Apple concluded its week of “Mac-focused” announcements last night with the launch of the new MacBook Pro with the M4 family of chips. The pro MacBook—as you can probably tell from the name—is the most powerful laptop that Apple makes today. Available in two sizes—14- and 16-inch—and packing a bevy of upgrades including Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, a 12-megapixel Centre Stage webcam, and other quality-of-life improvements like increased SDR brightness and the option to get it with a nano-texture finish, you’d think, the MacBook Pro would cost more than its predecessor. But it doesn’t.
Apple went ahead and launched it at the same exact price it launched the M3-based version last year, surprising everybody with the move. Moreover, it also added more RAM—16GB—to the entry-level M2 and M3 MacBook Air without bumping up the prices, sort of like a bonus. Truth be told, the Mac has never looked this good or felt this value for money. What a time to be alive!
What a Mac-hine
A great amount of people around the world depend on the MacBook Pro to get their work done. Photo and video editing is one aspect. But these laptops are starting to become more commonplace in diverse fields including research, medicine, and education, among others. The power and portability and even more importantly, the stupendous battery life while pulling off all that, is what’s pulling more and more people towards the MacBook Pro. And, now, it’s all saddled up to conquer the next frontier, too, which is artificial intelligence or more specifically, generative AI. It’s still early days for Apple Intelligence, but Apple’s never been known to get anywhere first. But it will surely get there and when it does, you can be rest assured that it would open up infinite possibilities keeping a close eye on your privacy and security.
But we digress.
Searches for the new M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max MacBook Pro have reached an all-time high this week, according to data from Google Trends. That is to no-one’s surprise that is. This is Apple’s latest and greatest laptop after all. A bigger surprise was the Mac Mini, however. Both literally and figuratively. More people have searched for it than the M4 iMac. Again, it’s easy to tell why.
The Mac Mini is just the reverse of the MacBook Pro. For one, it’s a desktop computer. Second, it’s the most affordable Mac that Apple makes. The 2024 version is “bonkers” to put it subtly. Apple has shrunk down the size to near impossible levels so it is now 5×5-inches, which is a big departure from the M2-based model from last year. Fast approaching the size and form factor of the Apple TV. For a “computer” that packs a high-end chip like the M4 Pro, the physical dimensions are frankly out of this world. Apple also gave it a bevy of ports—including a Thunderbolt 5 option—and put them on the back as well as on the front. Short, but not short-changed is how one would describe it. Yes, the power button is on the bottom, but, hey, did you even look at the price of this thing? Despite the many upgrades—including 16GB of memory at the base level—the Mac Mini still starts at Rs 59,900, same as its predecessor.
The iMac may not be receiving the same love on search but it’s a remarkable machine for what it is and what it can do. Starting with the M4 chip itself which brings more power and efficiency inside an all-in-one package, 16GB default RAM, and a generous selection of Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, the new Mac seems like an ideal fit for homes. Like the rest of the lot, Apple didn’t hike the price here as well. You can get it starting at Rs 1,34,900 same as 2023 version.
Each of these computers serves a different target audience, it’s built around different use cases. But they are all connected by a common thread. Be it the MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, or iMac, each tries to offer the most value at its given price point. Apple has been around for a long time. The Mac has been around longer than the iPhone and iPad. But if there’s ever been a right time to buy the Mac, well ladies and gentlemen, this is it. Be sure to watch this space for our hands-on and full review of these devices in the days to come.