Hi everyone, I need your help with my next purchase.

For context, I’m a graphic designer and video editor, meaning I use Creative Cloud apps every single day. Recently, my laptop (a ROG Strix) has slowed down a lot, and I think it’s time to replace it.

I’m still a student, so my budget is limited. Over the past few days, I’ve been looking at the MacBook Pro 14" M4, and it seems like a great option—but I’m not entirely sure. Can you guys help me?

If it’s not the best choice, please recommend alternatives that meet these criteria:

• It must be a MacBook.

• The maximum budget is $1,550.

Thanks in advance!

The thing that I always thought would annoy me most, the notch, after like 10 or 20 minutes of using the laptop, it's like it's disappeared. It's like it isn't even there now. For anyone who hasn't used a notch MacBook in person, it looks way way more profound and bothersome in videos than it does in real life than in actual use, at least on the M1 & M2 Pro lines (can't speak for other notch MacBook ssince I haven't seen them in person). On iPhones the notches drive me crazy, but on this Macbook, it's like it's not even there.

The brightness is absolutely perfect. And hopefully 500 nits becomes the industry standard for Macs & Windows computers asap. Cuz I don't think I would want my laptop any brighter than this laptop, but definitely not at all dimmer. 1 level down from max brightness is absolute perfection for me.

A lot of people regard the 2015 MacBooks as having the best keyboards ever on a laptop, and I was in that camp too. Until I used this one. This is the first one I've ever used that is better than the 2015 MacBooks, and I've used a good bit of MacBooks dating up until 2020 and I've typed on a good bit of my friends' top of the line gaming windows laptops too. Admittedly I haven't typed on many non gaming windows laptops so I have no real world experience with those, but this has to be by far the best MacBook keyboard ever. The placement and travel is amazing.

As far as thinness and lightness, I'm so so so glad I chose this laptop over the M2 Air. For anyone who is trying to choose between one of the MacBook Airs or an M1 or M2 14-inch MacBook Pro I feel confident telling pretty much anyone to go with the 14-inch Pro if money isn't a big factor in the decision..and even if it is...if at all possible...save up the extra $300 and still get the 14-inch M1 Pro. At 3.5 pounds and just 0.61 of an inch thick, I still consider this quite a thin & light laptop personally. I think the weight and thinness is perfect for what it is. Idk about weight changes they will make with MacBooks over time but I'm not sure they can ever make these MacBook Pro's any thinner without sacrificing on ports, which I wouldn't want.

And last but certainly not least...the speakers. The speakers are the biggest feature of this laptop for me. They are absolutely amazing, they're beyond amazing. They live up to the hype and then some. I don't know how they compare to the M2 14-inch MacBook's speakers. Most reviewers say the M2 14's speakers are slightly worse and some say the M2 14's are quieter but have better quality sound. Either way the speakers on this laptop may never cease to amaze me. I don't even know if I will ever get fully used to how good, clear and loud they are. That's how awesome they are.

When I look at this laptop I'm not really sure what I would change, if I was God and could create any MacBook I wanted then of course i'd get rid of the notch. But for current day standards like I said, for me, it's a complete non issue. And besides that I really have no idea what I would change or want added. I can't think of anything at all at the moment. Everything seems mostly perfect so far.

For those who were wrestling with the choice between a 16-inch M1 or M2 MacBook Pro or a 14-inch M1 or M2 MacBook Pro. If your laptop is on your laptop everyday all day like me, definitely go with the 14-inch. Any bigger or heavier and I think it would have been too much for me, over a pound more definitely would have been too much for me, this one is the absolute perfect size and weight for lap use. If your laptop isn't on your lap for extended periods of time or is on a desk or table most of the time then I would definitely go with the 16-inch. Either way, this the best piece of tech I've ever owned and I couldn't be more thrilled and amazed with my first day with it.