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Apple's M4 MacBook Pro Lineup: What to Expect

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Apple is planning to refresh the MacBook Pro with M4 chips starting in late 2024, and this guide aggregates everything that we know about Apple's M4 MacBook Pro plans.

M4-AI-Optimized-Feature-Siri.jpg

M4 Update

Apple built the M3 chip on a new 3-nanometer process, and we are not expecting a node change for the M4. It too will be a 3-nanometer chip, but Apple supplier TSMC could introduce updates that make it more efficient and faster.

New artificial intelligence capabilities are rumored for Apple's upcoming products, and so the M4 will focus on AI. Apple wants to improve performance for AI functionality, and rumors suggest that the M4 (and the A18 chips for iPhone) will have an upgraded Neural Engine with "significantly" more cores.

The M3 chips all have a 16-core Neural Engine, and Apple has not increased the Neural Engine cores for several years.

Entry-Level 14-Inch MacBook Pro

With the M3 chip launch last year, Apple did away with the 13-inch MacBook Pro. It's been replaced with the 14-inch MacBook Pro, which Apple now offers with three different chip options.

The entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro has an M3 chip and a $1,599 starting price, and this is the model that will get the standard M4 chip. The current M3 chip has an 8-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU, and the M4 could be similar.

Higher-End 14-Inch and 16-Inch MacBook Pro Models

For customers who want a more "pro" machine, the higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are set to be refreshed with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, which are more powerful versions of the faster M4 chip.

The current M3 Pro has up to a 12-core CPU and up to an 18-core GPU, while the M3 Max has up to a 16-core CPU and up to a 40-core GPU. CPU and GPU improvements for the M4 Pro and M4 Max aren't yet known.

Design Changes?

There are no rumors of a design change for the MacBook Pro at this time, and we're not quite due for one. Apple last updated the MacBook Pro design in 2021 with the transition to Apple silicon. In recent history, Apple has redesigned the MacBook in 2012, 2016, and 2021, so following that pattern, we'll see the next design tweak in 2025 or 2026.

This year's M-series update will likely be limited to the MacBook Pro's internals.

Launch Date

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro could get an M4 chip in late 2024, while the timeline for the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro refresh is estimated at late 2024 to early 2025.

We could see the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max variants come out all at once like the M3 chip lineup, or Apple could space them out across several months.

The M3 MacBook Pro models came out in October 2023, so a refresh around October 2024 would come at the one-year mark.

Article Link: Apple's M4 MacBook Pro Lineup: What to Expect
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/guide/m4-macbook-pro/
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Fuzzball84

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Apr 19, 2015
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Im not actually that interested… what would interest me is if they re released the 12 inch Macbook with apple silicon… that would be an instant buy..

I bought a surface laptop go for the reason that its just such a good size and shape. They dont have anything in the lineup in this size anymore… my surface laptop go and a 12 inch Macbook would be my ideal combo for all my computing needs at home and on the go!
 
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Baseiseough

macrumors member
Nov 4, 2023
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Fuzzball84 said:
Im not actually that interested… what would interest me is if they re released the 12 inch Macbook with apple silicon… that would be an instant buy..

I bought a surface laptop go for the reason that its just such a good size and shape. They dont have anything in the lineup in this size anymore… my surface laptop go and a 12 inch Macbook would be my ideal combo for all my computing needs at home and on the go!
Click to expand...
Is the 13" MacBook Air much bigger than the 12" ?
 
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Realityck

Realityck

macrumors G4
Nov 9, 2015
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Chuckeee said:
Just reiterating the previous rumors about the M4 without adding any additional content. Just repeats what previously been said concentrating on the MacBook Pro line
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Yep and this is a dilemma for pitching desktops as updated with better processors. (Mac Mini's, Mac Studio, Mac Pro). The M3 iMac update was nothing to write home about, needs a better model.
 
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theluggage

macrumors 604
Jul 29, 2011
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Chuckeee said:
Just reiterating the previous rumors about the M4 without adding any additional content. Just repeats what previously been said concentrating on the MacBook Pro line
Click to expand...
...b-b-b-but it will have more AI!
And it will be called "M4"!! Nobody saw that coming! That's like 1 M better than M3!!!

Seriously - the new M4 may well bring great and interesting things, but this particular article really is a big nothing sandwich which unfortunately you actually have to read before you realise that most of the words are just re-stating the current specs of the M3 range and saying they'll probably get M4 which will probably be better somehow.
 
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zakarhino

zakarhino

Contributor
Sep 13, 2014
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Will probably wait for the M4 Max. Not that the M1 Max is slow but in comparison to my Windows desktop it's not as fast. I think M4 Max will give my PC a run for its money.

I'd like to see some hardware changes though, maybe an additional Thunderbolt port at the very least and a reasonable upgrade for the screen (not expecting OLED but just some refinements to the mini LED tech would be nice). FaceTime camera could also use an upgrade.
 
iPhilPHX

iPhilPHX

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Oct 14, 2009
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Still slumming away on my 2017 2.3 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5 which, while not quite what it used to be, is still serving my needs. So, ANYTHING in the current range of offerings would be a big step up whenever I'm ready. I feel ready.... We'll see.
 
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Realityck

Realityck

macrumors G4
Nov 9, 2015
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TigerNike23 said:
There’s really nothing technologically stopping them from doing this.

But, did the 12” MacBook exist when the 12.9” iPad Pro did?
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yes, but really only against the first model as you can see below. But IMHO a M3/M4 12" MacBook would also be a consideration if you were thinking about a 12.9" iPad Air.

12.9" iPad Pro Nov 2015
12.9" iPad Pro Nov 2019
12.9" iPad Pro May 2021

12" MacBook April 2015
12" MacBook April 2016
12" MacBook June 2017
 
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mac38728

mac38728

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Mar 21, 2024
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USA
Fuzzball84 said:
Im not actually that interested… what would interest me is if they re released the 12 inch Macbook with apple silicon… that would be an instant buy..

I bought a surface laptop go for the reason that its just such a good size and shape. They dont have anything in the lineup in this size anymore… my surface laptop go and a 12 inch Macbook would be my ideal combo for all my computing needs at home and on the go!
Click to expand...
yes would love a smaller form-factor Macbook but with 2024 specs.
 
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