The first batch of M4 MacBooks are reportedly on the horizon, according to some juicy gossip from Bloomberg’s respected Apple leaker Mark Gurman.
We already saw a glimpse of the M4 chip’s capabilities when Apple debuted it on the iPad Pro. Interestingly, this is the first time that Apple has ever rolled out an M-series chip on an iPad before a Mac.
The first Apple device to receive an M4 chip is the iPad Pro
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
We’re not sure why Apple injected this chip into its most premium tablet before integrating it into a MacBook Pro. (Perhaps Apple wanted to give us a teaser of what’s to come). But based on the mind-blowing battery life runtime we got for the iPad Pro, as well as the impressive performance numbers, the M4 MacBook Pro models are likely going to make Windows PCs squirm.
That being said, let’s take a look at all the leaks and rumors we’ve been hearing about M4 MacBooks. Plus, we’ll also take a sneak peek at leaks and rumors of other upcoming Macs.
M4 MacBook Pro release date
According to an April report from Gurman, the next MacBook Pro will drop some time in later this year. He didn’t supply an exact date, but the MacBook Pro is expected to come before the M4 MacBook Air, which is poised to drop in the spring months of 2025.
The current-gen entry-level MacBook Pro
Credit: Apple
This matches a rumor from Ross Young, another respected analyst. According to Young, who posted a leak on his subscriber-only feed on X (formerly Twitter), Apple fans can expect an M4 MacBook Pro release “later this year,” he said.
Based on what Apple has done historically, this means that Apple will likely hold a Mac event on October or November to unveil the new M4 MacBook Pro. However, as BGR noted, the best guesstimate is October.
According to Gurman, the entry-level M4 14-inch MacBook Pro will be released first, followed by the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with the more powerful M4 Pro and M4 Max chips (likely end of 2024 or early 2025).
M4 MacBook Pro models
Similar to the M3 MacBooks that dropped last year during the October “Scary Fast” event, we’re expecting the following M4 MacBook models this year:
Mashable Light Speed
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14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 (cheapest)
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14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro
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14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Max
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16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro
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16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Max (priciest)
According to Apple, compared to the M2 CPU, the M4 processor is 50% faster. The Cupertino-based tech giant also claims that rendering performance has a four-fold performance jump.
M4 MacBook Pro design
We haven’t seen any design rumors regarding the M4 MacBook Pro, but it likely won’t get a significant overhaul. As MacRumors said, behind the scenes, Apple is planning a MacBook launch with a new OLED display. However, this isn’t expected until 2026.
What about the M4 MacBook Air?
Apple is working on new M4 MacBook Air models, according to Gurman, but they won’t be released this year.
The current-generation MacBook Air
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
New 13.6-inch and 15-inch M4 MacBook Air models will likely drop some time next spring.
What about the M4 iMac?
According to Gurman, a new M4 24-inch iMac, similar to the M4 MacBook Pro, is slated to launch in late 2024.
The current-generation iMac
Credit: Apple
We don’t know any other details.
What about the M4 Mac mini?
We know quite a few details about the M4 Mac mini. According to Gurman, it will launch in two configurations: M4 and M4 Pro. Plus, it’s due to drop some time at the end of 2024 or early 2025.
The Mac mini won’t necessarily look different, but it will be significantly smaller. The Mac mini, by the way, hasn’t had a design change since 2010. (As 9to5Mac pointed out, it lost its DVD drive and changed the I/O options, but it always remained a 7.7-inch aluminum slab.) It’s expected to be the tiniest desktop computer that Apple has ever made.
The chassis is reportedly the size of an Apple TV. While the new M4 Mac mini is expected to have a smaller footprint overall, it will be slightly taller than the current-generation Mac mini.
What about the M4 Mac Studio?
Yes, according to Gurman, the M4 Mac Studio is also getting a refresh, but not until some time in the middle of 2025.
What about the M4 Mac Pro?
The aforementioned April Bloomberg report claims that the next Mac Pro, packed with an M4 Ultra chip, will drop during the “second half of 2025.”