M4 MacBook Pro looks on track to launch this fall, with display panels already shipping

M3 MacBook Pro
(Image credit: Future)

Top display analyst Ross Young has revealed that the M4 MacBook Pro is on track to launch later this fall, as expected.

Apple’s current best MacBook, the M3 MacBook Pro, was unveiled in October last year. While there were no major design changes, it did feature Apple’s M3 Apple silicon processor and its more powerful M3 Pro and M3 Max variants. Despite being not even a year old, however, all eyes are now firmly on the next iteration of the MacBook Pro that'll come with the M4 chip. And there's good news for those waiting for the device.

In a tweet for subscribers, Ross Young revealed that the panel shipments for the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models kicked off earlier in July/August. That's in line with the Q3 timeline Young previously reported on. Now, if we do the maths based on Apple’s usual timeline this means we’re looking at a Q4 2024 launch – just as expected.

When to expect the M4 MacBook Pro

As for the big reveal, last year’s M3 MacBook Pro arrived during a Halloween-timed "Scary Fast" event in late October. So, if Apple sticks to its new event traditions, we could see the M4 models creeping onto the scene around the same time. October or early November seems like a solid bet, as that's always been when new MacBook Pros arrive.

Apple has already debuted the new M4 chip in Apple’s best iPad, the M4 iPad Pro. The M4 chip features a beefed-up GPU with better efficiency, and its Neural Engine can put out 38 trillion operations per second (TOPS). Apple says its M4 is an “outrageously powerful device for AI.” In all likelihood, the MacBook version of this chip should be even more powerful because it will feature significantly better cooling compared to the thermally-limited iPad.

When they do arrive, the new M4 MacBook Pro is likely to be the best Apple laptop on the market when it comes to Apple Intelligence, with the most processing power and thermal performance of any eligible device yet.

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Connor Jewiss
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Connor is a technology writer and editor, with a byline on multiple platforms. He has been writing for over eight years now across the web and in print too. Connor has experience on most major platforms, though does hold a place in his heart for macOS, iOS/iPadOS, electric vehicles, and smartphone tech.