The first MacBook Pro with Apple silicon, based on the Apple M1, was released in November 2020.
The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros were released in October 2021. Powered by either M1 Pro or M1 Max chips, they are the first to be available only with an Apple silicon system on a chip. These models re-introduced elements from previous revisions which were removed in the 2016 Touch Bar MacBook Pro, such as MagSafe and hardware function keys.
13-inch with Touch Bar (2020–present)
On November 10, 2020, Apple introduced a 13-inch MacBook Pro with two Thunderbolt ports based on the Apple M1 system on a chip, launched alongside an updated MacBook Air and Mac Mini as the first Macs with Apple's new line of custom ARM-based Apple silicon chips.[3] The M1 13-inch MacBook Pro is externally identical to the previous Intel model. It adds support for Wi-Fi 6, USB4, and 6K output to run the Pro Display XDR.[4] The number of supported external displays was reduced to one, as the previous Intel-based models supported two 4K displays.[5] The FaceTime camera remains 720p but Apple advertises an improved Image signal processor for higher quality video.[6]
On June 6, 2022, at WWDC 2022, Apple introduced the 13-inch MacBook Pro with two Thunderbolt ports based on the Apple M2 chip, instead of last generation M1. This launched alongside an updated MacBook Air, with new design, and also with the M2 chip. The specifications of the M2 MacBook Pro are almost the same, but it supports up to 24 GB of unified memory.
Reception
CNN's review of the M2 MacBook Pro was generally positive, praising it as "one of the fastest laptops ever", but criticized some aspects of the design, noting the lower-priced M2 MacBook Air has a higher-resolution webcam, larger display and MagSafe charging.[7] Testing by reviewers found the Solid-state drive in the base 256 GB M2 model to be significantly slower (read speeds 50% slower and write speeds 30% slower) than the 256 GB M1 model due to only having one NAND chip as opposed to two. Apple later confirmed to The Verge that the M2 MacBook Air with the same 256 GB storage also lacked a second NAND chip.[8][9][10]
8 GB, not upgradeable Optional 16 GB at time of purchase, not upgradable after
8 GB, not upgradeable Optional 16 GB or 24 GB at time of purchase, not upgradable after
Storage
256 GB PCIe-based SSD with up to 3.3 GB/s read speed, not upgradeable Optional 512 GB, 1 TB or 2 TB at time of purchase, not upgradable after
512 GB PCIe-based SSD with up to 3.3 GB/s read speed, not upgradeable Optional 1 TB or 2 TB at time of purchase, not upgradable after
256 GB PCIe-based SSD with up to 3.3 GB/s read speed, not upgradeable Optional 512 GB, 1 TB or 2 TB at time of purchase, not upgradable after
512 GB PCIe-based SSD with up to 3.3 GB/s read speed, not upgradeable Optional 1 TB or 2 TB at time of purchase, not upgradable after
Keyboard and trackpad
Backlit Magic Keyboard with (Scissor-switch) mechanism and ambient light sensor 65 (U.S.) or 66 (ISO) keys including 4 arrow keys in an inverted-T arrangement Force Touch Trackpad without Touch Bar Secure authentication Touch ID
Video and audio
720p FaceTime HD Video camera with advanced image signal processor with computational video Stereo speakers with high dynamic range wider stereo sound Dolby Atmos playback Supported Studio quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beam-forming
3.5 mm headphone jack included
3.5 mm headphone jack included with advanced support for high-impedance headphones[15]
Connectivity
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax) up to 1.2 Gbit/s[16] Bluetooth 5.0 2 × Thunderbolt 3 (USB4 via USB-C connector) ports supporting charging and DisplayPort protocols, among others. No eGPU support.[17] Up to 40 Gbps (Thunderbolt 3 or USB4) and 10 Gbps (3.1 Gen 2) transmission speeds One external display support up to 6016x3384 at 60 Hz
At an online event on October 18, 2021, Apple announced redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.[22] They are based on the M1 Pro and M1 Max, Apple's second ARM-basedsystems on a chip and their first professional-focused chips. The new models addressed many criticisms of the Touch Bar MacBook Pro[23] by re-introducing hard function keys in place of the Touch Bar, an HDMI 2.0 port,[24] a SDXC reader and MagSafe charging. Other additions include a Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion supporting 120 Hz variable refresh rate, thinner display bezels and a 1080p webcam housed in an iPhone-like notch, Wi-Fi 6, Thunderbolt 4, and a six-speaker sound system supporting Dolby Atmos. The M1 Pro chip supports up to two external displays, both at 6K resolution, while the M1 Max chip supports up to four displays: three at 6K resolution, and one at 4K resolution.[25] The 16-inch version is bundled with a 140 W GaN power supply that supports USB-C Power Delivery 3.1, though only MagSafe supports full-speed charging as the machine's USB-C ports are limited to 100 W.[26]
