Apple announced three major Mac products this week: new iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro models. These machines bring the M4 chip series to Apple’s Mac lineup for the first time, but each offers some new features and changes beyond the processor in its own way.
We’ve compiled all the highlights below.
new iMac
Apple on Monday unveiled its latest 24-inch iMac, an all-in-one desktop computer powered by the M4 chip. Apple says iMacs with M4 deliver up to 1.7x faster performance for everyday productivity tasks and 2.1x faster performance for demanding workflows like photo editing and gaming.
The base model comes with 16 GB of RAM, double the previous entry-level configuration, with options up to 32 GB. For M4 iMac models with a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, all four USB-C ports support Thunderbolt 4 transfer speeds up to 40Gb/s. The previous generation M3 iMac with four ports had two Thunderbolt 3 ports and two USB-3 ports. The 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU models only have two ports, both of which are Thunderbolt 4. All USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports also support USB 4 and USB 3.1 Gen 2.
Key features of the new iMac include:
- New 12MP front camera with support for Center Stage and Desk View.
- New color options including green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, and blue.
- Optional nano-textured display further reduces glare (+$200).
- Four Thunderbolt 4 ports on top models (up from two Thunderbolt 3 ports).
- M4 chip with 10-core CPU/GPU supports up to 8K external display at 60Hz.
The updated iMac is available for order now. Pricing starts at $1,299 for the 8-core CPU/GPU version and $1,499 for the 4-port 10-core CPU/GPU model. The first orders will arrive to customers and will begin selling in stores on Friday, November 8th.
New Mac mini
Apple on Tuesday announced a completely redesigned Mac mini model featuring the company’s latest M4 and M4 Pro chips. The new Mac mini has a dramatically smaller footprint, more connectivity, and significantly better performance than the previous generation.
The new machine’s chassis measures just 5 inches square thanks to a new thermal architecture that directs air from the feet of the device to efficiently cool the system. As part of the redesign, Apple relocated the power button to the bottom of the enclosure.
Here are some great features of the redesigned Mac mini:
- M4 chip with up to 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, or M4 Pro chip with up to 14-core CPU and 20-core GPU.
- M4 Pro models come with up to 64 GB of memory, and 16 GB is now standard on the base M4 model.
- Two USB-C ports on the front and three Thunderbolt 5 ports on the back (M4 Pro model). The M4 model still has a Thunderbolt 4 port.
- Up to 2x faster GPU performance than M1 models with M4 Pro.
- Apple’s first carbon-neutral Mac.
The base model with the M4 chip starts at just $599, making it Apple’s most affordable Mac. Pre-orders for the new Mac mini are now available and will be available starting Friday, November 8th.
New MacBook Pro
Apple on Wednesday announced new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, and a new entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 chip.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 has a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, and for tasks like editing gigapixel photos or more demanding workloads like complex rendering, the M1 Up to 1.8x faster than a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Apple says Blender scenes are up to 3.4x faster. It also features up to 24 hours of battery life, the longest ever on a Mac.
Key enhancements to the new base model M4 MacBook Pro include:
- 16 GB of unified memory comes standard, double that of the previous base configuration.
- There are now three Thunderbolt 4 ports, up from two Thunderbolt 3 ports on the previous model.
- Supports up to two 6K external displays even when the laptop lid is open.
- The Space Black color option was previously limited to top models with the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips.
Meanwhile, MacBook Pro with the M4 Pro chip features up to 14-core CPU and 20-core GPU, delivering up to 3x faster performance than M1 Pro. The M4 Max model, on the other hand, boasts up to 16-core CPU and 40-core CPU. Equipped with Core GPU and provides 3.5x boost over M1 Max. Both models come with a minimum of 24 GB of unified memory, and the M4 Max supports up to 128 GB.
Key enhancements to the new M4 Pro and M4 Max MacBook Pro models include:
- Three Thunderbolt 5 ports with speeds up to 120 Gb/s and support for native DisplayPort 2.1 output.
- Improved Liquid Retina XDR display with nano-textured glass option improves viewing in bright environments.
- 12MP center stage camera with desk view lets you see your face and desk at the same time during video calls.
- 14-inch: Up to 22 hours of battery life on M4 Pro models and up to 18 hours on M4 Max.
- 16 inches: Battery life is up to 24 hours on M4 Pro models and up to 21 hours on M4 Max.
- M4 Pro supports up to two 6K external displays, and M4 Max supports four displays: three 6K via Thunderbolt and one 8K via HDMI.
The updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are available to order now, starting at $1,599. The first orders will arrive to customers and stores on Friday, November 8th.
Other notable highlights of the week
What Apple announcements are you most excited about this week? Let us know in the comments.
