Apple on Tuesday finally unveiled the new Macs we’ve been waiting months for, and there are few surprises: They’re faster and they last longer.
The new machines feature Apple’s newest M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, which Apple says are “up to 6x faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Pro.” The base M2 Pro configuration in the 14-inch model has a 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU, while the higher-end models have a 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU. The M2 Max chip starts at a 12-core CPU and 30-core GPU and can be configured to a 38-core GPU.
Battery life is better as well. The 16-inch MacBook Pro is rated for 22 hours of battery life (up from 21 hours in the 2021 model), the “longest battery life ever in a Mac,” while the 14-inch model gets 18 hours, also an increase of an hour over its predecessor.
The new wallpaper is the only visual change to the new MacBook Pro.
Apple
Apple says the new CPU is up to 40 percent faster than the M1 Max, while the GPU delivers 20 percent greater performance than the M1 Max. The high-end M2 Max chip supports up to 96GB of RAM, significantly higher than the previous MacBook’s 64GB limit. You’ll also get Wi-Fi 6E, which debuted on the M2 iPad Pro last year, and “advanced HDMI” for multichannel audio output and connecting 8K displays up to 60Hz and 4K displays up to 240Hz, as well as support for Bluetooth 5.3.
Elsewhere, the new MacBook Pros are identical to the 2021 models, with a slim-bezel design and plenty of connectivity options, including three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an SDXC card slot, and MagSafe 3 charging. They run macOS Ventura and feature the same 1080p FaceTime HD camera and six-speaker sound system as the older model.
The new MacBook Pro models are available for preorder today for delivery beginning Tuesday, January 24.
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor
Michael Simon has been covering Apple since the iPod was the iWalk. His obsession with technology goes back to his first PC—the IBM Thinkpad with the lift-up keyboard for swapping out the drive. He's still waiting for that to come back in style tbh.