Video summary

Don't buy the Wrong MacBook like me... - M4 MacBook Pro

Main summary

Key takeaways

Product Review

Product reviewed

MacBook Pro with M4 Pro (14-inch, Space Black) — compared against the reviewer’s older Intel MacBook Pro, with additional discussion around M3 Pro vs M4 Pro and configuration differences.

Key features mentioned

Design & ports (14-inch MacBook Pro)

  • HDMI 2.1
  • MagSafe
  • 3.5mm audio jack
  • SD card reader
  • Multiple USB-C / Thunderbolt ports

Connectivity upgrade

  • Thunderbolt 5 on Pro/Max models (previously Thunderbolt 4)
  • Base (non-Pro) M4 is said to be Thunderbolt 4
  • Reviewer notes:
    • Thunderbolt 4 is up to 120 Gbit/s
    • Claims shown in subtitles suggest a “3× faster” comparison, though the exact accuracy is unclear

Keyboard & trackpad

  • “Pretty much the same keyboard”
  • Similar touchpad as the prior generation

Display (major highlight)

The display is described as very similar in resolution, plus improved “XDR fancy tech,” including:

  • ~1,000 nits peak outdoors vs 600 nits claimed for the older model
  • New “nanotexture” anti-glare option
    • Not available on this reviewer’s unit
    • Reviewer claims it works well (based on another creator’s demo)
  • Display technology discussion:
    • Mentions a “cyan flash” fix (reduced issue with moving white objects on the older display)
    • Claims the display is quantum dot, potentially improving color accuracy and power efficiency
  • HDR behavior
    • Default HDR color accuracy can be “not that great”
    • Switching to an “HDR video” color profile gives excellent color accuracy

Webcam

  • 12MP Center Stage
  • Desk View mode:
    • Simulated top-down view via cropping
    • “Silly but kind of cool,” with likely limited real-world usefulness

Performance / internals (M4 Pro configuration)

  • Reviewed unit: M4 Pro base model
    • 12-core CPU / 16-core GPU / 24GB RAM
  • Mentions a higher M4 Pro option (more cores), mostly associated with 16-inch variants
  • GPU feature: 2nd gen ray tracing

Pros (as expressed in the video)

  • Big performance gains vs prior generation

    • Benchmarks (e.g., Blender, Cinebench) suggest the M4 Pro base can outperform the previous generation higher-spec M3 Pro in some situations (noted as per reviewer results)

  • Display improvements are a major upgrade reason

    • Brighter outdoors (~1,000 nits vs 600)
    • Nanotexture anti-glare could be valuable in bright/reflective environments
      • Reviewer couldn’t get it due to supply constraints
    • Cyan flash issue reduced/removed

  • Quiet and efficient behavior

    • Reviewer claims the laptop is dead quiet during CPU-heavy runs (16-inch specifically mentioned, but overall noise is low)

  • Battery life claim and observed performance

    • Apple claims improved battery life on new models
    • Reviewer test: ~12 hours (Plex video playback)
    • Reviewer contrasts this with Apple’s 22-hour claim for video playback, suggesting Apple’s test method differs

Cons / limitations mentioned

  • Nanotexture option was unavailable for this purchase (supply chain delay vs what the reviewer wanted)
  • Default HDR color accuracy can be poor
    • Fix: switch to the HDR Video color profile
  • “Desk View” usefulness is limited
    • Cool for demos, but likely not frequently used (awkward camera tilting/cropping)
  • Software note
    • Apple Intelligence is present in macOS, but not available to them due to being on a wait list

Comparisons made

  • M4 Pro vs M3 Pro (performance)

    • Reviewer discusses incremental CPU/GPU changes (including core/performance differences and ray tracing improvements)
    • Benchmarks presented suggest noticeable gains, with the M4 Pro base sometimes beating an older higher-spec M3 Pro in GPU tests, and large Cinebench improvements

