There’s nothing quite like the feeling of unboxing a new Mac (specifically the feeling of peeling off any Apple device). While the hardware is undeniably a beast, the real magic happens in the software layer.
After a few hours of tweaking and refining, here is the essential software stack I’ve landed on to turn this new MacBook Pro into a productivity powerhouse.
1. AltTab
Coming from various workflows, I’ve always found the default macOS Cmd + Tab a bit limiting since it switches between apps rather than individual windows. AltTab brings Windows-style window switching to macOS with full previews. It’s snappy, highly customizable, and makes multitasking across multiple IDE windows significantly faster.
2. CleanShot X
The built-in macOS screenshot tool is "fine," but CleanShot X is elite. From the quick-access overlay to the robust annotation tools and the ability to record scrolling captures or GIFs, it’s a game-changer for documenting code or sharing UI bugs. It’s one of those apps that makes you wonder how you ever used a Mac without it.
3. Sensei
To keep an eye on the M4 Pro’s vitals, I use Sensei. It’s more than just a system monitor; it’s a beautifully designed dashboard for performance, battery health, and disk cleaning. It feels much more modern and integrated than older alternatives, helping me ensure that no stray processes are hogging those high-performance cores.
4. Ghostty
I’ve officially made the switch to Ghostty as my primary terminal. It’s incredibly fast, GPU-accelerated, and follows a "native-first" philosophy that feels right at home on a Pro machine. The configuration is straightforward, and the performance—especially when handling large outputs—is noticeably smoother than traditional terminal emulators.
5. BetterDisplay
This is a lifesaver for my desk setup. I use an external 2K monitor, and as many Mac users know, macOS doesn't always play nice with 2K resolutions, often resulting in blurry text because HiDPI (Retina) mode isn't triggered by default. I use BetterDisplay specifically to force-enable HiDPI scaling. Now, my 2K screen looks as crisp as the internal Liquid Retina XDR display.
Miscs
Here’s what’s rounding out the rest of my machine:
- Homebrew: The first thing I install. It manages all my CLI tools and even most of my GUI apps via Cask.
- JetBrains Suite: Whether it’s WebStorm or PyCharm, these remain my go-to IDEs for serious development work. Little configuration is needed compared to VS Code.
- Google Chrome: My primary gateway to the web, synced across all my devices for seamless browsing. For me, the only usage of Safari is to install Chrome. (It's the same case as on Windows for Edge though)
- Google Drive: Essential for keeping my documents and project files backed up and accessible on the fly.
Final Thoughts
The M4 Pro 14" is a spectacular piece of hardware, but it's these specific tools that actually let me get work done. Whether it’s fixing display scaling or speeding up my terminal, this stack makes the "Pro" in MacBook Pro actually mean something.