Apple updated its MacBook Pro this week with the latest Apple silicon, but what exactly does the latest machine bring to the table? Is it worth upgrading from previous generations?
The 14-inch MacBook Pro equipped with the M4 chip starts at $1,599, replacing the previous M3 model and becoming the entry-level machine in Apple's professional notebook product line. Equipped with the higher-end M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, the 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,999 and the 16-inch model starts at $2,499.
Following the introduction of the latest model, previous-generation MacBook Pro models have been discontinued and are no longer available at Apple’s main stores. However, slightly older machines, such as the 2023 models, can still be purchased at significantly reduced prices through Apple Refurbished Stores and third-party retailers. Buying a used model is also an option.
First-time MacBook Pro customers or customers upgrading from an older device may be wondering whether it's worth buying the 2021 model or the 2023 model, so it's important to weigh exactly what the latest version adds. Likewise, existing owners of a 2021 or 2023 MacBook Pro may be wondering whether it's worth upgrading to the latest model or sticking with their current device.
See below for a detailed breakdown of every new feature, change, and improvement added to the Late 2024 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models compared to their predecessors:
(14 and 16-inch, 2021)
(14 and 16-inch, early 2023)
(Late 2023)
(Late 2024)
M1 Pro
M1 Max
M2 Pro
M2 Max
M3
M3 Pro
M3 Max
M4
M4 Pro
M4 Max
5nm Node (N5)
Based onA14 Bionic chip for iPhone 12 (2020)
Enhanced 5nm Node (N5P)
Based on the A15 Bionic chip of iPhone 13 (2021)
3nm Node (N3B)
A17 Pro chip based on iPhone 15 Pro (2023)
3nm Node Enhanced (N3E)
Based on the A18 chip of iPhone 16 (2024)
3.20 GHz CPU clock speed
3.49 GHz CPU clock speed
4.05 GHz CPU clock speed
M4: 4.4 GHz CPU clock speed
M4 Pro and M4 Max: 4.5 GHz CPU clock speed
M1 Pro: Up to 10-core CPU with 8 performance cores and 2 efficiency cores
M1 Max: 10-core CPU with 8 performance cores and 2 efficiency cores
M2 Pro: Up to 12-core CPU, 8 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
M2 Max: 12-core CPU, 8 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
M3: 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
M3 Pro: Up to 12-core CPU with 6 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores
M3 Max: Up to 16-core CPU with 12 Performance core and 4 efficiency cores
M4: 10 CPU cores, 4 performance and 6 efficiency cores
M4 Pro: Up to 14 CPU cores, 10 performance and 4 efficiency cores
M4 Max: Up to 16 CPU cores, 12 of them Performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
M1 Pro: Up to 16-core GPU
M1 Max: Up to 32-core GPU
M2 Pro: Up to 19-core GPU
M2 Max: Up to 38-core GPU
M3: 10-core GPU
M3 Pro: Up to 18-core GPU
M3 Max: Up to 40-core GPU
M4: 10-core GPU
M4 Pro: Up to 20-core GPU
M4 Max: Up to 40-core GPU
Updated GPU architecture Updated GPU architecture for improved efficiency
Dynamic caching Dynamic caching
Hardware accelerated ray tracing Hardware accelerated ray tracing
Hardware accelerated mesh shading Hardware-accelerated mesh shading
neural engine Neural engine is 40% faster Neural Engine is 15% faster neural engine
Video decoding engine Higher bandwidth video decoding engine The same video decoding engine as the M2 generation Same as M2Video decoding engine-generation
Support AV1 decoding Support AV1 decoding
LPDDR4X memory LPDDR5 memory LPDDR5 memory LPDDR5X memory
M1 Pro: 200GB/s memory bandwidth
M1 Max: 400GB/s memory bandwidth
M2 Pro: 200GB/s memory bandwidth
M2 Max: 400GB/s memory bandwidth
M3: 100GB/s memory bandwidth
M3 Pro: 150GB/s memory bandwidth
M3 Max: 300GB/s or 400GB/s memory bandwidthM4: 120GB/s memory bandwidth
M4 Pro: 273GB/s memory Bandwidth
M4 Max: 546GB/s memory bandwidth
M1 Pro: 16GB or 32GB unified memory
M1 Max: 32GB or 64GB unified memory
M2 Pro: 16GB or 32GB unified memory
M2 Max: 32GB, 64GB or 96GB unified memory
M3: 8GB, 16GB or 24GB unified memory
M3 Pro: 18GB or 36GB unified memory
M3 Max: 36GB, 48GB, 64GB, 96GB, 128GB unified memory
M4: 16GB, 24GB or 32GB unified memory
M4 Pro: 24GB or 48GB unified memory
M4 Max: 36GB, 48GB, 64GB or 128GB unified memory
16-core neural engine, 11 trillion operations per core 2nd 16-core neural engine, 15.8 trillion operations per second 16-core neural engine, 18 trillion operations per second 16-core neural engine, 38 trillion operations per second
M1 Pro: Supports up to two external monitors
M1 Max: Supports up to four external monitors
M2 Pro: Supports up to two external monitorsTwo external monitors
M2 Max: Supports up to four external monitors
M3: Supports one external monitor
M3 Pro: Supports up to two external monitors
M3 Max: Supports up to four external monitors
M4 or M4 Pro: Supports two external monitors
M4 Max: Supports up to four external monitors
High power mode is only available on 16-inch models with M1 Max High power mode is only available on 16-inch models with M2 Max High Power Mode is available on any model with M3 Max High Power Mode is available on any model with M4 Max
500 nits maximum SDR brightness 500 nits maximum SDR brightness 600 nits maximum SDRbrightness 1,000 nits maximum SDR brightness
Nanotexture display options
Dedicated display engine
1080p FaceTime HD camera 1080p FaceTime HD camera 1080p FaceTime HD camera 12MP Center Stage camera with desktop view
