I took the leap from the 2021 M1 Pro MacBook Pro to the new M4 Pro MacBook Pro. As you’ll see from my review, having used the M1 Pro model for the past couple of years, I was eager to see how Apple could improve on the already-impressive machine. And, despite the lack of redesign, I’m impressed, to say the least.
While the M1 Pro and M4 Pro laptops could be the same exact machine judging from the outside — same as all M-series MacBook Pro models — the new one takes some big steps forward in performance. That should future-proof me on this daily driver for at least a few years.
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M4 Pro MacBook Pro review: Quantum leap from M1
This Apple laptop features an M4 Pro chip with a 12-core CPU, a 16-core GPU and the same lightweight design we all know and love. Available in space black or silver.
- 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display
- 24GB unified memory (configurable from 16GB to 36GB)
- 512GB SSD storage (configurable to 1TB)
- Same design as previous models
Apple’s top-of-the-line laptops, today’s MacBook Pro models deliver maximum performance and plenty of ports in a thin, lightweight chassis that’s totally portable. The M4 Pro MacBook Pro I bought for this review is speedy, easy on the eyes and boasts unsurpassed battery life. And it’s surprisingly affordable.
Table of contents: M4 Pro MacBook Pro review
- Surprisingly easy setup and data transfer
- That familiar MacBook Pro look and feel
- M4 Pro performance boost
- Good for me, great for real power users
- Battery life: Work all day, play all night, recharge fast
- Display: A visual feast
- Connectivity: The future is now (at least some of it)
- Price and value: Steady as she goes
- M4 Pro MacBook Pro review: Conclusion
Surprisingly easy setup and data transfer
I decided to preorder my new 14-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pro for pickup at an Apple Store (right when it opened) rather than having it shipped. And it could not have gone more smoothly (really!). I was in and out of the store in less than 10 minutes and had the machine ready for use in my computer setup at home less than an hour later, complete with a reasonably smooth backup, flawless data migration and a quick software update to macOS 15.1. Hey, it didn’t use to be this easy.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
The new laptop took its same-sized and identical-looking predecessor’s place in clamshell mode in my computer setup, operating like a desktop machine. But of course I’ll take it on the road from time to time. On the desk, it drives two 4K displays (soon to be replaced by at least one 5K, hopefully). I use a mini Logitech MX mechanical keyboard and a Logi MX Anywhere 3 mouse with it via Bluetooth. I just installed Edifier MR3 bookshelf speakers, too.
The smooth transition makes it seem almost like I changed nothing. But I could tell pretty quickly it’s a significant and worthwhile upgrade.
That familiar MacBook Pro look and feel
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
The MacBook Pro hasn’t changed since a redesign in 2021, so my old and new machines look like twins; similar weight, and every hardware feature in its place. The big change for me came in choosing the space black color rather than silver this time. Space black, which in certain lights seems more like a very dark gray, makes for a cool look. The Apple logo gains a bit more subtlety. But all I really did is go from silver to near-black.
A more noticeable practical change came when I opened the laptop and got rid of the paper over the screen. Even though I did not order the new Nano Texture display option, the new screen seemed more anti-glare than the old one — probably thanks to an improved anti-reflective coating. And the new one appeared to pop with just a smidge more color and clarity, too. See more on the display below.
It’s also great that Apple upgraded the webcam. Up through the M3 MacBook Pro models it was a 1080p camera. Now it’s a 12MP Center Stage camera that keeps me centered in the frame even if I move around. I don’t do many video calls, but this is going to tempt me to take the laptop off its vertical stand to use the webcam for them, because it tops my main display’s retractable 8MP webcam.
M4 Pro performance boost
Photo: Apple
The M4 Pro processor is amazing, offering quite a performance boost even with the “entry-level” M4 chip, as many glowing reviews have pointed out. I’m finding a refreshing boost in crisp performance in daily tasks. Opening multiple applications simultaneously feels like a breeze, with no lag or stuttering. And there’s been no sign of the spinning beachball I was getting used to seeing occasionally with the previous laptop.
For the record, Apple says my new machine is up to three times faster than my old one. My new M4 Pro includes a 12-core CPU and 16-core GPU, working with 24GB of unified memory, boosted from the base 16GB. That’s compared to my M1 Pro’s 8-core CPU and 14-core GPU, with 16GB memory. That older configuration is no slouch, but the new one just screams on productivity tasks.
Good for me, great for real power users
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
As a Mac guy who works as a writer, it’s not like my usual day is filled with tasks that would daunt either machine, like 3D rendering, or even significant video editing or music production. I mostly do web-publishing tasks, not major-motion-picture production.
I’m not asking much, really. All I want is to have a dozen browser windows open including video streaming, plus the web-pushing system, some Notes files, Slack and Trello for collaboration, image-editing software and Apple Music or Apple TV blaring tunes and videos … and have not the slightest stutter, delay or appearance of that damned beach ball — ever. And so far, with an M4 Pro chip and 24GB of unified memory, the laptop seems fine with that.
For software developers, an upgrade like mine could mean compiling large projects significantly faster. Some folks have said build times can go down by about 40%. That’ll improve productivity and workflow efficiency. Of course, people who need massive computing power will probably upgrade higher than I did.
