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Back in the Intel days, the Mac mini’s small stature resulted in huge performance tradeoffs. In the past, you could have a small footprint, or you could have high performance, but you couldn’t have both. Apple Silicon has totally changed the game in that respect, and that’s further emphasized with the Mac mini featuring M2 Pro. Watch my hands-on experience with Apple’s diminutive beast, and be sure to subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more hands-on videos.

Flexibility

One of the most appealing aspects of the Mac mini is its flexibility. It’s less than half the size of a Mac Studio, doesn’t feature a built-in display, and can be placed pretty much anywhere – on a desktop, mounted under a desk, on the back of a monitor, on a wall, etc. I personally like to mount my Mac mini under my desk using an inexpensive mount that I purchased on Amazon. Coupled with the monitor arm that I have paired with the Pro Display XDR, the Mac mini enhances my minimalistic desktop working environment.

Video walkthrough: Hands-on with the M2 Pro Mac mini

Subscribe to 9to5mac on YouTube for more videos

M2 Pro chip

The idea of editing video, playing games, or doing any other graphics-intense operation on a standalone Intel Mac mini was a downright laughable concept, but Apple Silicon changed the game.

Apple’s M2 system-on-a-chip provides a modest bump over the original M1 Mac mini, while the M2 Pro provides an even more noticeable performance leap. The M2 Pro version gives the Mac mini CPU two additional performance cores, in addition to its four efficiency cores, for a total of 10 cores. The M2 Pro also provides an additional 6 GPU cores over the baseline M2 machine for a total of 16 GPU cores — double the amount of GPU cores found on the M1 Mac mini from 2023.

For video editors, especially those working with ubiquitous H.265 video, the M1 chip with its hardware-acceleration for HEVC, provided a huge performance boost, and made it viable to edit video on the Mac mini. The M2 chips – even the standard M2 – builds on this foundation by providing a higher-bandwidth video decode engine that supports 8K H.264 and HEVC, and hardware-acceleration for both ProRes and ProRes RAW up to 8K. That means that even the baseline M2 gets features that were previously exclusive to the higher-specced M1 chips that weren’t available to configure on the prior Mac mini.

My video workflow

One of the biggest differences that I noticed is with ProRes performance, and this shouldn’t be a surprise given the fact that the M2 series of chips features ProRes acceleration for 8K video. What does this actually mean, though? It means that when I try to playback an 8K ProRes clip on an M1 machine like the iMac, the CPU does all of the heavy lifting, instead of dedicated hardware accelerators. Because the M1 Machines don’t have enough cores to throw at the problem, it causes the whole machine to slow down, which affects productivity.

On the M2 and M2 Pro, I can playback ProRes video, and you’ll notice that the CPU stays relatively quiet. Instead of it doing the heavy lifting, the dedicated ProRes accelerators do the job instead. This allows the CPU to handle other functionality, such as rending Finder windows, multitasking, etc. The result is a much smoother and usable experience when working with 8K ProRes.

If you have a Canon R5 or R5C and pair it with an Atomos Ninja V+, you’ll be able to record 8K ProRes RAW files directly to an external SSD. The M2 upgrades make the Mac mini, especially if you decide to configure an 8TB SSD, an ideal candidate for such a workflow!

4 x Thunderbolt 4 ports

Back when the 2023 Intel Mac mini refresh launched, I labeled it as the most versatile Mac in existence, and its four Thunderbolt ports played a major role in its gaining that designation. So when the M1 Mac mini launched in 2023 with just two Thunderbolt 3 ports, I considered it to be a downgrade of sorts.

While the baseline M2 Mac mini again sports just two Thunderbolt 4 ports, the M2 Pro version has four. Having four Thunderbolt ports not only means that you can connect more physical devices to the Mac mini with M2 Pro, but it also features more Thunderbolt bandwidth, as each port is paired to its own dedicated bus. This means that you’ll be able to connect more high-performance devices, such as OWC’s Thunderblade SSDs, which require lots of bandwidth.

Up to 32GB of unified memory

Like the M1 Mac mini, the M2 Mac mini features 8GB of memory in its base configuration with up to 24GB configurable in build-to-order specs. The M2 Pro starts with 16GB of memory and can be customized with up to 32GB for $400 more. 8GB of memory was a huge bottleneck for my video-centric workflow in previous Apple Silicon Mac minis, so having 16GB as the baseline in the M2 Pro version lends some much-needed breathing room.

The M2 chips also provide a big leap in memory performance, going from just shy of 70GB/s of memory bandwidth on the M1 Mac mini, to 100- and 200GB/s respectively on the M2 and M2 Pro.

Unlike previous Intel models, which could be upgraded with off-the-shelf SO-DIMM memory modules, you’re stuck with whatever you configure on Apple Silicon machines. I found myself running up against the constraints of my 16GB “base” model M2 Pro Mac mini when working with high resolution 8K video in Final Cut Pro.

I’d recommend configuring your machine with the max 32GB of memory, especially if you plan on using it for any sort of creative tasks like video or photo editing. Otherwise you run the risk of having your Mac page out to its SSD when it runs out out of memory, slowing you down in the process.

