13-inch MacBook Pro review: Apple’s M2 is a worthy follow-up to the M1


Apple’s new 13-inch MacBook Pro is a little tough to recommend given the options in Apple’s lineup, but that doesn’t change the key takeaway: The new, second-generation M2 chip doesn’t disappoint.

While Apple calls the 13-inch MacBook Pro its “most portable Pro laptop,” there’s nothing that’s particularly “Pro” about it. It has too few ports for power users, and it can’t touch the 14-inch MacBook Pro in performance—yet it offers little to draw would-be buyers away from the similarly specced and soon-to-be-launched MacBook Air redesign.

That said, the real story is that this is the first laptop Apple released with its second-generation ARM-based processors for Macs. The M2 is an exciting follow-up to the already impressive M1 and a promising herald of what’s to come to future Macs that deserve the Pro moniker.

Specifications

Specs at a glance: 2022 13-inch MacBook Pro
Screen 2560×1600 at 13.3 inches
OS macOS Monterey 12.4
CPU Apple M2
RAM 16GB
GPU Apple M2
HDD 1TB SSD
Networking Wi-Fi 6; Bluetooth 5.0
Ports 2x Thunderbolt/USB 4, 3.5mm headphone
Size 0.61 inch×11.97 inch x 8.36-inch (1.56cm×30.41cm×21.24cm)
Weight 3 lbs (1.4kg)
Warranty 1 year, or 3 years with AppleCare+
Price as reviewed $1,899
Other perks 1080p FaceTime HD camera

There’s just one major difference between the 2022 13-inch MacBook Pro and the 2020 model it replaces: It sports Apple’s second-generation M2 system-on-a-chip instead of the M1. We’ll spend most of our time here on that, but let’s get a few other key details out of the way.

Starting at $1,299, the laptop offers two base storage configurations: 256GB, or 512GB for an additional $200. You can upgrade further to 1TB or 2TB for a substantial price bump.

Regardless of which configuration you buy, the port selection is the same, and it’s pretty limited: there are just two Thunderbolt/USB-4 ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Because it lacks the new MagSafe charging port found in its 14-inch and 16-inch big siblings (and in the upcoming MacBook Air redesign), one of those will often be taken up by a connection to the power brick.

That means that much of the time, this laptop has effectively one port. Thunderbolt has the throughput to work with an external dock or adapter to deal with multiple devices. Still, it seems a little strange that a laptop marketed to professionals offers less flexibility than the otherwise similarly priced and specced MacBook Air that’s a few weeks away.

Like its M1-based successor, the 2022 13-inch MacBook Pro can drive only one external display (up to 6K) in addition to its built-in display. This is a potentially crushing limitation for power users and several types of professional workflows, and it’s one that seems to be shared with the upcoming MacBook Air, too.

Other key specs include a 1080p front-facing camera, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, and a 13.6-inch, 2560×1664 resolution screen with 500 nits of maximum brightness. (We tested it and confirmed roughly that brightness range.) That screen compares well to the Air, but it’s greatly inferior in almost every respect to what you get with the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

One of the few notable advantages it has over other laptops in Apple’s lineup is its promised 17 hours of battery life for wireless web browsing. That’s compared to 15 hours for the upcoming MacBook Air, 14 hours for the 16-inch MacBook Pro, and 11 hours for the 14-inch MacBook Pro.



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