The Apple M3 chip is still relatively new, but it looks like the Cupertino-based tech giant is preparing to refresh its entire Mac lineup with Apple M4 processors.
This news comes to us through Mark Gurman, Bloomberg reporter and Apple insider. According to their sources, the M4 processor will come in “at least three main varieties” and is “close to production.” The new chip will apparently “highlight” artificial intelligence features, no doubt to compete with the large number of “AI laptops” hitting the market.
Apple plans to launch the first M4-powered computers by the end of 2024, and will launch more in early 2025. This includes new iMacs, MacBook Pros, Mac minis, and MacBook Airs. New Mac Studio and Mac Pro are also expected.
Everything we currently know about the Apple M4 comes from Gurman’s recent report. As such, take everything we are about to discuss with a grain of salt. Here’s what we know so far about the Apple M4 chip.
Apple M4 chip: release date and price
According to Gurman, we won’t have to wait long to have Macs with an M4 chip.
The first wave of Mac M4s will arrive later this year, possibly around October and November, as we have seen in the past. This will include “new iMacs, a lower-end 14-inch MacBook Pro, higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, and Mac minis, all with M4 chips.” Of course, this is subject to change, Gurman says.
More M4 computers will ship throughout 2025. This includes updated 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air models in the spring, Mac Studio in the middle of the year, and Mac Pro in the second half of 2025.
Right now, the entry-level iMac 2023 M3 costs $1,299, while the 14-inch MacBook Pro costs $1,599. The M3 MacBook Air 13 and MacBook Air 15-inch laptops cost $1,099 and $1,299 (respectively) . Lastly, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro starts at $1,999 and a 16-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,499.
Gurman didn’t talk about pricing, but Apple may not increase costs too much, if at all. Of course, we can’t say for sure.
Apple M4 chip: different chip models
The M4 chip line will reportedly come in three main versions: a basic version called Donan, more powerful models called Brava, and a high-end chip codenamed Hydra. Apple reportedly plans to highlight the AI processing capabilities of the new chips and how they will integrate with the next version of macOS.
Gurman’s report claims that the base MacBook Pro, the new MacBook Air, and a lower-end Mac mini will all have the Donan chip (presumably the base M4 chip). The Brava chips will work with high-end MacBook Pros and a “more expensive” Mac mini model. The new Mac Pro, which is Apple’s highest-end desktop computer, will reportedly feature the powerful Hydra chip.
Apple is also testing different versions of the Mac Studio: one with a yet-to-be-announced M3 chip (perhaps an M3 Ultra?) and another with a variation of the M4 Brava processor.
Speaking of the Mac Studio M4, Apple is considering supporting up to half a terabyte of memory. By comparison, the existing Mac Studio and Mac Pro max out at 192GB of unified memory (RAM).
Apple M4: AI features
Apple’s M-series chips have sported a Neural Engine since the beginning. Now that AI PCs are all the rage, it’s no surprise that the company wants to show off the AI capabilities of the M series, as we’ve seen with the launch of the M3 chips. To that end, Apple “plans to add new AI features across all of its products,” according to Gurman.
Apple reportedly plans to preview “a number of new features” at WWDC 2024. Most of these features are designed to run on the device rather than on remote cloud servers. If that’s the case, then the M4 chips (which will presumably be faster than the existing M3 chips) could power these tasks more efficiently.
We’ll apparently get a preview of the new macOS during WWDC and see how these new AI features will integrate with the operating system.
Apple M4 Chip: Outlook
The Apple M4 chip is firmly a rumor at the moment, so it’s best to take everything detailed above with a healthy dose of skepticism. That said, it’s not unreasonable to assume that the company will eventually release a follow-up to its M3 chip, even if it’s faster than expected. If Mark Gurman’s sources are correct, it won’t be long until we see what the reported M4 chips can do.
We’ll update this post with any M4-related news we find, so stay tuned for more information.
- The first details of the Apple M4 chip are leaked
- MacBook Pro M4 now in ‘formal development’ at Apple
- WWDC 2024 announced for June 10