Up to 8TB SSD

The amount of storage that Apple allows users to configure speaks to how it views a particular machine. Creative-focused Mac usually have access to larger amounts of SSD storage in build-to-order specs, and that holds true with the M2 Pro Mac mini.

While the baseline M2 version maxes out at only 2TB of storage, the M2 Pro lets uses configure up to 8TB of storage, which is the highest amount of storage that Apple features on any of its other high-end machines. Given the fact that the M2 Pro Mac mini plays nice with 8K ProRes RAW files, which feature downright absurd file sizes, it makes sense that Apple gives users the option for higher-tier storage. Clearly, Apple sees the M2 Pro Mac mini as a creator-driven machine that warrants a caverounous amount of on-board storage.

As previously reported, SSD speeds are markedly slower on M2 machines when compared to the same storage configurations on M1 models. This is because storage on these new models are no longer striped between as many NAND chips as before, reducing speeds in the process. Casual users probably wouldn’t notice a difference, but if you’re regularly offloading large files, then the differences in speed may be noticeable, especially on lower-end configurations.

Wi-Fi 6E

I normally use Ethernet in order to reap the full benefits of my 2.5Gbps fiber plan, but I disconnected my Ethernet cable in order to test the Wi-Fi speeds. In real world usage, I noticed that both upload and download speeds were much faster when connected to the 6 GHz band. It’ll especially be noticeable for those of you who have faster Internet plans.

If your setup doesn’t allow for a hardwired Ethernet connection, then Wi-Fi 6E may prove to be difference-maker. The big downside is that you’ll have to spend money on a Wi-Fi 6E-compatible router, as normal Wi-Fi 6 routers can’t utilize the 6 GHz band.

8K support via HDMI

All of Apple’s M2 Pro machines include support for 8K output via HDMI, which is a first for Apple hardware. Unfortunately, there aren’t any desktop displays that I know of that can support 8K input via HDMI. You’ll most likely have to opt for connecting to an 8K television, such as TCL’s 65″ Class 6-Series 8K QLED. [Disclaimer: TCL was nice enough to send me a loaner 6-series television so that I could test out the 8K connectivity from the new Mac mini.]

4K 240Hz support via HDMI

While 8K support is an interesting bullet point, I’m a bigger fan of having support for higher refresh rates on external displays via HDMI. M2 Pro machines like the Mac mini and MacBook Pro can, for the first time, officially drive external displays at higher refresh rates than 60 Hz. The previous M1 Pro/Max/Ultra MacBook Pro and Mac Studio machines could only drive an external display at up to 6K at 60Hz, and that was via Thunderbolt, not HDMI.

Like gaming at 8K, gaming at 4K 240Hz on the Mac mini is not a viable option given its lack of the necessary graphics power. But there are other benefits high refresh rate support, such as smoother scrolling within macOS. The scrolling experience when using higher frame rates is closer to what you’ll find on a ProMotion-enabled display on today’s 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro machines.

9to5Mac’s Take

The Mac mini, especially the M2 Pro version, is a solid machine for creatives. At just $1299 for the M2 Pro version, you get a machine with the type of power that we could only dream about a Mac mini having just a few short years ago. If you don’t have the budget for higher specced Apple computers, the M2 Pro Mac mini is a great value. The baseline M2 Mac mini, at just $599, is arguably an even better bang for the buck, but the slower CPU, GPU, lack of the additional Thunderbolt I/O, limited memory and storage options, might serve as bottlenecks for some creatives.

Keep in mind that you’ll have to provide a monitor, keyboard, and mouse/trackpad, and speakers, so unless you already own those items, they will add to the cost. If you’re looking at the base M2 Mac mini because you need the cheapest Mac that you can buy, you may be better off opting for a refurbished M1 MacBook Air, which I think is probably still, pound for pound, the best value in Macs today.

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Apple Mac Mini (M2, 2023) Review: Little Mac, Big Bargain

Best Prices Today: Apple Mac mini (M2, 2023)

A new Mac Mini isn’t often greeted with too much fanfare – after all the design has hardly changed in years, it doesn’t have any natural rivals on the Windows side to compare against, and Apple mostly just updates the CPU and calls it a day. 

This time is a little different. All of the above is still true, of course, but by throwing in its new M2 and M2 Pro processors and dropping the starting price to a mere $599/£649, Apple has made its mini Mac a value proposition that’s hard to beat – and how many Apple products can you say that about? 

Design & build

Iconic, compact design 

Plenty of ports 

The Mac Mini looks much as it ever has: a small, silver box, tinier than a computer has any right to be, with a large Apple logo front and centre. 

It is, as my girlfriend put it, ‘chic’. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

There are, for what it’s worth, a few mini PC rivals that run Windows, though they rarely look this sleek, and your favourite influencer wouldn’t use one. Apple has cornered the market on compact desktops that are aesthetic, so you can’t blame the company for sticking to its guns. 

It is, as my girlfriend put it, ‘chic’

Where it has had to work to keep things up to date are the ports round the back.  

