By Julie Clover
Apple will begin updating its Mac lineup with M4 processors in late 2024, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The M4 chip will be focused on improving the performance of artificial intelligence capabilities.
Last year, Apple introduced the chips The M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max are launching simultaneously in October, so it's entirely possible that the M4 lineup will launch during the same period. Gurman says the entire Mac lineup should introduce the M4 in late 2024 or early 2025.
iMac, low-end 14-inch MacBook Pro, high-end 14-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro inch MacBooks The Pro and Mac mini will be updated with M4 chips first, followed by 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models in spring 2025, Mac Studio in mid-2025, and Mac Pro later in 2025.
Apple is reportedly getting closer to production of the M4 processor, and it is expected to come in at least three major variants. The chips are codenamed Donan for the low end, Brava for the mid end, and Hidra for the high end. The Donan chip will be used in the entry-level MacBook Pro, MacBook Air machines, as well as in the younger Mac mini and Brava chips, which will be used in the higher-end MacBook Pro and higher-end Mac mini.
The Hidra chip is designed for the Mac Pro, which suggests it is an “Ultra” or ” Extreme.” As for the Mac Studio, Apple is testing versions with an unreleased M3-era chip and a variation of the M4 Brava processor, which will presumably be a higher level than the M4 Pro and M4 Max “Brava” chips.
Desktop Mac versions of the M4 can support up to 512GB of unified memory, which would be a noticeable jump from the current 192GB limit.
M4 chips will be built on the same base. The 3nm process is the same as the M3 chips, but Apple supplier TSMC will likely use an improved version of the 3nm process to improve performance and power efficiency. Apple also plans to add a significantly improved Neural Engine with an increased number of cores for artificial intelligence tasks.
Related reviews: iMac, Mac Pro, Mac mini, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro 14 and 16 inches, Mac Studio Tags: Bloomberg, Mark Gurman, Buyer's Guide: iMac (Buy Now), Mac Pro (Neutral), Mac Mini (Neutral), 13″ MacBook Air (Buy Now), 14″ and 16″ MacBook Pro (Neutral), Mac Studio (Attention), 15″ MacBook Air (Buy Now) Related Forums: iMac, Mac Pro, Mac mini, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Studio [406 comments]
