M4 MacBook Pro Models Expected to Launch in Late 2024

[Chuckeee]

Shouldn’t we wait for M5?

The M5 supposedly will include the introduction of GAA transistors and would be the first M processor produced on the new 2nm product line.

But I would wait to M6 to ensure that these new advancements have had sufficient time to mature in production. 🤪

 

[firewood]

I assume they meant M4 should've been launched on mac first and then iPad.

My (perhaps wishful thinking) guess is that they are tuning up the yields of some much higher clock spec M4's for the Mac, which can run a bit hotter, which is why any volume shipments of the currently "slow" M4 can only be for the iPad. Then the market can be pleasantly surprised by the "real" M4 performance a few months from now, after Apple and TSMC finish tuning the process for even better performance per Watt, especially from the NPU.

 

[swiftapplefan]

What are you talking about? It is the only Apple desktop with an M3 chip, all of the other desktops (mini, studio, Pro) are still chugging along with just M2 generation chips

I just made a silly joke based on recent events. The iMac has waited over 2 years to get a chip upgrade, the other desktops didn't have to wait that long (the Mac Pro is another story). And now it's almost as if it's going to happen again; the Mac Mini getting the M4 in the fall, the other desktops rumored to get it too in 2025, yet the iMac has no clear timeframe even in the rumors.

 

[CWallace]

Right now they are making do with Utra chips for their AI servers, while at the same time developing a server-specific chip based on the M4. I think it makes more sense to have the server chips do double duty as Mac chips rather than the other way around. Having their server chips be true high-performance chips finally makes the Mac a viable product in and of itself, but more importantly, better performance for the server farms and the professionals whose work requires them. With chips having utilization for both servers and desktops, it would offer better economies of scale and finally make them worthwhile for Apple to produce.

Considering the (relatively) low volume desktops represent in the Mac market, it seems to make sense for Apple to leverage laptop Pro and Max SoCs rather than develop customized desktop Pro and Max SoCs with differing core counts. The Ultra (and, if it ever happens, "Extreme") SoCs can then be there for the (even smaller part of the) market that needs as much performance as possible, especially if that Ultra is its own dedicated SoC (that can perhaps be paired via UltraFusion into an "Extreme" SoC).

I tend to think this "M4 server SoC" will be an M4 Ultra and not some customized design prioritizing a shedload of Neural Engine cores and a handful of CPU and GPU cores. If it is the latter, then we'll certainly not see it in a consumer Mac offering.

Priorities skewed in the sense of, why did they launch it in the iPad Pro first? And they updated the Macbook Air with M3 just like 2 months before that launch? Why not just wait for the Airs and launch it in the iPad Pro and Macbook Air simultaneously.

No way they let the iPad Pro have better display technology and have a super thin design, but keep the MacBook Pro exactly the same, but just add an M4 chip.

The iPad Pro was more in need of an upgrade and considering the mess iPadOS still is for "pro" workflows, hyping the hardware is the primary way they can generate interest and excitement so it should not be surprising it gets "all the new things" when it did and the MacBook Pro will be a general spec update as it has every generation since M1.

 

[Makosuke]

Well that's fortuitous timing for a rumor.

Less than an hour ago I got the okay to upgrade my crusty Intel Mini at work to an M2 Pro one, but found myself wondering if it wouldn't be worth suffering a little longer if an M4 Pro update was in the works.

<6 months seems like it's probably worth the wait for the bump from an M2 to an M4.

An aside: I've got a reasonably well-specced (6-core i5) Mini from about 5 years ago, which feels more sluggish than I'd have expected until I checked the benchmarks for it... and realized that my phone is literally twice as fast, in both single and multi-core performance.

 

[Churchman]

So is the new timeline for Apple M-chip introductions going to be every 6 months now (M3 launched in Nov 2023. M4 Launched in April 2024)?

Or... have we gone from M3 to M4 so quickly because M3 actually was a sub-optimal placeholder between M2 and M4?

Or... was it that M4 development and production were just so advanced in terms of timing, and market-readiness that Apple decided to release it early, not caring about the impact to M3 sales, and not caring that many people will delay an M3 product purchase since M4 products will come much sooner than anticipated?