On this current iteration of the Mini, you get two USB-C ports with support for Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4, along with DisplayPort. Opt for the more powerful M2 Pro processor, and Apple throws in an extra two of these for four in total. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Either way, you also get a further two USB-A ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an HDMI output, Ethernet (Gigabit by default, upgradable to 10 Gigabit), and the power socket. Unlike its MacBook Pro laptops there’s no SD card reader sadly, but the old-fashioned USB ports more than make up for it. 

Specs & performance 

Exceptional M2 performance 

Up to 32GB RAM

Up to 8TB storage 

The Mac Mini can currently be equipped with your choice of an M2 or M2 Pro chip – though not the higher tier M2 Max, which is currently limited to the MacBook Pro. 

That shouldn’t be an issue though, as the two available chips offer plenty of performance. I’ve been reviewing the Mini with a regular M2 chip, which includes an eight-core CPU and a 10-core GPU. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Upgrade to the Pro and you get 10 CPU cores and 16 for the GPU, with the option to go one step further for 12 CPU cores and 19 GPU.  

That means every step up delivers an increase in overall performance, though with a particular focus on added graphical oomph – so if the GPU isn’t your main concern, you might well be just as happy with the default spec.  

One thing you can’t do is take all that power and put it to use on games

This is certainly more than enough power for most day-to-day computing, handling my horde of Chrome tabs, Slack, Spotify, video calls, and Photoshop with ease.  

Comparing Macs to Windows devices is tricky over benchmarks – insert your own variant on the Apple/oranges joke here – but it’s clear that even the basic M2 Mini is plenty powerful. The MacBook Pro we reviewed is equipped with the same 12-core M2 Pro chip that’s an option here, so is a good indicator of the performance jump available to you if you upgrade – or you can check out our sister site Macworld’s more technical deep dive into the performance of an M2 Pro Mac Mini.

Part of the power on offer comes down to RAM configurations too, of course. By default, the new Mini ships with 8GB RAM, but if you want you can bump that way up to 32GB with the M2 Pro chip. 

Storage is even sillier – the 256GB initial allocation is probably plenty if you’re an avid cloud user, but for those who aren’t this goes all the way up to 8TB. At that point, it’s not quite so much of a value proposition though. 

Display options are also impressive thanks to the combination of Thunderbolt 4 and HDMI ports. Pro models can drive a 8K@60Hz display over HDMI plus up to two 6K panels over DisplayPort, while cheaper M2 models cap at 4K@60Hz on HDMI with a single added 6K screen on DisplayPort. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Of course, this being a Mac, one thing you can’t do is take all that power and put it to use on games – pretty much the major reason someone might opt for a Windows desktop instead. Apple says this is improving, but Mac-compatible games remain thin on the ground, so don’t buy this expecting to play much. 

Finally, connectivity is handled by the latest Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 standards, plus that Ethernet port – which delivers Gigabit speeds by default, but as mentioned earlier can be upgraded. 

Software & apps

Ships with macOS Ventura 

Stage Manager improves multi-tasking 

Likely long-term software support 

You won’t be shocked to hear that this Mac ships with macOS.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The latest version, Ventura, delivers enhancements to multi-tasking and productivity that help elevate the Mini’s potential as a work device though, letting you make the most of all that power under the hood.  

It’s a pretty safe bet that Apple will be issuing updates to this Mac Mini for years to come

The heart of that is the new Stage Manager feature, which allows you to group open apps while keeping them running and visible along the left-hand side of the screen, ready to switch to in a minute. 

Together with the taskbar along the bottom, it does tend to make your display a little cluttered by default but makes it far easier to switch between different combinations of apps that work in synergy. I’ll admit to still preferring the simpler way Windows allows you to snap apps into various grids and configurations, but Apple is getting there. 

Elsewhere this is mostly macOS as you know it, for good and bad. Its other key strength is interactions with the rest of the Apple ecosystem – it’s a doddle to pair AirPods for audio, to share files from your iPhone, or even use an iPad as a second screen. If you’re all-in on Apple, this stuff is a great extra. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Finally, while there’s no specific promise of years of software support, it’s a pretty safe bet that Apple will be issuing updates to this Mac Mini for years to come. Ventura still supports Mac models released in 2023, so this could still be getting macOS updates come 2029.  

Price & availability 

The starting price of $599/£649 is the Mac Mini’s secret weapon – it’s $100/£50 cheaper than its M1-powered predecessor. To get the power of even the most basic M2 chip at that price is pretty exceptional value, and hard to find replicated elsewhere. 

The $4,499/£4,599 maxed out configuration – with the Pro chip, 32GB RAM, 8TB storage, and upgraded Ethernet – is rather less of an impulse buy, but few people will need to go anywhere near that spec. Perhaps the biggest issue is that any upgrade to the M2 Pro comes at a price – even a basic version starts from $1,299/£1,399 – at which point this stops feeling like quite such a steal.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The caveat of course is that this is only a desktop – all you get is the computer itself, and a power lead. If you don’t own them already that means you’ll also have to splash out on a mouse, keyboard, and monitor, all of which are sold separately. That’s par for the course, but worth remembering when comparing this price to an iMac or MacBook. 

