These new Macs are coming in 2024

It’s almost September, but Apple still has several new product launches planned for 2024. New iPhone 16 and Apple Watch models are coming in September, and we’ll also get at least three Mac updates with M4 chips this year, according to rumors.

Here’s what’s on the horizon.

MacBook Pro

Apple plans to refresh the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M4 chips. The MacBook Pro lineup was last updated in October 2023, so the machines will need to be refreshed every year.

Last year, Apple discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Pro, so now there’s an entry-level 14-inch model, which will get the standard M4 chip used in the iPad Pro.

The mid-range and high-end 14-inch models will feature the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, as will the 16-inch models. The M4 chips are built on the 3-nanometer process, but compared to the M3 chips, they have improved performance, efficiency, and AI capabilities. Apple introduced a new, more powerful Neural Engine.

There are no design updates planned for the MacBook Pro models this year, with Apple focusing on internal improvements. Specifically, the M4 chip will be the star of the upgrade, and Apple aims to bring the same series of M4 chips to its entire Mac lineup in 2024 and 2025.

Mac mini

Unlike the MacBook Pro, Apple has planned a design update for the Mac mini. According to BloombergAccording to Mark Gurman, the Mac mini will be Apple’s smallest computer yet, even smaller than the previous generation version.

It’s expected to be about the same size as the Apple TV, but it will be thicker than both the Apple TV and the current Mac mini, which are 1.4 inches tall. The machine will continue to be made of aluminum, but in an overall smaller form factor.

Apple has tested ‌Mac mini‌ models with at least three USB-C ports, as well as an HDMI port and a power cable.

Apple plans to use the M4 and M4 Pro chips for the ‌Mac mini‌ models, and since those never received an M3 update, they will move from M2 to M4 and see noticeable performance improvements.

iMac

The 24-inch iMac is also expected to see an update this year, moving from the M3 chip to the M4 chip. No design changes are announced for the iMac, so we can expect to see the same 24-inch display with multiple color options.

Apple is still looking at a version of the iMac with a larger screen of around 30 inches, but an ‌iMac‌ with a larger screen is not expected until 2024, and it is also unclear whether it will arrive in 2025.

Possible launch schedule

Apple doesn’t typically unveil Macs at its September events, which focus on the iPhone and Apple Watch. We expect Apple to hold an event around September 10 to unveil new iPhone 16 models, but Macs will likely arrive later in the year.

When Apple has Macs to unveil in the fall, it often shows off the machines in October or November. Last year, for example, Apple held a Mac-focused event in October to refresh the MacBook Pro and iMac. October/November events aren’t as regular as iPhone events, so it’s harder to pin down a target date. Apple has held second fall events on these dates in the past:

• October 30, 2023 – Scary Fast event with MacBook Pro and ‌iMac‌.
• October 18, 2021 – Unleashed event with new MacBook Pro and AirPods 3 models.
• November 10, 2020 – One More Thing event with M1 MacBook Air, ‌Mac mini‌ and MacBook Pro.
• October 30, 2018 – Apple refreshed the ‌MacBook Air‌, ‌Mac mini‌, and ‌iPad Pro‌.
• October 27, 2016 – Apple unveiled a new MacBook Pro and a new ‌Apple TV‌ app.

Apple could also skip an event and unveil the new Macs with a press release, although the small event we had last year for the M3 MacBook Pro and ‌iMac‌ models could be repeated in 2024.

Macs coming in 2025

While the MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini are expected to receive the M4 chip before the end of the year, M4 updates for the MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro won’t come until 2025.