On January 17, 2023, Apple announced updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models based on the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. The updated models also include Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, HDMI 2.1, longer battery life, and up to 96GB of memory with M2 Max models.[27]
Design
Picture of the re-introduced SD card slot and HDMI port on the MacBook Pro (2021)
The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models feature a thicker and more-squared design than their immediate Intel-based predecessors. The keyboard features full-sized function keys, with the keyboard set in a "double anodized" black well.[28] The MacBook Pro branding has been removed from the bottom of the display bezel and is engraved on the underside of the chassis instead.[29] The models' appearance has been called reminiscent of the Titanium PowerBook G4 produced from 2001 to 2003.[30][31] The models are available in silver or space gray finishes, similar to the previous Intel models. There was some criticism on social media that the MagSafe cable only came in silver and mismatched the space gray models.[32]
Reception
Reception to the 2021 MacBook Pro was generally positive. Online personalities such Justine Ezarik (iJustine), Anthony Young of Linus Tech Tips and Marques Brownlee praised the new design, the larger function keys, the new screen and M1 Pro and M1 Max.[33][34]The Verge gave the models a 9.5/10 score, praising the increased speed and battery life, improved displays and speakers, and the removal of the Touch Bar, but criticized memory upgrade costs as "absurd" and noted only Apple's own apps seemed optimized for the GPUs.[35]
IFixit gave the models a repairability score of 4/10, compared to just 1/10 for the Touch Bar MacBook Pro, saying that battery replacements are easier as it is no longer glued in, and the display as well as most ports are modular, though noted speakers are glued in and solid-state storage is permanently soldered (as before).[36]
6 or 8 x 3.23 GHz Performance Cores (Firestorm) and 2 × 2.064 GHz Efficiency Cores (Icestorm), 8-core or 10-core overall Optional 10-core CPU at time of purchase, not upgradable after
8 x 3.23 GHz Performance Cores (Firestorm) and 2 × 2.064 GHz Efficiency Cores (Icestorm), 10-core overall
6 or 8 x 3.504 GHz Performance Cores (Avalanche) and 4 x 2.424 GHz Efficiency Cores (Blizzard), 10-core or 12-core overall Optional 12-core CPU at time of purchase, not upgradable after
8 x 3.504 GHz Performance Cores (Avalanche) and 4 x 2.424 GHz Efficiency Cores (Blizzard), 12-core overall
14-core Apple G13X (224 EUs, 1792 ALUs) or 16-core Apple G13X (256 EUs, 2048 ALUs) Optional 16-core GPU is only available for 10-core CPU at time of purchase, not upgradable after
24-core Apple G13X (384 EUs, 3072 ALUs) or 32-core Apple G13X (512 EUs, 4096 ALUs)
16-core Apple G13X (256 EUs, 2048 ALUs)
32-core Apple G13X (512 EUs, 4096 ALUs)
16-core (512 EUs, 4096 ALUs) or 19-core (608 EUs, 4864 ALUs) Optional 19-core GPU is only available for 12-core CPU at time of purchase, not upgradable after
30-core (960 EUs, 7680 ALUs) or 38-core (1216 EUs, 9728 ALUs) Optional 38-core GPU at time of purchase, not upgradable after
19-core (608 EUs, 4864 ALUs)
30-core (960 EUs, 7680 ALUs) or 38-core (1216 EUs, 9728 ALUs) Optional 38-core GPU at time of purchase, not upgradable after
16 GB Optional 32 GB at time of purchase, not upgradable after
32 GB Optional 64 GB at time of purchase, not upgradable after
16 GB Optional 32 GB at time of purchase, not upgradable after
32 GB Optional 64 GB at time of purchase, not upgradable after
16 GB Optional 32 GB at time of purchase, not upgradable after
32 GB Optional 64 GB and 96 GB at time of purchase, not upgradable after 96 GB requires M2 Max with 38-core GPU
16 GB Optional 32 GB at time of purchase, not upgradable after
32 GB Optional 64 GB and 96 GB at time of purchase, not upgradable after 96 GB requires M2 Max with 38-core GPU
Storage
SSD 512 GB or 1 TB PCIe-based SSD with up to 7.4 GB/s read speed, not upgradeable Optional 1 TB (For 512 GB models), 2 TB, 4 TB or 8 TB at time of purchase, not upgradable after
Keyboard and trackpad
Backlit Magic Keyboard with (Scissor-switch) mechanism and ambient light sensor 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys in an inverted-T arrangement Force Touch Trackpad without Touch Bar Secure authentication Touch ID
Video and audio
1080p FaceTime HD video camera with advanced image signal processor with computational video High-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers and wide stereo sound Dolby Atmos playback supported with Spatial Audio in built-in speakers or AirPods with dynamic head tracking "Studio quality" three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beam-forming 3.5 mm headphone jack included with advanced support for high-impedance headphones
3 × Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C4) ports supporting charging and DisplayPort protocols among others, 1 × HDMI 2.0, 1 × SDXC memory card slot (UHS-II). No eGPU support.
