TechComputers & PCsLaptopsShould I buy M2 Pro or Max? 3 reasons to buy 2023 MacBook Pro, 1 reason to notSince last Friday I’ve been using the 2023 MacBook Pro 16-inch with M2 Pro. Here’s why it’s an astonishing Apple upgrade – but not for everyone…When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
TechComputers & PCsLaptopsShould I buy M2 Pro or Max? 3 reasons to buy 2023 MacBook Pro, 1 reason to notSince last Friday I’ve been using the 2023 MacBook Pro 16-inch with M2 Pro. Here’s why it’s an astonishing Apple upgrade – but not for everyone…When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Since last Friday I’ve been using the 2023 MacBook Pro 16-inch with M2 Pro. Here’s why it’s an astonishing Apple upgrade – but not for everyone…
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
The fire within the screen says it all: the MacBook Pro with M2 Pro is seriously hot stuff (although thankfully not literally, if you’re worried about overheating). I’ve been using the 16-inch model since Friday 20 January, four days prior to its on-sale date today, 24 January, and I already think the 2023 MacBook Pro is the ultimateAppleupgrade and one ofthe best laptopsgoing.
I’ve been reviewing MacBooks for many years now, and recently have seen theMacBook Air 2022andMacBook Pro 13-inch 2022. And while there’s plenty to love about those laptops – I still think the Air is thebest MacBook for most people– the2023 MacBook Proreally takes things up a notch (yes, there’s a shameful pun in there).
Sure, visually speaking the 2023 range doesn’t offer anything over the14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models from 2021, as the design is nigh-on identical (ok, so the power cable is colour-matched now). So I’m not suggesting that if you use one of those that you should drop everything and upgrade – unless you’re really stressing the older M1 Pro/Max system.
After a long weekend of using M2 Pro on the 2023 MacBook Pro, here are three key reasons to consider buying one, and one obvious reason to not…
1. The battery life is brilliant
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
When testing laptops I tend to run a typical streaming test: get a high-resolution video file, put the volume to half level, up the brightness, then just let it run to see how far it’ll go. And in the 16-inch MacBook Pro 2023, which has the largest battery of them all, the answer is that it goes and goes and goes…
One hour into my test and the battery had only dropped two per cent, which made me laugh that it was so little. That rate didn’t stick, obviously, but even after leaving the machine running the video all day long, it made it to the 17-hour mark. Not the 22 hours of battery life Apple claims in this particular instance, but that’s still exceptionally long performance – and with less Wi-Fi-dependent tasks I’ve been getting even longer.
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2. M2 Pro is seriously powerful
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
You can do a lot just on battery power too. Unlike many Intel architectures which require a mains socket to up the power and deliver top-tier graphical power, the M2 Pro inside the 2023 MacBook Pro doesn’t need the plug to go all-in with its capability. If you’re in an industry that required heavy lifting GPU work and you need to finish off a little extra whilst on the move, you’re covered here.
I can already see music producers, videographers and CAD/model creators' eyes lighting up with the potential of that. You needn’t bounce down various channels of audio to minimise channels, you can go in heavy on FX without concern, while even large models will be handled in seconds when making adjustments rather than needing to wait around. Compared to M1 Pro/Max it’s architecturally much the same, albeit with around a 20 per cent speed boost and access to that much more memory.
3. Display is superb, plus there’s HDMI 2.1
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
While the 2023 MacBook Pro models may look identical to their 2021 counterparts, and visually speaking that’s true, there are some minor changes that Apple has made beyond the implementation of M2 Pro/Max which are well worth your attention.
First up is theHDMI port is now the 2.1 type, meaning support for 4K content at 120fps (240Hz monitors are supported via HDMI). Great for high frame-rate (HFR) pieces that you want to output to a TV or monitor. M2 Pro can handle up to two externals, while M2 Max can output to four!
And if you’re not outputting the screen then it’s a stunner: the 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR display is a Mini LED type, so it’s super bright, and nicely crisp thanks to 3456 x 2234 pixels across that large screen. No, no different to the 2021 model, but it’s still great looking, if you can forgive the notch top and centre.
Furthermore the Wi-Fi also gets a boost, now supporting the Wi-Fi 6E standard. So if you’ve got one of thebest routersin your possession, at leastprior to Wi-Fi 7’s implementation, then you’ll get even faster connectivity and downloads. Sounds minor, but if you’re pushing large files around wirelessly then it’s one of those silent but super upgrades.
Today’s best Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Pro (2023) and Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Pro (2023) dealsApple MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Pro (2023)$2,699$2,149.95ViewSee all pricesApple MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Pro (2023)$2,499$1,799.95ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Pro (2023) and Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Pro (2023) dealsApple MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Pro (2023)$2,699$2,149.95ViewSee all pricesApple MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Pro (2023)$2,499$1,799.95ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Pro (2023) and Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Pro (2023) dealsApple MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Pro (2023)$2,699$2,149.95ViewSee all pricesApple MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Pro (2023)$2,499$1,799.95ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Pro (2023) and Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Pro (2023) deals
Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Pro (2023)$2,699$2,149.95ViewSee all pricesApple MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Pro (2023)$2,499$1,799.95ViewSee all prices
Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Pro (2023)$2,699$2,149.95ViewSee all prices
Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Pro (2023)$2,699$2,149.95ViewSee all prices
Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Pro (2023)
Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Pro (2023)
$2,699$2,149.95View
$2,699$2,149.95
$2,149.95
See all prices
Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Pro (2023)$2,499$1,799.95ViewSee all prices
Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Pro (2023)$2,499$1,799.95ViewSee all prices
Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Pro (2023)
Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Pro (2023)
$2,499$1,799.95View
$2,499$1,799.95
$1,799.95
See all prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
1. It gets expensive, similar to 2021 model
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
So the one reason to not buy a new MacBook Pro? As I’ve been alluding to throughout this piece, a lot of the 2023 models' specification are one and the same as the 2021 models. Apple has discontinued the older M1 Pro/Max siliconin this rangewith immediate effect, though, so direct from the company’s store it’s M2 Pro/Max only in the 2023 range from now on in.
Because that’s the thing about the 2023 MacBook Pro: with M2 Pro on board the 16-inch model starts at £2,699/$2,499/AU$3,999, creeping up to £3,749/$3,499/AU$5,599 for the entry M2 Max model, and if you go all-in on hardware upgrades then it tops out at £6,749 (a model unavailable in Australia at the time of writing).
High sums indeed, but boy oh boy do you get a lot of hardware for your cash – and despite this ‘downside’ I do think creatives all over are going to be snapping up the new MacBook Pro models in double-quick time to sate their graphics processing appetites. That said, as M2 Pro/Max architecture is simply a scaled-up version of M2, so if you don’t need that extra memory and can forego the supposed 20 per cent performance boost then, well, you’ve got more thinking to do…
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