MacBook Pro M4 vs MacBook Pro M3: biggest updates

Apple just announced a new batch Laptops MacBook Pro with the participation of the company M4 chip.

M4 with drive iPad Pro released earlier this year, so the M4 MacBook Pro was inevitable. But even if this news isn’t entirely surprising, the new MacBook Pros promise a lot of cool features.

Below, we’ll detail all the biggest updates to the MacBook Pro M4 laptops and how they compare to the existing MacBook Pro M3 lineup. Is it worth upgrading or are current M3 laptops still good enough for your needs?

Read on to learn about the biggest updates to the MacBook Pro M4 laptops.

Apple M4 chip

(Image credit: Apple)

The Apple M4 chip is the most significant update to the MacBook Pro line. As in the case Apple M3 chipthe new processor comes in three variants: M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max. Apple says all M4 processors will deliver faster performance and better power efficiency than their predecessors.

The Vanilla M4 chip, with 10 CPU cores and 10 GPUs, supports up to 32 GB of unified memory (RAM) and has a higher memory bandwidth of 120 GB/s. Laptops with this chip can support two external displays in addition to the built-in one. The M4 now supports up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports.

Next we have the M4 Pro chip, which has up to 14 CPU cores and up to 20 GPU cores. Apple says MacBook Pros with this chip will benefit researchers, developers, engineers and creative professionals who handle demanding workflows. The M4 Pro supports up to 64GB of RAM and 273GB/s memory bandwidth, which Apple claims is 75% more than the M3 Pro. This chip promises to make games like Control will look and perform at its best with hardware-accelerated ray tracing and faster 3D rendering.

The M4 Max is supposed to be an M4-grade titanium. This monster chip has up to a 16-core CPU and up to a 40-core GPU, which Apple says is 2.2 times faster than a CPU and 1.9 times faster than a GPU. Chip M1 Max (respectively). The M4 Max supports up to 128GB of RAM and memory bandwidth of up to 546GB/s. Like the M4 Pro chip, the M4 Max supports Thunderbolt 5 with data transfer speeds of up to 120 GB/s.

These characteristics may not mean much to the average person. But if you need a powerful MacBook Pro for video editing, gaming, designing, and more, the promised power of the M4 chips will certainly keep you wanting one.

Nanotexture display option

MacBook Pro M4

(Image credit: Apple)

If you enjoy working outdoors, you’ll be pleased to know that all MacBook Pro M4 models feature a nano-texture display. If this feature works as well on the MacBook Pro as it does on the current iPad Pro, you should see less glare and reflections. While this isn’t the OLED option that some wanted, it’s a good option to have at checkout.

As for the display, Apple says the MacBook Pro’s display offers a peak HDR brightness of 1,600 nits. Some parts of the displays on the M3 MacBook Pros we tested reached nearly 1,600 nits of HDR brightness, so that claim doesn’t seem unrealistic. As it stands, you’ll be able to comfortably see everything on the MacBook Pro display, whether you’re in direct sunlight or in a dark room.

24 hours battery life

Apple M4 chip

(Image credit: Apple)

MacBooks with M-series chips set a new standard for laptop battery life, with a minimum of 12 hours and nearly 19 hours in the higher range. MacBook Pro M4 promises to last much longer.

According to Apple, its Pro M4 laptops can last 24 hours on a single charge. For reference, the longest-lasting consumer laptop we’ve tested is this Snapdragon X Elite-powered Dell XPS 13which lasted 20 hours and 51 minutes. If Apple’s claims are true, the M4 chip will improve battery life.

Thunderbolt 5 support

MacBook Pro M4

(Image credit: Apple)

MacBook Pro with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips feature Thunderbolt 5 ports, which more than double data transfer speeds up to 120 GB/s compared to Thunderbolt 4. This will provide faster data transfer speeds and higher power output, which is useful to turn on your MacBook Pro. to your main office computer.

In terms of ports, all MacBook Pro models have an HDMI port with support for 8K resolution, an SDXC card slot, a MagSafe charging port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The laptops also support Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

New central camera 12 MP.

Central stage

(Image credit: Apple)

New MacBook Pro models now feature an updated 12MP Center Stage camera. Not only will this camera follow you, but video calls should look clearer.

As the name suggests, Desktop View allows you to share what’s on your desk with those you’re video conferencing with. This way you won’t have to awkwardly hold things in front of the camera for people to see.

Improved Apple Intelligence

Writing Tools

(Image credit: Apple)

As expected, Apple boasted about how the M4 chip would improve. Apple Intelligence. We didn’t see much here that we haven’t seen before, but Apple says Apple Intelligence will benefit all MacBook Pro M4 users.

As I said earlier, Writing Tools – My Favorite Apple Intelligence Feature because it’s essentially like a personal editor. Writing tools can help improve your writing by proofreading, rewriting, or changing the tone of what you write. This can help with something as lofty as a manuscript or as simple as an email.

I’m curious to see how Writing Tools, Updated Version Siri and other Apple Intelligence features will work on M4 MacBooks compared to M3 laptops. If they work as intended, perhaps it will change my skepticism about generative AI.

Prospects

We’ll get a better idea of what the new MacBook Pro M4 laptops are capable of after we test them. But judging by Apple’s statements, they have the potential to be the best MacBook Pro yet.

The promised power and energy efficiency of the M4 chip are impressive, and options like nano-texture glass, Thunderbolt 5, and a new 12-megapixel webcam seem useful. The promised 24 hours of battery life is also impressive. And we hope these MacBook Pros can make good use of Apple Intelligence.