With the iPad Pro M4 (test) in May 2024, Apple equipped a tablet with the latest M-series chip for the first time, while many Macs are still sold with the “old” M3 processors. This has never happened before. The manufacturer usually builds its latest chip generation into Macs first.
First Macs and Macbooks with M4 chip expected in autumn
Apple will probably catch up in the fall, as the well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman reports. It should come as no surprise that the manufacturer will also be equipping its Macs with the processor in the future. Apple's main chip features the Neural Processing Unit (NPU), which is important for AI functions. The manufacturer will integrate these into its operating system with the update to macOS Sequoia.
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According to Gurman, the first models to be introduced will be the MacBook Pros, which Apple last equipped with M3 processors in fall 2024. The reporter does not expect any major design updates, and a switch to OLED displays will only take place later – at the end of 2025 at the earliest.
MacBook Pros finally come with more RAM as standard?
However, it is rumored that the upcoming MacBooks will finally have more standard RAM: instead of the current eight gigabytes, there will be at least 16 gigabytes in the future. According to Bloomberg, Apple is also testing models with 32 gigabytes in combination with the M4 chip. Apple's MacBook models with the basic M3 chip have so far only had 24 gigabytes of RAM. It has long been desired that Apple finally give its MacBooks more basic RAM, even if some Apple managers have defended the smaller RAM.
For entry-level models like the MacBook Air, eight gigabytes was quite acceptable. The RAM is sufficient for most office tasks. With the upcoming update to Sequoia, including Apple Intelligence functions, the RAM could become tight. Even Google's Pixel 9 smartphones, which have all kinds of AI on board (especially in the USA), come with at least 12 gigabytes of RAM to be able to handle the tasks.
In addition to the MacBook Pro, the iMac and Mac Mini are also expected to receive the M4 upgrade this year. Other models such as the Mac Pro and Mac Studio, like the MacBook Air, are not expected to be updated until 2025. A Mac is expected to receive “dramatic changes.”
Mac Mini with a new design?
While we can't expect a visual refresh for either the MacBook Pro or the iMac, Gurman says one Mac will get a major redesign. Major changes would be most likely to suit the Mac Mini and Mac Pro, as they are the last devices that haven't had a visual refresh in years.
Rumors about a redesign of the Mac Mini have been circulating for years. The main focus is on making the case smaller, which has barely changed since 2010. Other rumors say that the mini desktop computer could quickly shrink to Apple TV level.
Apple's Mac Pro with M-chip looks like the old one. But there is a lot of free space inside. (Image: Apple)
On the other hand, Apple's professional computer with the massive desktop chassis is ripe for an upgrade, as the device, last updated in 2022, uses the same design as the 2019 Mac Pro. This decision was confusing for many, as the 2019 Mac Pro, which was still launched with an Intel chip, was designed for modularity and upgradeability.
With the introduction of Apple's own ARM-based chips, these options were no longer available, meaning that the large computer case remained largely empty due to a lack of upgrade options. The target group for the Mac Pro has now become very narrow, as Apple offers an adequate solution for most users with high computing power requirements with the more compact Mac Studio.
MacBook Air with M4 probably not until 2025
The Macbook Air was only improved with an M3 chip in March 2024. We also expect the new models to be released in the first half of the year.
Anyone who wants to buy a MacBook Air now should of course do so. MacBooks will be available for many months and offer a lot of computing power. Even the M2 Air is a good choice, especially because of its now excellent price-performance ratio of sometimes less than 1,000 euros. With the MacBook Pro, we would advise you to exercise a little patience when buying.
According to Gurman, Apple’s Mac roadmap looks like this:
- Fall 2024: Macbook Pro, iMac, Mac Mini
- Spring 2025: Macbook Air
- Mid-2025: Mac Studio and Mac Pro
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