Apple just dropped new MacBook Pros and, shocker, they cost more.
The 14-inch starts at $1,599 while the 16-inch kicks off at $2,499, which is roughly the same as a decent used Honda Civic.
For that money you get the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, a 12MP Center Stage webcam, and a nano-texture display option that used to be reserved for the fancy Studio Display.
Let's talk about what's actually new, because the answer is "not a ton" if you bought last year's model.
The base M4 14-inch finally gets 16GB of RAM standard, which Apple is framing as generosity and not, you know, the bare minimum in 2024.
There's also a Thunderbolt 5 port on the higher-end models, which is great news for the twelve people who own Thunderbolt 5 accessories.
Apple claims up to 24 hours on the 16-inch, which is the kind of number that sounds amazing until you realize it's measured with the screen at 8 percent brightness and Bluetooth off.
Still, if you're coming from a 2019 Intel model that sounded like a jet engine every time you opened Slack, this thing will feel like a revelation.
It opens Chrome tabs and plays Netflix and doesn't spontaneously combust.
Apple would love for you to believe you're one software update away from obsolescence, but the M1 MacBook Pro is still faster than most people need.
If you're on Intel, though, this is the moment.
The fans, the heat, the battery that dies during a Zoom call — all of it goes away.
You'll wonder why you waited this long, and then you'll remember it's because you were waiting for the price to drop, which it never does.
Apple's idea of a sale is charging you the same amount for slightly better specs.
The nano-texture display is worth mentioning because it's a $150 add-on that reduces glare without turning your screen into a smudgy mirror.
Reviewers seem split on whether it's worth it, which is reviewer-speak for "it's fine but we need something to argue about." Also, the webcam moved to the center of the lid, so you no longer look like you're staring off into the middle distance during every meeting.
The bigger story here is that Apple has basically stopped trying to impress anyone with the MacBook Pro.
The design hasn't changed in years, the ports are finally useful again, and the only thing left to argue about is whether you need the Max chip to scroll Twitter slightly faster.
You don't. **The Verdict** If you have money burning a hole in your pocket and a 2018 MacBook Air that sounds like a leaf blower, go for it.
Final Thoughts
Everyone else can safely wait another year, because the refresh cadence isn't slowing down and your current machine probably still works just fine.