MacBook Pro 16" M4 Max Review: The Ultimate Creative Powerhouse
Apple's most powerful laptop with M4 Max chip delivers desktop-class performance, 22-hour battery, and a stunning Liquid Retina XDR display. Full review with benchmarks.
AR
Aditya Raj
July 16, 2026
AI Summary
MacBook Pro 16 M4 Max: 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, Geekbench 26,000 multi, 40% faster video exports, 22hr battery, 1600-nit XDR. Rating: 9.5/10. Starts at $3,499.
The 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Max is Apple's most powerful laptop ever.
The M4 Max delivers desktop-class performance in a portable form
M4 Max: 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, 32-core Neural Engine. Geekbench 6 scores: 4,200 single / 26,000 multi — ahead of Intel Core i9-14900K desktop CPU.
8K ProRes export: 2m 47s (40% faster than M3 Max). Blender renders: 3 minutes (was 5 min on M3 Max). The Liquid Retina XDR display offers 1600 nits HDR and 120Hz ProMotion.
"The M4 Max is absurdly powerful. It renders my 100MP medium format files faster than my Mac Studio with M2 Ultra."
— Professional Photographer
Battery: 22 hours video playback, 17 hours web browsing. Desktop-class performance that lasts all day.
Verdict: The best laptop for creative professionals. Nothing comes close. Rating: 9.5/10.
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Key Takeaways
1M4 Max outperforms desktop i9-14900K with 26,000 multi-core Geekbench score
240% faster 8K ProRes exports and Blender renders vs M3 Max
