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Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro) Review

MacBook Pro · 2025 · Released 2025-01-22 · Tested 2025-11-12 · Test Bench 1.2 · published

9.0/10

Overall · Test Bench 1.2

Best for
Video editing, programming, music production
Not ideal for
Gaming and tight budgets
Tested config
Apple M4 Pro (12-core), 24GB, 512GB
Current price
$2,749
MSRP
$2,999
Warranty
1-year limited (AppleCare+ available)

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BestLaptop.ca Test Team

Reviewed and tested in-house · Updated 2025-11-12 · Test Bench 1.2

How we test →

Quick Verdict

The MacBook Pro 14 with M4 Pro is the best choice for creators and programmers who want sustained performance, a superb Mini-LED display, and long battery life in one package. The main drawback is the high starting price in Canada.

Pros

  • Class-leading performance per watt
  • Excellent Mini-LED display
  • Long battery life under real work
  • Strong port selection with HDMI and SD

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Base storage is only 512GB
  • Limited gaming library
  • Not upgradeable

Score Breakdown

Each sub-score is weighted to produce the overall score. How scoring works.

Performance(20%)9.6 Exceptional
Display(15%)9.4 Exceptional
Battery life(15%)9.0 Exceptional
Keyboard & touchpad(10%)8.6 Great
Build quality(10%)9.2 Exceptional
Portability(10%)8.0 Great
Thermals & noise(10%)9.0 Exceptional
Ports & connectivity(5%)9.0 Exceptional
Canadian value(5%)7.0 Good

Use-Case Scores

How this laptop performs for specific needs. Each score weights our test categories differently.

School8.0

Measures how well the MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro) suits school use, weighting the most relevant test categories. Methodology.

Business8.8

Measures how well the MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro) suits business use, weighting the most relevant test categories. Methodology.

Gaming5.2

Measures how well the MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro) suits gaming use, weighting the most relevant test categories. Methodology.

Multimedia9.6

Measures how well the MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro) suits multimedia use, weighting the most relevant test categories. Methodology.

Workstation9.4

Measures how well the MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro) suits workstation use, weighting the most relevant test categories. Methodology.

Programming9.2

Measures how well the MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro) suits programming use, weighting the most relevant test categories. Methodology.

Travel7.8

Measures how well the MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro) suits travel use, weighting the most relevant test categories. Methodology.

Battery9.0

Measures how well the MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro) suits battery use, weighting the most relevant test categories. Methodology.

Value7.0

Measures how well the MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro) suits value use, weighting the most relevant test categories. Methodology.

Design, Build & Portability

The MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro) uses a aluminium chassis, weighs 1.6 kg, and measures 312 x 221 x 15.5 mm. It earned a build score of 9.2 and a portability score of 8.0 in our testing.

Creators and developers who need sustained performance and a great screen.

Display

The 14.2-inch Mini-LED (Liquid Retina XDR) panel runs at 3024 x 1964 (16:10) and 120Hz. We measured 1020 nits of brightness, 100% sRGB and 99% DCI-P3 coverage, and a colour accuracy of Delta E 0.8.

It does not have a touchscreen. See full display measurements →

Keyboard, Touchpad, Webcam & Speakers

The keyboard scored 8.6 in our typing tests. The webcam, speakers, and microphone feed the multimedia score of 9.6, which matters most for video calls and media.

Ports & Connectivity

Ports: 3x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI 2.1, SDXC, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm audio. Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3. Connectivity earned a score of 9.0.

Performance, Gaming & Creative Work

With the Apple M4 Pro (12-core) and Apple M4 Pro GPU (16-core), the MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro) scored 9.6 for performance. It posted a Geekbench multi-core score of 22,600, a Cinebench multi-core score of 23,800, and averaged 52 FPS across our 1080p gaming suite. Our 4K video export test finished in 2.6 minutes.

SSD read/write speeds measured 5,400 / 5,100 MB/s.

Battery Life & Charging

In our fixed-brightness tests, the MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro) lasted 16.8 hours of web browsing and 20.2 hours of video playback, earning a battery score of 9.0. It charged to 80% in about 50 minutes.

Thermals & Noise

Under sustained load we measured 32 dB of fan noise (0 dB at idle), a CPU temperature of 88°C, and a keyboard surface temperature of 38°C. Thermals and noise scored 9.0.

Software, Configuration & Upgradeability

It runs macOS. RAM (24GB Unified LPDDR5x) is soldered and not upgradeable, so size up at purchase. Storage (512GB PCIe SSD) is not user-replaceable.

Canadian Pricing & Availability

The MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro) carries an MSRP of $2,999 and currently sells for around $2,749 in Canada. It represents solid value at current pricing.

Compared to Similar Laptops

LaptopOverallBattery (web)WeightPrice
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro)9.016.8 h1.6 kg$2,749
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 128.411.8 h1.09 kg$2,199
Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4)8.518.4 h1.51 kg$1,649
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025)8.18.6 h1.5 kg$2,699

Final Verdict

The MacBook Pro 14 with M4 Pro is the best choice for creators and programmers who want sustained performance, a superb Mini-LED display, and long battery life in one package. The main drawback is the high starting price in Canada.

Buy it if: Creators and developers who need sustained performance and a great screen. Skip it if: Budget buyers and gamers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro) worth it?

The MacBook Pro 14 with M4 Pro is the best choice for creators and programmers who want sustained performance, a superb Mini-LED display, and long battery life in one package. The main drawback is the high starting price in Canada.

Who should buy the MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro)?

Creators and developers who need sustained performance and a great screen.

What is the battery life of the MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro)?

In our web browsing test at a fixed brightness, it lasted 16.8 hours; video playback lasted 20.2 hours.

How much does the MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro) cost in Canada?

It currently starts around $2,749 in Canada, down from an MSRP of $2,999.

Discussion

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