Apple MacBook Pro (2023) Review

To fit Apple silicon, plenty of connections, a 1080p webcam, and more, the 2021 MacBook Pro revamp thickened the lineup. The move was daring (and sometimes a massive reversal for Apple). The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros keep everything excellent about that design, but add M2 Pro and M2 Max CPUs for increased power and endurance. Beautiful mini-LED displays, great speakers, and capability for professionals and hobbyists make these ultrabooks some of the best.

Because Apple’s design doesn’t allow internal upgrades, you should seriously consider upgrading to the highest-performance RAM and storage, which will cost much more than the base versions. If you ever desire 96 GB of RAM for your M2 Max, consider emptying your bank account at purchase. With the M2 Pro and M2 Max, the MacBook Pro is more powerful than ever and a tempting substitute for many ageing devices.

Apple MacBook Pro Specifications

Design

The new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros have the same chassis as last year’s model. I’m okay with this choice because they still feel new and offer a good port selection and power. Both have boxy edges and rounded corners for pro functionality and Apple sheen. Although the colours are identical, we tried the 14-inch MacBook Pro in silver and the 16-inch in space grey (which I prefer). This year, notebooks include colour-matched MagSafe power connections.

Apple’s logo is tone-on-tone mirror-finished on either size or colour lid, which is simple. The 14.2-inch or 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display will have a notch, like the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus (the 14 Pro series went to a pill-shaped cutout last year). This lets Apple fit a 1080p camera. Unlike my iPhone, I’ve always noticed the notch on my 14-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro, which I bought last year. I have this year’s Pros and the M2 MacBook Air.

The screens are taller than 16:10, so you have more functional space. If you’re annoyed like me, TopNotch, which makes the menu bar black to hide the notch, may help. The mouse can still go under the notch, which is odd. All other redesign upgrades from last year still feel excellent.

Pricing and Availability

On January 24, 2023, the MacBook Pro 14-inch, 16-inch, and new Mac mini debuted. Apple has not increased the base price of the MacBook Pro 14-inch (2023) for US consumers to $1,999 for 512GB of storage and the M2 Pro microprocessor, as it did with the larger model. The improved performance of the 14-inch MacBook Pro justifies Apple’s decision not to raise the standard model’s US price despite the new technology.

The M2 Max costs $3,099, an increase of $100 over its predecessor. There are more potent CPUs, memory, and storage options for the M2 Pro and M2 Max. The $6,299 MacBook Pro 14-inch has the latest M2 Max processor and no pre-installed applications like Final Cut Pro. Apple has maintained the same price for the base model across generations in the United States, but purchasers in the United Kingdom and Australia must pay more.

Performance

Apple’s silicon in 2019 changed the Mac. Apple has been free to create custom computer chips that deliver power, performance, and efficiency. A MacBook Pro with an M2 Pro or Max runs as fast on battery as on mains power without sending you running to the nearest power socket. Power and efficiency increases are shown in two ways. First, the M2 Pro has 30% faster graphics than the M1 Pro and twice the memory bandwidth (200 GB/sec) of the 2022 M2. With four times the memory bandwidth (400 GB/sec) and 30% better GPU performance than the M1 Max, the M2 Max goes further. Benchmarks support these statements. From Geekbench 5 to Handbrake, Rise of the Tomb Raider to DaVinci Resolve, the 16-inch MacBook Pro we tested delivered and delivered.

Ports

We liked the old 16-inch MacBook Pro’s generous port assortment, so the new one has the same. Three Thunderbolt 4/USB-C connectors, an SD card slot, and an HDMI port. It has a MagSafe port and a headphone jack. Like the 14-inch model, the HDMI 2.1 connector enables 8K at 60 Hz on an external display. At 240 Hz, you can connect to a 4K display. The M2 Pro chip supports two external screens, and the M2 Max chip supports four.

Keyboard

The latest keyboard is also fun to type on. I enjoy the keyboard’s responsiveness and speed, notwithstanding its size. I wish they had more travel time and resistance, but the keyboard’s convenience and comfort made up for it. Working with the big touchpad is effortless. My movements and swipes are precisely detected. A smooth surface lets my fingertips glide. I’ll pick a good mouse any day, but the 16-inch MacBook Pro’s touchpad is excellent.