Apple’s M3 chip is now firmly cemented within the Mac lineup, and all of Apple’s finest MacBooks now provide some number of M3, M3 Professional, and M3 Max choices. Nonetheless, the tempo of Apple silicon’s advance has been phenomenal, and simply months after the revealing of the M3 chip, we’re already beginning to hear some thrilling issues about Apple’s M4 chip, and an all-new M4 MacBook Professional.
In line with stories in early 2024, Apple is planning to maneuver its Mac lineup to an annual refresh cycle, similar to its finest iPhones. To that finish, the corporate is planning to unveil the M4 Apple silicon chip earlier than the tip of 2024, and Apple’s M4 MacBook Professional is predicted to be the very first Mac to get the brand new chip alongside a brand new M4 iMac.
Apple’s main MacBook redesigns are considerably much less frequent than inside modifications, which implies the 2024 M4 MacBook Professional may effectively look similar to the present M3 MacBook Professional lineup. It’s additionally probably that Apple will proceed to supply broadly the identical mannequin lineup because the M3 vary, having so lately settled on a brand new configuration of three chips, and two sizes.
So what may all of that imply for the M4 MacBook Professional, tipped for launch on the finish of the 12 months? Right here’s the whole lot it’s essential know.
M4 MacBook Professional: Launch date
Apple’s model new M3, M3 Professional, and M3 Max MacBook Professional fashions got here out on October 30, 2023, the third Apple silicon MacBook Professional launch since 2020. Maybe extra surprisingly, it was the second MacBook Professional launch in lower than 12 months, the M2 Professional and M2 Max lineup having graced Apple Shops in January 2023.
It appears clear that Apple is popping up the dial on Mac launches, with extra merchandise and fewer vital modifications, similar to its different product traces. We’ve been instructed to anticipate {that a} new M4 MacBook Professional may debut as early as the tip of 2024. In line with a leak from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in April, Apple is planning an accelerated Mac makeover which is able to start with the brand new M4 MacBook Professional, and an replace to the M3 iMac. Particularly, Gurman says Apple will announce “A low-end 14-inch MacBook Professional with the M4, coming across the finish of 2024.”
We’ll talk about fashions in additional element under, however Apple is probably going going to launch a number of fashions of a brand new M4 MacBook Professional. That features each 14 and 16-inch variations of its higher-end M4 Professional and M4 Max variants. Gurman says these are due “between the tip of 2024 and early 2025.” This doesn’t preclude all three being launched on the similar time, which appears extra probably as that’s the format Apple selected in 2023. Apple may take yearly upgrades to its pure conclusion and announce these on the finish of October. November can be a possible shout, with Apple having introduced Macs at occasions or in any other case in each months beforehand.
M4 MacBook Professional: Fashions
With the appearance of the bottom mannequin M3 MacBook Professional, Apple appears to have discovered a mannequin configuration that works very effectively. Three fashions in two sizes. Apple’s present providing lends customers the selection of both a 14 or 16-inch chassis, and three complete processor choices, M3, M3 Professional, and M3 Max. The one caveat is that the base-model M3 model solely is available in one measurement, 14 inches. Having so lately tweaked that lineup considerably — ditching the 13-inch MacBook Professional for a bigger, stronger base mannequin — it appears unlikely that Apple would overhaul its MacBook lineup once more. Whereas we may have made an informed guess in regards to the lineup, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has given us take a look at the roadmap and the anticipated fashions coming. The anticipated mannequin rundown is as follows:
| Measurement | Row 0 – Cell 1 | Row 0 – Cell 2 | Row 0 – Cell 3 |
| 14-inch MacBook Professional | M4 | M4 Professional | M4 Max |
| 16-inch MacBook Professional | Row 2 – Cell 1 | M4 Professional | M4 Max |
M4 MacBook Professional: M4 chip
You could find the whole lot it’s essential know in regards to the M4 chip in our full rundown, nonetheless, it is protected to say that that is anticipated to be one of many greatest jumps in Apple silicon efficiency to this point. Right here’s a fast rundown of a few of the greatest rumors and anticipated modifications.
Apple’s M3 lineup pivoted to a 3nm course of that packs in additional transistors into the identical house. Denser chips enhance processing and effectivity with out taking on extra space. Apple’s foremost provide chain companion TSMC is predicted to undertake a barely up to date course of dubbed 3NE. The brand new course of presents very slight general efficiency enhancements over the present 3nm course of M3 makes use of, with TSMC promising “higher energy, efficiency, and density.”
A report in February claimed that each Apple’s A18 chip and the M4 Apple silicon chip would see “vital“ will increase in each the quantity and efficiency of the processors in M4, in addition to a big improve within the variety of built-in AI computing cores. Meaning we are able to anticipate huge enhancements not simply to CPU and GPU core counts, but in addition to the Neural Engine.
