What can I do with a Macbook M4 Pro?

Hey guys, long time no see
I was thinking about buying a new laptop, my current one is a Dell Latitude, a refurbished one, it costed $300. Now I'm thinking about buying a M4 Pro, waaay better for $3000 (yes, it's much more expensive here).

But before buying, I'd like to think twice and understand which doors I could open with this upgrade. Right now I'm not using my laptop for advanced things, such as video editing, animation, AI learning, etc, because I can't even think about doing that, my laptop is too bad for that.

However, if I buy a great one like a Mac M4 Pro, I think I could even start using it to create more income sources.

I'm a Windows user since...ever. So I'd like to hear some experienced Apple users to see what I can do with it, I have some ideas that I can't even implement with my current setup, but it's always useful to hear some suggestions

Oh my God! If I had a MacBook Pro M4, that would be amazing.
Seriously, if you're into video editing, buying one is the best thing you can do, even if it's more expensive. It's worth it. Every Apple product I've used has been worth every penny, and I have to say I've used older models since they're also very expensiv heree. The Mac's speed and power are incredible; they make it the perfect tool for people like us who need these features for our work.

Alright,

This is coming from a man that has been a Mac user for over a decade. (I used Windows too btw. And Linux as well)

I currently own 1 Mac Mini M4 and a Macbook Pro M2 and my work horse is a Macbook Air M4

Got it for around 1275 USD with credit card discounts.

It has the 16 Gigs of RAM and a 256 GB SSD

Spent another $150 on a 1TB external SSD from SanDisk

All my DevOPs files etc. are in the SanDisk, the internal SSD is used only for Software Installation.

Now I am as advanced of a user as they come.

I run local models on my Mac Mini. I train LoRAs (small stuff)

I use Photoshop/Illustrator everyday. After effects at least twice a week.

Visual Studio runs consistently. Tons of python ML based experiments happen everyday.

And the Macbook Air M4 is MORE THAN CAPABLE of handling it.

What makes it different from a traditional windows PC with the same specs is the 10-Core CPU and 10-Core CPU and the 16-Core Neural Engine

So my takeaway is, get the MBA M4 for $1199 (if you're in the US). There is absolutely no need for a $3000 laptop.

If I were you I would choose one of the last generation like a M3 Pro because the performance is similar and you can save a lot of money

BlogPro said:

Alright,

This is coming from a man that has been a Mac user for over a decade. (I used Windows too btw. And Linux as well)

I currently own 1 Mac Mini M4 and a Macbook Pro M2 and my work horse is a Macbook Air M4

Got it for around 1275 USD with credit card discounts.

It has the 16 Gigs of RAM and a 256 GB SSD

Spent another $150 on a 1TB external SSD from SanDisk

All my DevOPs files etc. are in the SanDisk, the internal SSD is used only for Software Installation.

Now I am as advanced of a user as they come.

I run local models on my Mac Mini. I train LoRAs (small stuff)

I use Photoshop/Illustrator everyday. After effects at least twice a week.

Visual Studio runs consistently. Tons of python ML based experiments happen everyday.

And the Macbook Air M4 is MORE THAN CAPABLE of handling it.

What makes it different from a traditional windows PC with the same specs is the 10-Core CPU and 10-Core CPU and the 16-Core Neural Engine

So my takeaway is, get the MBA M4 for $1199 (if you're in the US). There is absolutely no need for a $3000 laptop.

Click to expand...

Appreciate your comment

I'm not in the US.
I was taking a look at M4 Air - 16GB RAM - 10 core CPU - 10 core GPU - 512GB SSD, it costs $2000 here. Or $2200 if I pick 24GB RAM.

But it seems both are enough for my needs

billythebilly said:

Appreciate your comment

I'm not in the US.
I was taking a look at M4 Air - 16GB RAM - 10 core CPU - 10 core GPU - 512GB SSD, it costs $2000 here. Or $2200 if I pick 24GB RAM.

But it seems both are enough for my needs

Click to expand...

Take a look at the 15" 256 GB version and invest a fast 1 TB SSD

The SanDisk one I have is tiny - about 75% the height of my palm and thin AF.

billythebilly said:

Hey guys, long time no see
I was thinking about buying a new laptop, my current one is a Dell Latitude, a refurbished one, it costed $300. Now I'm thinking about buying a M4 Pro, waaay better for $3000 (yes, it's much more expensive here).

But before buying, I'd like to think twice and understand which doors I could open with this upgrade. Right now I'm not using my laptop for advanced things, such as video editing, animation, AI learning, etc, because I can't even think about doing that, my laptop is too bad for that.

However, if I buy a great one like a Mac M4 Pro, I think I could even start using it to create more income sources.

I'm a Windows user since...ever. So I'd like to hear some experienced Apple users to see what I can do with it, I have some ideas that I can't even implement with my current setup, but it's always useful to hear some suggestions

Click to expand...

If your current machine is a $300 refurbished Latitude, then moving to an M4 Pro will feel like jumping from a bicycle to a sports car. It’s not only about speed, it’s about what you can actually do without your laptop holding you back.

If you plan to get into video editing, motion graphics, or AI tools, the M-series chips handle that stuff without turning into a jet engine. Even simple things like multitasking, running VMs, or managing big projects become a lot smoother.

The key question is whether you’ll actually use that power. If you see yourself creating new income streams editing, coding, design work, automation, building apps, anything creative, Then the jump makes sense. A fast machine saves time and lets you say yes to projects you’d normally ignore.

Coming from Windows, the main adjustment is the workflow and shortcuts, but macOS is clean, stable, and great for productivity once you settle in. Most creative tools run better on Mac anyway, especially video and audio stuff.

If your ideas are already being limited by your current setup, then the upgrade isn’t a luxury, it’s an investment. If not, you might want to wait. But an M4 Pro definitely opens doors your Latitude simply can’t.

Same capability device from another company would cost half. You are thinking to start new income streams so you should cut all these costs.

lotsofmoney said:

Same capability device from another company would cost half. You are thinking to start new income streams so you should cut all these costs.

Click to expand...

Can you give me an example?

I had a Gamer Laptop a few years ago, it was supposedly powerful and it had great specifications, but it had a major problem about heating too much and I'm not a gamer playing heavy ultra modern games... it lasted 2-3 years and I sold it. Based on my research, Macbooks can last much more, they don't have this heating issue. I'm planning to buy something to last at least 5-7 years.

And prices here are basically the double comparing with what you guys are used to see. The same laptop that I'm thinking about costs $1500 in Europe, but here it's $3k, other models from other brands are also this way, much more expensive.