Apple wrapped up its three-day slew of press releases announcing new products on Wednesday. Eschewing the live event format of years past, Apple ensured that each product got a little more time in the spotlight.
On Monday, Apple started its drip campaign with an M4 version of the iMac and the non-beta launch of a few Apple intelligence features. MacBooks with the M4 chip are also expected later on.
On Tuesday, a newer, smaller, more powerful Mac Mini debuted.
On Wednesday, the headline event was the release of the new M4 MacBook Pro. But there was a lot more — including hidden details about a MacBook Air and the position of a power button on one device that triggered design enthusiasts.
Here's the Laptop Mag table of contents from Apple coverage this week.
- iMac M4 vs iMac M3: One huge reason why Apple's new iMac wins
- Apple's new M4 Mac Mini is likely the most powerful desktop under $600
- M2 Mac mini vs M4 Mac mini: What are the biggest differences?
- Apple's new M4 Mac mini is tiny, powerful, and ridiculously triggering
- Apple just made the MacBook Air M3 a better value without changing the price — here's how
- Apple's M4 MacBook Pros might reclaim the laptop battery life crown from Dell's XPS 13
- Where to preorder the new M4 MacBook Pro and save up to $1,170 via trade-in
- M4 vs. M4 Max: Which MacBook Pro should I buy?
Below, you can find all the updates from the reporters at Laptop Mag as they were announced over three busy days for Apple.
Apple announces M4 iMac!
Apple kicked off its M4 Mac week this morning with the new M4 iMac! It features a colorful design similar to last year's model but with the faster M4 chip inside.
There are a few big upgrades in addition to the M4 chip. First, the new iMacs have double the base RAM compared to last year's model. They start at 16GB of RAM rather than 8GB, most likely to improve the Apple Intelligence experience.
Additionally, all seven color options are available for 2 and 4-port iMacs. Last year only four were available for the 2-port iMac. The new model also features an updated 12MP Center Stage webcam with support for Desk View.
You can pre-order the M4 iMac now and it will launch in stores on November 8!
Apple Intelligence officially launches on iPhone, iPad, and Mac!
Apple is getting its M4 Mac week started with a bang! On top of the M4 iMac, Apple also launched Apple Intelligence this morning.
Apple's new AI platform has been available in beta for several weeks now, but as of today it is officially available in the latest software updates for iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15. That means anyone can try it out now, even if you are not in the Apple Beta Software program.
This is just the first version of Apple Intelligence, so there are some features that aren't available yet. The features in this first release include:
- Writing Tools
- Natural speech improvements for Siri
- Natural language search in the Photos app
- Clean Up editing tool in the Photos app
- Memory Movies
- Priority Messages in the Mail app
- Reduce Interruptions focus mode
- Phone call summaries
- AI speech to text transcription
Now that the new M4 iMac is available... which one should you buy?
Thanks to more base RAM and more color options, the base two-port iMac is a better deal than last year's base model was. Here's a look at how the four main models compare:
Keep in mind, the prices above are the starting prices for each configuration. Upgrades are available that can significantly increase the cost. For example, the four-port model with 24GB of RAM is also available with 32GB of RAM for $200 extra, 1TB of storage for $200 extra, or 2TB of storage for $400 extra. Those same upgrades are also available for the four-port model with 16GB of RAM.
The two-port model is the most limited. It maxes out at 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Upgrading it to 512GB of storage brings it to the same price as the 16GB four-port model. So, if storage is your top priority, it could be a better deal to opt for fewer ports to get more storage.
However, it's important to keep in mind that the two-port iMac also sacrifices some processing power since it has the less powerful 8-core version of the M4 chip. So, if you are pre-ordering an M4 iMac today, one of the four-port models is likely the best value for your money.
Is Apple Intelligence available on your Apple devices now?
Yes — but it depends.
Apple Intelligence is now publicly available in iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1. However, even if these software updates are available on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you might not be able to access Apple Intelligence.
Due to the processing power required to run Apple's new on-device AI features, it is only available on certain devices. Here is the current list of compatible iPhones, iPads, and Macs:
- iPhone 16
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPad Pro M4
- iPad Pro M2
- iPad Pro M1
- iPad Air M2
- iPad Air M1
- iPad Mini (7th generation)
- MacBook Pro M3
- MacBook Pro M2
- MacBook Pro M1
- MacBook Air M3
- MacBook Air M2
- MacBook Air M1
- iMac M4
- iMac M3
- iMac M2
- iMac M1
- Mac Mini M2
- Mac Mini M1
- Mac Studio M2
- Mac Studio M1
- Mac Pro M2
How to get Apple Intelligence on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac
This morning Apple officially launched Apple Intelligence on iPhone, iPad, and Mac so you can now start tapping into several new AI features with a few quick steps.
First, check the list below to make sure your iPhone, iPad, or Mac is compatible with Apple Intelligence.
