MacBook Pro M4 Max Review: The Most Powerful Laptop Ever Made

The MacBook Pro with M4 Max is simply the most powerful laptop ever created. Apple has somehow managed to fit workstation-class performance into a portable form factor that still delivers all-day battery life.

The M4 Max chip is a marvel of engineering. With up to 16 CPU cores (12 performance + 4 efficiency), 40 GPU cores, and a 16-core Neural Engine, it handles everything from 8K video editing to complex 3D rendering with ease.

The unified memory architecture supports up to 128GB of RAM with 546 GB/s bandwidth. This means you can work with massive projects—think multiple streams of 8K ProRes video or enormous 3D scenes—without breaking a sweat.

The 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display is stunning. With 3456×2234 resolution, 1,000 nits sustained brightness (1,600 peak HDR), and ProMotion 120Hz, it's the best display you can get in any laptop.

What's remarkable is the efficiency. Despite this incredible performance, the M4 Max MacBook Pro delivers up to 24 hours of video playback. In real-world use, even heavy workloads last through a full workday.

Thunderbolt 5 connectivity is a game-changer, offering 120Gbps bandwidth for external storage and displays. You get three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI 2.1, an SD card slot, MagSafe 3, and a headphone jack.

The 1080p webcam now features Center Stage, and the six-speaker system with spatial audio makes this excellent for video calls and media consumption.

Starting at $3,499 for the 16-inch M4 Max model, it's expensive—but for professionals who need this level of performance, it's actually cost-effective compared to equivalent workstation hardware.