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.

Apple will update the current MacBook Pro again in 2025, but those waiting for a significant redesign may have to wait a little longer. The 2023 MacBook Pro was the first to offer a Space Black option.

The 16-inch MacBook Pro is a potent and premium laptop, but a somewhat specialized one given the high starting price and its CPU baseline of the M4 Pro. Unless money is no object to you, be honest with yourself about your computing needs before clicking the “buy” button on this one.

When it was introduced during the white plastic heyday of peak iPod-era Apple, the Mac mini was pitched as the cheapest way to buy into the Mac ecosystem. It was $499. And despite some fluctuation (as high as $799 for the entry-level 2018 mini, $599 for this year's refresh), the Mac mini has stayed the cheapest entry-level Mac ever since.