5 key upgrades the M4 MacBook Pro offers over the M3

With the inevitable M4 MacBook Air likely still several months away and the rumored redesign of the MacBook Pro probably not releasing until 2026, most that have been holding out on buying a new Apple laptop are likely considering finally pulling the trigger now that the M4 MacBook Pro line has dropped — or they’re considering buying last year’s M3 line at a hefty holiday discount.

Though the jump from the M3 to the M4, M4 Pro, or M4 Max is the more in-your-face 2024 upgrade, there’s a little more under the hood of the M4 series 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro than it might initially seem. Let’s get into it.

MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4, 2024)

The 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro carries over the design of Apple’s 2021 MacBook Pro, with the option for a nano-texture display, and a new, even more AI-friendly M4, M4 Pro, or M4 Max chip.

1 Apple’s M4 offers reasonable gains over the M3 line

The writing is on the wall when it comes to benchmarks

The base-level M4 MacBook Pro I’ve been using features a 10-core CPU versus the M3’s 8-core CPU, while the GPU clocks in at 10-cores — just like last year. This means you’re getting two additional CPU cores with the M4, allowing the second-generation 3-nanometer M4 to pack more of a power punch.

Regarding benchmarks, the 14-inch M4 hits for single-core 3,833 and 15,128 for multi-core, while online benchmarks indicate the base-level M3 marks 3,081 for single-core and 11,578 for multi-core. This is a significant increase in benchmark scores and above what I expected, ensuring that M4 MacBook Pro you’ve invested thousands of dollars in remains capable and powerful for that much longer.

While I don’t have an M4 Pro or M4 Max MacBook Pro, the more expensive and powerful chips are likely to offer more significant gains than Apple’s entry-level M4 chip.

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2 A brighter display is rarely a bad thing

Going from 600 nits to 1,000 nits is more significant than it initially seems

Apple’s MacBook line features one of the best displays around thanks to its 3024 x 1964 pixel resolution, variable 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate, True Tone, and Wide Color (P3). Brightness clocks in at 1,000 nits sustained, 1,600 nits HDR, and new for the M4 MacBook Pro, 1,000 nits SDR vs last year’s 600 nits SDR. This means that the M4 MacBook Pro hits a notably higher brightness level. I didn’t think the change would be as substantial as it is, but the improvement is noticeable when I look at my M3 Mac and M4 MacBook Pro side-by-side, making it slightly easier to view under certain lighting conditions.

Another notable upgrade is the addition of a nano-texture display, which reduces glare and makes the M4 MacBook Pro’s display more pleasant to look at outside. I was very against this screen tech at one point, but my opinion has shifted since getting my hands on the M4 iPad Pro. It looks great inside and outside under direct sunlight, while still offering deep blacks and vibrant colors (as a side note, it’s also way easier to snap photos of).

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That said, I question the etching’s durability, given how easy it is to scuff the regular MacBook Pro display when even a tiny amount of pressure is applied to the laptop while closed (like when it’s in a heavy backpack, for example).

3 16GB vs 8GB of RAM

The “Apple’s devices need more RAM” crowd finally reigns victorious

Look, I know — I was in that camp. I’ve often told people, “Yes, Apple probably should be offering 16GB of RAM to start, but macOS is so efficient, it really doesn’t need to.” Every year, that argument is a little more challenging to make, particularly with the pricey MacBook Pro line, and Apple finally seems aware of that. With its entire M4 lineup, the tech giant has upped the starting RAM amount to 16GB from 8GB at no additional cost, a very uncharacteristic move for Apple.

But what does this mean? Multitasking will get a lot more fluid, and the M4 MacBook Pro should run smoother overall compared to the M3 MacBook Pro. In the last few days with the M4 MacBook Pro, I haven’t run into a single instance of slowdown or lag, though, to be fair, that’s been my experience with nearly every M series MacBook Pro I’ve ever used.

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4 The 12-megapixel Center Stage camera makes meetings a breeze

Front and center — always

I’ve used an external DSLR as my go-to webcam for years, but I’ve often considered making the jump back to my MacBook Pro’s built-in camera because, in most situations, it looks nearly as good and, under the proper lighting, it can sometimes actually offer better quality. Now that the M4 MacBook Pro’s camera’s sensor has been increased to 12 megapixels, and it supports Center Stage, I might need to finally make that move (Center Stage first launched on specific iPad models a few years ago).

As someone who tends to move around a bit when they’re on camera, Center Stage is very useful — it always keeps me in the center of the frame. Over the last week with the M4 MacBook Pro, I’ve also enjoyed using my iPhone with Desk View to show off specific features related to Apple’s M4 lineup on a recent call.

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A longer-lasting laptop is on everyone’s wishlist

Look, I know two hours isn’t much, but better battery life with a portable device like a laptop is always great. I haven’t done enough testing yet to confirm Apple’s claims, but the company says the M4 MacBook Pro is capable of 24 hours of battery life compared to the M3’s 22 hours. This is primarily due to the M4 chip being more power-efficient than the M3.

​​​​​​​Based on my early impressions, the M4 MacBook Pro’s battery life does seem to be a bit better than my brief experience with the M3 MacBook Pro last year.

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