We were not mistaken yesterday, when we mentioned the MacBook Pro, when we were wondering about Apple’s first big announcement of this newly launched 2023. It has not been the only novelty, since we have also found the expected Pro and Max versions of the Apple M2 , as well as with a new Mac mini. Thus, Apple celebrates the new year by bringing the various variants of the second generation of its integrated computer to all those products that were still in the M1.
Although we have not had a keynote as such, the truth is that Apple has published a presentation of around 20 minutes with all the news, an unusual format for those from Cupertino, but which could become the usual for this type of announcements, too important to settle with a handful of press releases, but not enough to organize a large event, like the one we see every September with the presentation of new versions of the iPhone. In my opinion they have found a very successful format.
But the important thing is not the presentation, the important thing is what is presented, so without further ado, let’s see what the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro offer us.
MacBook Pro 14 (2023): technical specifications
| MacBook Pro 14 with M2 Pro | MacBook Pro 14 with M2 Max | |
| Screen | Liquid Retina XDR 14.2 inches, 3,024 x 1,964 dots, up to 120 hertz, brightness up to 1,600 nits, contrast 1,000,000:1 | Liquid Retina XDR 14.2 inches, 3,024 x 1,964 dots, up to 120 hertz, brightness up to 1,600 nits, contrast 1,000,000:1 |
| SoC | Apple M2 Pro: 9 or 12 core CPU; GPU 16, 19 or 30 cores; Neural Engine 16 cores | Apple M2 Max: CPU 12 cores, GPU 30 or 38 cores, Nerual engine 16 cores |
| RAM | 16, 32, 64, or 96 gigabytes | 32, 64, or 96 gigabytes |
| Storage | 512 gigabytes, 1, 2, 4, or 8 terabytes | 1, 2, 4, or 8 terabytes |
| wireless connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 | Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 |
| ports | 3 x Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C, 1 x HDMI, 1 x MagSafe 3, 1 x audio minijack and SDXC card reader | 3 x Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C, 1 x HDMI, 1 x MagSafe 3, 1 x audio minijack and SDXC card reader |
| Battery | 70 watt hours | 70 watt hours |
| Camera | FaceTime HD 1080p | FaceTime HD 1080p |
| Sound | Six speakers, spatial sound compatible | Six speakers, spatial sound compatible |
| Dimensions and weight | 31.26 x 22.12 x 1.55 centimeters; 1.6 kilograms | 31.26 x 22.12 x 1.55 centimeters; 1.63 kilograms |
| Price | From 2,449 euros | From 3,749 euros |
MacBook Pro 16 (2023): technical specifications
| MacBook Pro 16 with M2 Pro | MacBook Pro 16 with M2 Max | |
| Screen | Liquid Retina XDR 16.2 inches, 3,456 by 2,234 dots, up to 120 hertz, brightness up to 1,600 nits, contrast 1,000,000:1 | Liquid Retina XDR 16.2 inches, 3,456 by 2,234 dots, up to 120 hertz, brightness up to 1,600 nits, contrast 1,000,000:1 |
| SoC | Apple M2 Pro: 12-core CPU; GPU 19 cores; Neural Engine 16 cores | Apple M2 Max: CPU 12 cores, GPU 38 cores, Nerual engine 16 cores |
| RAM | 16, 32, 64, or 96 gigabytes | 32, 64, or 96 gigabytes |
| Storage | 512 gigabytes, 1, 2, 4, or 8 terabytes | 1, 2, 4, or 8 terabytes |
| wireless connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 | Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 |
| ports | 3 x Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C, 1 x HDMI, 1 x MagSafe 3, 1 x audio minijack and SDXC card reader | 3 x Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C, 1 x HDMI, 1 x MagSafe 3, 1 x audio minijack and SDXC card reader |
| Battery | 100 watt hours | 100 watt hours |
| Camera | FaceTime HD 1080p | FaceTime HD 1080p |
| Sound | Six speakers, spatial sound compatible | Six speakers, spatial sound compatible |
| Dimensions and weight | 35.57 x 24.81 x 1.68 centimeters; 2.15 kilograms | 35.57 x 24.81 x 1.68 centimeters; 2.16 kilograms |
| Price | From 3,049 euros | From 4,199 euros |
Without changes in the design that debuted in the 2021 MacBook Pro, it is enough to take a quick review of the technical specifications or, to be more exact, the news associated with the M2 Pro and M2 Max, to realize that the renewal It has occurred in the guts of Apple’s proposal for professionals. Without a doubt, the key to this generational leap is written in terms of performance and, in the absence of being able to verify it personally, it is undoubtedly a more than justified leap.
In this regard, Apple states that between the models with M1 and M2 we will find a performance improvement of no less than 20% in terms of the CPU, up to 30% if we talk about the tasks that rely on the GPU and a crushing 40% in terms of artificial intelligence thanks to its Neural Engine cores.
Regarding screens, the only substantial difference is the size, of course, and therefore the native resolutions, which are 3,024 x 1,964 points in the 14-inch model and 3,456 by 2,234 points in the 16-inch model. Others we will find the same panel and with the same features: up to 120 hertz, a brightness of up to 1,600 nits in HDR mode, 1,000,000:1 contrast, 1,000 million colors and True Tone technology.
In both sizes, the most basic versions (although they really have little basic) start at 16 gigabytes of RAM, while the rest raise the floor to 32 gigabytes and, in all cases, can scale up to 96. We must remember, yes, that we are actually talking about unified memory, so the one used by the GPU will come from here. With regard to storage, something similar, the initial versions start from 512 gigabytes, but as soon as we advance a bit in the range we see that it rises to terabyte (input) and that, in all cases, we can reach up to the eight terabytes.
If we talk about connectivity, fortunately, the times in which Apple opted for minimalism also in relation to ports are long gone. In these new MacBook Pros, regardless of their size, we will find three Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C ports, 1 x HDMI connector, a MagSafe 3 charging port, an audio minijack and a handy SDXC card reader. For the wireless part, the kit is completed with WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
We are not talking, yes, about cheap computers. As you have seen in the specification tables, the entry point for the MacBook Pro 14 with Apple M2 Pro is 2,449 euros, while if we want the performance of the M2 Max, then we go up to 3,749 euros, prices that go up to 3,049 and 4,199 euros respectively, in case we want a 16-inch model. Are you wondering about the price of the top of the range? In this case, we are talking about the MacBook Pro 16 with M2 Max with 96 gigabytes of memory and eight terabytes of storage, and if you want to get hold of it, it will have to be a prior outlay of 7,649 euros. The good news is that you won’t have to wait long, since they will be available (and can be reserved) from January 24.
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