Apple plans to update the MacBook Pro with M4 chips in late 2024, and this guide summarizes everything we know about Apple’s M4 MacBook Pro plans.
M4-update
Apple made the M3 chip using a new 3nm process and we don’t expect any changes to the node for the M4. It will also be a 3nm chip, but Apple supplier TSMC may offer updates that make it more efficient and faster.
New AI features are rumored to be among Apple’s upcoming products, so AI will be emphasized in the M4. Apple wants to improve the performance of its AI features, and rumors suggest that the M4 (and the A18 chips for the iPhone) will feature an improved neural engine with “significantly” more cores.
All M3 chips have a 16-core neural engine, and Apple hasn’t increased the number of neural engine cores in several years.
The entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro
With the introduction of the M3 chip last year, Apple abandoned the 13-inch MacBook Pro. It was replaced by 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 starting price of $1,599. This is the model that gets the standard M4 chip. The current M3 chip has an 8-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU, and the M4 chip could be similar.
High-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models
For customers who want more “professional” devices, the plan is to update the high-end 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, which are more powerful versions of the faster M4 chip acts.
The current M3 Pro has up to 12 CPU cores and up to 18 GPU cores, while the M3 Max has 16 CPU cores and up to 40 GPU cores. CPU and GPU improvements for the M4 Pro and M4 Max are not yet known.
Design changes?
There are currently no rumors of a MacBook Pro design change, and we’re not quite ready for it yet. Apple last updated the design of the MacBook Pro in 2021 by switching to Apple silicon. In recent history, Apple has redesigned the MacBook in 2012, 2016 and 2021. Following this pattern, we will see the next design optimization in 2025 or 2026.
This year’s M-series refresh will likely be limited to the MacBook Pro’s internal components.
Lunch meeting
accordingly BloombergAccording to Mark Gurman, the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro could get the M4 chip in late 2024, while the refresh schedule for the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro is estimated to be late 2024 to early 2025.
We could see the M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max versions released all at once with the M3 chipset, or Apple could spread them out over several months.
The M3 MacBook Pro models launched in October 2023, so the update will arrive a year later around October 2024.
