Display Panels for M4 MacBook Pro Shipping Ahead of Q4 Launch

[cmChimera]

Yes so it’s better to go for a cheaper older one like M2 Max etc you don’t need to spend on full price for something that hasn’t really changed since 2021. Come on the M1 Max is over kill for 99.9% of people, the m4 can’t be advertised for Apple intelligence when it works on the m1 series

As pointed out, the older models exist because newer models are released. And many people are going to want to newer models, and some people will buy older models. “Apple makes new products” is a weird gripe to have.

I have a feeling that Apple Intelligence is going to be quite hard/slow on earlier M1 chips and the M4 is going to be the chip to have if you intend to use Apple Intelligence heavily.

In my experience so far it’s not slow on the M1. But I guess image generation may take longer. The M4 may indeed be faster, but it seems like the M1 is pretty capable.

You can't have an older computer without having a newer one. That "cheaper older" M2 Max is only cheaper because there is an M3 Max and soon to be M4 Max coming out.

Exactly.

 

[AppleIsEveryWhere]

"Apple reportedly plans to launch an "all-screen" M5 MacBook in 2026. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple originally planned to launch the 20.3-inch MacBook in 2027; however, it has moved the timeline up to 2026. As you might imagine, a lot of the details about the new laptop are up in the ai" It would be wise to save your money until 2026! using MacBook Air M1 and it is still shining as light speed!

 

[Seoras]

Good chance for a M4Pro chip in a the new Mac mini but I doubt an M4Max chip will be available in a Mac mini

Yeah, I know. It's a pipe dream to get the Max in a "Mini-Mini" for two reasons.
One, because they'll probably want to have clearly defined lines between Studio and Mini
Two, because if the mini-mini really is smaller then it will have less heat management for a big powerful chip.
I've given up hope for a Studio refresh next month.
So fingers crossed for something powerful in desktop format but Pro M4 will probably be all I'll have to choose from.
I'll be gutted and at a loss if it's base line M4 only.

 

[asdfjkl;]

Really looking forward to the M4 Mac Mini and hoping they don’t ruin it by removing all the ports.

 

[AltecX]

Coming in 2026: https://www.macrumors.com/2024/02/21/apple-oled-roadmap/

I dont get why they are so far off. My macbook is the only display in my house thats not OLED.... other than my stovetop.

 

[AltecX]

Unfortunately the world does not revolve around you

Fortunately,*

 

[AndrewWx]

I will wait for a MBP with Thunderbolt 5 - I do not want to suffer from buyers regret a year after purchase. I also think the M5 on the 2nm process will be a better chip (could be wrong of course). I am happy with my M1 Max but do find some photo editing procedures taking longer.

 

[harmonthe3rd]

If no redesign is happening, how do they know they are for M4 laptops?

If there's no redesign on next years Suburban how do you know it a 2025 and not a 2024?

 

[AltecX]

If there's no redesign on next years Suburban how do you know it a 2025 and not a 2024?

I think his point is how do we know its for the M4's and not just more inventory for the M3.

 

[karranz]

I’m staying with my 2017 MBP. Legacy ports will never enter my home. The design of the new MBP is straight bulky and ugly. And I use the touch bar every day. So in conclusion, no need to buy something ugly with legacy ports and functions keys that are from dinosaurs age.

 

[firewood]

Can someone explain to me what’s the point, same MacBook with a new chip?

Gotta stay ahead of the competition, if possible. An M4 MacBook better competes against those Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm laptops, and thus might be better at encouraging PC users to upgrade to a clearly faster Mac.

 

[tipoo]

Can someone explain to me what’s the point, same MacBook with a new chip? The m3 is still over kill and my M1 Max still will have Apple intelligence. So what’s the reason to upgrade. The m2, m3 and now m4 isn’t really worth it for just a slightly faster chip, we need a redesign or smaller notch or something major changed

Why should someone who needs to buy it end of this year get last years tech for the same price? It should be updated as it can be, so that whenever you need to buy it you're not getting something old. And you might find it overkill but for some people every bit of performance is a boon if their livelihood depends on it.

There's also the matter of the X Elite closing the battery life gap in a big way, M3 is still a bit ahead of it but now there's real viable competition to keep ahead of, and then we'll also see about Lunar Lake etc

 

[svish]

Good to hear about this. Expecting no major changes other than M4 chip.

 

[darngooddesign]

Unless Apple has robust burn-in protection, I don’t want OLED on a MacBook where the screen is on displaying static things like the Menu Bar for long periods of time.

 

[iMac The Knife]

Makes sense. In other breaking news, humans need water and oxygen to sustain life.