3 × Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C4) ports supporting charging and DisplayPort protocols among others, 1 × HDMI 2.1, 1 × SDXC memory card slot (UHS-II). No eGPU support.
External display support
Two displays up to 6016x3384 at 60 Hz via 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports or one display up to 6016x3384 at 60 Hz via 1 Thunderbolt 4 port and one display up to 3840x2160 at 60 Hz via HDMI 2.0 (Total: 2 Displays)
Three displays up to 6016x3384 at 60 Hz via 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports and one display up to 3840x2160 at 60 Hz via HDMI 2.0 (Total: 4 Displays)
Two displays up to 6016x3384 at 60 Hz via 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports or one display up to 6016x3384 at 60 Hz via 1 Thunderbolt 4 port and one display up to 3840x2160 at 60 Hz via HDMI 2.0 (Total: 2 Displays)
Three displays up to 6016x3384 at 60 Hz via 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports and one display up to 3840x2160 at 60 Hz via HDMI 2.0 (Total: 4 Displays)
Two displays up to 6016x3384 at 60 Hz via 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports or one display up to 6016x3384 at 60 Hz via 1 Thunderbolt 4 port and one display up to 3840x2160 at 144 Hz via HDMI 2.1 (Total: 2 Displays), or
One display up to 7680x4320 at 60 Hz via HDMI 2.1 (Total: 1 Display), or
One display up to 3840x2160 at 240 Hz via HDMI 2.1 (Total: 1 Display)
Three displays up to 6016x3384 at 60 Hz via 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports and one display up to 3840x2160 at 144 Hz via HDMI 2.1 (Total: 4 Displays), or
Two displays up to 6016x3384 at 60 Hz via 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports and one display up to 7680x4320 at 60 Hz via HDMI 2.1 (Total: 3 Displays), or
Two displays up to 6016x3384 at 60 Hz via 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports and one display up to 3840x2160 at 240 Hz via HDMI 2.1 (Total: 3 Displays)
Two displays up to 6016x3384 at 60 Hz via 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports or one display up to 6016x3384 at 60 Hz via 1 Thunderbolt 4 port and one display up to 3840x2160 at 144 Hz via HDMI 2.1 (Total: 2 Displays), or
One display up to 7680x4320 at 60 Hz via HDMI 2.1 (Total: 1 Display), or
One display up to 3840x2160 at 240 Hz via HDMI 2.1 (Total: 1 Display)
Three displays up to 6016x3384 at 60 Hz via 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports and one display up to 3840x2160 at 144 Hz via HDMI 2.1 (Total: 4 Displays), or
Two displays up to 6016x3384 at 60 Hz via 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports and one display up to 7680x4320 at 60 Hz via HDMI 2.1 (Total: 3 Displays), or
Two displays up to 6016x3384 at 60 Hz via 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports and one display up to 3840x2160 at 240 Hz via HDMI 2.1 (Total: 3 Displays)
The MacOS operating system has been pre-installed on all Apple silicon MacBook Pro computers since release, starting with version MacOS Big Sur, which is the minimum required version of macOS that can and was made for Apple Silicon Macs. [52]