Next, head over to your device's Settings app. Select "General" then "Software Update" (this is the same for iPhone, iPad, and Mac). When you open this menu, your Apple device will check for available updates. You should see iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, or macOS 15.1 available. Choose whether to "update now" or "update tonight" and your Apple device will guide you through the rest of the process.
Once you have the latest update installed on a compatible device, you'll be able to access the latest Apple Intelligence features!
Getting personal
It's not all about iMacs and Apple Intelligence. Apple also took the wraps off of its plan to give every Apple audio user a more personalized experience.
According to Apple, a few new features are now available via a free "end-to-end" software update.
"Available today as a free software update, the end-to-end experience helps minimize exposure to loud environmental noise with Hearing Protection, track hearing with an at-home Hearing Test, and receive assistance for perceived mild to moderate hearing loss using AirPods Pro as a clinical-grade Hearing Aid."
The move elevates devices like AirPods into the realm of health wearables and matches similar features from competitors like Nothing which have long had a way to personalize audio to your hearing.
Apple's Magic Mouse
If you were itching for a new Magic Mouse, well you got one. With a redesign, Apple is bringing USB-C to its Magic Mouse and it's Magic Keyboard. That's a departure from the previous Lightning connection which is finally been phased out thanks to EU scrutiny.
The bad news is Apple retained the Magic Mouse's worst feature — yes, it still charges from the bottom of the mouse meaning if you want to top it off, you'll have to give it a flip. For obvious reasons that design isn't ideal, but I guess we'll have something to look forward to in the next iteration.
An iMac color comparison
Old vs. New iMac Colors pic.twitter.com/yw3InKKfm2October 28, 2024
If you saw "new colors" and got excited I have some good and bad news. The good news is yes, there are new colors. The bad news is you might have a hard time spotting the difference.
Can you discern the slightly different hues? Personally, I'm struggling but I'll wait until I have an in-person look.
Apple Intelligence audition
While Apple Intelligence features have been available in beta for a while now, the release on Monday will mark the AI's entry into the mainstream.
Apple has been on a campaign paving the way for Apple Intelligence as a game-changing software update for all of its core products but now it'll actually have to deliver.
If you're really yearning for some of Apple Intelligence's flashier features like Genmoji or Image Playground you'll have to wait a little longer — those are being tested in beta via Apple's developer program on iOS 18.2.
Display upgrade
HOLY SMOKES! The new M4 iMac supports a single 8K Display at 120Hz. WHAAAAT!Not even the 16" M3 Max MacBook Pro supports this, and we're getting it on the $1499 M4 iMac!? pic.twitter.com/K6uDLjuhglOctober 28, 2024
As some eagle-eyed fans have spotted, the iMac is getting a display upgrade.
This year's iMac refresh will support a single 8K monitor at 120Hz which, as noted in the post on X above, not even the M3 Max MacBook Pro can do.
Great news for anyone who scrutinizes over each pixel — photographers rejoice.
No keynote... kind of
Apple has shared a 10 minute keynote announcement for the new iMac 🍎Will you be buying one? pic.twitter.com/iYyy1hDmV2October 28, 2024
It may have been an unorthodox approach to announcing new Macs, but there was at least some semblance of fanfare.
If you were remiss without a proper keynote address, this 10-minute video from Apple might comfort you just a little.
Maybe M4 MacBooks will get a proper video treatment? We'll have to wait and see.
A deeper look at the M3 and M4 iMac
If you're looking for a more detailed rundown of which iMac is best for you, here's our comparison.
TLDR; the M4 has better performance thanks to a new chip and higher base RAM, different colors, and a few other notable upgrades that you might have missed.
We'll have a more thorough exploration of the M4 iMacs benchmarks once we actually get our hands on one.
More to come
A "week" of announcements is what Apple promised us so we'll see what the next few days have in store.
As we mentioned previously, we can expect updates to the Mac Mini and MacBooks. Will Apple have a "one more thing" announcement for us? Maybe. Here's to hoping it uses the week-long hype to bring us something surprising.
Either way, Laptop Mag will be back tomorrow to cover whatever Apple has in store.
A Mac Mini surprise
Looks like Amazon rained on Apple's parade.
In a now-deleted listing, Amazon posted details of the new device early. According to MacRumors, which managed to get screenshots of the listing before it was taken down, Apple's new Mini is getting quite a few major upgrades. Per MacRumors:
"According to a comparison chart on Amazon's product listing for the new iMac, the new Mac mini will be available with M4 and M4 Pro chip options, with up to a 14-core CPU and up to a 20-core GPU."
There's a chance that the Mac Mini drops today, so we'll be able to confirm all of those details soon.
The Mac mini with M4 is here
It didn't take long to confirm Amazon's leak.
Apple announced a new, redesigned Mac mini with a big M4 and M4 Pro upgrade. As expected, the M4 Mac mini is very small — just 5 inches by 5 inches — but also very powerful.