And while Macs aren’t typically associated with gaming, the M4 Pro could further change that narrative after gains by previous and current M-series machines. That ‘s because the M4 Pro can maintain high frame rates at native resolution with settings maxed out.
Additionally, M4 Pro 4K video editing is likely to look as smooth 1080p looks with M1 Pro. Improved GPU performance also means faster rendering times and smoother playback of effects-heavy sequences.
For me, though, the bigger benefit is sprightly performance over time. This machine could, theoretically, last me six years or more. That is, unless I get into gaming, big-time (but that might tempt an immediate upgrade with a massive cash outlay, so I better not).
Battery life: Work all day, play all night, recharge fast
Apple has somehow managed to squeeze even more battery life out of the M4 Pro. Supposedly up to 24 hours on most M4 MacBook Pro models; up to 22 on this one. In my testing, I got about 20 hours of mixed-use, including web browsing, document editing and streaming music and video. This is a noticeable improvement over the M1 Pro’s already impressive 14- to 16-hour range. But since I mainly use the machine on the desk powered via a display with USB-C hub much of the time, it’s not a huge factor for me (though it could be).
Maybe even more impressive than the improved battery life is the quicker recharging speed. If I run the battery down low, I can pump it back surprisingly far in half an hour, like from 5% to about half full. That provides quite a few more hours’ use before the next recharge.
Display: A visual feast
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
The M4 Pro’s display is a sight to behold. I mentioned the vibrant colors, crisp clarity and seemingly improved anti-glare coating above (I did not pay more for the no-doubt even better Nano Touch display). That said, both older and newer screens are exceptionally nice.
They’re both Liquid Retina XDR displays with 3024 x 1964 native resolution at 254 pixels per inch. In extreme dynamic range (XDR), they both feature 1-million-to-1 contrast ratio, 1,000 nits of sustained brightness and 1,600 nits of peak brightness. But for SDR, the new one gets 1,000 nits to the old one’s 500, for a brighter screen that stands up better to sunlight outdoors. That may have also figured into my first impressive about the anti-glare, because I was seeing them in natural light through a balcony sliding-glass door on a sunny day.
The M4 Pro’s color accuracy and wide color gamut (P3) should please photographers and video editors, just as MacBook Pro models since M1 have.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
Connectivity: The future is now (at least some of it)
Apple has listened to user feedback and included a wider array of ports on recent M-series MacBook Pro models. They pack three Thunderbolt 4 ports, a built-in HDMI 2.1 port allowing for 8K output at 60Hz or 4K at 240Hz, and an SD card slot for photographers and videographers transferring big files.
And for M4 Pro MacBook Pro (and above), the big step up is Thunderbolt 5. Two ports on the left, in between the MagSafe charging port and headphone jack, and one port on the right handle TB5 connectivity (Apple even put out a screaming-fast TB5 cable for that). And of course the ports are backwards-compatible for the TB4 and TB3 connectivity most people still use (always pay attention to which cable you’re using, by the way).
While TB5 is cool, the Wi-Fi connectivity hasn’t come very far. It’s still Wi-Fi 6E in my model rather than the newer 7.
Price and value: Steady as she goes
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
A nice aspect of the M4 MacBook Pro lineup is that Apple seems to price it on performance rather than simply raising prices steadily. When I bought my M1 Pro MacBook Pro (16GB/512GB) in 2021, it cost $1,999. And that’s the same price I just paid, minus $705 trade-in value, for my M4 Pro MacBook Pro. And the new one has more memory (24GB/512GB) and some other upgraded specs. The reason Apple kept prices at least commensurate, if not lower? Apple wants everyone to upgrade to enjoy Apple Intelligence features, which require M1 or better machines (and the higher-spec the better). In some ways, the jacked up RAM on my new machine may just make it roughly equivalent to what the 16GB M1 Pro was in 2021.
Is it worth the upgrade in general? For professionals whose work demands the highest performance, absolutely. The time saved on resource-intensive tasks alone could justify the cost for many users. For those with less demanding workloads, the value proposition is less clear-cut. Like me, they could consider the brawn a form of future-proofing their investment. Buy it and use it for years (and maybe become addicted to gaming, like I plan to). Some people might grouse over the lack of a redesign with this go-round, too. And for them, it looks like the next one is two generations away, in 2026. But what’s under the hood is what really counts.
M4 Pro MacBook Pro review: Conclusion
Kind of boring though it may look with no design refresh, the M4 Pro MacBook Pro represents a solid evolution — even if it’s not a revolution — in laptop computing. It sets high standards for performance, battery life and display quality in a very competitive industry. I think it’s a good investment.
★★★★☆
Buy from: Amazon
This Apple laptop features an M4 Pro chip with a 12-core CPU, a 16-core GPU and the same lightweight design we all know and love. Available in space black or silver.
- 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display
- 24GB unified memory (configurable from 16GB to 36GB)
- 512GB SSD storage (configurable to 1TB)
- Same design as previous models
Apple did not provide Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out other in-depth reviews of Apple-related items.