Image Signal Processor (ISP) Advanced image signal processor (ISP) with computational video Advanced image signal processor (ISP) with computational video Advanced image signal processor (ISP) with computational video
Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth 5.0 Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 5.3
Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports
Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports
M3: Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports
M3 Pro or M3 Max: Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports
M4: Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports
M4 Pro or M4 Max: Three Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) ports
HDMI 2.0 port HDMI 2.1 port HDMI 2.1 port HDMI 2.1 port
14-inch: Integrated 70Wh lithium-polymer battery
16-inch: Integrated 100Wh lithium-polymer battery
14-inch: Integrated 70Wh lithium polymer battery
16-inch: Integrated 100Wh lithium polymer battery
M3 14-inch: Integrated 70-Wh lithium-polymer battery
M3 Pro or M3 Max 14-inch: Integrated 72.4-Wh lithium-polymer battery
16-inch: Integrated 100-Wh lithium-polymer battery 14-inch: Integrated 72.4Wh lithium polymer battery
16-inch: Integrated 100Wh lithium polymer battery
14-inch: 17 hours of battery life
16-inch: 21 hours of battery life
14-inch: 18-hour battery life
16-inch: 22-hour battery life
M3 14-inch: 22 hours of battery life
M3 Pro or M3 Max 14-inch: 18 hours of battery life
16-inch: 22 hours of battery life
M4 14-inch or M3 Pro 16-inch: 24 hours of battery life
M3 Pro 14-inch: 22 hours of battery life
M3 Max 14-inch: 18hours of battery life
M3 Max 16-inch: 21-hour battery life
Fast charging on 14-inch model (MagSafe 3 and USB-C) and 16-inch model (MagSafe 3 only) Fast charging on 14-inch model (MagSafe 3 and USB-C) and 16-inch model (MagSafe 3 only) 14-inch (MagSafe 3 and USB-C) and 16-inch models (MagSafe 3 or USB-C with 240W fast charging cable) Fast charging on 14-inch (MagSafe 3 and USB-C) and 16-inch models (MagSafe 3 or USB-C via 240W cable)
Available in space gray and silver
Available in space gray and silver
M3: Available in Space Gray and Silver
M3 Pro or M3 Max: Available in Space Black and Silver Available in Space Black and Silver
The latest MacBook Pro models receive a relatively significant update over their predecessors, delivering more new features and capabilities than any 2023 update, including Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, 12GB of connectivity with Center Stage Pixel camera and desktop view and nano texture display options.
Late 2023 MacBook Pro models feature relatively minor improvements over their immediate predecessors, focusing primarily on performance improvements. In addition to the chip, the early 2023 MacBook Pro also introduces support for Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and HDMI 2.1, as well as an hour of improved battery life. The late 2023 MacBook Pro adds an additional 100 nits of SDR brightness, AV1 decoding, and Space Black color options. Overall, this is a fairly minor upgrade for existing 2021 MacBook Pro owners.
Choosing which 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro model to buy ultimately comes down to what level of performance you need. For example, the M4 series of chips feature a more powerful Neural Engine, which may be an attractive upgrade for some users, but is far from necessary for the vast majority. Generally speaking, unless you need maximum performance for a demanding professional workflow, it's not worth upgrading from a 2023 MacBook Pro to a 2024 model, or from an early 2023 machine to a late 2023 model. Only those who need the absolute peak performance from the M4 Max chip will really benefit.
For those who haven’t made the jump to Apple S yetFor people looking for ilicon machines, the 2023 MacBook Pro models are still a very good option to buy them at a much lower price if you can. If you want to keep a future-proofed device for the long term, it's only worth spending more to get the latest model, where better performance, Thunderbolt 5, battery life and AI features may be even more beneficial with continuous software updates and improvements . As your need for connectivity with other devices evolves. Even so, it's hard to recommend buying a late 2024 MacBook Pro at full price over an equivalent, heavily discounted 2023 model.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip effectively replaces the previous 13- and 14-inch MacBook Pros, with an M1 chip in 2020 and an M3 chip in 2023. It comes standard with 16GB of memory, longer battery life, and additional Thunderbolt port. For owners of older MacBook Pro models, the new low-cost 14-inch model represents a relatively significant upgrade. Given the improvements to Apple's chips in recent years, with redesigned GPUs, improved connectivity and external display support, some M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pro owners may be considering an upgrade. While the M1 MacBook Pro models are still powerful machines, the cumulative upgrades to the latest models are now enough that some users may find the upgrade worthwhile.
The above is the detailed content of M1, M2, M3, M4 MacBook Pro buying guide: comparing 30 differences. For more information, please pay attention to other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!
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<p style="display: inline-flex;float: right; color:#333333;">Source: macrumors.com</p>
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