While the M4 was launched alongside Apple's 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models, the company is pursuing a broader strategy for the same SoC that powers its various Macs. In fact, reports suggest that this is the first time the company will introduce the M4 across its entire Mac family, including its very powerful desktops.
The new Mac Pro and Mac Studio, reportedly due for release in late 2025, could feature the very powerful M4 Ultra.
An updated model of the MacBook Pro, rumored to arrive in the fourth quarter of 2024, will likely be Apple's first Mac member to be treated to the M4. As with last year, the tech giant is expected to unveil three portable computers, starting with a 14-inch base model, followed by a slightly more powerful version with the same screen size, and a larger 16-inch version. As for the rest of the lineup, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman provided the following launch update, explaining that the Mac Pro and Mac Studio have been unveiled and will feature the latest Apple Silicon.
“There’s been speculation online about when to expect the M4 Mac line, which I first discussed months ago. After checking around, I don’t see a change in schedule. The M4 iMacs, MacBook Pros (low- and high-end versions) and Mac minis (low- and high-end models as well) are due between the end of 2024 and early 2025. New MacBook Airs are coming in the spring of 2025, and the Mac Pro and Mac Studio models will arrive around the second half of next year. This will mark the first time Apple is bringing a new chip family to every Mac it makes. The move follows the addition of the M4 to the iPad Pro in May.”
We previously reported that both the Mac Pro and Mac Studio are planned along with the M4 Ultra, suggesting that the M4 Pro and M4 Max will be coming before the M4 Ultra. While there are no rumors or estimates regarding performance figures at this time, the M4's capabilities are certainly something to look forward to at its future launch, as the 10-core CPU version of the 3nm SoC easily beats competitors such as the Snapdragon X Elite. It outperforms the M3 Pro in both single-core and multi-core scores, and is up to 45% faster than the M2 and M3 in Geekbench 6.
Additionally, the performance of the 9-core CPU members is also unthrottled, allowing them to perform closer to the 10-core versions. Considering that the new MacBook Pro models will have a more powerful cooling solution, it's possible that Apple will optimize the M4 to run at higher clock speeds and achieve even better single-core and multi-core scores. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait until its official release later this year to find out.