To find the new Mac even cheaper, check out our guide to where to buy the Mac Mini, including the best deals.

For Mac mini accessory options, read Macworld’s feature on How to upgrade the M2 and M2 Pro Mac mini.

Verdict 

Apple hasn’t changed much in the latest Mac Mini, except for those astonishing chips, but then it didn’t really need to. 

The previous M1 model impressed, but with the M2 inside and a start price that’s closer to $500 than $1,000, the Mini is now an unexpected value-for-money prospect, an affordable desktop PC with all the power you need for, well, just about anything with gaming being the main caveat. 

Even demanding creative users can probably spec up an M2 Pro configuration to meet their needs, and few will find this Mini short of power – which is impressive in its own right. That makes the Mini much more expensive though, so upgraded models are definitely less appealing.

Still, this makes the Mini the ideal everyday Mac. It’s the Mac for almost anyone – or at least those of us still working from desktops.  

Specs 

Apple M2 or M2 Pro chipset 

Up to 32GB RAM 

Up to 8TB storage 

2x/4x USB-C 4 & Thunderbolt 4 with DisplayPort 

2x USB-A 

HDMI port 

Gigabit/10Gb Ethernet 

3.5mm headphone jack 

Wi-Fi 6E 

Bluetooth 5.3 

3.6 x 19.7 x 19.7cm 

1.18/1.28kg 

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Review Del Macbook Pro (M2 Pro, 2023): Más Potente Que Nunca

Pros

Rendimiento fantástico

HDMI y lector de tarjetas SD

Cámara web de 1080p

Increíble autonomía de la batería

Contras

Sin puertos USB-A

Ese notch

Sin pantalla táctil

Nuestro veredicto

Hay pocas cosas que no nos gusten de los últimos modelos del MacBook Pro de 14″ y de 16″ de Apple, que añaden los nuevos chips M2 Pro y M2 Max a un diseño ya existente. Es difícil negar su potencia pura, y la duración de la batería es inigualable, pero permanecen las viejas quejas, especialmente la falta de USB-A y el notch, que todavía se hace extraño.

Mejores precios hoy: Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M2 Pro, 2023)

El portátil más potente de Apple tiene ahora un interior todavía más potente: la última generación del MacBook Pro incorpora los chips M2 Pro y M2 Max de la propia compañía.

Disponible con pantallas de 14″ o 16″, el nuevo Pro puede competir tanto con dispositivos de productividad compactos y asequibles hasta con estaciones de trabajo móviles de gran tamaño y potencia, con un rendimiento superior al de la mayoría de los ordenadores de sobremesa.

Se mantienen algunas críticas habituales a Apple. La compañía se niega obstinadamente a incluir un puerto USB-A (aunque incluya HDMI y un lector de tarjetas SD) y, a pesar de la antiestética muesca en la parte superior de la pantalla, sigue sin haber opción de desbloqueo facial.

Pero si quieres un Mac y necesitas potencia, esta es la mejor opción hasta la fecha, y debería seguir siendo una gran tentación para los incondicionales de Windows que dispongan de presupuesto.

Diseño, construcción y puertos

Clásica construcción de aluminio de Apple

Minimalista y elegante

Bastante pesado

Este año, Apple no ha retocado el diseño del MacBook Pro, sino que se ha ceñido a los principios básicos que estableció a finales de 2023, con una clara herencia de años anteriores.

Te encontrarás un diseño sencillo de aluminio, a elegir entre color plata o gris espacial, con un teclado negro y un trackpad ancho.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

He probado el MacBook Pro de 14″, que es el más pequeño de los dos modelos de principios de 2023. Apple también vende un portátil Pro de 13″, pero este utiliza el diseño más antiguo, con menos puertos y la Touch Bar, y no incluye los últimos chips.

Como era de esperar, es más grueso que el MacBook descatalogado o el MacBook Air más reciente, con 1,55 cm de grosor, aunque también es definitivamente más grueso que la mayoría de los portátiles Windows de gama alta, a menos que empieces a compararlo con los modelos voluminosos para gaming y creatividad con GPU discreta.

El peso de alrededor de 1,6 kg es suficiente para notarlo, sin llegar a parecer excesivamente pesado. Ese peso también contribuye a la sensación de calidad y pulido del hardware: nadie podría acusar a esta belleza de parecer barata.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Tras las críticas que recibió el diseño anterior del MacBook Pro, que solo incluía puertos USB-C, Apple cambió de rumbo cuando rediseñó el chasis en 2023. Eliminó uno de esos puertos para dejar tres, todos compatibles con USB 4 / Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort y carga.

También tiene una toma de carga MagSafe 3 dedicada, un puerto de 3,5 mm para auriculares, un puerto HDMI de tamaño completo e incluso una ranura para tarjetas SDXC.

