MacBook Pro M4: Leak indicates changes to the base model

A new MacBook Pro is just around the corner: Apple is expected to relaunch the professional laptop series with M4 chips around the end of October. In addition to the basic M4 already known from the iPad Pro 2024, the powerful M4 Pro and M4 Max variants are also likely to make their debut if Apple follows its usual game plan. Significant changes to the design of the MacBook Pro are considered unlikely; Apple completely relaunched the model series in a 14″ and 16″ version in 2021 and has since offered it again with a reliable keyboard and more interfaces.

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Unusual MacBook Pro leak

Several weeks before the current sales start, which is expected to take place on November 1st, a Russian YouTube channel has now published a first unboxing video that supposedly shows the entry-level version of the MacBook Pro M4 with a 14″ display. Such a future leak of the hardware and sales packaging is unusual , the origin of the device remains unclear. At the same time, the first Geekbench benchmarks of the hardware with an M4 chip were published, which at least seem plausible, which the current iPad Pro already delivers and promise a further increase in performance of around 25 percent for the CPU and GPU compared to the M3.

Individual elements of the video raise doubts: the packaging shows the same background as last year’s model. There is also talk of “Apple ID”, although Apple has just renamed it “Apple Account”. If the details still turn out to be true, Apple would clear up key criticisms of the basic model of the MacBook Pro M3 that was introduced last fall. In the device package held in the camera, the M4 MacBook Pro comes with 16 GB of RAM instead of just 8 GB. Whether this is the cheapest entry-level version remains to be seen for the time being.

Video: More Thunderbolt ports, better monitor support

Instead of being limited to two Thunderbolt 3 ports (USB-C), the new MacBook Pro already has three Thunderbolt 4 ports in the basic version. Like the more expensive versions, it would have USB-C ports on both sides instead of just one, which makes charging more flexible.

With Thunderbolt 4, it must also support the operation of at least two external 4K displays. The M3 predecessor only supported a single external display in the basic version at launch. Months later, Apple added support for the operation of two external monitors (up to 5K at 60 Hertz) with a software update. However, this is only possible if you close the MacBook Pro. According to the unboxing, the base model is also available in “Space Black” for the first time; Apple previously reserved this color variant for the more expensive models with the M3 Pro and M3 Max as an option.

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