Laptops used to be a compromise - you wanted to trade processing power for ease of portability.
As technology improves, laptop speeds will eventually surpass (and sometimes surpass) desktops, and for almost all users, there is no advantage to choosing a desktop over a laptop.
Subject: Apple's new MacBook Pro with M2 processor.
When Apple started making its processors, it became clear that they were very fast.
I tested a 16-inch Apple MacBook Pro with an M2 Pro processor, and it's the fastest Mac—laptop or desktop—I've ever come across.
design
Apple has launched the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro in late 2021. They are equipped with M1 chip.
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Compared to Apple's latest laptop models, the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros looked a little different.
They are slightly thicker and don't stick around the edges like previous models Their curtains extend almost to the edge of the cabinet.
The keyboard is black and the underside of the keys is also black, making it easy to distinguish it from other models.
The 2023 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro M2 models share the same design as their predecessors.
characteristics
The MacBook Pro M2 comes in two processor variants: M2 Pro and M2 Max.
I tested the M2 Pro with 32 GB of RAM and a two-terabyte solid-state drive.
The M2 Pro has 12 processing cores – eight performance cores and four efficiency cores.
The M2 Pro's GPU has 19 cores that power the 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with a resolution of 3456 x 2234 pixels.
The display features a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio with Promotion technology for an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120 Hertz. It is lit by 10,000 mini-LEDs and can display up to one billion colors.
The minimum RAM configuration is 16 GB, but M2 Pro models can be upgraded to 32 or 64 GB. The M2 Max can be upgraded to 96GB of RAM.
Internal storage is all solid state with configurations ranging from 512GB to 8TB.
The battery has a capacity of 100 watt hours and it can surf the internet for up to 15 hours per charge.
Unlike Apple's previous MacBook Pro, which only had a USB-C Thunderbolt port, the 14-inch and 16-inch models have several extras, including HDMI, an SD card reader, a Magsage charging port, a headphone jack, and three Thunderbolt 4 ports. There are ports. port.. port (up to 40 Gb/s).
M2 Pro models can run two external displays with 6K resolution or one 8K display.
M2 Max models can support four external displays (three 6K and one 4K) or three displays (two 6K and one 8K).
The backlit keyboard has Touch ID and an ambient light sensor. The Force Touch trackpad is the largest I've seen on a laptop.
Network options include Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
The 1080p FaceTime camera sits behind the notch at the top of the display.
The 16-inch MacBook Pro comes with a USB-C to MagSafe adapter with a 140-watt power supply. You can turn on and charge the laptop via one of the USB-C Thunderbolt ports.
Believe it or not, this laptop has a six-speaker audio system with a force-cancelling subwoofer, and it sounds great.
Why so similar?
So why does the M2 look so much like last year's M1? Good question.
Last year, the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros got a pretty big redesign, and everyone I know thought they were really good. The addition of more ports, the MagSafe connector and the addition of the M1 chip were almost universally welcomed.
A year later, Apple's M2 processor offered a 20-30% increase in speed and graphics over the M1 version.
the price
The 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,999 for the M2 Pro model with 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU, 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD.
The 16-inch model starts at $2,499 for the M2 Pro, which features a 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD.
In case you're wondering, the most you can spend on a 16-inch M2 Max with a 12-core CPU, 38-core GPU, 96GB of RAM and an 8TB SSD is $6,499.
For whom?
The MacBook Pro M2 is the fastest Mac released by Apple. The same cannot be said for last year's M1 version.
In fact, if you have a 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro M1, you don't need to upgrade just for a 20-30% speed increase, unless you're in a job like video editing where you stress the M1. . . processor
I love the MacBook Pro M2, but as a 14-inch M1 owner, I'll stick with it for now and see what happens next.
The M2 is a great upgrade for anyone with a MacBook Pro ready for an Intel-powered upgrade.
I compare the MacBook Pro to the latest iPhones - now that Apple has chosen the design, it's nice to see annual speed updates and other new technologies included.
Jim Rossman is a technology columnist for Tribune News Service. He can be reached at jrossmantechadviser@gmail.com.