The M4 MacBook Pro is on the horizon as Apple is expected to refresh several lineups with new M4 chips.
We got a sneak peek of the M4 chip’s capabilities when Apple unveiled it alongside the iPad Pro. This was the first time Apple injected an M-series chip into an iPad ahead a MacBook.
The M4 chip was officially introduced to us when the iPad Pro dropped earlier this year.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
We can’t quite wrap our minds around why Apple would do this. Perhaps Apple wanted to give us a sneak peek of the M4’s powerful capabilities before introducing it to the MacBook family. Based on the internal performance numbers we got for the M4-based iPad Pro, the upcoming M4 MacBook Pro is likely to be just as impressive.
That being said, let’s take a look at all the rumors we’ve heard about the M4 MacBook Pro.
Quick overview of the M4 MacBook Pro
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The 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro is expected in late October
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14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips expected in late October
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The M4 MacBook Pro will likely start with 16GB of RAM as opposed to 8GB
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No significant redesign
M4 MacBook Pro
The M4 chip, as stated in the latest Power On Newsletter, written by of Bloomberg Mark Gurman (a respected Apple analyst and developer), has improved AI and gaming processing capabilities. The M4 has already made its way to the iMac, but we’re expecting it to land inside the MacBook Pro as well as the Mac mini.
Similar to the M3 MacBook that dropped last year during October’s “Scary Fast” event, we’re expecting the following M4 MacBook models this year.
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14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 (cheaper)
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14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro
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14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Max
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16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro
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16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Max (more expensive)
According to Apple, compared to the M2 CPU, the M4 processor is 50% faster. The Cupertino-based tech giant also claims that rendering performance has a fourfold performance jump.
Mashable’s Speed of Light
It is also worth noting that, according to BloombergThe M4 MacBook Pro will likely start with 16GB of RAM as opposed to 8GB.
M4 MacBook Pro release date
According to Gurman, the M4 MacBook Pro is expected to drop in late October. In fact, Apple is said to be on a frenzy and refresh a number of its devices. As mentioned, it has already revealed an M4 iMac, but we’re also expecting new M4 MacBook Pro models and new M4 Mac mini configurations.
The entry-level MacBook Pro of the current generation
Credit: Apple
This matches a rumor from Ross Young, another respected analyst. According to Young, who posted a leak on his subscriber-only feed on X (formerly Twitter), Apple fans can expect a release of the M4 MacBook Pro “later this year,” he said.
According to Gurman, Apple will reportedly release a “new 16-inch MacBook Pro and low- and high-end configurations of the 14-inch model of that laptop.”
M4 MacBook Pro design
At least two Russian-based content creators claimed to have gotten their hands on the highly anticipated M4 MacBook Pro.
A YouTuber named “Wylsacom” uploaded a video claiming to do an unboxing of the M4 MacBook Pro. It appeared to have the 14-inch “Space Black” model, a color that was reserved for the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips, excluding the base M3 chip. If this is true, then it looks like Apple will extend the Space Black color to the base 14-inch M4 configurations (instead of saving it for the more expensive M4 Pro and M4 Max models).
The video also shows that the M4 MacBook Pro will have three Thunderbolt 4 ports as opposed to two. Plus, as mentioned earlier, the initial configurations will be 16GB of RAM as opposed to 8GB.
We haven’t seen any other design rumors about the M4 MacBook Pro, but it’s likely that there won’t be a major overhaul. As MacRumors said, behind the scenes, Apple is planning a MacBook release with a new OLED display. However, this is not expected until 2026.
