port selection:
- Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C ports
- HDMI
- SDXC card slot
- MagSafe charging
- High-impedance headphone jack
- Wi-Fi 6E or newer wireless support
- Bluetooth 5.x
The port variety eliminates the need for most adapters.
macOS Optimization & AI Features
The M4 chip generation places heavy emphasis on AI capabilities:
- Faster on-device machine learning
- Improved real-time transcription and image processing
- Enhanced video effects in FaceTime and conferencing apps
- AI-powered productivity tools in macOS
Apple’s Neural Engine upgrades make AI tasks faster while keeping data on-device for privacy.
Storage & Memory Options
- Unified memory starts higher than older generations
- Configurations scale significantly on Pro and Max models
- Fast SSD storage options with large capacities
The unified memory architecture allows CPU and GPU to share memory efficiently, improving workflow speed.
Who Should Upgrade?
✅ Upgrade If:
- You’re using an Intel MacBook Pro
- You have an early M1 system and need more GPU power
- You work in video editing, 3D, AI, or heavy development
- You want longer battery life with top-tier performance
❌ You Might Wait If:
- You already own an M3 Pro or M3 Max
- Your current machine handles your workload comfortably
Pricing Overview
Pricing varies by configuration, but generally:
- M4 (14-inch) starts in the lower Pro-tier range
- M4 Pro models sit in the mid-to-high range
- M4 Max configurations reach premium workstation-level pricing
Higher RAM and storage configurations significantly increase cost.
Final Thoughts
The M4 MacBook Pro strengthens Apple’s position as a leader in high-performance laptops. With stronger AI acceleration, upgraded GPU power, exceptional battery life, and world-class displays, it’s a compelling choice for professionals and creators in 2026.
For most users, the M4 Pro hits the sweet spot between price and performance, while the M4 Max is a powerhouse for advanced workflows.
If you’re looking for a laptop that balances portability, efficiency, and workstation-level performance, the M4 MacBook Pro remains one of the best options available today.
Key Takeaways
- The M4 MacBook Pro is now available with shipping starting November 8, featuring significantly improved memory bandwidth for AI applications.
- Apple announced the new models on October 30, 2024, with immediate pre-orders available in 28 countries and regions.
- The MacBook Pro lineup offers built-in Apple Intelligence features and represents the company’s first Mac release of 2025.
Design and Display Features
The M4 MacBook Pro maintains Apple’s commitment to premium design while introducing subtle refinements to the established form factor. Display technology continues to be a standout feature with the Liquid Retina XDR display offering professional-grade visual performance.
New Aesthetics and Form Factor
The M4 MacBook Pro maintains its signature aluminum unibody design with clean lines and precision engineering. Apple continues to offer the popular Space Black finish option, which features an improved fingerprint-resistant coating compared to previous generations.
The chassis dimensions remain largely unchanged from the previous model, prioritizing a balance between portability and performance. The M4 MacBook Pro comes in 14-inch and 16-inch variants, with the 14-inch model weighing approximately 3.5 pounds while the 16-inch version comes in around 4.7 pounds.
Build quality remains exceptional with zero flex in the keyboard deck and a sturdy hinge mechanism that allows for one-finger lid opening. The overall aesthetic maintains Apple’s minimalist approach while focusing on durability and practical everyday use.
Display Enhancement and Capabilities
The M4 MacBook Pro continues to feature the impressive Liquid Retina XDR display, utilizing mini-LED technology. This display delivers exceptional contrast ratios and deep blacks that rival OLED screens while avoiding burn-in concerns.
Peak brightness reaches up to 1,600 nits for HDR content and 600 nits for standard usage, ensuring visibility even in bright environments. The display supports P3 wide color gamut, providing vibrant, accurate colors ideal for photo and video editing.
ProMotion technology remains a highlight, offering adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling and more responsive interactions. For professionals concerned about glare, the optional nano-texture glass finish reduces reflections in bright environments, though at an additional cost.
The display maintains the same resolution as previous models: 3024×1964 for the 14-inch and 3456×2234 for the 16-inch, delivering crisp text and detailed images.
Port Arrangement and Connectivity
The M4 MacBook Pro offers a robust selection of ports, addressing the needs of professionals who require direct connectivity without dongles. The laptop features three Thunderbolt ports, with the latest models supporting the Thunderbolt 5 standard on select configurations, offering faster data transfer speeds up to 120 Gbps.
An HDMI port capable of supporting 8K displays comes standard, alongside an SDXC card slot essential for photographers and videographers. The return of MagSafe charging continues to be a welcome feature, providing quick-release magnetic connection and faster charging capabilities.
The 3.5mm headphone jack with advanced support for high-impedance headphones remains in place, catering to audio professionals. Wireless connectivity has been upgraded with Wi-Fi 6E support and Bluetooth 5.3, ensuring faster and more reliable wireless connections.
Performance and Specifications
The M4 MacBook Pro represents a significant leap in Apple’s computing capabilities. The new models feature impressive performance upgrades across processor architecture, memory configuration, and battery efficiency that set new standards for professional laptops.
Processor and Graphics
The M4 chip family brings substantial improvements to the MacBook Pro lineup. The base M4 features a 10-core CPU with four performance cores and six efficiency cores, making it up to 1.8x faster than the M1 chip. This configuration delivers excellent multitasking capabilities for everyday professional workflows.
For more demanding users, Apple offers the M4 Pro and M4 Max variants. The M4 Max is particularly impressive with up to a 16-core CPU and a massive 40-core GPU. This combination provides over half a terabyte per second of unified memory bandwidth, ideal for creative professionals working with complex video editing or 3D rendering projects.