According to Apple, the M4 Mac mini has up to 1.8 times the CPU performance and 2.2 times the GPU performance of the M1 model.
Even with the major redesign and performance boost, the M4 Mac minis is an incredible value. This year's model starts at just $599 and comes with a base 16GB memory (as opposed to the previous 8GB) and is available to pre-order today with a delivery date starting on November 8.
The Mac mini but make it pro
If the base M4 chip just isn't enough for you, you'll also be able to opt for the M4 Pro.
According to Apple, the M4 Pro GPU is up to 2 times as powerful as the GPU in the base M4 and the Neural Engine (Apple's equivalent to an NPU) is also over 3 times faster than in Mac mini with M1. Additionally, the M4 Pro supports up to 64GB of unified memory and 273GB/s of memory bandwidth.
Long story short, the M4 Pro should be a beast when it comes to AI and running memory-intensive apps like Logic or Photoshop. You'll obviously have to pay a premium to own one though. The M4 Pro Mac mini debuts at $1,399 — more than double the the price of the base M4.
How mini is this year's Mac mini?
The new M4 Mac mini unveiling made me laugh pic.twitter.com/6vl6ruUXr9October 29, 2024
In case you needed some context about just how mini the mini is, Apple has you covered.
In a short video unveiling the M4 Mac mini, Apple gave its tiny new desktop a cheeky reveal showing just how much smaller it is than the M2 iteration. Spoiler alert: it's small.
The Mac mini is a huge deal
It's clear the M4 Mac mini is a great value, but it's possible that it might be best-in-class.
As noted by Laptop Mag editor, Rami Tabari, the M4 Mac mini might be the best desktop for under $600. While we can't say for sure until we test one for ourselves, Apple is suggesting that the M4 Mac mini delivers top-tier AI performance, tons of speed, and a form factor that is almost impossibly small — it even beats out MacBooks that cost almost double the money.
Is this the best value in Apple? We'll have to wait and see.
Triggered yet?
I wonder how all the Magic Mouse bottom charge port outrage people feel about the power button for the Mac mini being on the bottom pic.twitter.com/Ik43AxZ629October 29, 2024
If you were salty about Apple's redesigned Magic Mouse keeping the charging port on the bottom of the mouse, we have some bad news... The M4 Mac mini is taking some cues.
As noted across social media, Apple's M4 Mac mini does have a physical power button which is conveniently located on — you guessed it — the bottom of the computer. It's not quite as inconvenient since pressing the power button presumably won't prevent you from using the computer unlike the Magic Mouse's charging port location; the mouse has to be flipped over to charge.
That being said, I can see it being a little clunky if you have lots of cables hooked into your Mac mini or if the computer starts to heat up. On the bright side, the top of the device does look sleek without a power button on it.
Which Mac mini should you buy?
While sometimes next-gen products can be tough to discern from their predecessors, the M4 Mac mini is a major upgrade from the previous generation with M2. It's smaller, faster, and still very affordably priced.
For a more detailed comparison, check out our coverage here.
New MacBooks may be upon us
It's hard to say what today has in store for sure, but if Apple continues its roll, we may get new MacBooks with M4 chips — potentially the M4 Max.
Outside of a performance boost with the M4, we're interested to see how the M4 affects battery life. Will Apple be able to steal back the battery life crown from Dell? Only time will tell.
New year, new MacBooks
As expected, Apple announced its new MacBook Pro with M4 chips.
In addition to a big performance boost, Apple's new 14-inch MacBook Pro includes three Thunderbolt 4 ports and starts with 16GB of memory.
Models start at $1,599 and both the 14- and 16-inch models with upgraded M4 Pro and M4 Max come with Thunderbolt 5 for fast transfer speeds.
They'll also include Apple's new nano-texture display option which has 1000 nits of brightness, a 12MP Center Stage camera, and (drum roll) up to 24 hours of battery life, making it the longest of any MacBook in existence.
Apple's new MacBook Pro is available to pre-order today and will ship starting on November 8.
A battery life beast
There's a lot to unpack with Apple's new MacBooks, but probably the biggest improvement is battery life.
Since the introduction of Apple's M-series silicon, battery life has been a major strength of all of its MacBooks, and the M4 takes that selling point to the next level.
According to Apple, the M4 helps give this year's MacBook Pros a full 24 hours of battery life, making it the longest-lasting MacBook ever made.
We'll have to see how those battery life claims hold up for ourselves and our own testing, but it's looking like Apple might retake the battery life crown from Dell.
What's the difference?
We'll do a fuller comparison soon, but here's an at-a-glance look at the M4 vs the M3.
A wild week of Mac updates
From the iMac, to the Mac mini, to the brand new MacBook Pros, Apple delivered on its promise of a week-long Mactravaganza.
We'll have more to follow as we get benchmarks for its new Mac line and get laptops to test for ourselves. Stay tuned to Laptop Mag for the latest reviews and thoughts on this year's generation.
