The MacBook Pro M4, particularly with its M4 Pro and M4 Max configurations, offers significant enhancements in real-world photo editing tasks compared to its predecessors. Here's a detailed overview of its performance:
Performance Improvements
- Photoshop Performance: The M4 Max MacBook Pro shows notable improvements in Photoshop tasks. It achieves an 18% faster performance compared to the M3 Max, with significant gains in opening images, handling smart objects, and applying various blurs[2]. This makes it particularly beneficial for batch processing and handling large images.
- Lightroom Performance: In Lightroom, the M4 Pro offers faster importing and exporting of RAW files, with a 16% improvement in importing and a 27% increase in exporting JPEGs compared to the M3 Pro[2]. However, exporting lossy DNG files was found to be 12% slower, which might be addressed through future software updates.
- General Responsiveness: The M4 MacBook Pro is highly responsive, handling full-resolution raw files swiftly and maintaining performance throughout the day without significant heat or noise issues[5].
Real-World Scenarios
- Professional Workflows: For professional photographers and videographers, the M4 Pro and M4 Max models provide substantial time savings. Tasks like creating proxies for video editing are significantly faster, with the M4 Pro completing such tasks in about one hour and 38 minutes, compared to over two hours on older models[10].
- Batch Processing and Large Images: The M4's improved performance in handling large images and batch processing makes it ideal for photographers dealing with extensive photo collections. This is particularly beneficial for tasks like sorting through thousands of photos in Lightroom Classic[10].
- AI and GPU Tasks: While the M4 Pro is not as powerful as the M4 Max or M2 Ultra in GPU-intensive tasks, it still offers impressive performance in applications like Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro. The M4 Max, with its enhanced GPU capabilities, provides even more pronounced benefits for tasks requiring substantial GPU power[3][10].
Overall, the MacBook Pro M4 series delivers a robust performance in photo editing, making it a strong choice for professionals seeking efficiency and speed in their workflows.
Citations:[1] https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/03/apple-introduces-the-new-macbook-air-with-the-m4-chip-and-a-sky-blue-color/
[2] https://gregbenzphotography.com/photography-reviews/a-photographers-review-of-the-new-m4-macbook-pro/
[3] https://petapixel.com/2024/11/07/m4-pro-mac-mini-review-pro-performance-in-a-tiny-affordable-package/
[4] https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/10/new-macbook-pro-features-m4-family-of-chips-and-apple-intelligence/
[5] https://www.theverge.com/24289831/apple-macbook-pro-m4-review-14-2024-laptop-specs-benchmarks
[6] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfvIgdzImt4
[7] https://fstoppers.com/reviews/review-m4-macbook-pro-real-world-power-practical-refinements-684607
[8] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKLASWdcmEU
[9] https://bcgforums.com/threads/m4-mac-anyone.40069/
[10] https://www.theverge.com/24319419/apple-macbook-pro-m4-max-pro-review-price-specs