With the M4, Apple finally has a base MacBook Pro that’s less of a parts-bin compromise and more of an actual Pro machine. It’s a laptop you can buy and not feel like you’re caught in between anything.

The MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) occupies the middle spot between the 14-inch M4 and 16-inch M4 Max models. Though pricey, it's more affordable than the latter while being more powerful and energy efficient than the former.

MacBook Pros are big investments there’s a tendency to hold on to them longer than an M4 MacBook Pro or a MacBook Air. If you bought an M3 Pro MacBook Pro (or maybe even an M2 Pro), you’re probably good with waiting until the next cycle, which will ...