 

[lilkwarrior]

Can someone explain to me what’s the point, same MacBook with a new chip? The m3 is still over kill and my M1 Max still will have Apple intelligence. So what’s the reason to upgrade. The m2, m3 and now m4 isn’t really worth it for just a slightly faster chip, we need a redesign or smaller notch or something major changed

The next definitive update will likely evolve around the tandem OLED tech of the M4 iPad Pro + similar OLED tech of this year’s Vision Pro being tied to essentially all Apple flagship prosumer products moving forward.

The exception will be SKUs like the hypothetical OLED Studio Display vs the hypothetical Tandem OLED Pro Display XDR.

Apple consistently has their prosumer products use the same screen tech for much needed consistency; the Macbook Pro always lagged being expensive to do at scale.

These economic times may have them consider deviating from that approach, but it would piss off a lot of prosumers towards likely forcing them to apologize for such a frustrating deviation of their screen panel upgrade approach for their prosumer hardware beloved by creative professionals in particular.

 

[lilkwarrior]

Unless Apple has robust burn-in protection, I don’t want OLED on a MacBook where the screen is on displaying static things like the Menu Bar for long periods of time.

Very likely and towards a far more greener use of the laptop like sensors to sleep/dim the screen + pixel shifting like notable high-end OLED panels.

MacOS menu options may also be tweaked to auto hide bars productive computer users are recommended to hide towards having more efficient real-estate to work and improved focus

 

[Eracles]

So M4 in the ipad pro has a new controller specifically for the tandem oled display... Wouldn't it be a "waste" if new macbook pros didn't had oled displays too? I know there aren't currently rumors for oled in this year macbooks, but it could be a unexpected appearence. Apple with 2024 ipad pro made a bold statement, maybe we'll see oled macbooks also.

 

[Seanm87]

Can someone explain to me what’s the point, same MacBook with a new chip? The m3 is still over kill and my M1 Max still will have Apple intelligence. So what’s the reason to upgrade. The m2, m3 and now m4 isn’t really worth it for just a slightly faster chip, we need a redesign or smaller notch or something major changed

These aren’t really aimed at anyone with an m chip.

 

[lilkwarrior]

So M4 in the ipad pro has a new controller specifically for the tandem oled display... Wouldn't it be a "waste" if new macbook pros didn't had oled displays too? I know there aren't currently rumors for oled in this year macbooks, but it could be an unexpected appearence. Apple with 2024 ipad pro made a bold statement, maybe we'll see oled macbooks also.

Just like the Pro XDR display tech that by no coincidence was staggered across prosumer products, it’s not that simple with laptop panels vs smaller panels due to the opportunity costs (used instead on mobile and TV devices) and the QA involved to consistently meet Apple’s very high HDR standards on par with their MiniLED panels unapologetically catering to creative professionals and other productive computer users which is Apple’s preferred niche of choice for their prosumer devices.

Creative professionals expect consistent screen performance across tablets, laptops, and ideally monitor (Pro Display XDR).

Having an OLED with Dolby Vision 1000 sustained nits and 1600+ peak nits is no trivial matter.

Apple is competing essentially with themselves besides Asus Pro Art series when it comes to that.

 

[lilkwarrior]

These aren’t really aimed at anyone with an m chip.

For M1 users it is; M4 release will coincide with most professional/enterprise upgrade cycles for a laptop.

Some will hold off on hopes the very next Macbook Pro are the tandem OLED ones with much lighter, slimmer, and potentially more functional form factors (significantly lighter 16”, foldable/curvature-adjustable screen, significantly better battery life using dark mode, etc).

 

[darngooddesign]

Very likely and towards a far more greener use of the laptop like sensors to sleep/dim the screen + pixel shifting like notable high-end OLED panels.

MacOS menu options may also be tweaked to auto hide bars productive computer users are recommended to hide towards having more efficient real-estate to work and improved focus

Why would you want to hide the menu bar when your app needs it? Doesn’t sound like it would improve productivity.

 

[Colpeas]

It's interesting how time flies - This fall, the current 14"/16" design will be the same age as the 2016 Touch-bar Macbooks were when they got replaced by the 16" with standalone Touch-id/Esc key in 2019. So I'm guessing that a redesign is right around the corner. Maybe next year?

 

[lilkwarrior]

Why would you want to hide the menu bar when your app needs it? Doesn’t sound like it would improve productivity.

…Most power users have their menus to an absolute menu or use keyboard/button shortcuts unapologetically.

Most certifications are frankly testing the knowledge of people being able to do just that.

Dark Mode and so on are features to focus on continent and have stuff like menus be much more pleasant to disappear or be ignored

 

[John_Blackthorne]

VERY happy with my M2 Max 16in but an OLED display would get me to jump - just might be perfection

Would it? I find the Pro's Mini LED to be fantastic.