The M4's single-core performance is between 14 and 21 percent faster than the M3s in our tests, and tests that use all the CPU cores are usually 20 or 30 percent faster. The GPU is occasionally as much as 33 percent faster than the M3 in our tests, though more often, the improvements are in the single or low double digits.

Overall, the M4 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro is a powerful workstation and Apple makes the package even better with Thunderbolt 5, the 12MP Center Stage camera, and the Nano-texture glass display option. It’s a loaded laptop for the most demanding users.

With the MacBook Pro 14-inch M4, Apple has created a pro-grade portable that impresses in every respect. It joins Apple's pantheon of outstanding laptops, and is set to take a well-deserved place at or near the top of our best laptops rankings.

This popular M4 Max configuration packs a 32-core GPU and 1TB storage, making it a well-equipped model that's $200 off and in stock now.

The recent M4 Mac release shows that a simple chip upgrade isn't going to be enough to make users invest in a new Mac.