Unexpectedly, Apple updated the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros to kick off 2023. The most potent iterations of the silicon from the tech giant, the new Apple M2 Pro and M2 Max CPUs are found in the top-tier MacBooks. Midway through January, the notebooks and a refreshed Mac mini desktop were released. A day later, the brand-new HomePod smart speaker made its debut.
Thanks to the M1 Pro and M1 Max CPUs, Apple unveiled a new performance and power efficiency peak for portable computers in late 2021. With these components, the completely redesigned MacBook Pro computers provided power and battery durability that competitors have yet to match. The M2 Pro and M2 Max-equipped sequels, which are similarly priced, are much more powerful.
The most recent 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro feature the same iconic design and physical dimensions as the previous generation, just as the 2022 13-inch MacBook Pro and iPad Pro—a pair of superb products that introduced subtle, but significant upgrades. Its six-speaker systems, FaceTime HD cameras, and bright and clear Liquid Retina XDR screens, to name a few critical components, are the same, making the new CPUs the most significant agents of change.
The M2 Pro and M2 Max Chips from Apple Explained
The second generation of the 5-nanometer lithography used to create the M2 chip is improved upon by Apple’s M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. The most recent hardware components have billions more transistors than the outdated M1 Pro and M1 Max CPUs, which boosts performance significantly while maintaining incredible energy efficiency.
Particularly noticeable is the new chips’ 30% boost in graphics performance. That increases the new MacBook Pros’ ability to handle extremely difficult tasks, such as simultaneously applying custom filters to numerous high-resolution photographs and editing 4K video, to mention a few.
The M2 Max processor offers remarkable levels of power you wouldn’t expect from a compact computer, featuring twice as many GPU cores and double the memory bandwidth of the Apple M2 Pro. The greatest amount of RAM that a MacBook Pro model with the M2 Max chip can support is 96GB, which is three times as much as the 32GB maximum the M2 Pro supports. The M2 Max-equipped Pros will satisfy the needs of the most demanding power users thanks to their plenty of unified memory.
The M2 Pro and M2 Max CPUs’ advancements actually result in quick interactions between apps and macOS as well as an excellent multitasking experience. My frantic workflow of running a browser with 20+ open tabs, editing massive image files in Pixelmator Pro, continuously responding to emails and Slack messages, typing in Apple pages and monitoring social media for breaking news was made seamless by the “starter” 16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro chip I tested. I tried to overload the notebook with work, but I was unable to make it slow down or warm up.
Amazing Battery Life
The most recent Apple CPUs gave the new MacBook Pros more processing and graphics power as well as longer battery life. The 14- and 16-inch entrants, according to Apple, can provide up to 18 and 22 hours of screen-on time, respectively – an hour longer than their predecessors.
Despite being nothing short of exceptional, Apple’s battery life claims did not particularly surprise me when it came to the new MacBook Pro’s power efficiency. Instead, the product’s unrivaled real-world battery endurance had me in awe.
My high hopes were crushed when the 16-inch laptop I tested managed to get through a long and demanding workday with more than 50% battery life. About 8 a.m., I unplugged it from the MagSafe charger and started the above-mentioned cycle with the screen brightness at about 50%. I was stopped in my tracks by the battery indicator at 5 p.m., which showed that there was 51% charge left—enough for another day without charging.
Without paying attention to usage patterns, getting this much screen time out of a 16-inch laptop with desktop-caliber hardware and a bright mini-LED screen with a high refresh rate is almost science fiction. Big-screen PC laptops with comparable capabilities, for contrast, won’t achieve double-digit battery life under such conditions.
Do You Need to Upgrade?
“Sure” is the short answer to this question, albeit it still relies on your requirement and the hardware you now utilize. Here is an explanation of a few typical situations:
Now is a wonderful time to switch to Apple silicon if you already use a MacBook Pro. The top-tier 16-inch MacBook Pro was powered by Intel processors until the release of the Apple chips in 2021, however the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips are far more competent. The battery upgrades will also alter your way of living.
If you want more features and next-level power from your MacBook Air or 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 or M2 CPU, you should think about switching. Major advancements will also be made because to the 14- and 16-inch Pros’ fancy panels, speakers, and other connectivity options.
Conclusion
Some major hardware improvements of the most recent MacBook Pros that make them more future-proof than their predecessors include Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity. On the other hand, high refresh rates (up to 240 Hz) in 4K and 60Hz 8K panels are now supported by the laptops’ HDMI 2.1 connections.
