MacBook Pro M4 Review (2025): Should You Upgrade?

Apple’s MacBook Pro lineup has always been the gold standard for creative professionals, developers, and power users. With the arrival of the M4 chip in 2025, Apple promises a leap in performance, efficiency, and AI-driven workflows. But is the upgrade really worth it if you already own an M2 or M3 MacBook Pro? In this review, we’ll go deep into performance, design, battery life, AI features, and whether the M4 MacBook Pro deserves your investment.

What’s New with the M4 Chip?

The highlight of the 2025 MacBook Pro is undoubtedly the Apple Silicon M4 chip, which brings:

• Next-Gen CPU & GPU: 30% faster CPU performance and up to 40% better GPU performance compared to the M3.
• AI Acceleration: A brand-new Neural Engine with 64 cores, doubling machine learning tasks’ efficiency.
• Power Efficiency: Improved 3nm+ process for cooler performance and longer battery life.
• Dynamic Performance Scaling: Automatically adjusts power for sustained heavy workloads like 3D rendering or compiling code.

Takeaway: The M4 is built for AI-assisted workflows, from photo/video editing to code generation.

Design & Build Quality

Apple has maintained its sleek, industrial aluminum design, but there are subtle refinements:

• Thinner bezels for an immersive display.
• New “Midnight Titanium” color that resists fingerprints.
• Enhanced thermal system, keeping performance steady even under heavy loads.

Overall, the MacBook Pro M4 feels premium, durable, and future-proof, continuing Apple’s tradition of minimalist yet powerful design.

Display: Liquid Retina XDR Gets Smarter

The 14-inch and 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR displays remain stunning, offering:

• Peak brightness of 1600 nits for HDR content.
• ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz.
• AI-powered color tuning, automatically optimizing the screen based on your environment and content.

For video editors, photographers, and gamers, the color accuracy and HDR support remain industry-leading.

Performance in Real-World Use

The M4 MacBook Pro excels in both demanding creative workflows and day-to-day productivity.

Benchmarks & Heavy Workloads

• 3D Rendering & Video Editing: 35% faster in Final Cut Pro compared to M3.
• Machine Learning Models: Training small AI models runs nearly twice as fast.
• Gaming: Titles like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Resident Evil Village run at higher frame rates thanks to improved GPU cores.

Everyday Tasks

• Multitasking with dozens of Chrome tabs, Slack, and video calls remains buttery smooth.
• Instant wake, faster app launches, and improved Spotlight search add to productivity.

Battery Life: All-Day Plus

Apple claims up to 23 hours of battery life on the 16-inch model, and real-world use confirms the impressive efficiency.

• Video playback: ~21 hours
• Mixed productivity use: ~18 hours
• Heavy creative workflows: ~12–14 hours

Charging is faster, too, with MagSafe 3 supporting up to 140W fast charging.

New AI-Driven Features

Apple has doubled down on AI-first experiences:

• On-Device AI Tools: Live transcription, real-time translation, and smarter Siri responses.
• Creative Assistance: AI-driven tools in Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro reduce editing times significantly.
• Privacy-Focused: All AI computations remain on-device, ensuring data security.

Ports & Connectivity

• 3x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, SDXC card slot, and MagSafe 3 remain standard.
• Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 ensure ultra-fast wireless performance.
• Support for up to 4 external displays (M4 Max model).

Should You Upgrade?

Upgrade If:

• You’re using an Intel MacBook or M1/M2 and want a massive jump in performance and battery life.
• Your workflow relies heavily on AI-assisted apps, 3D rendering, or high-end creative work.
• You want the best-in-class display and efficiency in 2025.

Hold Off If:

• You own an M3 MacBook Pro — performance gains, while noticeable, may not justify the upgrade.
• Your use case is light productivity (email, browsing, streaming).

Price & Availability

The MacBook Pro M4 starts at $1,999 for the 14-inch model and $2,499 for the 16-inch model, available in Silver, Space Gray, and Midnight Titanium. Pre-orders began in July 2025, with shipping expected in early August.

Final Verdict

The MacBook Pro M4 (2025) cements Apple’s dominance in the premium laptop market. It’s a perfect blend of power, efficiency, and AI-ready performance, making it the best choice for creative professionals and tech enthusiasts.

Bottom line: If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to upgrade, the M4 MacBook Pro is the laptop to get — especially if AI-powered workflows matter to you.

Read Next:

“Best Laptops for AI-Powered Productivity in 2025” – discover the top choices beyond Apple for every budget.

Photo by Ömer Tosun