This blog will be about my experience using the MacBook Pro M4, which I got a few months ago. Before diving into it, let me share some backstory about the computers I've owned. All my life I've been on a Windows gaming PC, usually mid-tier. At certain times I installed Linux alongside Windows through dual boot with the GRUB boot loader. I've used Ubuntu, Fedora, Mint, and others. On top of that, I had an old MacBook Air 2017 that was given to me when I first entered college, which I mainly used for schoolwork. So overall, I've had a well-rounded experience with Windows, Linux, and macOS.
When I bought the 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 in space gray back in July 2025, it marked a big shift from Windows to macOS. Gaming used to be a major part of my life, especially in my younger years, so moving away from Windows felt daunting at first. But since I began focusing more on self-improvement and software development, gaming has taken a back seat. I still play occasionally, but most of my computer time now is centered on productivity. MacBooks are widely known for that, and they're used by a huge portion of software engineers. Having access to the Apple ecosystem is a bonus. My previous MacBook Air couldn't update beyond macOS Monterey, so the jump to this new machine felt like night and day.
Being able to use Xcode and run the iOS simulator is a big advantage for me as a cross-platform mobile developer. It saves me from relying on Expo with my iPhone for testing. The simulator is far more convenient and easier to configure.
The battery life has been phenomenal. It easily lasts a full day of classes and still stays above 50 percent. It even powered me through the Readers Rising Hackathon last month, which my team ended up winning. Having a machine that didn't need to be tethered to an outlet the whole time made a huge difference. I'll share more details about that hackathon in a future blog.
The ProMotion 120Hz display is gorgeous. Sharp, crisp, and so pleasing to look at that I often catch myself admiring my editor instead of just coding. The speakers, microphone, and webcam are all top quality. The trackpad is another highlight. Its design and feel remind me of Don Norman's ideas about affordances and signifiers from The Design of Everyday Things. It's so good that I rarely bring a mouse anymore, which says a lot considering I've used a mouse for most of my life and avoided trackpads on other laptops.
Setting up my development environment has also been a breeze thanks to the brew package manager. Installing dependencies is quick, and build times in Unity with WebGL are lightning fast.
Of course, giving up Windows-exclusive games was a drawback. Without tools like Crossover or Whiskey, some games just aren't possible here. That said, I don't mind much. My day-to-day is focused on coding and work, which this laptop optimizes beautifully. I still play occasionally, sticking mostly to macOS-native titles like Borderlands 3, Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration, Metro Exodus, Valheim, and Minecraft with high-end shaders. A bit of gaming now and then keeps things balanced, and research even suggests it can have cognitive benefits when done in moderation.
Another benefit is how much my workflow has simplified. I no longer switch between a Windows gaming PC at home and my old MacBook Air for work outside. Everything is centralized on one machine now. At my desk I still use my old monitor as a secondary display, paired with a mechanical keyboard and a gaming mouse, but on the go my MacBook alone is more than enough.
In the end, I don't regret trading my Windows gaming PC to my younger brother in exchange for this MacBook Pro M4. It's been a huge upgrade and I'm really grateful to have it.
I guess that means I officially qualify for the Starbucks MacBook aesthetic hehe :3