Apple MacBook Pro 14.2" M4 Pro Silver 2024

A flawless screen and absurd battery life meet a chip that laughs at your workload. Just don't try to game on it, and hunt for a deal below two grand.

We expected the M4 Pro to be quick, but the sustained performance is what surprised us. It sits in the 91st percentile for CPU in our database, which means it's a genuine powerhouse for compiling code or scrubbing through 8K video timelines. The 20-core GPU lands in a solid 72nd percentile, so it's no slouch for rendering, but don't buy this thinking it's a gaming rig. The 24GB of unified memory is snappy, though power users will want to spec it higher for massive 3D projects.

Stacked against the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14, the MacBook trades gaming frames for a vastly superior screen and battery life. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i will smoke it in raw GPU power for less money, but it's a chunky plastic brick by comparison. The real sleeper competitor is the Microsoft Surface Laptop, which offers a similar premium build and a better value proposition for students who don't need the M4 Pro's sheer CPU grunt. For pure photo and video editing, the MacBook's display and efficiency keep it on top.

Pricing is all over the map, with a wild $1274 spread across vendors from $1689 to $2963. At the low end, this machine is a steal for creative pros. At the high end, you're getting gouged. B&H consistently has the best deal right now, so don't pay a penny over two grand if you can help it. The value is incredible if you snag it at the right price, but the 24GB RAM configuration feels like a forced upsell to the pricier M4 Max model.

The MacBook Pro M4 Pro is the laptop you buy when you're done messing around. It's not just fast, it's the kind of fast that makes you forget what a loading screen looks like. The real story here is the combination of that stunning 1600-nit Mini-LED display and a chip that chews through pro workflows without ever spinning up a fan you can actually hear. If you're coming from an Intel Mac, this will feel like a spaceship.

If you're looking for a gaming machine or need serious GPU compute on a budget, this isn't it. Go get an ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 or a Lenovo Legion Pro instead. You'll get way more frames per dollar and a proper gaming GPU, though you'll sacrifice the Mac's screen and battery life.

Buy this laptop if you edit photos, videos, or code for a living. The screen alone is worth the price of admission, and the M4 Pro chip ensures it'll feel fast for years. Just be smart about where you buy it and seriously consider jumping to 48GB of RAM if you multitask with heavy apps. This is the best laptop for creative pros right now, no contest.