Sometimes we have to admit that reviewing a new product is hard, specifically when the product is almost entirely the same as the previous generation except for the processor. Frankly, I didn’t think I’d write this for that very reason.
But the new MacBook Pro range is different. Yes, it looks exactly the same. Same sizes of the 14-inch and 16-inch, same ports and connections on the sizes – you wouldn’t know I had the 2024 model when it’s closed.
Powered up, the new 2024 range of MacBook Pros are more powerful than ever. The new M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max chips make these the most powerful Mac laptops ever.
I’ve been using the M4 Pro 14 inch MacBook Pro and boy, it flies. Audio editing and video editing are my key check points for performance improvements. Last night I edited and exported a one-hour video show and two 30-minute shows. The export time was between five and seven minutes – utterly perfect.
So yes, the new MacBook Pro is a powerhouse of performance – you won’t have any issues there.
But what would sell me on this device isn’t the M4 Processors capabilities – frankly, the M3 was awesome too.
My takeaway from a week with this device is the new nano-texture display. This $230 optional extra is a must-have.
Like some modern TVs, this is an anti-glare style coating on the glass screen, what it does is diffuse the light so you don’t see it as crisp on the screen. The matte finish just looks better too in any light, even when there’s no reflection.
Comparing it side by side with the previous generation MacBook Pro and I could see the clear shape of a light without the nano-texture. On the new MacBook with M4 and nano-texture it’s a brighter part of the screen, with the light diffused, but you can still see what you’re working on.
Honestly, it’s fantastic. For when you’re sitting at the kitchen table with the bright sun in the windows behind you. When you’re at the park working in the fresh air, or at a cafe, on a plane – so many places you have light bouncing off the screen.
If you’re in the market for a high performance laptop, the MacBook Pro should be top of the list, and if it is your pick, the nano-texture screen coating is the best $230 option you’ll buy.
New MacBook Pro in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes with M4 Apple Silicon goes on sale today, starting at $2499.