Nadie podría acusar a esta belleza de parecer barata”

Todo esto son grandes noticias. Lo que no es lo es tanto bueno es que, a pesar de todo, no haya ni rastro del que quizá siga siendo el puerto más utilizado de todos: el USB-A. Puede que sea tecnología antigua, pero, para bien o para mal, la mayoría de los periféricos todavía vienen con conexiones USB-A, y la mayoría de la gente tendrá que usar un dongle.

Apple no es ni mucho menos el único culpable en este sentido, pero resulta especialmente atroz dado que no hay forma de que la compañía pueda justificar la decisión por una limitación de espacio.

Teclado, trackpad y cámara web

Teclado con Touch ID cómodo

Trackpad háptico y ancho

Cámara web de 1080p mejor que la media

Los teclados excelentes son ahora innegociables en los portátiles de gama alta, y la competencia de rivales Windows como Dell y Huawei nunca ha sido más feroz. Por suerte, Apple no tiene mucho de qué preocuparse, con un teclado ligero y elástico con una acción de tecleo rápida y cómoda.

No es tan ágil como algunas de las mejores opciones de Windows, y las rejillas de los altavoces a ambos lados significan que es un poco más estrecho que otros, pero son quejas menores en cualquier caso.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

El teclado también tiene un sensor de huellas dactilares integrado en el botón de encendido, que permite desbloquear el portátil y aprobar compras en la App Store y otros pagos mediante Touch ID. Es rápido y fácil de usar, y rápido de configurar.

El trackpad es amplio y generoso, y está dotado de la misma tecnología háptica que Apple ha utilizado durante años para simular un clic sin piezas móviles reales. Es una lástima que Apple no haya seguido los pasos de Dell, Huawei y otros en el uso de esa retroalimentación háptica para manejar controles adicionales del trackpad (como ajustar el volumen o el brillo), pero con lo básico no hay nada de qué quejarse.

En 2023, Apple también mejoró la cámara web del MacBook Pro y, de nuevo, este portátil viene con una cámara de 1080p. Se trata de un punto a favor cuando la mayoría de los portátiles todavía se limitan a unas míseras cámaras de 720p, y la nitidez de la imagen debería reducir la necesidad de gastarse un dineral en una webcam dedicada aparte.

La imagen no es perfecta: aunque las imágenes son nítidas, creo que la gama de colores no es la adecuada y se inclina hacia los tonos rojos y anaranjados. Aun así, pocas cámaras webs integradas son mejores que esta, así que, por ahora, es una victoria.

Cabe recordar que los usuarios de iPhone tienen ahora la opción de conectar de forma inalámbrica la cámara de su teléfono como fuente, lo que supone una mejora indiscutible.

Pantalla y altavoces

Opciones de 14″ y 16″

Alta resolución, miniLED, 120 Hz

Muesca en la parte superior

Altavoces estéreo contundentes con audio espacial

Lo primero que hay que sacar en claro es que sí, al igual que la generación anterior, los nuevos modelos de MacBook Pro tienen una muesca en la pantalla.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Una pequeña sección de la pantalla está cubierta por una pequeña barra negra que contiene la webcam del portátil. Es similar al diseño del iPhone, al menos hasta que se introdujo la Isla dinámica en los iPhone 14 Pro y Pro Max del año pasado.

El notch es feo, y molesta, especialmente porque no contiene un módulo Face ID completo, lo que hace que parezca bastante innecesaria si solo se usa para la webcam. Dicho esto, es probable que te olvides de que está ahí bastante rápido y, a excepción de algunas apps con barras de menú expansivas, en realidad nunca afectará a la usabilidad.

Si puedes pasar por alto la muesca, es difícil que no te guste esta pantalla. En cualquiera de los dos tamaños de pantalla (técnicamente 14,2″ o 16,2″, para ser precisos), se obtiene una resolución rica (3024 × 1964 en el de 14″, 3456 × 2234 en el de 16″), un impresionante brillo máximo de 1.600 nits y, lo mejor de todo, una tasa de refresco de 120 Hz.

Los fabricantes de Windows han tardado en adoptar paneles con tasas de refresco rápidas fuera de sus líneas gaming, así que es algo en los que Apple va por delante. Obviamente, poca gente aprovechará esta especificación para jugar en un MacBook, pero es una de las razones por las que el portátil en su conjunto es tan fluido y ágil.

El notch es feo, y molesta”

Por otro lado, un elemento en el que Apple está por detrás de sus rivales de Windows es que la compañía sigue sin incluir una opción de pantalla táctil. Esto no es tan malo para los portátiles como para otros dispositivos, pero, si estás acostumbrado a pulsar y desplazarte con la punta de tu dedo, es una omisión un poco irritante.

Dejando a un lado las especificaciones, disfrutarás de un contraste rico y colores brillantes de una pantalla que utiliza la misma tecnología LCD miniLED que encontramos en los últimos modelos de iPad Pro.

Usando nuestra herramienta de calibración SpyderX, no parece ser el panel más brillante, pero la gama de colores es excelente: 100 % de sRGB, 87 % de AdobeRGB y un poderoso 98 % de DCI-P3. Es uno de los paneles más precisos que hemos probado, aunque se ve superado por los de Dell XPS 15 y LG Gram 16.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

En resumen: se verá genial tanto si trabajas como si ves Netflix en streaming, y tiene la precisión de color necesaria para las tareas creativas más exigentes.

