Apple launches MacBook Pro equipped with M4 chip, sparking upgrade craze

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(Bloomberg) — Apple has launched an updated MacBook Pro line with new M4 chips, hoping to attract consumers with faster processing speeds and artificial intelligence capabilities.

The laptops will run M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max processors, which are part of a new generation of chips Apple is rolling out across its entire Mac lineup. The devices will also come with anti-glare screen options, faster ports, upgraded cameras for video conferencing, and longer battery life on the largest models.

The rollout is the latest in a series of Mac upgrades. Apple launched a new iMac on Monday and a redesigned Mac mini on Tuesday, both equipped with M4 processors. The company also launched its new artificial intelligence platform, Apple Intelligence, earlier this week.

Apple started taking pre-orders for the new MacBook Pro on Wednesday, and the product will be available in stores on November 8. Pricing for the standard 14-inch model starts at the same $1,599 as the previous generation. According to Apple, it’s 1.8 times faster than the 2020 M1 version.

The company says that starting in 2021, the M4 Pro version will be three times faster than the M1 Pro series, while the highest-end M4 Max option will be 3.5 times faster than the M1 Max. Apple said the new chips are also better at handling artificial intelligence tasks.

The M4 Pro version starts at $1,999 for the 14-inch version and $2,499 for the 16-inch version. Meanwhile, the M4 Max model starts at $3,199 for the 14-inch model and $3,499 for the 16-inch model. All new laptops feature the same design as the 2021 models, but the entry-level laptops are now available in black, a color that was previously limited to high-end versions.

The base version of the MacBook Pro (aimed at students) will have a 10-core CPU, up from 8 in the previous processor. Its graphics processing unit (GPU) will have 10 cores – just like the M3 model. The M4 Pro version will offer up to 14 CPU and 20 GPU cores. This is an upgrade from the M3 Pro chip, which includes 12 CPU cores and 18 GPU cores.

The new M4 Max can be configured with up to 16 CPU cores, the same 40 GPU core limit as before. A new Nano-Texture display option is available on all configurations for an additional $150. The embedded camera is 12 megapixels, matching the new iMac. Apple also said that the 16-inch version now has 24 hours of battery life, two hours more than before.

For the first time, the entry-level MacBook Pro comes with 16 GB of RAM, double the 8 GB minimum that Apple has offered in recent years. This matches the changes made to the iMac and Mac mini desktops. Current MacBook Air models equipped with M2 and M3 chips have also been updated and come standard with 16 GB of memory.

The M4 Pro model will come with at least 24 GB of RAM, an upgrade from the 18 GB that comes standard with the M3 Pro. The M4 Max starts with at least 36 GB of memory.

MacBook Pro was updated with M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max chips a year ago. In addition to the new processor, the latest entry-level 14-inch model adds a third Thunderbolt 4 port, while the M4 Pro and M4 Max versions move to the faster Thunderbolt 5 standard for faster data transfers.

Unusually, multiple M4 MacBook Pro models were obtained in Europe ahead of release and sold to Russian YouTubers. These channels published actual reviews of new laptops weeks ago.

Bloomberg News reported on the M4 MacBook Pro series in April and recently said the new models would be available this week.

(Updated with details about new laptops starting in second paragraph.)

More stories like this can be found at Bloomberg.com

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