Apple's New M4 MacBook Pro May Look Like the Same Old MacBook Pro, but It’s the One I’ve Been Waiting for Over 10 Years

I’ve waited 11 years for this moment. It seemed like it would never come, but I’ve finally decided to retire my old MacBook Pro (13-inch Retina display, late 2013). It’s probably been the best technology purchase of my life, but after over a decade of daily use, it’s time to upgrade. And I’ve chosen the new 14-inch Apple M4 MacBook Pro.

Let’s be real—it’s not easy to spend $2,399. It took years to convince myself it was worth it. My old MacBook is still holding up well, but it’s time.

What’s so special about this MacBook Pro? Why now, instead of last year or the year before? Here’s why.

I Let the M1 Hype Pass

By 2021, my MacBook was about seven years old. At that age, you’d think that it was past time to upgrade a laptop used daily for work—but it wasn’t. The M1 MacBook was a breakthrough, and I was tempted. But the timing just wasn’t right for many reasons, mostly personal.

I’d replaced the battery on my MacBook a year earlier. Plus, right after the pandemic, my finances weren’t in the best shape—but that’s not the main point.

There were two other reasons. First, the M1 processors introduced a new architecture. Performance gains were evident, but software support was less certain. During the first few years, developers were still adapting their programs, and I didn’t want to be an early adopter in that area.

The second reason was that the M1’s main upgrades were in the processor. My 2013 model already had a Retina display, decent battery life, and a functional trackpad and keyboard. The jump didn’t seem all that tempting.

The M4 Pro Is the Chip I Trust to Last for Years

I don’t need the full power of the M4 Pro. I’ve managed just fine with a Core i5 processor for years. But if I want a computer that will last me another decade, I need a leap like this. I plan to use the laptop with a 4K monitor and drastically ramp up my multitasking. Right now, I’m waiting seconds for each task. I want to start editing dozens of files at once without issue. I want to take advantage of Apple Intelligence—and, most of all, I want to be able to run large language models directly.

The leap with the M4 Pro wasn’t available with the M2 or M3 chips. Apple is using a second-generation 3-nanometer process here, and we know that second generations are the most refined, efficient, and complete. I’m not interested in experimenting—I trust that the M4 Pro is the most advanced chip Apple has developed in years. Sure, the M4 Max is more powerful, but it’s essentially an M4 Pro with additional cores.

Display and Battery, The Details That Brought Me Into the Apple Ecosystem

Years ago, I wanted a laptop with a display sharper than Full HD and a battery life exceeding 10 hours—before Ultrabooks became the norm. Surprisingly, the $1,699 I spent on the 2013 MacBook Pro Retina made it the most affordable option at the time. Months later, the first Zenbooks, XPS, and other Windows models arrived, but I’d already stepped into the Apple ecosystem. And despite all my years with Mac, I’m still a regular user of Google services and the Android ecosystem.

The M4 MacBook Pro still features last year’s Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED display, now enhanced to reach 1,000 nits of outdoor brightness—a significant jump from the previous 600 nits. Despite Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’ opinion to the contrary, I believe users will soon see touch OLED panels on a MacBook. I’m betting on this MacBook as one of the most stable and mature laptops of its generation.

Another selling point is the battery. Sure, I could go with the new Apple Mac mini or the upcoming MacBook Air, but I prefer an all-in-one setup. I connect the MacBook to an external monitor in my office, but then I can take it to the dining room for gaming or other tasks. Having the freedom to move it around is essential. I also like to bring my full workstation to press events, conferences, or if I just want to work in a coffee shop.

The new M4 MacBook Pro promises up to 14 hours of web browsing, which is the most relevant number for me. It’s not the 24 hours of video streaming the standard M4 model offers—that’s pure marketing. But two more hours of battery life compared to last year’s M3 Pro? That’s a welcome upgrade.

A $2,399 Hunch

As I write, I’ve already hit the buy button. I’ve been setting aside money for years, but it still stings. With this generation, though, I have a hunch it’ll be worth it. It may not quite surpass my previous model, but Apple has earned my trust.

Beyond the improvements in performance, battery life, and power, I appreciate a few other details. This model has a higher-quality front camera, an excellent speaker system, and—most importantly—Thunderbolt 5. One thing was certain: I wanted the latest cable connection standard to connect displays and transfer large amounts of data quickly. Unfortunately, as with most things, you can’t have it all—the new M4 MacBook Pro doesn’t come with WiFi 7.

So, I paid the $2,399. No student discount, no Black Friday deal. If everything goes as planned, it’ll arrive on Nov. 8. This time, I didn’t even wait for the reviews, going against what I often recommend. I bought it on faith, based on years of experience. Only time will tell if it was the right decision.

Images | Apple

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