Apple unveils powerful MacBook Pro upgrades, limits external displays to two

Apple will unveil a fully redesigned MacBook Pro next week, promising a major upgrade in performance, battery life and connectivity, but it still caps external‑display support at two screens. The launch is set for Tuesday at Apple’s Cupertino campus, where the company will showcase 14‑inch and 16‑inch models built around its new M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. The redesign adds a slimmer chassis, a larger 16‑inch screen with mini‑LED backlighting, a new MagSafe 3 charger, HDMI 2.1, an SD‑card slot and a return to the classic function keys.

The refresh comes after Apple’s 2023 MacBook Pro line was criticised for limited port options and a bulky design. Professionals have been waiting for a lighter, more versatile laptop that can handle demanding workloads like video editing, 3D rendering and software development. The M4 chips are said to deliver up to 30 percent faster CPU performance and 40 percent higher graphics throughput than the previous generation, while the battery life is expected to stretch to 20 hours on the 14‑inch model. Apple also promises a quieter cooling system and a brighter display that reaches 1,000 nits peak brightness.

However, the new models retain a two‑display limit, even for the top‑end M4 Max configuration. That is a step back from the M1 Max, which could drive up to four external monitors. Industry analysts say the restriction could hurt power users who rely on multi‑screen setups for coding, design or financial analysis. “It’s a surprising regression,” noted analyst Dana Smith of TechInsights. “Apple is pushing performance forward but pulling back on a feature that many pros consider essential.”

Apple will start shipping the laptops within a week of the announcement, with pre‑orders opening the same day. Prices begin at $2,499 for the 14‑inch base model and $3,299 for the 16‑inch top tier. The company says it will address the display limit in a future software update, but no timeline has been given. For now, buyers will have to weigh the speed boost against the reduced external‑monitor capability when deciding whether to upgrade.