El sonido también impresiona, con seis altavoces que probablemente ofrezcan el mejor sonido que existe ahora mismo en un portátil, y eso sin hablar de la compatibilidad con la tecnología de audio espacial de Apple. Puede que uses auriculares para escuchar música más a menudo que no, pero es capaz de ofrecer lo que necesitas.

Especificaciones y rendimiento

Los chips M2 Pro o M2 Max traen un excelente rendimiento

RAM de 16 GB a 96 GB

Almacenamiento de 512 GB a 8 TB

Lo más destacado es el cambio a los chips M2 Pro y M2 Max, anunciados junto a estos dos modelos de MacBook Pro.

Son los últimos procesadores diseñados por Apple y, por el momento, siguen ofreciendo una potencia y un rendimiento casi inigualables por su precio.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

En realidad, hay cuatro opciones, no dos. El M2 Pro está disponible en dos configuraciones: una CPU de 10 núcleos y una GPU de 16 núcleos, o una CPU de 12 núcleos con una GPU de 19 núcleos (el modelo que he probado).

Por su parte, el Max ofrece siempre la misma CPU de 12 núcleos, pero permite elegir entre una GPU de 30 núcleos o de 38 núcleos para las tareas gráficas más intensas, junto con opciones de más memoria.

Las puntuaciones de los benchmarks pueden ser engañosas y compararlas entre dispositivos Mac y Windows es prácticamente como comparar peras con manzanas, pero incluso ejecutando pruebas básicas queda claro lo potente que es este equipo, y eso que ni siquiera he usado un modelo con M2 Max.

Toda esa potencia convierte, al nuevo MacBook Pro, en una opción excelente para cualquiera que necesite un gran rendimiento en el trabajo, aunque vuelve a ser cierto que no se puede aprovechar toda esa potencia para jugar. Apple insiste en que los Mac son mejores que nunca para el gaming, pero nos lo creeremos cuando los estudios empiecen a lanzar versiones compatibles con Mac en masa.

La RAM parte de los 16 GB (como el equipo que probé), con opciones de ampliación a 32 GB, 64 GB o incluso 96 GB de memoria, aunque las dos últimas solo están disponibles junto con la CPU M2 Max.

El almacenamiento es igualmente muy amplio. Empieza en unos ya respetables 512 GB y llega hasta la friolera de 8 TB.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Por último, la tecnología de red usada es básicamente la más reciente. No hay opción 5G, pero el Wi-Fi 6E y el Bluetooth 5.3 lo harán ágil y fiable para otras conexiones.

Batería y carga

Increíble autonomía de carga de todo un día

Carga rápida

Puede elegir entre cargar con MagSafe o USB-C

Si la potencia pura del chip M2 Pro impresiona, es la duración de la batería lo que realmente lo diferencia de la competencia.

Apple presume de que el portátil puede aguantar hasta 18 horas de reproducción de vídeo o 12 horas de navegación web, aunque en nuestra prueba de reproducción lo superó con creces, durando casi 24 horas de vídeo sin parar.

Eso significa que es fácilmente capaz de aguantar una jornada laboral completa sin tener que recargarlo, a menos que seas un usuario especialmente intensivo.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Como ejemplo real, he estado escribiendo este artículo sentado en una cafetería cerca de casa. He estado escribiendo durante un par de horas, dependiendo siempre de la batería, con un poco de multitarea. Acabo de comprobarlo y el portátil sigue al 98 %.

En cuanto a la carga, hay un poco más de variación. Por un lado, Apple suministra el portátil con varios cargadores: si optas por el chip más barato en el modelo de 14″, obtendrás un adaptador de corriente de 67 W.

Si aumentas la potencia de procesamiento, obtendrás un cargador de 96 W (que también es una opción de personalización con el silicio de especificaciones más bajas). Por su parte, los modelos de 16″ incluyen un cargador aún más rápido, de 140 W.

He estado escribiendo durante un par de horas, dependiendo siempre de la batería, con un poco de multitarea: el portátil sigue al 98 %”

Me enviaron el cargador medio de 96 W con mi ejemplar de muestra, que ofrece suficiente energía para cargarlo al 53 % en solo media hora con MagSafe, con una carga completa en poco más de una hora. Se trata de una velocidad similar a la de los portátiles de gama alta, por lo que no es necesario estar atado a un enchufe durante mucho tiempo.

El cargador incluido utiliza el puerto MagSafe actualizado de Apple, con un cierre magnético sorprendentemente fuerte para mantener el cable en su sitio. Si lo prefieres, puedes usar casi cualquier cargador USB-C suficientemente potente (o simplemente cambiar el cable y seguir usando el adaptador de Apple), lo que te permitiría recargarlo con el mismo cargador que usas para tu teléfono, tablet o Switch.

Software

No debería sorprenderte saber que el MacBook Pro funciona con macOS, actualmente en la versión 13, Ventura.