Because it stands, the M3, M3 Professional, and M3 Max chips provide ever-increasing numbers of CPU and GPU cores, in addition to boosted Unified reminiscence in each bandwidth and capability. Right here’s the beginning lineup for the M3 chip vary:
| Chip | CPU cores | GPU cores | Unified Reminiscence |
| M3 | 8 | 10 | 8GB, 16GB, 24GB |
| M3 Professional | 12 | 18 | 18GB, 36GB |
| M3 Max | 16 | 40 | 36GB, 48GB, 64GB, 96GB, 128GB |
Apple has continued so as to add CPU and GPU cores to every passing M-series chip, so it appears probably that M4 will proceed this development.
M4 MacBook Professional: Design
Apple solidified its MacBook Professional design with the 2021 model of its MacBook Professional. Whereas Apple usually releases new MacBook Professional fashions yearly, the broader design language tends to final for 5 and even six years at a time. Apple’s iconic unibody aluminum MacBook Professional took us from late 2008 to late 2011, regardless of getting six refreshes throughout its lifetime. Equally, the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Professional fashions are nonetheless fairly contemporary design-wise, so we wouldn’t anticipate any vital modifications or tweaks to the MacBook Professional’s design for 2024, and there are not any rumors to counsel in any other case.
M4 MacBook Professional: Show
Among the best options of the present MacBook Professional lineup is its Liquid Retina XDR show. Pumping out 3024-by-1964 native decision at 254 PPI and 3456-by-2234 native decision at 254 PPI respectively, each the 14 and 16-inch fashions of the MacBook Professional provide a 1 million to at least one distinction ratio, and 1600 nits of peak HDR brightness powered by mini-LED.
The large improve to look out for this 12 months may be OLED. Apple is predicted to unveil a brand new M3 iPad Professional with OLED in Might. Meantime, we’ve been listening to numerous rumblings in regards to the prospect of a future OLED MacBook Professional. Nonetheless, the leaks and rumors are all so scattered that it is unimaginable to pin down timeframe. One latest report from February 2024 indicated that the brand new OLED Macbook Professional was nonetheless years away, with a reveal tipped for 2027.
Nonetheless, in December the OLED MacBook was tipped for a 2025 launch, whereas a report in November stated the improve was coming 2026.
All of this appears to counsel that OLED is admittedly too distant from the MacBook to make an look as early as the tip of this 12 months. An OLED MacBook definitely looks as if a transparent path Apple will select for the long run, and the MacBook Professional is the plain alternative for the primary recipient of such an improve. Nonetheless, Apple’s present mini-LED lineup already presents a few of the finest shows of any pocket book on the market. Whereas OLED would provide higher distinction and black ranges, a extra essential profit would probably be the benefit of thinner shows which may cut back the MacBook Professional lineup’s general thickness and weight.
M4 MacBook Professional: Reminiscence and Storage
Apple continues to supply some actually hefty configuration choices for its MacBook Professional fashions in 2024, every with eye-watering worth tags to match. Apple’s M3 MacBook Professional comes with 8GB, 16GB, or 24GB of RAM together with storage of as much as 2TB. The M3 Professional fashions presents as much as 36GB of reminiscence, whereas the M3 Max model can go all the way in which as much as 128 GB. Apple’s M4 chip may probably add much more reminiscence to the combination later this 12 months, or maybe extra reminiscence bandwidth. The largest urgent want right here, nonetheless, is a beginning configuration of 16GB. Whereas Apple claims that 8GB remains to be loads of reminiscence for many customers who desire a base mannequin, it appears to defy logic that that is an choice in 2024. Drawing a line beneath 8GB MacBook Professional fashions can be one of many greatest steps the M4 MacBook may make for 2024.
M4 MacBook Professional: Connectivity
After eschewing all of its ports for USB-C slots a couple of years again, Apple lastly made MacBooks helpful once more by bringing again HDMI and SDXC slots in 2021. With no design modifications anticipated, Apple’s connectivity help is prone to go unchanged for 2024. Apple already presents the entire ports a MacBook Professional customers may need together with Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, and even a headphone jack. Because it stands, there are not any present stories of any connectivity modifications coming to the M4 MacBook Professional.
M4 MacBook Professional: Worth
With a brand new beginning worth of $1,599, the M3 MacBook Professional lineup is arguably extra reasonably priced than it has been in earlier years. The theme of the M4 MacBook Professional improve for 2024 general is a slight tweak to efficiency in M4 and never a lot else. As such, we’d anticipate lots of the MacBook Professional’s options and specs to stay broadly the identical, if not equivalent. As such, the M4 MacBook Professional 14-inch is prone to retail on the similar $1,599 price ticket as its predecessor. Likewise, the 14-inch Macbook Professional will probably be $1,999, and the 16-inch mannequin will begin at $2,499. With no main upgrades or design modifications, there’s no clear motive to point Apple would improve the value of its MacBook Professional lineup in any respect. Moreover, Apple’s MacBook Professional fashions are extremely costly, and pushing the value up additional would probably have prospects trying elsewhere.