  • Intel MacBook Pro (reviewer’s baseline)

    • Reviewer is still using Intel and implies the M4 Pro represents a major generational jump

  • 16-inch vs 14-inch configuration differences

    • Certain M4 Pro variant/capabilities differ by size (e.g., limited availability of non-Pro M4 in 16-inch)

  • Thunderbolt generation differences

    • Thunderbolt 5 on Pro/Max
    • Base non-Pro M4 only gets Thunderbolt 4

Numerical scores / benchmark results mentioned (from subtitles)

  • Blender “Monster under the bed” (GPU)

    • 54 seconds and 1 minute 8 seconds (two runs; mapping to subtitles unclear)

  • CPU benchmark

    • Mentions long runtimes: ~6 minutes 31 seconds vs ~8 minutes 20 seconds

  • Cinebench

    • Scores: 1417 vs 1450
    • Another result: ~1074
    • Reviewer frames improvement as “more than 300 points” (possibly 350–400)

  • Display brightness

    • ~1,000 nits peak outdoors (new)
    • 600 nits (older claim)
    • ~1,600 nits in HDR (measured slightly higher)

  • Battery life

    • ~12 hours tested (Plex app)
    • Apple claim: 22 hours video playback (reviewer says it doesn’t match Apple’s test method)

Overall user experience (as described)

  • Reviewer was initially excited for the upgrade, but had a “horrible error” and ended up with an M4 Pro 14-inch instead of the intended configuration (details not specified)
  • They emphasize the display (especially nanotexture and reduced cyan flash) as the most compelling change
  • Performance demos suggest the M4 Pro is substantially faster while remaining thermally/physically comfortable (quiet fan)

Unique points list (distinct items mentioned)

  • New MacBook Pro looks similar; main change is M4 vs M3
  • Standard package includes items/cables/brick (e.g., MagSafe 3 to USB-C cable, 70W charger mentioned for this unit)
  • Ports include HDMI 2.1, MagSafe, 3.5mm combo, SD card, and multiple Thunderbolt USB-C ports
  • Thunderbolt 5 upgrade on Pro/Max
  • Base M4 uses Thunderbolt 4
  • Keyboard/trackpad unchanged
  • Display brightness upgrade (~1,000 vs ~600 nits)
  • Nanotexture anti-glare option (not included on reviewer’s unit)
  • Cyan flash reduction/elimination
  • Display discussed as quantum dot (potential color/power benefits)
  • Battery life improvement possibly partly linked to display efficiency
  • Apple claim: up to 100% window 1,000 nits SDR when “outside” is detected
  • HDR default color accuracy issue, fixed by HDR Video profile (“excellent”)
  • 12MP Center Stage plus Desk View (cropped top-down effect)
  • Speakers described as solid
  • Software: macOS includes Apple Intelligence, but reviewer can’t use it yet (wait list)
  • Benchmark highlights:
    • Blender GPU results show strong speed and surprising relative improvement
    • Cinebench shows a large uplift
  • Power discussion with approximate TDP references:
    • M3 Pro ~27W
    • M4 Pro 12-core ~32W, boosted to ~40W
    • 14-core boosted to ~46W
  • Battery life test: ~12 hours on Plex vs Apple 22-hour claim
  • Not a “must upgrade” if already on a recent M3, but recommended for performance
  • Reviewer is especially excited about screen + performance

Speakers / views

  • Single main speaker (the reviewer)
  • Sponsor ad for dbrand (skins, textured grip, glowing circuit board theme) is mentioned but isn’t a MacBook-specific feature

Concise verdict / recommendation

Recommended for users who care about the display (brightness + nanotexture option + reduced cyan flash) and want a meaningful performance uplift from M3-era chips.

If you already have a recent M3 Pro and don’t need faster compute or the upgraded screen, it may not be necessary—but based on the video’s benchmark results and display emphasis, the M4 Pro MacBook Pro is presented as a strong upgrade.

Original video