Es (que quede entre nosotros) un poco más parecido a Windows”

Voy a ser sincero: soy un hombre de Windows, y cada vez que me paso a un Mac siento que tengo mucho que aprender, ya que tengo que volver a aprender dónde está cada cosa y cómo funciona.

Las actualizaciones de Ventura se centran sobre todo en la multitarea y la compatibilidad con el ecosistema, especialmente el Organizador Visual, un nuevo modo que muestra todas las aplicaciones abiertas en la parte izquierda de la pantalla y permite organizarlas en grupos. Es (que quede entre nosotros) un poco más parecido a Windows, y por eso me ha resultado más fácil acostumbrarme a él.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

A eso contribuye el hecho de que, en los últimos dos años, Apple haya ido acercando poco a poco macOS y iPadOS, unificando sus funciones e interfaces de modo que ambos puedan funcionar igual de bien para la productividad fuera de casa.

Sin embargo, las interacciones entre dispositivos van más allá, con opciones sencillas para enviar archivos y compartir pantallas entre casi cualquier hardware moderno de Apple, y la ya mencionada capacidad de utilizar un iPhone como cámara web.

Solo la integración del ecosistema de Huawei se le acerca, y es mucho más probable que tengas un iPhone que un teléfono Huawei, lo que convierte a Apple en el líder de facto del mercado.

Precio y disponibilidad

Ah, aquí está el problema. Un MacBook Pro nunca es barato, y nada ha cambiado en este sentido.

Los precios empiezan en 2.499 € / MXN$49,999 / US$1,999 para el modelo de 14″, y en 3.049 € / MXN$59,999 / US$2,499 para el de 16″, aunque puedes gastarte hasta 7.649 € / MXN$167,499 / US$6,499 por la versión más potente.

Obviamente, puedes comprarlo directamente desde la web de Apple, pero hay otras tiendas donde hacerte con uno, a menudo a mejor precio, como Fnac, Macnificos o K-tuin en España; y Best Buy y Walmart en Estados Unidos.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Dejando a un lado los ridículos precios por los modelos más potentes (sabrás si puedes justificar gastarte mucho más en RAM y almacenamiento), el precio de Apple es elevado, pero no tan poco competitivo.

Solo estarías gastando un poco menos al comprar un Dell XPS 15 o un Huawei MateBook X Pro, y se podría decir que ninguno de los dos se acerca al Mac en potencia o duración de la batería.

Existen portátiles Windows más potentes enfocados al trabajo creativo y a los juegos, pero por regla general son más voluminosos que el MacBook Pro, y rara vez mucho más baratos.

Dicho esto, si no necesitas mucha potencia, no dudes en apostar por uno de los modelos de MacBook o MacBook Air, más baratos: son más compactos y, aun así, muy potentes para el día a día.

Consulta nuestro ranking completo de los mejores portátiles para ver más alternativas.

Veredicto

El MacBook Pro de 2023 no es más que una actualización de especificaciones, pero vaya especificaciones.

El M2 Pro es uno de los chips para portátiles más potentes que hemos probado, si no el que más, y el M2 Max es aún más rápido.

Puedo encontrar algunos contras. La falta de un puerto USB-A es la más obvia, mientras que la muesca es un elemento de diseño que solo Tim Cook podría adorar, aunque yo al menos he llegado a tolerarlo.

Aun así, para cualquiera que pueda trabajar en macOS, es difícil superar el rendimiento y la eficiencia energética del MacBook Pro, incluso a los precios ligeramente inflados de Apple.

Es demasiado potente para la mayoría, pero un portátil realmente bueno para aquellos que puedan sacarle el máximo partido.

Lista de especificaciones

Chipset M2 Pro o M2 Max de Apple

Hasta 96 GB de RAM

Hasta 8 TB de almacenamiento

Pantalla miniLED de 14,2″ o 16,2″ (120 Hz)

Cámara web de 1080p

3 x USB-C 4 / Thunderbolt 4

1 x HDMI

1 x ranura para tarjetas SDXC

1 x MagSafe 3

Cargador de 67 W / 96 / 140 W

Wi-Fi 6E

Bluetooth 5.3

macOS

Save $200 On This Macbook Pro With M2 Chip – Early Prime Day Deals

Last Updated on July 4, 2023

Prime Day is fast approaching, but there are still excellent deals that you can grab ahead of the day itself.

At the time of writing, the Apple 2023 MacBook Pro with M2 chip is down from £1299.00 to $1,099.00 at Amazon, saving you a solid $200.

Save 15% NOW!

Apple 2023 MacBook Pro Laptop with M2 chip

13-inch Retina Display, 8GB RAM, 256GB ​​​​​​​SSD ​​​​​​​Storage, Touch Bar, Backlit Keyboard, FaceTime HD Camera. Works with iPhone and iPad; Space Gray

Best Deals

Deal @ Amazon

*Prices are subject to change. PC Guide is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

The Apple 2023 MacBook Pro is a powerhouse device designed to meet the needs of professionals, creatives, and tech enthusiasts. Equipped with the supercharged M2 chip, this MacBook Pro delivers unrivaled performance, enabling lightning-fast processing and seamless multitasking. One standout feature is the impressive battery life of up to 20 hours, ensuring you can work, create, and enjoy entertainment without interruption. 

