Western journalists received a MacBook Pro with an M4 chip for testing and have already sent their first reviews.
In short: everyone is happy and recommends upgrading to this MacBook Pro because Apple has brought many welcome improvements.
But, as usual, first things first.
1. Edge
More ports, more RAM, better screen and webcam for less money
With the M4, Apple finally has a basic MacBook Pro that’s less of a compromise and more of a true Pro machine. This is a laptop that you can buy and not feel squeezed between someone.
The MacBook Pro with M4 fixed almost every complaint we had with the M3 class. It costs $1,599 for the version with a 10-core processor, 10-core graphics, 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD. Same starting price as M3 models, but the M4 has two more processor cores, two more RAM, a third Thunderbolt port, and Space Black color.
This port is on the right side, just like on the “real” Pro models, so you can finally charge or connect an external display from either side of the laptop. Apple Intelligence is boring and useless now, but I’m grateful for the gift of more RAM.
Apple also gave all three MacBook Pros new 12-megapixel webcams with Center Stage and Desk View software (for under-display displays), and added a $150 anti-glare nanotexture display at the end. The M4 chip now supports two external displays when the lid is open, one more than the M3.
These updates have a lot to do with making the MacBook Pro with M4 a significant upgrade over the MacBook Air for those who dabble in Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro, or similar creative apps. I’ve edited a lot of RAW files in Lightroom Classic on my work MacBook Air with an M1, and I know first-hand just how capable this little machine really is. But I also often struggle with the port selection limitations and performance ceiling of its aging, passively cooled processor. That’s why my personal computer is a Mac Mini with an M2 Pro, which has been Apple’s best offering for years.
On the left is a MacBook Pro M3 with a rotating display, on the right is a MacBook Pro M4 with a nano-textured display
When editing photos, I found the MacBook Pro with M4 to be snappier than my Mac mini with M2 Pro, and its speed at displaying and processing 33-megapixel RAW files at full resolution was a pleasant surprise. I found it to be faster even when working with my usual bloated Lightroom catalog, which is stored on an external SSD.
Regarding nanotexture display editing, I know glossy screens have a little deeper contrast, but I like not having to worry about glare. I don’t exclusively edit in a dark room, and I enjoy the flexibility of working in places with less-than-ideal lighting conditions. The convenience of nanotexture makes it possible to significantly overestimate any minor technical advantages of display gloss.
2. Tom’s Guide
MacBook I would buy
I don’t want to exaggerate, but after using the M4-equipped MacBook Pro, the new nanotexture display was a revelation.
When I placed the MacBook Pro M4 next to the MacBook Pro M1 Pro, the difference was clear both day and night. When watching the trailer for Captain America: Brave New World, I noticed that the red of Sam’s shield was a little more vibrant on the glossy old MacBook Pro, but overall the image was significantly brighter and with wider viewing angles on the new MacBook Pro with M4.
On the left is a MacBook Pro M4 with a nano-textured display, on the right is a MacBook Pro M1 Pro with the same display.
I also tried shooting some subjects outdoors in the sun and didn’t notice any glare.
In our lab tests, the MacBook Pro with M4 achieved an impressive 1,527 nits of brightness when HDR content was enabled, and 556 nits with SDR. This exceeds all advantagessome of which don’t even require HDR.
The new MacBook Pro now features a 12-megapixel Center Stage rosette. I noticed a huge difference in image quality when I took a few selfies using the Photo Booth app.
Center Stage support means you stay in the center of the frame even if you move around during video calls, which can come in handy during presentations.
The M4 chip inside the new MacBook Pro offers various promised performance boosts. I had ten Chrome tabs open, several Slack chats, and could easily perform complex ML Enhance edits in Pixelmator Pro without experiencing any lag. Everything just feels super smooth with this laptop, especially compared to my old MacBook Pro with M1 Pro.
Essentially, the MacBook Pro with M4 is the laptop I would buy with my own money. And this is one of the best laptops you can buy.
3. Engadget
Get ready for M4 speed
I wasn’t expecting much from the new MacBook Pro, especially since my review of the M3 was already quite impressive. But Apple managed to surprise me again.
The M4 chip in the 14-inch MacBook Pro performed well, but the M4 Pro in the 16-inch model was a striking improvement over its predecessor. It’s faster than any other computer we’ve tested this year..
In terms of gaming, the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro was able to achieve 60 FPS in Lies of P, Resident Evil 4 and Myst at 1440p and maximum graphics resolutions. It was possible to enable 4K, but then the frame rate dropped to 30 FPS. Meanwhile, the 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 managed the same games at 60fps, but at 1080p.
To test the Neural Engine, I used the Whisper Transcription app to transcribe a podcast every 1 hour and 9 minutes. The MacBook Pro with M4 did it in 3 minutes 2 seconds, the M4 Pro took 2 minutes 11 seconds, and the MacBook Pro with M3 did it in 3 minutes 37 seconds.
Both MacBook Pros also continue to deliver excellent battery life. The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 lasted 34 15 minutes for HD video playback, while the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro lasted 30 hours 16 minutes. This is the first time we’ve seen our video viewing test exceed 30 hours. In such conditions, both laptops worked for two days without recharging.
There’s no doubt that these new MacBook Pros are very attractive, especially if you want the power of the M4 Pro (or perhaps the M4 Max). If you have a MacBook Pro M1 or are still using an Intel model, you’ll clearly see a performance boost. But if you have an M2 or M3 MacBook Pro, then the M4 won’t be such a leap for you.
Source: Iphones RU
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
