Tech
MacBook Pro, iMac, and Redesigned Mac Mini With M4 Chips on Track to Launch ‘This Year’
Apple plans to release new MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini models with the M4 series of chips “this year,” according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.
Gurman initially said these Macs would likely be announced during a virtual event this October, but he has been more vague about the timing lately, with wording such as “in the coming weeks” and now merely “this year.” In any case, it is clear that he expects the first Macs with M4 chips to be introduced before the calendar turns to 2025.
Apple last updated the MacBook Pro and iMac lines during a virtual event on October 30 last year, while the Mac mini was last updated in January last year.
Notably, the M4 chip already exists in the latest iPad Pro models, which launched in May. Geekbench 6 benchmark results showed the M4 chip offers up to 25% faster multi-core CPU performance compared to the M3 chip found in several current Macs. The M4 chip is available with up to a 10-core CPU, whereas the M3 chip has an 8-core CPU. Apple has yet to announce higher-end M4 Pro and M4 Max chips.
Below, we reiterate what has been rumored for these first M4 Macs.
MacBook Pro
Apple plans to announce updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips in the coming weeks, according to Gurman. No design changes have been rumored for the laptops this year, with improvements such as an OLED display and thinner design not expected until 2026 at the earliest.
Apple last redesigned the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro in 2021, and the latest models with M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips were released last October.
iMac
Apple also plans to update the iMac with the M4 chip in the coming weeks, according to Gurman. No design changes are expected for the desktop computer.
An unanswered question: Will the Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad accessories for the iMac finally switch from Lightning to USB-C this year?
Mac mini
Gurman expects the Mac mini to be updated with M4 and M4 Pro chips in the coming weeks, and he said the desktop computer will be redesigned to become nearly as small as an Apple TV. The new Mac mini will apparently lack USB-A ports, and instead feature five USB-C ports, including two on the front of the computer.
This would be the Mac mini’s first major redesign since 2010.