 

[GuyDouche]

Still going to be lackluster at best. Might as well wait for the M5 with OLED (fingers and toes crossed). Until my current MBP decides to die out on me or if I can no longer stomach having to wait a few seconds for software to load, then I’m fine with just waiting.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

I probably won't upgrade my MBP M1 Max until the M6 comes out.

 

[Zerlina]

give me oled and i buy one in a heart beat

 

[JippaLippa]

Planning to upgrade my M1 Ultra to an M4 Ultra.
Can't wait!

That said, it won't be cheap...
Gotta work my ass off to afford it.
In the meantime I'll get my first iPad to do some frame-by-frame animation (iPad pro 2024 11")

 

[God of Biscuits]

If ever there were a macOS release to be paired with a hardware release, this one is it.

 

[darngooddesign]

Watching this. I'll keep waiting for the Air, as I don't want a MBP, but I am curious what the M4 will bring over the M3.

A bit faster, runs cooler under the same heavy workload, a different arrangement of cores with a more powerful neural engine for AI tasks.

 

[MrGimper]

Still on Intel!? Why are you doing this to yourself? 😁
Seriously speaking, if you've endured this long, it's better to wait until M4.

Or do what I did when I moved from intel 2 months ago…. Get an Apple Refurb M3 Max 16 and save £800 on RRP

 

[darngooddesign]

Considering that this means about half a year delay since the release of the M4 for iPad, can you please also remove the notch?

Just hide the notch, it's easy to do. I like the tiny top bezel and extra screen space which the notch provides.

 

[darngooddesign]

after 3 years we need a re design, and get rid of the huge notch for just a web cam

Webcam and sensors.

 

[rp2011]

Considering the (relatively) low volume desktops represent in the Mac market, it seems to make sense for Apple to leverage laptop Pro and Max SoCs rather than develop customized desktop Pro and Max SoCs with differing core counts. The Ultra (and, if it ever happens, "Extreme") SoCs can then be there for the (even smaller part of the) market that needs as much performance as possible, especially if that Ultra is its own dedicated SoC (that can perhaps be paired via UltraFusion into an "Extreme" SoC).

I tend to think this "M4 server SoC" will be an M4 Ultra and not some customized design prioritizing a shedload of Neural Engine cores and a handful of CPU and GPU cores. If it is the latter, then we'll certainly not see it in a consumer Mac offering.

I think it is being designed to serve both needs, which makes the most sense. Whether it is called an Ultra or not, it is safe to say it will not be another Jimmy-rigged Frankensteined mobile chip to serve as both as desktop and server chip. It will be its own dedicated chip to serve both needs instead. As I said, this finally makes it viable for Apple to make a true desktop-class chip.

 

[Risco]

I hope they finally give the base model 16gb.

 

[nuketaco]

and here i was hoping for an m4 max mac studio guess ill wait another 3 years

 

[Biro]

So is the new timeline for Apple M-chip introductions going to be every 6 months now (M3 launched in Nov 2023. M4 Launched in April 2024)?

Or... have we gone from M3 to M4 so quickly because M3 actually was a sub-optimal placeholder between M2 and M4?

Or... was it that M4 development and production were just so advanced in terms of timing, and market-readiness that Apple decided to release it early, not caring about the impact to M3 sales, and not caring that many people will delay an M3 product purchase since M4 products will come much sooner than anticipated?

I think it was damage control. The M4 is being hustled out ahead of schedule because Apple suddenly realized it has been caught with its pants down when it comes to AI. With Apple it’s all about financial markets and share price. The company had to show it wasn’t being left behind on AI - even if many of the features that will take advantage of the M4 and future chips won’t be available until next year.

 

[theorist9]

If this is true, then the big desktops aren't getting a lot of love--two updates for the MBP's before the Studios and MP get even one. I suppose that's because it's more challenging to update the Ultra chip, and Apple doesn't want to update the Max Studio without also updating the Ultra Studio.

Not that there's any rule against releasing a new Max Studio each time they release new MBP's (after all, they use the same chip), while leaving the Ultra-based machines on a slower update cycle.

