The third day of Apple’s “announcement week” brought news that many have been patiently waiting for. It’s a new product release. MacBook Pro M4. The improved MacBook Pro features updated hardware such as Thunderbolt 5 ports, a 12MP camera, a nano-texture display, and of course the much-anticipated M4 chip in one of three different chip configurations: M4, M4 Pro, or M4. are piled up. maximum.
All three feature a 16-core Neural Engine, paired with 16 GB, 24 GB, or 36 GB of unified memory. It’s available for pre-order now starting at $1,599 and will be in regular sale starting November 8th.
The Apple Magic Mouse also uses USB-C, but it’s still connected to the bottom. buy this instead
The new MacBook Pro comes in Space Black or Silver and in 14-inch or 16-inch configurations. The former is available for all three chips, while the 16-inch version only comes with the M4 Pro or M4 Pro Max. Released just a year after the M3, the new chip leverages AI capabilities that leverage the chip’s Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to improve on-device performance for large language models, making Apple an industry leader. We aim to return to the top of the list.
The base-level M4 has three Thunderbolt 4 ports (currently one on the right side), while the M4 Pro and Pro Max have three Thunderbolt 5 ports, a first for Apple in the new connectivity standard. Apple also touts improved battery life with the M4 chip. With up to 24 hours on a single charge, it pushes the boundaries of M3’s already impressive battery life.
MacBook Pro with the M4 Pro chip delivers even more performance. Apple claims twice the power of the base M4 and 75% more memory bandwidth with the M3 chip (which Apple says is twice that of any other AI PC chip). At the top is a MacBook with the M4 Pro Max chip, which features a GPU with up to 40 cores and a Neural Engine that’s 3x faster than the M1 Max.
ALSO: M4 MacBook Pro has a boringly good reason to upgrade
As for the display, Apple’s Liquid Retina XDR display features an all-new nano-texture option that can support up to 1000 nits of brightness with up to 1600 peak brightness for HDR content. Alongside the display, a 12MP center stage camera aims to deliver high-quality video even in challenging lighting while working with on-device AI to keep the user in the center of the frame.
The MacBook Pro M4 also comes with Apple Intelligence out of the box, but many of the most notable features will be rolled out in the coming months. Apple’s unique AI feature set includes text summarization, writing tools, and image generation, and ChatGPT will be integrated into Siri in December 2024.
Mac Mini M4: small, fast, carbon neutral
The redesigned Mac Mini lives up to its name and is significantly smaller, at just 5 x 5 inches, easily fitting in the palm of your hand or desktop (for reference, the previous Mac Mini measured 7.75 x 7.75 inches). is).
Related article: Mac Studio features keep you from buying a new M4 Mac Mini this fall
Inside the device is Apple’s latest M4 and M4 Pro processors, which Apple says deliver 1.8x faster CPU performance and 2.2x faster GPU performance than its predecessor with the M2 chip. It is said that it can be achieved. It also has 16GB of unified memory, and the price starts at $599, the same as when the previous model was released.
The new Mac Mini also features front and back ports, including a new Thunderbolt 5 port meant to provide ultra-fast transfer speeds in conjunction with the M4 chip. The M4 Mac Mini has three additional Thunderbolt 4 ports on the back, while the Mac Mini M4 Pro has three Thunderbolt 5 ports on the back. Both have Gigabit Ethernet and HDMI ports.
Related article: M4 Mac Mini vs. M2 Mac Mini: Which Apple Desktop Should You Buy?
Obviously, you’ll need to connect a display to this small, powerful device, but Apple has made it possible to increase support for external monitors. Mac Mini with M4 can support up to two 6K displays and up to one 5K display, while Mac Mini with M4 Pro can support up to three 6K displays running at 60Hz for a total of 6,000 Supports millions of pixels.
The device’s designation as the first carbon-neutral Mac means Apple is able to reduce carbon emissions by 80% when sourcing materials, and the entire device is built with more than 50% recycled content. states that it was done.
New iMacs with M4 chips (and all colors)
Announced yesterday, prices start at $1,299; new iMac comes with 16GB of unified memory and is available for pre-order now with general availability starting November 8th. Apple says the new M4 iMac is 1.7x faster than the current version and 2.1x faster for demanding workflows like gaming and video editing. The main features are:
- It comes in seven colors (green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver) and comes with color-matched USB-C accessories.
- The 24-inch 4.5K Retina display comes with a new nano-textured glass option.
- The M4 chip with 16 GB of RAM powers the new iMac’s Apple Intelligence features.
- New iMacs come with up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports.
- A new 12MP Center Stage camera that automatically adjusts center during video calls and a wide-angle lens that provides a top-down view of the desktop for educators and students.
- Supports up to 2 external 6K monitors.
What Apple didn’t announce this week
Last week, Apple marketing executive Greg Jozwiak teased an “announcement week” for the X, guaranteeing new M4-powered devices would be coming soon. So far, we’ve had the first announcements about the all-new iMac, the Mac Mini M4, and today the new MacBook.
Apple is overhauling its Mac lineup with several new models powered by M4. Some of these will be available as early as this year, but updates to the MacBook Air lineup and iMac Pro Studio models likely won’t arrive until early next year.
Related article: Apple Intelligence is finally coming to your iPhone at the end of October
Despite M4 first appearing in the new iPad Pro in May of this year, Apple has remained fairly quiet regarding the M4 chip, instead focusing the conversation at WWDC on Apple Intelligence (the company’s AI model). , the subsequent focus was on Apple Intelligence integration. iPhone16.
Now is the logical time to make an announcement. This time last year, Apple announced that the MacBook Pro and 24-inch iMac would feature M3 processors. But as Bloomberg’s Mark Garman reported earlier this month, Apple is moving away from its annual product upgrade cycle to make way for smaller, more frequent software rollouts and product launches.
The new Mac is powered by the 2024 iPad Pro, as well as Apple’s latest M4 processor.
Kelly Wang/ZDNET
Rumors that the new Mac Studio and Mac Pro will feature the M4 chip aren’t definitive, but it doesn’t seem like it will be announced until the new chip is included in more readily available core consumer products.
Additionally, Gurman reports that the M4 chip will likely arrive in the MacBook Air series of laptops in the first half of next year. iPad Air 11 and 13-inch models will also likely receive the new chip in early 2025, along with peripherals such as the new Magic Keyboard.
Related article: All the new features Apple is announcing this fall for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and more, including AI
Apple’s Announcements Week is dominated by product news for its MacBook and Mac desktop lineups, but that’s not the only thing announced. The latest iOS version 18.1 was also released earlier this week and includes call recording and transcription features powered by Apple Intelligence.
New Apple devices powered by the next-generation M4 chip will propel Apple forward in the AI race currently unfolding on PCs, driven by Windows’ Copilot+ products and the explosion of Qualcomm, Intel, and AMD processors. . Here’s hoping the Cupertino giant brings momentum heading into the busy holiday shopping season.
