Apple has introduced its update to the MacBook Pro, upgrading the chips from M3 to use M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max, and adding Space Black to the mix.
The key of the change is the M4 chip, which offers consumers a considerable performance bump for single-core and multi-core applications over M3. As well as that, Apple’s bringing in the M4 Pro and M4 Max to the table.
The M4 has a 10-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores, and a 10-core GPU.
The M4 Pro is offered with either a 12-core CPU with 8 performance cores and four efficiency cores, or 14 cores with two more performance cores. The GPU is either 16 cores or 20 cores, depending on the version.
The new M4 Max option starts with a 14-core CPU with 10 performance cores and a 32-core GPU. There’s an upgrade available to a 16-core CPU with a 40-core GPU.
The memory bandwidth also scales up with the chip tier. While the M4 is at 120GB/s, the M4 Pro goes up to 273GB/s, and the M4 Max hits 410GB/s or 546GB/s, depending on the variant.
While the internals are bolstered with more performance, the rest of the MacBook Pro models are practically the same as the predecessors in many other ways.
This includes the 14.2-inch and 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR displays, offering resolutions of 3,024 by 1,964 and 3,456 by 2,234 respectively. The mini-LED backlit screens have a maximum brightness of 600 nits for standard content, 1,000 nits sustained for full-screen HDR content, and 1,600 nits at a peak.
True Tone, ProMototion, and Wide Color (P3) support return as usual. At the top of the display is a 1080p FaceTime HD camera with an advanced ISP for computational video improvements.
Audio is provided by a six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers, complete with Spatial Audio support and even Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking when using compatible hardware. There’s also a trio of mics with high signal-to-noise ratios and directional beamforming, and even a 3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones.
Connectivity-wise, there are three Thunderbolt 5 ports on the M4 Pro and M4 Max versions, depending on the model, while the M4 uses Thunderbolt 4. MagSafe 3, HDMI, and an SDXC card slot round out the physical connectivity options.
Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 are also included for wireless connectivity.
Another change is color, with customers now able to get a Space Black version alongside the existing Silver variant.
Shipping on November 8 with preorders starting from Wednesday, the M4 14-inch MacBook Pro starts from $1,599, and the 16-inch starts from $2,499.
