Expected for the end of 2022, the MacBook Pro equipped with the new M2 Pro and M2 Max chips will finally arrive on Friday, January 27. Few changes compared to its predecessors, but the main thing is under the chassis with an engine prepared for all possibilities.
We were able to test the 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M2 Pro chip. Summary of the newcomer that sees its price rise compared to the 2021 model with an M1 chip (2,399 euros compared to 2,249 euros). Is it worth the increased investment?
The BFMTV newsroom conducted this test independently. BFMTV may receive compensation when one of our readers makes a purchase through the links in this article.
Strengths
Apple introduced two powerful new chips for its MacBook Pro, the M2 Pro and M2 Max, which boast 20-30% more performance than the previous generation (they have more CPU and GPU cores). They are also capable of incredible energy efficiency for savings on operation. Our test model benefits from the M2 Pro chip with 16 GB of memory. That’s more than enough for any task.
Thus, we were able to launch multiple software programs at the same time, such as Final Cut Pro for editing, Origin for gaming sims while browsing and casting a video on YouTube. MacBook Pro never wobbles, freezes, or starts making noise. It perfectly handles the debauchery of the activity. It will only sound if you turn it up to maximum, with the fans doing a good job of dampening the effects. Add to that a super-fast SSD (up to 8TB of storage) with industry-leading read and write to quickly handle any task.
It supports H.264, HEVC or ProRes codecs, Apple’s video format. It can handle edits comprising up to 23 4K streams and five 8K streams shot in ProRes, but also easily a good dozen standard 4K streams. The time saved on the final render compared to the competition is extremely impressive.
Fans of photo editing will be amazed at the fluidity of element management in Adobe Photoshop. The elements are perfectly identified, isolated, to be retouched one after the other without stripping or analysis time. Also 3D renderings for visual creation also take on another meaning, if only in terms of saving time. Good news above all: battery or sectored, the MacBook Pro shows the same performance.
In standard use (browsing, email, video conferencing, some streaming, gaming, and listening to music), the MacBook Pro lasts a very good day in use (between 3 and 6 p.m.). This will go down a bit if you start using more demanding software (photo, video, etc.), but nothing alarming. The device knows how to perfectly manage its resources to optimize them.
Apple provides a 65W adapter, but also offers 96W chargers for the 14″ MacBook Pro and 140W chargers for the 16″ MacBook Pro. All have fast charging to recover almost 50% autonomy in 30 minutes with the most powerful models.
The design is extremely premium with its aluminum chassis, certainly thicker than the MacBook Air, but without making the whole thing too heavy (2.15 kg). The trackpad is particularly wide and pleasant to use, the keyboard offers fluid typing and fast execution.
Offered in either 14.2 or 16.2 inches, the screen is one of the highlights of the device. Apple has opted for a Liquid Retina XDR panel in mini-LED, that is, a very high-end LCD, with impressive brightness (up to 1600 nits), well-marked contrasts, vivid colors, HDR compatibility and above all ProMotion, refresh technology screen at 120Hz. that makes browsing and reading smooth while adapting the refresh rate to on-screen activity. Enough to make it a very good calibration and reference screen for professionals, but also extremely pleasant to use, which also supports 8K content.
To top it off, the MacBook Pro is the first Apple Mac to take advantage of Wi-Fi 6E, it runs macOS Ventura with all its new features: Stage Manager to display various applications on the screen or Freeform, a whiteboard-style work tool. Encourage creativity and organization.
To extend the diagonal of the screen as much as possible and minimize the edges, Apple has transposed its notch from the iPhone to the MacBook to serve as a webcam. This may surprise you at first, but you end up forgetting about it. The FaceTime HD 1080p camera is quite effective in low-light conditions to correct the image and improve our presence thanks to a good job of intelligence on board. Too bad Apple still does not use it as a facial recognition camera to unlock the computer and strengthen its security, in addition to the very useful fingerprint reader that it already has on the keyboard.
Six speakers are present and offer very high-quality sound, possibly some of the best in a laptop. The three studio-quality microphones present also allow for better voice pickup, with effective attenuation of background noise.
Apple has thought of its product to attract professionals. So give them everything they need. The MacBook Pro thus has 3 USB-Type C/Thunderbolt 4 sockets to take advantage of a very fast connection of peripherals (hard drive, camera, etc.), an SDXC card reader, an HDMI port to be able to support 8K in particular (up to 60 Hz) or 4K/240 Hz displays, and jack socket. To recharge, the MagSafe 3 port signs its return with its magnetic clip that allows you not to pull out the plug if you trip over the cable… But it is still possible to recharge the device via one of the USB-C plugs if necessary.
our reservations
Choosing between the M2 Pro or M2 Max chip will depend on your needs, but in any case, the possibilities will be enormous with the MacBook Pro, even disproportionate for most users. But it is also a bet on the future and the assurance that technically it will not become obsolete for a while. These are therefore also the options that can make the difference with the possibility of mounting up to 8 TB of storage, up to 96 GB of memory on the M2 Max chip with double the bandwidth (and a price that also flies away). .
The price goes up again and it is a shame, but in the end it is not surprising between the situation (shortage of components, the rise of the dollar against the euro) and technological development. R&D, even in its own chips, is also paid for and Apple still has no plans to lower its prices under the pretext of increasingly internalizing the design of its elements. Now you have to count from 2,399 euros for a 14-inch model and 2,999 euros in the 16-inch version.
The 2023 MacBook Pro is a competitive beast. It excels in all areas, offering high-level autonomy for a fairly compact format. But it also displays a price (logically) quite high that immediately identifies the target: professionals. It is not that a user with standard uses should go his way, but he will find himself there with a machine of which he risks using only 5% of the capacities. For others (creatives, developers, musicians, photographers…), it is simply a godsend as it makes things easier in all sectors and for a long time. If your software supports M2 chips, but this is becoming more common.
Users who require graphics power for 3D rendering or animations will opt for the M2 Max chip with a more robust GPU. If you’re looking for a use for photo editing, music creation, or simple video editing, the MacBook Pro with M2 Pro chip will more than suffice.
Pre-orders for MacBook Pro with M2 Pro or M2 Max chip, in 14-inch or 16-inch, will be available on Tuesday, January 24, 2023.
Source: BFM TV