 

[goobot]

I wish they would do something more than just a chip upgrade, Face ID? And why does Mac get oled so much later than iPad

 

[CWallace]

So is the new timeline for Apple M-chip introductions going to be every 6 months now (M3 launched in Nov 2023. M4 Launched in April 2024)? Or... have we gone from M3 to M4 so quickly because M3 actually was a sub-optimal placeholder between M2 and M4?

I believe M3 was not meant to be a long-term solution due to the N3B fabrication process being (relatively) expensive compared to the mainstream N3E process. And N3B designs cannot be directly ported to the N3E process so M3 must be produced on N3B.

Or... was it that M4 development and production were just so advanced in terms of timing, and market-readiness that Apple decided to release it early, not caring about the impact to M3 sales, and not caring that many people will delay an M3 product purchase since M4 products will come much sooner than anticipated?

I think a combination of lingering supply chain issues from the early 2020s (exacerbated by COVID-19) pushed out Apple's design plans. The A and M series of SoCs are designed years before they go into production so Apple and TSMC would have known that if they wanted the A17 Pro and M3 on 3nm (and they did), it would have to be on N3B due to these issues. They could then design and plan for A18 and M4 to be on N3E and accelerate the switch to those once N3E production maturity supported the necessary scale (as it now does).

I think it was damage control. The M4 is being hustled out ahead of schedule because Apple suddenly realized it has been caught with its pants down when it comes to AI. With Apple it’s all about financial markets and share price. The company had to show it wasn’t being left behind on AI - even if many of the features that will take advantage of the M4 and future chips won’t be available until next year.

Based on reports, A and M series SoCs complete their design work years before they go into production so while they were developed with improved AI-related functionality, it was not a "last-minute scramble" thing. The true gatekeeper for Apple Intelligence functionality is RAM, which is why M1, M2 and M3 Macs and iPads support it as they all shipped with the minimum 8GB+ of RAM required.

 

[nikhsub1]

JFC why is Apple skewing all these releases like this, makes no sense.

 

[NT1440]

JFC why is Apple skewing all these releases like this, makes no sense.

3nm chip production timelines…

 

[TBoneMac]

MacBook Pro models with an M4 chip are expected to launch in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to display analyst Ross Young. In a tweet for subscribers, Young said that panel shipments for new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are set to begin in the third quarter of 2024, which suggests a launch toward the end of the year.

Apple started its M4 chip refresh in May with the launch of the M4 iPad Pro, but the first Macs with M4 chips are also slated for a 2024 launch. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple will refresh both the MacBook Pro and Mac mini lineups this year.

The entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro is expected to get an M4 chip, while the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models will be updated with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. The Mac mini will get M4 and M4 Pro chips. The MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro models won't be updated with M4 chips until 2025, and it is not yet clear when the iMac might see an update with the refreshed chip technology.

Apple's M4 chip is built on an upgraded 3-nanometer node, with Apple first introducing 3-nanometer technology with the M3 line. In Geekbench 6 benchmarks, the M4 chip is up to 25 percent faster than the M3 chip when it comes to multi-core performance, so we could see similar gains for the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips.

Aside from M4 chips, the upcoming MacBook Pro models are not expected to have significant feature updates. Apple is working on OLED display technology, but an OLED MacBook Pro is not expected until 2026 at the earliest.

Article Link: M4 MacBook Pro Models Expected to Launch in Late 2024

OLED displays require higher resolution in order to look at clear as similar LCD displays.

This is because there’s only 2 supbpixels per pixel on most OLED screens that are not TV size.

I’m not impressed with OLED. It is thinner, yes. It has good blacks, yes. It has good viewing angles (which doesn’t really matter on phones, tablets, laptops compared to TVs). But everything else, clarity, brightness, burn in all suffer.


In order for apple to truly make OLED an upgrade, they need to increase the resolution by 1.5x.
This means MacBooks need to increase their resolution from 3K to 4.5K in order for them to be the same clarity.

I assume Apple is waiting on the macbook update to OLED because they want more efficient processors so that the battery life is stronger so that when they update the resolution for the displays, the battery life will still be good.