The M4's single-core performance is between 14 and 21 percent faster than the M3s in our tests, and tests that use all the CPU cores are usually 20 or 30 percent faster. The GPU is occasionally as much as 33 percent faster than the M3 in our tests, though more often, the improvements are in the single or low double digits.

The M4 Pro and M4 Max deliver exceptional performance and potential to the new MacBook Pro laptops. Then there's the M4

When it was introduced during the white plastic heyday of peak iPod-era Apple, the Mac mini was pitched as the cheapest way to buy into the Mac ecosystem. It was $499. And despite some fluctuation (as high as $799 for the entry-level 2018 mini, $599 for this year's refresh), the Mac mini has stayed the cheapest entry-level Mac ever since.

This popular M4 Max configuration packs a 32-core GPU and 1TB storage, making it a well-equipped model that's $200 off and in stock now.

The recent M4 Mac release shows that a simple chip upgrade isn't going to be enough to make users invest in a new Mac.