Following rumors of a surprise event yesterday, Apple has officially introduced the next-generation 14in and 16in MacBook Pros, as well as an upgraded Mac Mini.
The new MacBook Pro lineup includes up to 96GB of unified memory, HDMI connectivity for 8K external monitors, enhanced Wi-Fi 6E support, and, of course, the brand new M2 Pro and M2 Max chipsets – the first of any Apple technology to use the SoCs.
Let’s begin with the less powerful (but still insanely strong) Apple M2 Pro chipset.
According to Apple, the chipset is available in two models in next generation, each with a 10- or 12-core CPU, and offers up to 20% higher performance than last year’s M1 Pro chipset. Along with the CPU, the chipset has up to a 19-core GPU that Apple claims is 30% more powerful than the previous chipset, as well as up to 32GB of unified memory.
There’s also a 40% improvement in Apple’s Neural Engine speed, which should make operations like AI-based picture selection in Photoshop even faster.
It also has an updated media engine with hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, and ProRes video encode, allowing it to play multiple 4K and 8K ProRes videos without consuming much power.
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Together, the M2 Pro represents a major increase over the Apple M1 Pro, making it an appealing alternative for on-the-go creatives who don’t want to sacrifice battery efficiency.
Those seeking the highest mobile performance may consider the M2 Max chipset, which features a 12-core CPU with eight high-performance CPUs and four high-efficiency cores, delivering a 20% performance gain over the M1 Max chipset. This is combined with up to 96GB of unified memory, up from the M1 Max’s 64GB.
This is paired with a GPU with up to 38 cores, which provides a 30% speed gain, and, like the M2 Pro, the M2 Max touts a 40% enhancement to its Neural Engine. The M2 Max additionally has two distinct video encode engines and two ProRes engines, allowing for up to two times quicker video encoding than the M2 Pro, making it the better option for video editors of the two.
Regardless of the option you choose, you’ll receive up to 8TB of SSD storage – but at a high cost.
Aside from the chipset, the new range has the same revised 14- and 16-inch designs that launched in late 2021, with 120Hz ProRes innovation, a slew of USB-C and Thunderbolt connections, a dedicated memory card reader, and a full-size HDMI port for simple networking. There’s also the infamous notch cutout, albeit, like the earlier model, it doesn’t support Face ID.
Customers may begin ordering the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max from the Apple Store today, with delivery commencing a week later on January 24, 2023. The 14in model costs $1,999/£2,149, while the 16in model costs $2,499/£3,349.
