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Apple computers with M4 are likely to highlight AI features and are expected to be available by the end of 2024.
Apple's M3 chip is still relatively new, but the tech giant seems to be preparing to update its entire Mac lineup with Apple M4 processors.
There is information that the M4 processor will have "at least three main varieties" and be "close to production". The new chip will highlight AI capabilities – no doubt to compete with the plethora of "AI laptops" on the market.
Apple plans to release the first M4-powered computers by the end of 2024 and more in early 2025. This includes the new iMac, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and MacBook Air. New Mac Studio and Mac Pro are also expected.
What we know so far about the Apple M4 comes from a recent report by Apple tipster Mark Gurman. Therefore, take everything that we are going to talk about with a grain of salt. Here's what we know about the Apple M4 chip so far.
According to Gurman, we don't have to wait for a Mac with an M4 chip.
The first wave of M4 Macs will arrive later this year – as we've seen in the past, probably around October and November. Gurman believes that it will include the new iMac, the low-end 14-inch MacBook Pro, the high-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, and the Mac mini — all with the M4 chip. Of course, this is subject to change.
More M4 computers will ship throughout 2025. This includes the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models updated in the spring, the Mac Studio in mid-2025, and the Mac Pro in the second half of 2025.
Currently, the entry-level M3 iMac 2023 costs $1,299, while the 14-inch MacBook Pro costs $1,599. The M3 MacBook Air 13-inch and MacBook Air 15-inch laptops are priced at $1,099 and $1,299, respectively. The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro starts at $1,999 and the 16-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,499.
Gurman didn't discuss the price, but Apple probably won't raise the cost too much.
The M4 chip family mainly consists of three specifications: an entry-level version called Donan, a more powerful model called Brava, and a high-end chip codenamed Hidra. Apple reportedly plans to focus on the AI processing power of the new chips and how they will integrate with the upcoming macOS version.
Gurman's report says that the entry-level MacBook Pro, the new MacBook Air, and the low-end Mac mini will feature the Donan chip (probably the entry-level M4 chip). The Brava chip will run the higher-end MacBook Pro and the more expensive Mac mini models. The new Mac Pro is Apple's highest-end desktop and will come with a powerful Hidra chip.
Apple is also testing different versions of the Mac Studio, one with the yet-to-be-announced M3 chip (perhaps the M3 Ultra) and the other with a variant of the M4 Brava processor.
Speaking of the Mac Studio M4, Apple is considering making it support up to 500GB of RAM. In comparison, the existing Mac Studio and Mac Pro have up to 192GB of unified memory.
Gurman said Apple's M-series chips used a neural engine from the start. Now that AI PCs are taking the world by storm, it's no surprise that the company wants to boast of the M-series' AI capabilities – as we saw with the launch of the M3 chip. To this end, Apple plans to add new artificial intelligence features to its products.
Apple reportedly plans to preview "a slew of new features" at WWDC 2024. Most of these features are designed to run on the device, not on a remote cloud server. If that's the case, then the M4 chip can power these tasks more efficiently.
If Mark Gurman's sources are correct, it won't be long before we see what the reported M4 chip can do.
Take a look at the performance of the M3 series
At 8 a.m. on October 31, 2023, Apple held a new Mac launch event.
At the beginning of the press conference, Apple threw out the king bomb, and the three M3 processors, namely M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max, are all based on 3nm process technology.
The details of the three processors are as follows:
M3 uses up to 8-core CPU (4+4), 10-core GPU, and 24GB unified memory, which is 65% faster than M1.
M3 Pro uses up to 12-core CPU (6+6), 18-core GPU, and 36GB unified memory, which is 40% faster than M1 Pro.
The M3 Max uses up to a 16-core CPU (12+4), a 40-core GPU, and 128GB of unified memory, which is 80% faster than the M1 Max.
When it comes to AI, M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max all feature enhanced neural engines that accelerate powerful machine learning (ML) models. Neural Engine is 60% faster than M1 series chips, making AI/ML workflows faster while keeping data on the device for privacy. Powerful AI image processing tools, such as noise reduction and super-resolution in Topaz, are faster. Scene editing detection in Adobe Premiere and Smart Conform in Final Cut Pro also received performance improvements.
All three chips in the M3 series also feature advanced media engines that provide hardware acceleration for the most popular video codecs, including H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW. And for the first time, the media engine supports AV1 decoding, enabling energy-efficient playback of streaming services and further extending battery life.
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