Apple MacBook Pro M4 review: Don't be fooled by its looks

Apple MacBook Pro M4 review (Image: APPLE)

The Apple M4 processor is inside the new MacBook (Image: APPLE)

All the main changes are hidden under the aluminium shell and tucked neatly behind the pixel-packed Super Retina XDR display. So does that mean this is not a year to make the jump and upgrade to a new Pro laptop?

Express.co.uk has been putting the latest 14-inch MacBook Pro through its paces and this is still, without doubt, one of the best laptops you can buy.

No, there isn't a massive design overhaul this year but don't let appearances deceive you as there are some pretty mighty upgrades going on this year.

Perhaps the biggest change in 2024 is the launch of Apple's M4 range of processors which offer some performance gains over the previous M3 and M2 chips. In fact, some rendering and editing tasks get a 10x speed bump which is pretty significant.

For our review, we took delivery of the entry-level M4 model - you can also buy M4 Pro and M4 Max versions with even beefier processors - and, despite this being the least powerful of the bunch, it has had no issues with our daily workflow of video and photo editing or having numerous applications and windows open at the same time.

All models of the MacBook Pro M4 now come in Space Black (Image: APPLE)

It's a total joy to use and if you start bumping things up via those more impressive M4 brains you're going to have a laptop that's supremely capable.

It’s impossible to complain about all that oomph so our only issue with the M4's power is that many existing MacBook Pro owners will probably find their M2 and M3 laptops are already outperforming their needs.

Let's be honest, there are a lot of people with Pro laptops who simply use them to browse the web, write documents and edit photos and the older M models are more than adequate at doing that.

However, if you still happen to have an Intel-powered MacBook on your lap and have an upgrade in mind then we recommend rushing to the shops and grabbing this M4 as you'll be blown away by its absurd amounts of power.

It's not just sheer grunt that the new chip provides as it also makes this latest portable PC less likely to run out of juice.

Fill the battery and, if you go gentle with it, you can squeeze 20 hours out of a single charge.

The MacBook M4 gets a nano-textured screen for £150 more (Image: APPLE)

We managed to watch a 90-minute movie with the screen set to 70 percent brightness and only lost around 5 percent of charge - it's very, very impressive, and one of the main reasons to upgrade from something older.

Talking of the screen, the Liquid Retina XDR is now brighter than before and you can add a new nano-texture which cuts down on annoying reflections.

It works really well on the MacBook and it's definitely worth considering if your content is constantly ruined on a regular basis by spotlights or the sun shining through the window. It also makes a lot of sense on Apple’s laptops as we often end up using them in a range of environments where lighting and reflections can be an issue. The only thing to note is that this costs £150 extra so make sure you definitely need it before adding nano-texture when buying the device online.

Other impressive additions include three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an improved FaceTime camera with clever Center Stage technology. If you want to get Thunderbolt 5 for the first time ever on a Mac, you’ll have to go for the 16-inch Pro, which starts at £2,499.

MacBook Pro M4 review (Image: APPLE)

All the M4 models are also fully ready for Apple Intelligence which should arrive in the UK later this year via a free software update.

With that artificial intelligence upgrade installed, you'll be able to tap into a swathe of smart features such as automatic writing tools, instant image retouching, image creation and better ways to find files on your hard drive.

Siri is also supposedly improved and there's ChatGPT integration to help boost this personal assistant further.

Apple is pushing its Apple Intelligence update hard but we'll have to wait and see if it really is a game-changer when it fully launches in December.

Of course, along with all the new stuff you also get a great backlit keyboard, fast Touch ID fingerprint scanner, market-leading ForceTouch trackpad and a premium design that will last years in your bag. A MagSafe magnetic charging cable is also included with the charging brick, although you can refill the battery via the USB-C ports as well.

MacBook Pro M4 review (Image: APPLE)

As we mentioned before you no longer need to pay a premium to get the striking Space Black model and that's good news as this is a colour we absolutely love.

It comes with the latest macOS Sequoia software installed which offers neat extras such as iPhone Mirroring so you can use and fully interact with your smartphone via the MacBook's screen.

This is another great MacBook Pro but it does have some compromises. Apple still refuses to add a touch screen - that's something almost all Windows PCs now include.

There's also that slightly ugly camera notch at the top of the screen and, like most products from the US tech giant, it can get very expensive to own.

Prices for the base model start from £1,599 but start adding the better M4 processors, more 128GB memory, bigger 8TB storage and that nano-textured screen and things can push to well over £7,000!

Thanks to the M4 processor, gaming is spectacularly good on the machine but Apple still lacks the vast library of titles found on other platforms.

The MacBook Pro M4 is yet another top-notch laptop from Apple. It's supremely powerful, has an even better screen - we’d highly recommend adding that nano-texture - and will outlast all of the firm's previous portable PCs when it comes to battery life.

There's no longer a premium for choosing the Space Black version and things could get even better when Apple Intelligence arrives in December.

A touch screen would still be a welcome addition, the MacBook can still get very expensive and there's no big design refresh again this year.

We'd also say that those with M2 or M3 machines probably don't need to switch unless they have serious professional workflows and their laptops are struggling.

But if you have an older Intel machine that's running out of steam then you’ll struggle to believe how much better it is. The MacBook Pro is still mighty and it’s now even better than before. Just make sure you need all that power before tapping the buy button.