Apple’s M3-series MacBook Professional was launched within the fall of 2023, however Apple has seemingly put the laptop computer on a extra frequent replace cycle, with experiences of an M4 MacBook Professional coming earlier than the top of 2024 hitting the rumor mill.
On this article, we’re conserving observe of all of the rumors in regards to the M4, M4 Professional and M4 Max MacBook Professional.
MacBook Professional M4 Launch date: When will Apple replace the MacBook Professional?
It’s solely been a yr because the M3-series MacBook Professional have been launched in October 2024, but it surely seems like Apple is on the brink of replace them once more, although the corporate appears to have forgotten to replace many desktop Macs to run on the M3 sequence chips. With the arrival of the M4 within the iPad Professional again in Might it seems like the corporate has already finished the groundwork, so certainly an M4 Mac will arrive quickly.
All of the indicators point out that Apple will launch new M4-powered Macs earlier than the top of the yr. It appears we are able to anticipate a brand new Mac mini, a brand new iMac, and new MacBook Professional fashions. In a mid-September 2024 publication Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman steered that Apple will launch Macs with the M4 chip “in the coming weeks.”
Gurman has been making predictions in regards to the introduction of Macs with M4 chips for a while. Again in April, he wrote that the M4 rollout would start later in 2024 and proceed all through 2025. His prediction at the moment was that in late 2024 we’ll see the next:
- Entry-level MacBook Professional, M4, 14-inch: Late 2024
- iMac, M4, 24-inch: Late 2024
- MacBook Professional, M4 Professional/M4 Max, 14-inch and 16-inch: Late 2024/Early 2025
- Mac mini M4/M4 Professional: Late 2024/Early 2025
We may see simply the entry-level MacBook Professional in October, however we expect that separating the launch of the entry-level MacBook Professional from the higher-end fashions can be a curious transfer, so we anticipate to see the entire vary of MacBook Professional, together with the M4 Professional and M4 Max launched on the identical time. Alternatively, Apple might wish to stagger the chips and separate the M4 Professional/Max from the M4 to present the higher-end machines their very own highlight. In fact, solely Apple is aware of what the plans are at this level.
There may be one indication that every one three MacBook Professional varieties are because of be up to date sooner quite than later. In June, analyst Ross Younger posted (subscription required) that show panel shipments for a brand new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Professional are scheduled for Q3 2024, which may imply {that a} new MacBook Professional with M4-series chips might occur by the top of the yr.
New Apple merchandise launch all year long, learn: when is the subsequent Apple occasion to study extra in regards to the firm’s product launch plans.
MacBook Professional M4 Worth: What is going to the brand new MacBook Professional price?
We don’t anticipate that the costs of the MacBook Professional vary will change when the M4 fashions are launched. Right here’s how a lot they price proper now within the U.S. and U.Okay:
14-inch MacBook Professional
- $1,599/£1,699: M3 with 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU; 8GB unified reminiscence; 512GB SSD
- $1,799/£1,899: M3 with 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU; 8GB unified reminiscence; 1TB SSD
- $1,999/£2,099: M3 with 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU; 16GB unified reminiscence; 1TB SSD
- $1,999/£2,099: M3 Professional with 11-core CPU, 14-core GPU; 18GB unified reminiscence; 512GB SSD
- $2,399/£2,499: M3 Professional with 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU; 18GB unified reminiscence; 1TB SSD
- 3,199/£3,299: M3 Max with 14-core CPU, 30-core GPU; 36GB unified reminiscence, 1TB SSD
16-inch MacBook Professional
- $2,499/£2,599: M3 Professional with 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU; 18GB unified reminiscence; 512GB SSD
- $2,899/£2,999: M3 Professional with 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU; 36GB unified reminiscence; 512GB SSD
- $3,499/£3,599: M3 Max with 14-core CPU, 30-core GPU; 36GB unified reminiscence; 1TB SSD
- $3,999/£4,099: M3 Max with 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU; 48GB unified reminiscence; 1TB SSD
Apple will possible provide comparable configurations and it stays to be seen if the costs will improve or not.
MacBook Professional M4 Specs: How a lot better will the M4 MacBook be?
Thiago Trevisan
The AI market is scorching sizzling proper now so that you may be positive Apple desires to make an enormous impression. In line with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman again in April 2024, Apple desires to make an enormous splash with the M4 chip, which may have massive AI enhancements.
We already know a few of what to anticipate from the M4 chip as a result of it has already made an look within the iPad Professional, which faired even higher than the M3 MacBook Professional in a few of our exams. We all know to anticipate a 20 p.c multi-core CPU increase over the M3 (when evaluating 10-core CPUs), for instance.
The entry-level MacBook Professional might be the one getting the largest generational adjustments, with some updates addressing the disadvantages of the M3 MacBook Professional. The brand new entry-level mannequin may improve the usual 8GB RAM to 16GB RAM, add extra Thunderbolt ports and introduce Area Black as a colour choice.
A leaked picture propertied to be from the field for the brand new M4 mannequin reveals that the mannequin may have 16GB RAM as commonplace, three Thunderbolt ports, and a Area Black colour choice. The M3 Professional mannequin presently ships with 18GB RAM as commonplace.
The M4 Professional and M4 Max will likely be variants of the bottom M4, implementing extra CPU and GPU cores and extra unified reminiscence.
Mark Gurman reported in April that Apple might improve the higher reminiscence restrict of its high-end desktop Macs. He didn’t say something about MacBooks, but it surely’s not a attain to conclude that the M4 and its enhanced AI capabilities may result in extra RAM on the chip for MacBooks, too. Nevertheless, design constraints may forestall the MacBooks from having an higher restrict improve as massive as on desktop Macs.
Wi-Fi 7 help could also be added now that the Wi-Fi Alliance has made the usual official.
One other characteristic that might change is battery life. The M4 might be extra environment friendly, or it might be extra power-hungry, affecting battery life. On the premise that the A17 chips within the iPhoen 16-series introduced with them higher battery life we hope to see the identical results on battery life with the M4 sequence.
MacBook Professional M4 Design: Will Apple replace the design of the MacBook Professional?
The M4 improve can be the fourth era of this specific MacBook Professional design, first launched in 2021. Apple isn’t anticipated to alter it in any respect, so the 2024 launch will possible be a chip improve solely.
As talked about above, it seems just like the Area Black colour choice could also be out there for the entry-level MacBook Professional. With the M3 mannequin solely silver or Area Gray is accessible. That entry-level mannequin may get extra ports: it’s presently restricted to 2 Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, an HDMI port and SDXC card slot, headphone jack and MagSafe 3 port for charging, whereas the opposite MacBook Professional get three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port and SDXC card slot, headphone jack and MagSafe 3 port.
Area Black made its debut with the M3 Professional/Max MacBook Professional final fall.
Foundry
MacBook Professional M4 Display screen: Will the brand new MacBook Professional have a greater display?
Apple elevated the show brightness from 500 to 600 nits with the M3 MacBook Professional, so this most likely gained’t change with the M4. The dimensions, weight, digital camera, mics, audio system, ports, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth are prone to keep the identical.
Apple just isn’t anticipated to improve the Liquid Retina XDR show. Analyst Ross Younger of Show Provide Chain Consultants tweeted in August on X that show panel shipments for the MacBook Professional “are starting in July/August.”
A report by Omdia states that Apple is probably going to make use of OLED shows within the MacBook Professional, however not till 2026.