Apple has announced the release of its next-generation 2023 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, featuring faster 5nm-based M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, more RAM, an upgraded HDMI 2.1 port with 8K external display support, Wi-Fi 6E, and more.
Welcome the new M2 Pro and M2 Max chipsets
The M2 Pro chip, available in 10-core or 12-core CPU options, offers up to 20% faster performance than the previous M1 Pro chip. The chip als o boasts a 16-core or 19-core GPU, providing up to 30% faster graphics performance compared to the M1 Pro. Additionally, the 16-core Neural Engine is up to 40% faster compared to the previous generation.
The M2 Max chip, with a 12-core CPU, is up to 20% faster than the M1 Max chip and has up to a 38-core GPU. This allows the new MacBook Pro to be up to 6x faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Pro for certain tasks.
Both new MacBook Pro models come with the option of up to 96GB of unified memory when configured with the highest-end M2 Max chip. This is an increase from the previous models, which were available with up to 64GB of memory with the M1 Max chip. The memory bandwidth remains unchanged at up to 200GB/s for the M2 Pro chip and up to 400GB/s for the M2 Max chip.
The new MacBook Pro models also have the capacity for up to 8TB of SSD storage, the same as the previous generation. Additionally, the new models support Wi-Fi 6E, which allows for faster wireless connectivity and lower latency over the 6GHz band.
The upgraded HDMI 2.1 port on both new MacBook Pro models supports one external display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz, or 4K resolution at 240Hz.
Apple claims that the new 16-inch MacBook Pro has a battery life of up to 22 hours per charge, making it the longest battery life ever in a Mac. The 14-inch model is advertised with up to 18 hours of battery life, an extra hour of battery life per model compared to the previous generation.
The new MacBook Pro models have the same design as the previous generation, including a Liquid Retina XDR display with a notch, an all-black keyboard housing, three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port, an SD card slot, a 3.5mm headphone jack, MagSafe 3 for charging, a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, and a six-speaker sound system.
MacBook Pro 2023: Pricing and availability
Customers can pre-order the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro via Apple’s online store starting today, with availability beginning Tuesday, January 24. The 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,999 and the 16-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,499.
In summary, the new MacBook Pro models feature faster chips, more RAM, an upgraded HDMI 2.1 port, Wi-Fi 6E, and longer battery life. These updated features will greatly benefit professionals and power users in need of a high-performance device for tasks such as video editing, graphic design, and programming.
