Apple’s new 13-inch MacBook Pro has the M2 chip, but it may not be enough to tempt potential buyers away from a purchase of the 14-inch MacBook Pro, AppleInsider’s Malcolm Owen writes.
Malcolm Owen for AppleInsider:
With the shift to M2, the 13-inch MacBook Air gains a few performance tweaks that can make it an attractive proposition for those working in video. Some may even consider it a cheaper alternative to buying a 14-inch MacBook Pro.
Of course, the differences between the two models are more than just display size and chips, with many other factors to consider when buying a MacBook.
At first blush, the M2 is an improvement to the Apple Silicon line, with it heralding the start of a new generation of chips. As analogous to the M1, the M2 is very similar but also better in several ways… The 14-inch MacBook Pro is offered with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips. The M1 Pro is available in 8 or 10-core CPU variants, each with either 6 or 8 performance cores and two efficiency cores, while the M1 Max has a 10-core CPU with 8 performance and 2 efficiency cores.
The memory options are also larger, with the Pro offering 16GB or 32GB versions and the M1 Max going for 32GB and 64GB. The memory bandwidth is also much higher, at 200GB/s on the Pro and 400GB/s on the Mac…
The new 13-inch MacBook Pro starts from $1,299 at its cheapest price, including 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage… The most expensive 13-inch MacBook Pro configuration costs $2,499… The 14-inch MacBook Pro starts from $1,999 with the M1 Pro 8-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 16GB of memory, 512GB of storage, and a 67W power adapter… The most expensive configuration costs $5,899.
MacDailyNews Note: Much more in the full article here.
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There might be some people who would consider the 13″ MBP, but for me the lack of ports/connectivity makes it a non-starter. I can spend less and get an MBA that has more ports (2 USB-C that are both usable, since there’s a separate MagSafe for charging), or I can get the 14″ MBP that has way more ports (MagSafe, HDMI, more USB-C, and SD).
I would guess that a decent chunk of the people who buy this machine will have done so because they weren’t aware of the tradeoffs involved, and that if they’d known they would have gotten an MBA or true MBP instead.
People who think just 2 USB-C ports is a major limitation have never owned an M1 MacBook, Air or Pro. M1 changed the way I use a laptop. Before, when I used my Intel MacBook Air, it was usually plugged in. Now, I use my M1 13-inch MacBook Pro like my iPad. It’s mostly NOT connected to ANYTHING. Even after the 10% “sleep soon if not plugged in” warning pops up, I still have plenty of time to finish what I’m doing. The battery lasts me days on full charge, and when I charge it again (for a few hours), I also connect my external hard drive and let Time Machine do its backup. That’s TWO ports needed. During normal use, I need ZERO ports.
What’s more important is having enough built-in storage, so there’s no need to regularly store data to an external drive. The base 256GB storage is too low, unless you’re storing data to a network drive (or iCloud). There are some really good deals now on M1 MacBooks with bumped up specs. I got an M1 13-inch MacBook Pro with 1TB storage AND 16GB memory for $1439 from OWC (Apple Certified Refurbished). Full retail is $1899 for M1 or M2 version with 1TB/16GB. New M2 MacBook Air also $1899 retail with 1TB/16GB. Very happy with my deal; M1 is more than fast enough for me. So look for great M1 deals.