The Mac Pro and Studio Won’t Get the M4 Nod Until Mid-2025

Apple's Mac Studio and Mac Pro are not set to receive the M4 chip upgrade until mid-2025, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. This means that for the entirety of 2024, these high-end machines will still operate on Apple’s M2 generation chips, lagging behind other devices in Apple's lineup, except the MacBook Air.

The Herky-Jerky Upgrade Cycle:

While the Mac Studio and Mac Pro will stick with the M2 chip, Apple's other laptops are expected to transition to the M4 chip within the next year. This includes the MacBook Pro, which will see an upgrade to the M4 chip, leaving the MacBook Air as the last device to make the leap.

This staggered upgrade cycle has led to an amusing and somewhat unexpected scenario where the iPad Pro, now equipped with the M4 chip, stands as the single-core performance champion of Apple's lineup. According to Geekbench comparisons, the M4 iPad Pro outperforms the M2 Ultra Mac Studio by approximately 25% in single-core tasks. Even the iPhone 15 Pro's A17 Pro chip matches the M2 Ultra in single-core CPU power.

Performance Comparisons:

Despite these comparisons, it is important to note that the M2 Ultra still excels in multi-core performance, a critical factor for the high-end tasks the Mac Studio and Mac Pro are designed to handle. The M2 Ultra’s multi-core capabilities far surpass those of the M4 iPad Pro and the A17 Pro chip, making it the superior choice for demanding professional applications.

A Balanced Perspective:

Comparing the M4 iPad Pro to the Mac Studio and Mac Pro can be somewhat misleading. The Mac Studio and Mac Pro are powerful computers with significant advantages over the iPad Pro, including:

• Higher RAM capacity: The Mac Studio and Mac Pro can accommodate far more RAM, essential for memory-intensive tasks.

• More ports: These machines come with a variety of ports, facilitating extensive connectivity options for peripherals and external devices.

• Better thermal management: Unlike the iPad Pro, which may throttle under heavy load, the Mac Studio and Mac Pro are designed to maintain performance even under sustained workloads.

• Optimized operating system: macOS is designed to leverage the hardware capabilities of the Mac Studio and Mac Pro, unlike iPadOS, which can limit the performance potential of the iPad Pro's hardware.

Future Outlook:

High-end Mac users are accustomed to waiting between major hardware revisions. While the wait for the M4 upgrade may be longer than anticipated, the eventual transition will bring significant performance enhancements and maintain Apple’s competitive edge in the professional market.

In the meantime, the current Mac Studio and Mac Pro remain incredibly capable machines, delivering exceptional performance for creative professionals, developers, and power users. The anticipation of the M4 upgrade only adds to the excitement and expectations for the future of Apple's high-end desktop lineup.

Stay tuned for more updates as we approach mid-2025, when the M4 chips are expected to bring a new wave of performance and efficiency to Apple's most powerful computers.