Apple's MacBook 14 and 16 (2023) are the company's most powerful laptops to date. They pack two of the fastest and most efficient consumer chipsets the company has made, the M2 Pro and M2 Max, in a modern, boxed chassis. They also offer a wide variety of ports, making them both functional and minimalist for any setup. Despite them looking pretty much identical to their 2021 predecessors on the outside, they pack some noticeable punches internally. Consequently, they've been crowned as two of the best Macs currently on sale. If you're wondering what exactly is new and what they offer, here's everything you need to know about the MacBook Pro 14 and 16 (2023).
MacBook Pro (2023): Price, availability, and release date
The MacBook Pro 14 and 16 launched in the U.S. on January 24, 2023. You can currently buy them through the Apple Store and most other major retailers, such as Amazon. Depending on your country or region, though, availability may vary. The 14-inch and 16-inch models come in Silver and Space Gray finishes, with the former size starting at $1,999 and the latter at $2,499. If you go for a maxed-out 16-inch MacBook Pro, its price tag could increase to $6,499.
MacBook Pro (2023): Specifications
|
Specification |
MacBook Pro 14 |
MacBook Pro 16 |
|---|---|---|
|
Dimensions & Weight |
|
|
|
Display |
|
|
|
SoC |
|
|
|
RAM & Storage |
|
|
|
Ports |
|
|
|
Battery & Charging |
|
|
|
Connectivity |
|
|
|
Colors |
|
|
|
Price |
Starts at $1,999 |
Starts at $2,499 |
MacBook Pro (2023): Performance
Let's start with the performance of these new MacBooks because that's almost objectively the biggest change in this release. Apple has upgraded the SoC on the notched MacBook Pro models from M1 Pro/Max to M2 Pro/Max. These boosted processors come with various improvements, including higher power efficiency and faster performance. As a result, users get the longest battery life on a Mac to date — 22 hours on a single charge.
According to Apple, those processing images in Adobe Photoshop could notice a 40% increase in speed when compared to M1 Pro machines. Similarly, compiling apps in Xcode is up to 25% faster on M2 Pro when compared to M1 Pro. In terms of cores, M2 Pro users can utilize up to 12 cores of CPU, 19 cores of GPU, two 8K displays, 32GB of RAM, and 8TB of SSD. Meanwhile, the M2 Max supports no more than 12 CPU cores, 38 GPU cores, four 8K displays, 96GB of RAM, and 8TB of SSD. Both MacBook models expectedly run macOS Ventura, and they should be receiving the latest software updates for many years to come.
MacBook Pro (2023): Design and display
In terms of design and display, the 2023 MacBook Pro models are pretty much identical to those of 2021. This means you get to take advantage of the modern boxed chassis, which features a wide variety of ports, such as MagSafe 3. Speaking of, the HDMI 2.0 port got boosted to HDMI 2.1, allowing users to utilize 8K displays at 60Hz. Otherwise, you get the same Thunderbolt 4 ports, headphone jack, SD card slot, etc.
To execute this futuristic design change back in 2021, Apple had to rely on a display notch. This remains unchanged in 2023, allowing you to enjoy the thin bezels and rounded corners. The notch, which houses the 1080p front-facing camera, size has seemingly remained the same with this release.
Speaking of the display, 2023's MacBook Pro 14 and 16 retain the same specifications in this department. So you get a Liquid Retina XDR screen with a pixel density of 254 ppi. It supports many of Apple's recent technologies, including 120Hz ProMotion, True Tone, and more. Expectedly, the display doesn't accept touch input.
What's actually new with the MacBook Pro (2023)
When comparing the 2021 MacBook Pro 14 and 16 to the 2023 models, there are arguably only five major differences:
- Space Gray models now ship with a color-matched MagSafe charging cable. In 2021's case, Apple was shipping Silver cables with all MacBook Pro 14/16 models.
- Apple has upgraded to Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, allowing users to experience better and more reliable connections.
- As previously mentioned, the 2023 models also adopt HDMI 2.1, enabling customers to use 8K displays at the 60Hz refresh rate.
- Certain configurations of the 2023 models can last up to 22 hours on a single charge. That's the longest battery life ever observed on a Mac so far.
- On the 2021 models, the maximum amount of RAM users could opt in for was 64GB. With the 2023 releases, M2 Max users can get up to 96GB.
The 2023 MacBook Pro 14-inch and 16-inch models are certainly a welcome upgrade from those not already depending on the 2021 variants. While the performance and efficiency boosts of the M2 Pro and M2 Max are notable, they're not worth the bump for those on M1 Pro and M1 Max. However, people on even older models, particularly Intel-powered versions, will appreciate the overhauled design from 2021 and the mightier internals of 2023.
Apple MacBook Pro (M2, 2023)
- Operating System
- MacOS Ventura 13.2
- CPU
- Apple M2 Pro or M2 Max
- GPU
- Up to 38-core GPU (M2 Max)
- RAM
- Up to 96GB LPDDR5
- Storage
- Up to 8TB SSD
- Battery
- 70Wh to 100 Wh
The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro (2023) models adopt the same exterior chassis first introduced in 2021. They offer boosted M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support, HDMI 2.1 compatibility, a notched display, and more.