Apple has updated the MacBook Pro with even more powerful chips, announced via a low-key press release. The 14- and 16-inch models now feature the M4 series processors, including the M4 Pro, which debuted yesterday in the Mac Mini, and the new high-performance M4 Max. The entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro also gets a design upgrade with an additional USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 port on the right side and a new space black color option.
Pricing for the M4 Pro-equipped models starts at $1,999 for the 14-inch and $2,499 for the 16-inch, both now upgraded to 24GB of base RAM from the previous 18GB. The base 14-inch model with the standard M4 chip still starts at $1,599 but now includes 16GB of RAM, up from the previous 8GB.
The new MacBook Pros are available for preorder, with full availability on November 8.
Beyond the chip and RAM upgrades, the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips are the first Mac laptops to feature Thunderbolt 5 ports. All models now include 12-megapixel webcams with Desk View and can be configured with a nano-texture display offering up to 1,000 nits of SDR brightness and 1,600 nits for HDR.
While these additional features are notable, the real headline is the new chips. Apple claims the M4 series packs “the world’s fastest CPU core” and “the industry’s best single-threaded performance.” Apple has long excelled in single-core performance, and the M4 chips are said to deliver “dramatically faster-multithreaded performance.”
The M4 Pro and M4 Max also offer faster GPU cores, with a twice-as-fast ray-tracing engine and a neural engine that is twice as fast as the M3 generation, enhancing machine learning and AI tasks.
Apple’s latest silicon, designed for its AI push with Apple Intelligence, should be well-equipped for the future. Apple Intelligence, launched this week on supported Macs, iPhones, and iPads, is compatible with Macs dating back to the M1 chip from 2020.
However, RAM could be a limiting factor for older models. Alongside the new MacBook Pro announcement, Apple is also increasing the base RAM for M2 and M3 MacBook Air models from 8GB to 16GB, with the M2 Air starting at $999. This suggests older models may eventually be phased out as Apple continues to roll out future features via updates.
The M3 generation of MacBook Pros offered strong Pro and Max models, ideal for creatives working with performance-intensive apps like Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro. However, when discounted, the entry-level 14-inch M3 felt less compelling, especially compared to the cheaper MacBook Air or its more powerful siblings. With the introduction of the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro, the model feels more worthy of the “Pro” label—sometimes, even a small addition like an extra USB port makes a noticeable difference.
