To fully utilize the MacBook Pro M4's hardware-accelerated ray tracing, software updates are not explicitly required for the hardware itself. However, the effectiveness of ray tracing depends on software support. The M4 chip, like its predecessors, includes hardware ray tracing capabilities, which significantly enhance performance in applications that use this technology, such as creative software like Blender or Cinema4D[6][8].
For ray tracing to be beneficial, the software must be optimized to take advantage of this feature. Currently, most games do not support ray tracing on Macs, but future games may include this feature, enhancing their visual quality[6]. In creative applications, the M4's ray tracing capabilities can lead to substantial performance improvements, making tasks like rendering and lighting faster and more efficient[6][8].
Apple's latest operating system updates typically include optimizations for new hardware features, so ensuring your MacBook Pro is running the latest macOS version is advisable to maximize performance. Additionally, software developers need to update their applications to leverage the M4's ray tracing capabilities fully.
In summary, while no specific software update is required for the hardware itself, software applications need to be updated or developed with ray tracing support to fully benefit from the M4's hardware-accelerated ray tracing capabilities.
Citations:[1] https://unn.ua/en/news/apple-is-preparing-to-release-macbook-air-with-m4-chip-and-a-new-budget-ipad
[2] https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/10/apples-new-mac-mini-is-more-mighty-more-mini-and-built-for-apple-intelligence/
[3] https://www.reddit.com/r/macbookpro/comments/1gl4xxq/first_few_blender_scores_have_come_out_for_the_m4/
[4] https://support.apple.com/en-us/121552
[5] https://support.apple.com/en-us/121553
[6] https://www.reddit.com/r/macgaming/comments/17u9jd0/what_are_the_benefits_m3_hardware_raytracing/
[7] https://bgr.com/tech/m4-macbook-pro-announced-with-apples-craziest-laptop-specs-ever/
[8] https://sixcolors.com