MacworldAs someone who has reviewed Macs for a long time, Im often asked for shopping advice and whether now is a good time to buy a Mac. Its an excellent question since Apple has been fairly sporadic with its Mac releases. Macs are expensive and people want reassurance that theyre making a timely investment. No one wants to buy something, start using it, and realize they just couldve stuck with what they already had. Nor does anyone want to make a purchase only to have something better come along in a short time.When it comes to Macs, the decision to buy a new one is rarely a quick and easy one, but with the release of the M4 Mac lineup, theres less hedging than ever before. As I reviewed the new iMac and MacBook Pro and got the lowdown about the Mac mini, I was struck by just how compelling these new Macs are. This recent release makes for the most compelling set of Macs that Apple has had in quite some time.And if youre wondering whether its time to buy a Mac in a general sense, the answer is yes.If you are looking for a MacBook deal, nows a good time, see: best Black Friday MacBook deals and best Black Friday 2024 Mac deals. And for anything else read: Best Black Friday 2024 Apple dealsThe maturation of Apple siliconThe M4 is the fourth generation of Apple silicon in the Mac, and after an explosive (figuratively) start with the M1 and some hiccups with the M2 and M3 releases, the M4 feels like the chip is finally hitting its stride.The M4 impresses with its speed and efficiency. It almost doubles the speed of the M1 in multi-core performance, but more impressively, its 32 percent faster than the Intel 2.7GHz Xeon W-3265M 24-core CPU, which was used in the 2019 Mac Pro. Also, the Intel chips Thermal Design Power is 205 watts while the M4s TDP is 22 watts. Thats a lot of bang without using a lot of power.Geekbench 6 benchmarksResults are expressed as Geekbench scores. Higher scores/longer bars are faster.The M4 Max, according to Geekbench 6 results, sets a record for Mac performance. The M4 Pro (the 14-core CPU, 20-core GPU version) is faster than an M2 Ultra. It keeps getting better with Apple silicon and there are no signs of performance plateaus.RAM increase without a price increaseOther than the speed boost, the biggest reason this Mac lineup is more compelling is that Apple did the right thing and doubled the base amount of unified memory to 16GB. That had a domino effect across the Mac lineupApple didnt just boost its most affordable models from 8GB to 16GB, but the more expensive standard configurations went up, too. For example, the M2 Pro Mac mini standard configuration started at 16GB, but the M4 Pro Mac mini now starts at 24GB.The additional RAM will help your Mac run a lot smoother and thats great, but perhaps the best part is that Apple implemented the increase without increasing the prices. For a lot of consumers, that means they no longer must dish out the extra $200/200. Apple even updated all the MacBook Airs, including the $999 M2 model, to 16GB without raising the prices. Nice.The Nano-texture glass option (left) is $150/150 but is worth the extra money.FoundryMore than performanceOne of the reasons why I sometimes advise people to wait for the next release cycle is because while the latest Macs have the fastest chips, they also have old features. For most general consumers, even an M1 provides more than enough speed to get things done, so more speed alone isnt really worth the upgrade.But the M4 Macs brought some overdue new features. First and foremost, youll now get the same 12MP Center Stage camera found in the iPhone and iPad, a huge upgrade from the 1080p FaceTime HD camera in previous generations. Theres also a Nano-texture glass option in both the iMac and MacBook Pro, which is great for cutting down glare, and the M4 Pro and M4 Max Macs get Thunderbolt 5 as well. These are fantastic features that will future-proof your purchase.Then theres the redesign of the Mac mini. The Mac mini was small before, but its tiny now and looks incredible on your desk. The small form factor is also a better fit for more imaginative projects and the front-facing ports are a nice upgrade. The lack of USB-A ports might be an issue for some, but the MacBook and iMac havent had them for years.Have no fear of buyingThe MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac are all great buys right now. Its not a stretch to say Apples 2024 Mac lineup represents the best value ever and you dont need to ask whether its a good time to buy. It isno matter which model you want. And with Black Friday right around the corner, you can save some money too.The only exception is the Mac Studio and Mac Pro. If you need one of Apples highest-end Macs, youll have to wait a little longer. Theyre still languishing with older M2 Max and Ultra chips, and as you can see in the benchmark chart above, theyve been surpassed by the far-cheaper M4 Pro and M4 Max machines. Based on our experience with the M4 chips as well as the latest rumors, it looks like the upcoming M4 Ultra is going to be a serious beast to round out an already incredible lineup.For more help deciding which Mac to buy or to find the Best MacBook read our guides.Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4)Best Prices Today: 0.01 at idealo1779 at Computeruniverse1799 at notebooksbilliger.deRead our full Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4) review Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro)Best Prices Today: 0.01 at idealo2145 at notebooksbilliger.de2249 at Computeruniverse2.089,00 at amazon.deApple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Max)Price When Reviewed:3.799 EuroBest Prices Today: 0.01 at idealo3599 at Computeruniverse3799 at Alternate3.379,00 at amazon.deApple 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro)Price When Reviewed:2.899 EuroBest Prices Today: 2.571,25 at tease-Shop2.602,14 at digitalo.de2.899,00 at AppleRead our full Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) review Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Max)Price When Reviewed:4.099 EuroBest Prices Today: 4099 at Alternate4099 at Computeruniverse4099 at notebooksbilliger.deMac Mini M4Best Prices Today: 679 at notebooksbilliger.de689 at Alternate699 at Computeruniverse670,96 at amazon.deApple Mac mini (M4 Pro)Best Prices Today: 0.01 at idealo1559 at Alternate1599 at notebooksbilliger.deRead our full Apple Mac mini (M4 Pro) review Apple iMac (M4)Price When Reviewed:1.749 EuroBest Prices Today: 0.01 at idealo1649 at notebooksbilliger.de1748 at Alternate1.749,00 at amazon.deRead our full Apple iMac (M4) review