Apple launched the new MacBook Pro with M4 chips at the end of last month, and it looks like these have a previously not spoken about upgrade.
The M4 MacBook Pro models feature quantum dot display technology, according to display analyst Ross Young. Apple used a quantum dot film instead of a red KSF phosphor film.
Young says that Apple has opted for KSF for prior MacBook Pro models because it doesn’t use toxic element cadmium (typical for quantum dot) and is more efficient (and thus less expensive). Way back in 2015, when Apple introduced support for P3 wide color on the iMac, Apple executives said that quantum dot technology had been considered for its LED displays, but rejected because of the cadmium requirement.
The QD film delivers better color gamut and better motion performance compared to the red KSF phosphor film, and is now cadmium-free too. It didn’t use to be, and that apparently is the reason why Apple has stuck with the KSF solution until now.
Apple didn’t highlight specific color improvements with the M4 MacBook Pro models, but max SDR brightness increased to 1,000 nits, up from 600 nits in the prior model.
This improvement applies to all new MacBook Pros, with or without nano texture. Keep in mind that the new laptops still have LCD screens, and this QD film won’t make them perform as well as QD-OLED displays do.