Powerful new MacBooks on the way: what to expect from Apple's launch

New 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros with Apple’s powerful M4 chips are about to be launched, along with redesigned Mac Minis and possibly iMacs.

Apple typically announces refreshed devices from the MacBook and/or iPad lines in October or November, and many rumors suggest that this year will be no different.

The company already announced an updated iPad mini last week and is now shifting focus to the latest MacBook Pro devices. We already have a pretty clear picture of what to expect from Apple’s announcement thanks to numerous leaks and even one leaked unboxing video.

Let’s take a look at the most important features of the new MacBook line.

When is the announcement?

Apple still hasn’t confirmed the actual release date of its new MacBook devices. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who is usually quite accurate with his insights, previously said that Apple is planning to release some of its new autumn products on November 1st.

If that’s actually the case, Apple might announce its Macs with M4 processors next week.

However, the company may also unveil its devices via a press release, as it did with the iPad Pro.

M4 MacBook Pro: more RAM

The new MacBook Pro computers will be the centerpiece of Apple’s product launch. The company is expected to release 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, while the refreshed MacBook Air will likely be released at the start of next year.

All MacBook Pro devices are supposed to come with the M4 chip, which was already introduced with the iPad Pro. In addition to the M4 chip, Apple is expected to release new MacBooks with slightly more powerful M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, which are found in medium or top-end versions.

In addition to faster processors, all of the new MacBooks are expected to ditch 8GB RAM for the base model and instead feature 16GB of RAM for better performance.

The 16GB version was also featured on the Russian YouTube channel Wylsacom, which posted a review of the MacBook Pro a few weeks ago. This was the first time a MacBook was fully reviewed before the official launch.

While it’s a little odd that the YouTuber released the review from a country where Apple devices are not even officially sold, the device appears to be legitimate.

Details of the new MacBook Pro reveal that there should be three Thunderbolt ports compared to two in the previous models. The new port is Thunderbolt 4, which offers higher-speed data transfer and the ability to connect more external monitors than the Thunderbolt 3 found in last year’s Macs.

The reviewed MacBook also comes in Space Black, which was previously available on premium versions of MacBooks. Now, we can expect this color to be available across all MacBook palettes.

The smallest Mac Mini

Apple is also rumored to be refreshing the line of its most affordable MacBook, the Mac Mini. The company launched an updated Mac Mini with an M2 chip last October.

This time, the company is likely to skip the M3 chip and go straight to the M4, as it did with the iPad Pro.

In addition to the new chip, rumors also suggest that Apple is likely to bring significant design changes to its cheapest Mac computer. And it’s about time since the Mac Mini hasn’t been refreshed in years.

According to Bloomberg, after a makeover, Apple’s device is likely to become the smallest in the company’s history. Currently, the Mac Mini is square and measures 7.75 x 7.75 inches.

The redesigned Mac Mini is expected to be twice as small and have parameters similar to those of Apple TV.

Another change we can expect to see in the Mac Mini is no USB-A port but five USB-C ports instead.

Possibly refreshed iMac

Along with the MacBook Pro and Mac Mini, we might also see the new all-in-one MacBooks, though there is also a chance that Apple might release iMacs next year.

Contrary to the latest MacBook Mini, Apple isn’t planning significant changes to iMacs. We may see some minor design tweaks or new color options at best, though the most important updates will be related to performance thanks to the new M4 chip.