We mostly cover iPhone and iPad news around these parts, but Apple just dropped so many new Macs it would be remiss of us not to tell you about it. In short, each of these updated models sports a powerful M4 chip for Apple Intelligence support and long-term future-proofing, making it a great time to buy a new Mac. Here’s a lightning-quick recap of the three new Macs unveiled during a week of announcements.
M4 Mac mini
Apple’s littlest computer hadn’t seen an update for several years, and the new model blows the old out of the water. The desktop is considerably smaller, much more powerful, and starts at just $599/£599. That said, more serious users will probably still want to upgrade the baseline 16GB RAM and 256GB storage – doubling both brings the price to $999/£999. Either way, it’s by far the cheapest route into the macOS ecosystem, so long as you don’t mind providing your own monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Oh, and this is Apple’s first fully carbon neutral Mac. Way to go!
M4 iMac
If adding your own accessories is a big deal for you, or you just love the design, the all-in-one iMac computer might be a better bet. It boasts a lovely 24-inch 4.5K Retina display and a host of colorful finishes, but note that the base model (from $1299/£1299) actually features a less powerful version of the M4 chip than the much cheaper Mac mini. To match the baseline mini, you’ll need to choose the $1499/£1499 iMac variant instead. Your call whether that’s worth it, but make sure to dig into the details before you buy one!
M4 MacBook Pro
For pros on the go, the popular MacBook Pro lineup has been upgraded with three choices of chip. There’s an “entry-level” M4 MacBook Pro with broadly the same specs as the Mac mini (with more default storage), or you can opt for a more capable M4 Pro or M4 Max chip. Thanks to additional CPU cores, each chip is around 3x faster than the one preceding it. If you do a lot of complex pro-level work, you might need that additional power. The entry model has a 14-inch display, while the more powerful versions are also available with 16-inch displays and larger batteries. Prices start at $1599/£1599 but ramp up fast if you want those upgrades, with the top-spec M4 Max version costing fully double that!
Availability
All the new models are open for pre-order immediately, with availability from November 8.