Apple's Latest Macs: Faster Chips, Lower Prices

The new MacBook Air gets the speedier, AI-focused M4 processor, an upgrade from the M3. The models come in the same 13-inch and 15-inch sizes and start at US999 and 1 199 in the US, a 100 price cut from the M3 versions. Beyond the new chips, the machines are available in a new sky blue colour option and include an upgraded FaceTime camera.

Apple also updated the Mac Studio, a desktop computer that's positioned between the Mac mini and Mac Pro. The new version comes in M4 Max and M3 Ultra configurations - an usual approach that offers consumers a choice between a new chip architecture and an older one with more horsepower.

The Mac Studio is priced from 1 999, matching the prior M2 Max version.

Apple's Mac line performed better than expected during the holiday season, helping offset sluggish demand for the iPhone. The segment grew 16 to 9-billion, topping the 7.9-billion estimated by Wall Street. On the company's quarterly earnings call, CEO Tim Cook cited the MacBook Air as one of the reasons.

After putting the M3 Ultra in the Mac Studio, Apple could theoretically use a newer-generation chip in the next version of the Mac Pro, helping justify the cost of its top-of-the-line model.