Apple recently announced a new MacBook Pro laptop powered by the company's M4 chip.

The M4-powered iPad Pro was released earlier this year, so an M4 MacBook Pro was inevitable. But even if this news is not necessarily surprising, the new MacBook Pro promises many exciting features.

Below we detail all the biggest upgrades coming to the MacBook Pro M4 laptop and compare them to the existing MacBook Pro M3 lineup. Should you upgrade or will the current M3 notebooks suffice?

Read on to learn about the biggest upgrades coming to MacBook Pro M4 notebooks.

The Apple M4 chip is the most significant upgrade coming to the MacBook Pro series; like the Apple M3 chip, there are three new processors: the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max. According to Apple, all M4 processors will deliver stronger performance and better energy efficiency than their respective predecessors.

The vanilla M4 chip with 10 CPU cores and 10 GPU cores supports up to 32 GB of unified memory (RAM) and has a high memory bandwidth of 120 GB/s. Laptops with this chip can support two external displays in addition to the internal display; the M4 currently supports up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports.

Next is the M4 Pro chip, which has up to 14 CPU cores and up to 20 GPU cores. According to Apple, MacBook Pros with this chip will benefit researchers, developers, engineers, and creative professionals with demanding workflows. the M4 Pro supports up to 64GB of RAM and 273GB/second memory bandwidth, Apple claims a 75% improvement over the M3 Pro. The chip promises to display and run games such as “Control” at their best with hardware-accelerated ray tracing and faster 3D rendering.

The M4 Max should be a giant in the M4 class. This monster chip has up to 16 CPU cores and up to 40 GPU cores, which Apple says are 2.2 times faster than the CPU and 1.9 times faster than the GPU of the M1 Max chip, respectively The M4 Max supports up to 128GB of RAM and up to 546GB/s of memory bandwidth The M 4 Max, like the Pro chip, supports Thunderbolt 5 with data transfer capabilities of up to 120 GB/sec.

These specs may not mean much to the average person. But for those who need a powerful MacBook Pro for video editing, gaming, or engineering, the promised power of the M4 chip is definitely appealing.

Those who like to work outdoors will be happy to know that all MacBook Pro M4 models come with a nanotextured display option. If this feature works on the MacBook Pro as it does on the current iPad Pro, there should be less glare and reflections. This is not the OLED option that some wanted, but it is a nice option to have at checkout.

Regarding the display, Apple states that the MacBook Pro's screen offers HDR peak brightness of 1,600 nits. This claim does not seem unrealistic, as some of the M3 MacBook Pro displays we tested nearly achieved HDR brightness of 1,600 nits. As it stands, you should be able to comfortably view all of the MacBook Pro's displays in direct sunlight or in a dark room.

MacBooks with M-series chips set a new standard for laptop battery life, lasting at least 12 hours and nearly 19 hours at the high end; the M4 MacBook Pro promises to last even longer.

According to Apple, the Pro M4 laptop has a battery life of 24 hours. For reference, the longest-lasting consumer laptop we tested was the Dell XPS 13 with Snapdragon X Elite, which lasted an impressive 20 hours 51 minutes. If Apple's claims are true, the M4 chip would raise the upper limit of battery life.

MacBook Pros with the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips have Thunderbolt 5 ports, which more than doubles the data transfer rate to 120 GB/s compared to Thunderbolt 4. This allows for faster data transfer rates and higher power output, helping to make the MacBook Pro the main computer in the office.

As for ports, all MacBook Pro models have an HDMI port that supports 8K resolution, an SDXC card slot, a MagSafe charging port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The laptops also support Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

The new MacBook Pro models feature an upgraded 12MP Center Stage camera. Not only will this camera follow you around, but video calls will also look sharper.

As the name implies, the Desk View feature allows you to share what's on your desk with the person you are video conferencing with. This eliminates the need to awkwardly hold things up in front of the camera for everyone to see.

As expected, Apple boasted how the M4 chip enhances Apple Intelligence. We didn't see much here that we haven't seen before, but Apple says Apple Intelligence will benefit all MacBook Pro M4 users.

As I've explained before, the Writing tool is my favorite Apple Intelligence feature. The writing tools help me improve my writing, whether it be proofreading, rewriting, or changing the tone. They can be as lofty as a manuscript or as simple as an email.

I am curious how the writing tools, updated Siri, and other Apple Intelligence features will work on the M4 MacBook compared to the M3 notebook. If they work as intended, perhaps they will change our skeptical view of generative AI.

We will have a better idea of how the new MacBook Pro M4 laptops will function after we test them. However, based on what Apple has announced, these have the potential to be the best MacBook Pro ever.

The promised power and energy efficiency of the M4 chip is exciting, and options like nanotextured glass, Thunderbolt 5, and a new 12MP webcam look useful. The promised 24-hour battery life is also thrilling. And hopefully, these MacBook Pros can make meaningful use of Apple Intelligence.