By Dan Moren
January 17, 2023 6:50 AM PT
Apple announces M2 Pro and M2 Max-powered MacBook Pros, Mac mini
As expected, Apple on Tuesday took the wraps off updates to its MacBook Pro and Mac mini lines, featuring as their centerpiece the new M2 Pro and M2 Max processors.
The MacBook Pro update is basically a speed bump: the base level $1999 14-inch model moves to a M2 Pro 10-core CPU/16-core GPU configuration, with build to configure options for M2 Pro 12-core with a 19-core GPU, or to M2 Max with 12 cores and either 30 or 38 cores of GPU. Options at $2499 and $3099 come with the higher M2 Pro and the M2 Max, respectively. Meanwhile, the 16-inch model’s base configuration, at $2499, starts with a 12-core CPU/19-core GPU M2 Pro, while the $2699 and $3499 models feature the 12-core/19-core M2 Pro and 12-core/38-core M2 Max options.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro is a hair thinner at 0.6 inches, compared to the previous generation’s 0.61 inches, and while the M2 Pro configurations weigh the same, the 14-inch M2 Max adds 0.1lbs. There’s also a skosh more battery life, with Apple reporting an hour more for both Apple TV app movie playback and wireless web across all models. Specs are otherwise unchanged across the line.
On the Mac mini side, Apple has finally axed the Intel Mac model and now offers three configurations of mini, starting with the same 8-core CPU/10-core GPU M2 configuration in the MacBook Air at $599—$100 less than its M1-powered predecessor.1 While a $799 model features more storage with the same chip configuration, there’s also for the first time an option for Apple’s more powerful M2 Pro chip, in a $1299 10-core CPU/16-core GPU option, with a build to order configuration also offering a bump to a 12-core/19-core GPU M2 Pro. The M2 Pro configuration also offers four Thunderbolt 4 ports on the back, up over just two on the M2 configurations.
Apple’s clearly positioning the M2 Pro mini as a replacement for the 27-inch iMac, as in its press release it specifically stacks up the M2 Pro’s performance against a 27-inch Intel Core i7, suggesting once again that a larger iMac isn’t likely to appear anytime soon.
Interesting, the new mini is slightly larger than the old model: 7.75 inches on a side and 1.41 inches high, as opposed to 7.7 inches and 1.4 inches for the M1 model. And the M2 Pro model just a bit heavier too, at 2.8 pounds instead of 2.6.
While the M2 Pro chip still supports up to 32GB of RAM, the M2 Max offers both 64GB and now—in the highest, 38-core GPU configuration, 96GB of RAM. The external display support of the MacBook Pros have been improved as well, with both the M2 Pro and M2 Max now supporting a single external display at 8K resolution at 60Hz over the HDMI port as well as 4K displays up to 240Hz. In the case of the M2 Max, that’s in addition to two two external displays at 6K.
In addition, there’s a slight bump in wireless capabilities as well, with all new models getting Wi-Fi 6E support and Bluetooth 5.3.
The new models go on sale today, and will arrive starting next Tuesday, January 24 in most regions, including the US; Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, New Zealand, and Singapore won’t see them until February 3.
- Education markets can get the M2 mini starting at $499 and the M2 Pro starting at $1199, a savings of $100. ↩
[Dan Moren is the East Coast Bureau Chief of Six Colors. You can find him on Mastodon at @dmoren@zeppelin.flights or reach him by email at dan@sixcolors.com. His latest novel, the supernatural detective story All Souls Lost, is out now.]
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