The new M4 Mac Studio is set to be a powerful addition to Apple’s desktop lineup. Apple is expected to introduce faster connectivity options, including Thunderbolt 5 ports and Wi-Fi 7 support. Thunderbolt 5 will allow for speeds up to 120 Gb/s, enabling faster external storage and powerful docking solutions.
Our powerful new MacBook Pro, stunning iMac, and carbon neutral Mac mini are all available today! This new lineup is built for Apple Intelligence, and powered by the ultrafast M4 family of chips. https://t.co/CNYsql8Rp3 pic.twitter.com/lpLE2yBfhc
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) November 8, 2024
Wi-Fi 7 will support speeds up to 46 Gbps, reducing interference and signal congestion. The M4 Mac Studio will likely feature the M4 Max and M4 Ultra chips. The M4 Max chip, already introduced in the new MacBook Pro, has a 16-core CPU and 40-core GPU.
Powerful performance! M4 family of chips! New technologies! More Unified Memory! The new MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini are available now! https://t.co/hTmEwLv9j7 pic.twitter.com/CerTzwVfFr
— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) November 8, 2024
M4 MacBook Pro vs M3 MacBook Pro Ultimate Comparison is live on YouTube!
Hope you all enjoy! Some big discoveries here including battery life!https://t.co/UrfMxT86ii
— Vadim Yuryev (@VadimYuryev) November 9, 2024
The theoretical M4 Ultra chip is expected to have a 32-core CPU and 80-core GPU, thanks to Apple’s UltraFusion technology. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the new Mac Studio is expected by mid-2025, possibly at WWDC25. Apple enthusiasts are excited to see how the M4 Mac Studio will push the boundaries of desktop performance.
Who’s ready for our M4 vs M3 MacBook Pro Ultimate Comparison? 15 min before it goes live on Max Tech YouTube!
Made some huge discoveries including confirmation of faster HEVC media encoders. Much better battery life as well!
Stay tuned! pic.twitter.com/Ixb3PdGhhU
— Vadim Yuryev (@VadimYuryev) November 9, 2024
Despite the impressive performance and capabilities of the new M4-powered MacBook Pro laptops, some feel they fail to live up to the hype. The M4 MacBook Pro models come with Apple’s price premium, and a direct comparison to the upcoming M4 MacBook Air won’t be possible until March 2025. The M4 MacBook Air is expected to have similar features to the MacBook Pro, such as increased performance, more I/O ports, and a new surface coating.
If these features arrive on the MacBook Air, the value for money of the M4 MacBook Pro may diminish.
M4 chip propels future Macs
The main differences between the MacBook Air and the entry-level MacBook Pro may lie in cooling performance.
Consumers focused on performance will prefer the M4 Pro and M4 Max-powered MacBook Pro laptops, while others will consider price and smaller differences. Since the introduction of Apple Silicon, Apple has struggled to justify the consumer-focused MacBook Air. The M4 MacBook Pro seems underpowered compared to the M4 Pro and M4 Max variants, and the upgrades appear minimal.
The release of the M4 chip has made the base MacBook Pro a compelling option. With a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16GB of memory, and a 512GB SSD, it feels like a full-fledged professional machine rather than a compromise. The new 12-megapixel webcam provides sharp images with the Center Stage feature and Desk View software.
The option for a nano-texture display is worthwhile for visual professionals who prefer reduced glare. Performance benchmarks show the M4 MacBook Pro outperforming the M3 by 64 percent in multicore tests and maintaining a 41 percent improvement in sustained tests. GPU benchmarks show the M4 up to 25 percent faster with the same number of GPU cores as the M3.
The M4 MacBook Pro handles high-resolution raw file editing efficiently, with impressive battery life over 12 hours under moderate-to-heavy usage. At $1,599, it offers better performance, more Thunderbolt ports, a higher resolution screen, better speakers, and webcam than the 15-inch MacBook Air. The base M4 MacBook Pro no longer feels like a compromise, offering enough memory, storage, and ports for professionals and creatives.
It’s a clear step up from the MacBook Air and delivers significant performance and usability without needing immediate upgrades.
