TechCrunch: Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) is a powerful desktop replacement

14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro and M4 Max)

Apple in October unveiled the new MacBook Pro, powered by the M4 family of chips — M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max — delivering much faster performance and enhanced capabilities. The new MacBook Pro is built for Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that transforms how users work, communicate, and express themselves, while protecting their privacy. Now available in space black and silver finishes, the 14-inch MacBook Pro includes the blazing-fast performance of M4 and three Thunderbolt 4 ports, starting with 16GB of memory, all at just $1,599. The 14- and 16-inch models with M4 Pro and M4 Max offer Thunderbolt 5 for faster transfer speeds and advanced connectivity. All models include a Liquid Retina XDR display that gets even better with an all-new nano-texture display option and up to 1000 nits of brightness for SDR content, an advanced 12MP Center Stage camera, along with up to 24 hours of battery life, the longest ever in a Mac.

Brian Heater for TechCrunch:
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The one upgrade option I’m surprised I’ve not seen more people mention is the addition of a nano-texture display for the first time ever on a MacBook

Apple notes, “The new MacBook Pro introduces an all-new nano-texture display option that dramatically reduces glare and distractions from reflections. In bright lighting conditions, the new MacBook Pro can now show SDR content at up to 1,000 nits and still displays HDR content at up to 1,600 nits of peak brightness. All together, it’s a game-changing experience for users working outdoors.”

Simply put: If you’re buying a new Pro and plan to go outside ever, spend the additional $150. I presently have two Studio Displays on my desktop. One is nano-textured, the other isn’t. It makes a huge difference, even indoors.

It may be the fact that I’ve been carrying around a 15-inch Air since my review back in March, but the 16-inch Pro is a freaking tank. At 4.7 pounds, it’s 1.3 pounds heavier than the 14-inch Pro and 1.4 pounds heavier than the 15-inch Air. The overall footprint is naturally larger, owing to the difference in screen sizes, but the 16-inch is notably thicker, as well, at 0.66 inch, 0.05 inch thicker than the 14-inch Pro and 0.21 inch thicker than the 15-inch Air.

Ultimately, the 16-inch Pro is spiritually in line with what were once commonly referred to as “desktop replacements.” If you frequently find yourself working outside the office, it’s a pain to lug around. If, however, you’re looking for something with near desktop specs and a bit of flexibility, the Pro is closer to that sweet spot.

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MacDailyNews Take: We’ve done the “desktop replacement” thing and, at other times, we’ve done the dual Mac thing – one for the desktop and one as small and as light as possible for working on the road. We greatly prefer, and recommend, the latter!

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