All M4 chips include the Neural Engine, which accelerates machine learning tasks and powers Apple Intelligence features. The chips also support hardware-accelerated ray tracing, bringing more realistic lighting effects to graphics-intensive applications and games like Resident Evil 4.
Memory and Storage Options
The M4 MacBook Pro models offer flexible memory configurations to suit different user needs. The base model supports up to 32GB of unified memory, while higher-end configurations with M4 Pro and M4 Max can accommodate much more.
Storage options start with fast SSDs at 512GB, with options to configure up to multiple terabytes depending on your needs. The 1TB SSD option offers a good balance of space and value for most professional users.
The unified memory architecture provides significant advantages over traditional configurations. With unified memory, the CPU and GPU share the same memory pool, eliminating the need to copy data between separate pools and resulting in better performance and power efficiency.
Storage and memory performance in the new models shows marked improvements in read/write speeds compared to previous generations, making tasks like opening large files and databases noticeably faster.
Camera and Audio Upgrades
The M4 MacBook Pro includes significant camera improvements with a new 12MP Center Stage camera that automatically keeps users centered in the frame during video calls. This marks a notable upgrade from the 720p cameras found in older MacBook models.
The Center Stage feature, previously available only on iPads, now works seamlessly with popular video conferencing apps. The new camera also enables Desk View, which uses the ultra-wide lens to show both the user’s face and a view of their desk simultaneously—ideal for demonstrations and presentations.
Audio capabilities have been enhanced with improved microphone arrays that better isolate voices from background noise. The speaker system continues to deliver spatial audio with Dolby Atmos support, providing an immersive experience for both entertainment and professional audio work.
These improvements make the M4 MacBook Pro a more complete solution for remote work and content creation without requiring external peripherals.
Battery Efficiency and Life
Battery performance remains a standout feature in the M4 MacBook Pro. Apple’s integration of efficient chip design with macOS optimization delivers exceptional battery life even with the increased performance capabilities.
Users can expect up to a full day of work on a single charge for typical professional workflows. The 16-inch model offers particularly impressive battery endurance thanks to its larger internal battery.
Power efficiency has improved across various workloads:
- Web browsing: Up to 15 hours
- Video playback: Up to 22 hours
- Programming and development: 10-12 hours
- Video editing: 5-7 hours (depending on intensity)
The system intelligently manages power distribution, allocating resources to the efficiency cores for less demanding tasks while preserving battery life. Fast charging capabilities allow users to quickly replenish battery levels when needed.
Operating System and Software Integration
The M4 MacBook Pro ships with macOS Sequoia, Apple’s latest operating system optimized specifically for the M4 chip architecture. This tight integration between hardware and software is key to the system’s performance and efficiency.
Apple Intelligence features are deeply embedded throughout the operating system, offering advanced capabilities with Siri and new writing tools. These AI features leverage the powerful Neural Engine in the M4 chips to process requests quickly and efficiently on-device.
Professional applications like Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro have been updated to take full advantage of the M4’s capabilities. Third-party software continues to improve with native Apple Silicon support, with most major applications now running natively without translation.
For developers, the system offers excellent performance for compiling code and running development environments. The Rosetta 2 translation layer ensures compatibility with any remaining Intel-only applications, though with a small performance penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Apple’s MacBook Pro with M4 chips launched in October 2024 after much anticipation. The new models feature significant performance upgrades and technology improvements over previous generations.
When is the expected launch date for the new MacBook Pro featuring the M4 chip?
The MacBook Pro models featuring the M4 chip were released in October 2024. Apple made them available for pre-order immediately after announcement, with devices shipping to customers beginning November 8, 2024.
These models include options with M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, offering various performance levels for different user needs.
What are the anticipated specifications for the next-generation MacBook Pro?
The 2024 MacBook Pro models feature the M4 family of chips, including base M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max options. These processors provide significant performance improvements over the previous M3 generation.
The laptops continue to offer 14-inch and 16-inch display options. Another notable upgrade is the inclusion of Thunderbolt 5 technology, enhancing connectivity speeds and capabilities.
The devices support Apple Intelligence, the company’s AI feature set that integrates across the macOS ecosystem.
What price range can consumers expect for the upcoming MacBook Pro with the M4 processor?
The MacBook Pro with M4 chips maintains Apple’s premium pricing structure. Base models start at similar price points to previous generations, with configuration options significantly affecting the final cost.
Higher-end models with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips command premium prices, especially when configured with additional memory and storage.
How does the M4 MacBook Pro compare to its predecessor in terms of performance upgrades?
The M4 MacBook Pro offers substantial performance improvements over M3 models. The new chips provide better processing speeds, enhanced graphics capabilities, and improved efficiency.
The M4 Pro and M4 Max variants deliver even more significant performance boosts for professional workloads like video editing, 3D rendering, and software development.
Battery efficiency has also improved, allowing for longer work sessions between charges despite the increased performance.
Will there be any significant design changes in the M4 MacBook Pro compared to previous models?
The 2024 M4 MacBook Pro maintains the same general design language as the previous generation. Apple has kept the aluminum unibody construction, similar port configuration, and overall dimensions.
The most notable physical change is the addition of Thunderbolt 5 ports, representing a significant connectivity upgrade. Display technology remains similar to previous models.
The keyboard, trackpad, and general ergonomics remain consistent with the previous generation.
Has Apple announced any official events or press conferences for unveiling the M4 MacBook Pro?
Apple announced the M4 MacBook Pro during their October 2024 product launch. This followed their typical fall release schedule for Mac products.
The announcement came after Apple had already refreshed most of their Mac lineup with M4 chips throughout 2024. The Mac Pro remains the only system in Apple’s lineup not yet updated to the M4 platform as of March 2025.
