Apple MacBook Pro M4 Pro: A Game-Changer for 3D Artists
Design & Build
The Apple MacBook Pro M4 Pro retains the familiar unibody design, which I prefer. It feels chunky and robust but still slim enough to pack and travel with. The build quality is top-notch, and the ports are decent, with MagSafe power, 3.5mm audio, and two USB-C ports on the left, and another Thunderbolt 5 port, HDMI, and SDXC on the right.
Features
The MacBook Pro M4 Pro is well-featured, with a good set of ports, a fabulous screen, and a lovely trackpad. While I wish the default was a tap instead of a click, that’s an easy change. What’s more important to consider is that a MacBook Pro isn’t exactly a candidate for future upgrading, so think carefully about the specs you want before you buy. You’ll pay over the odds for storage and RAM hikes, which have typically been pretty steep. However, if 3D and visual effects are your bread and butter, that investment may be worth it.
Performance
The benchmarks above highlight just how good the MBP is for the modern 3D artist. I’m predominantly a Cinema 4D user, so the Cinebench score is an important one for me, and it’s plain that the MacBook Pro is a very capable machine. I’ve barely touched my Windows machine since taking delivery of the Mac. It’s not just about the rendering speeds, either, but the fluidity of navigating, the ease of working with the OS, the refresh rate of the screen, and so on.
Price
Prices range from the reasonable to the astronomical when it comes to Apple. You can get an M4 Pro for £2,499, or you can go for the Max specs for up to £7,349, a large investment, and at that point, I do wonder if the benefits of mobility really pay off.
Who is it for?
For many, this could be as much a choice over operating system as the hardware. Some people just don’t feel at home in all systems. Now the power is available to suit the software of choice, meaning the 3D artists, who are also Mac fans, have a good reason to celebrate.
Buy it if…
- You prefer MacOS to the alternatives
- You need a high-power machine for 3D or video work
- Build and aesthetic is important to you
- You need to work on the go
Don’t buy it if…
- Your budget is limited
- You need a Windows machine
Also consider
- Other laptop options from Apple, such as the MacBook Air or MacBook
- Other operating systems, such as Windows or Linux
- Other factors, such as portability, price, and performance, when choosing a laptop
