New M4 MacBook Air, Mac Studio, Mac Pro: Launch Timeline

Apple’s Fall 2024 Mac lineup introduced updated models, including new iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro variants powered by the M4 chip. This represents the first time that Apple will use the same generation of chips across its entire Mac lineup, with the M4 series also expected to be extended to other Mac models within the next 12 months.

New M4 MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro Models: When to Expect Them

M4 MacBook Air

An M4 upgrade for the MacBook Air will be one of the next moves. The M4 versions should arrive sometime in early 2025, following the release of the M3-powered models in March 2024. They will have the same look, but an updated M4 chip and 16GB RAM (base model). Apple may also add a new 12MP Centre Stage camera with Desk View, similar to the camera found in the M4 iMac and MacBook Pro models. The launch is expected between January and March 2025.

M4 Mac Studio

Second, after the MacBook Air, Apple will update the Mac Studio with the M4 chip with a possible version of M4 Ultra or M4 Max. While Thunderbolt 5 was a new feature added to M4 Mac mini and MacBook Pro models, the updated Mac Studio will also include the new interface. A launch window is set between March and June 2025, although earlier reports indicated a mid-2025 release.

M4 Mac Pro

The Mac Pro is also skipping the M3 series, with a refresh planned for summer 2025. The news M4-powered machine is said to be equipped with the top-end M4 chip, which could include the rumored M4 Ultra or “Hidra” variant with a 32-core CPU and 80-core GPU. The Mac Pro will likely support up to 512GB of memory and come with Thunderbolt 5 ports, offering significant upgrades over the current model.

M4 Chip Performance

This 3nm M4 chip provides greater efficiency and performance, including a state-of-the-art Neural Engine that can perform 38 trillion operations per second. The M4 Max peaks out at 25% quicker multi-core CPU performance, and the M4 Pro and M4 Max both outperform the M2 Ultra in Geekbench 6.

Graphics performance also gets a considerable boost, with the M4 Pro and M4 Max attaining up to 40% and 25% greater graphics performance than their M3 counterparts, respectively. Even the M4 Max’s 40-core GPU is almost as fast as the 76-core version in the M2 Ultra, even though it has fewer cores.

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