Apple hasn't officially announced the M4 Macs, but tipsters like Mark Gurman claim the company will launch a new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Pro, Mac Studio and Mac Mini somewhere in the second half of 2024. Considering how the iPad Pro (2024) packs a Apple M4 chip, It's not unreasonable to assume that we'll soon see Macs powered by the latest M-series processor.
The arrival of M4 Macs is exciting, as each new M-series chip increases power and efficiency. Based on our testing of the iPad Pro’s M4 processor, the next wave of Macs should be the most powerful yet. But is that enough justification for you to spend money on a new Mac?
While I'm eagerly awaiting the M4 Macs, I don't think most people need to rush out and get these machines. Here are 5 reasons why you might want to avoid Apple's M4 Macs.
The M4 (probably) won't hold any surprises
Apple has put an M4 chip in the current iPad Pro, and with that, we have a good idea of what to expect from Macs powered by that processor. We'll likely hear the same data points about the M4 that we heard during WWDC, which makes things less exciting.
| Line 0 – Cell 0 | Geekbench 6 single core | Geekbench 6 multi-core | CrossMark (Global) |
| iPad Pro 2024 (M4) | 3692 | 14512 | 1915 |
| iPad Air 2024 (M2) | 2594 | 10088 | 1441 |
| MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) | 3046 | 12057 | 1888 |
| Dell XPS 16 (Intel Core Ultra 7) | 2375 | 13376 | 1799 |
| Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (gaming) | 2621 | 12302 | 1791 |
| HP Omen Transcend 14 (gaming) | 2367 | 13066 | 1506 |
Based on our testing, we can confidently say that the M4 chip is the fastest and most powerful M-series processor we’ve tested. As you can see from the chart above, the iPad Pro with the M4 chip performs excellently, outperforming even some of the best laptops. We should see similar results with Macs with the M4 chip.
That’s what we might see on Macs with the entry-level M4 chip, but things could get more interesting if Apple announces the M4 Pro and M4 Max processors. We haven’t heard much about these potential chips, but considering that previous generations of M-series processors had Pro and Max variants (and Ultra for the Apple M1 and Apple M2), the same should be true for the M4.
Aside from these potential M4 versions, don't expect anything surprising from the base M4 chip in upcoming Macs.
The M3 chip is powerful enough
M3 Macs like the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro, 13-inch M3 MacBook Air, and 15-inch M3 MacBook Air are some of the best MacBooks on the market. They are so good in terms of performance and battery life that it's hard to justify buying an M4 MacBook.
Sure, the M4 chip performed about 25 percent better than the M3 in our benchmark tests, but unless you’re editing 4K video, the M3 MacBooks have plenty of power for everyday tasks like web browsing and watching videos. The only area where we might see significant gains is in macOS Sequoia’s Apple Intelligence features, but that might not be enough of a reason to upgrade.
M2 Macs still deliver
Related to my last point, I would say that Macs with the M2 chip are still good enough for most people. We were impressed with these machines when they first came out and they are just as good today despite the newer models on the market.
Devices like the MacBook Air 13-inch M2, MacBook Air 15-inch M2, MacBook Pro M2, and Mac mini M2 are still more than capable of handling everyday work and even some video editing and light gaming. The MacBook Air 13-inch M2 is also the most affordable Mac overall with its starting price of $999, making it one of the best laptops for students or people looking for an alternative to the best Windows laptops.
Apple Intelligence Seems Clumsy
This isn't specific to M4 Macs since Apple Intelligence is also coming to some iPhones and iPads, but I wanted to point it out because it's tangentially related.
We heard a lot about Apple Intelligence when the company announced the M4 chip. Like every company that has jumped on the generative AI hype train, Apple bragged about how its AI solution would benefit its customers. It’s supposed to be the flagship feature of the best iPhones and iPads that support the feature.
After looking at the Apple Intelligence features coming to iPadOS 18, iOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, I’m not convinced it’s going to be a game-changer for the company’s devices. Yes, features like writing tools and supercharged Siri can be useful, but they probably won’t be huge selling points for most.
Apple's AI might live up to expectations when full versions of Apple's operating systems arrive later this year. But you won't regret much if it's anything like the generative AI we've seen in Copilot+ PCs and other AI laptops.
Wait for Apple M5 instead
Given what we know about the M4 and how Apple Intelligence could disappoint, it might be best to just ditch the M4 Macs altogether and wait for the M5. Apple’s M5 is effectively theoretical at this point since there have been no official announcements or a large abundance of rumors. That said, it’s safe to assume that Apple will inevitably release a successor to the M4 processor.
If the M5 follows the usual upgrade path of previous generations, it will likely be about 25% faster than the M4. It's also possible that this chip could take better advantage of existing and upcoming Apple Intelligence features. If you currently own an M3 (or older) Mac, it would be wise to wait for the Apple M5 to be released.
Waiting for the M5 Macs could also save you money on existing Macs. For example, the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air got a price cut when its M3 counterparts arrived. Because of that, the company could do the same for M4 Macs (especially MacBooks) when the first M5-powered machines start to appear. And buying an M3 Mac when the first M5 Macs arrive could save you hundreds of dollars on a discounted device.
Perspectives
The M4 Macs will likely be the best Apple computers yet. If you own an M1 or M2 Mac and need more power than the M3 provides, an M4 Mac should be worth the investment. This is especially true if you own an Apple computer that hasn’t received an M3 upgrade, like the Mac Pro, Mac mini, or Mac Studio.
While M4 Macs are great for some people, the majority of people may skip M4 for the reasons outlined above. I could be wrong, but based on what we know right now, skipping M4 and sticking with M3 or maybe waiting for M5 would be a wiser decision.