The brilliant Retina display brings your content to life with vibrant colors and sharp details, perfect for photo editing, video production, and immersive viewing experiences. The HD camera and studio-quality mics enhance your video calls, online meetings, and content creation. With versatile connectivity options, you can effortlessly connect to a wide range of devices and accessories. The MacBook Pro is designed to be user-friendly, providing an intuitive and efficient experience for both new and experienced users.

Here’s what you can get for the new reduced price:

Supercharged by M2: Experience unrivaled performance and seamless multitasking

Up to 20 hours of battery life: Enjoy extended productivity and entertainment without interruption

Brilliant display: Immerse yourself in vibrant visuals and sharp details

HD camera and studio-quality mics: Enhance your video calls and content creation

Versatile connectivity: Effortlessly connect to a wide range of devices and accessories

What We Think

The Apple 2023 MacBook Pro Laptop with M2 chip is a powerful and versatile device that caters to professionals, creatives, and tech enthusiasts seeking unparalleled performance. The supercharged M2 chip delivers blazing-fast processing power and seamless multitasking capabilities. With an impressive battery life of up to 20 hours, you can stay productive and entertained throughout the day. 

The Retina is perfect for demanding tasks like photo editing and video production. The HD camera and studio-quality mics ensure clear and professional video calls and content creation. With versatile connectivity options, you can easily connect to various devices and accessories to expand your capabilities. The MacBook Pro is designed to be user-friendly, providing an intuitive and efficient experience for both newcomers and experienced users. 

If you’re in search of a high-performance laptop that combines power, efficiency, and a delightful user experience, the Apple MacBook Pro with M2 chip is an excellent choice. Unleash your creativity, productivity, and potential with this impressive device.

Best MacBook Early Prime Day deals

Save 15% NOW!

Apple 2023 MacBook Pro Laptop with M2 chip

13-inch Retina Display, 8GB RAM, 256GB ​​​​​​​SSD ​​​​​​​Storage, Touch Bar, Backlit Keyboard, FaceTime HD Camera. Works with iPhone and iPad; Space Gray

Best Deals

Deal @ Amazon

Save 20% NOW!

Apple 2023 MacBook Air Laptop M1 Chip

13″ Retina Display, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage, Backlit Keyboard, FaceTime HD Camera, Touch ID. Works with iPhone/iPad; Silver

Best Deals

Deal @ Amazon

*Prices are subject to change. PC Guide is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

Macbook Pro Comparison: How The New M2 Pro/Max Improves Over The M1 Versions

Apple’s latest MacBook Pro laptops are powered by the new M2 Pro and M2 Max custom silicon. Along with a more powerful CPU and GPU, the MacBook Pro machines support up to 96GB RAM, Wi-Fi 6E, 8K output via HDMI, and more. Read on for our in-depth M2 Pro/Max MacBook Pro comparison for how everything stacks up against its predecessor.

Apple overhauled its MacBook Pro laptops in late 2023 with the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips. That brought RAM up to 64GB, CPUs with up to 10 cores, and GPUs with up to 32 cores. Other additions were a 1080p webcam, Liquid Retina XDR Display with mini-LED backlighting, an updated I/O array with HDMI, SD, and MagSafe returning.

Then the M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro machines arrived in early 2023 with increased performance, better battery life, up to 96GB RAM, 12-core CPU, 38-core GPU, 8K HDMI, Wi-Fi 6E, and more.

Note – the 13″ MacBook Pro updated with the M2 chip in 2023 is most comparable to the M2 MacBook Air rather than these MacBook Pro machines.

We’ve also got a comparison if you’re on the fence between the Air and Pro:

Let’s get into all the differences between the M2 Pro/Max MacBook Pro and the M1 versions!

MacBook Pro comparison: M2 Pro/Max vs M1 Pro/Max CPU, GPU, memory, neural engine

M2 MacBook Pro (2023)M1 MacBook Pro (2023)ProcessorM2 Pro or M2 Max – 10 or 12-coreM1 Pro or M1 Max – 8 or 10-coreStorageUp to 8TBUp to 8TBRAM16 to 96GB16 to 64GBGraphicsUp to 38-coreUp to 32-coreNeural engine16-core16-coreFaceTime camera1080p1080pSpeakers6-speaker high-fidelity6-speaker high-fidelityMicsStudio-quality 3-mic arrayStudio-quality 3-mic array

Apple says the M2 Pro gives 20% faster CPU and 30% faster GPU performance than the M1 Pro. And the M2 Pro neural engine has seen a 40% speed increase over its predecessor.

You’ve also got up to 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU with the M2 Pro.

For the M2 Max, Apple says the same 20, 30, and 40% performance improvements apply when compared to the M1 Max for CPU, GPU, and neural engine.

The M2 Max now supports up to 96GB of unified memory, 12-core CPU, and up to 38-core GPU.

The overall transistor count has gone from 33.7 billion on the M1 Pro to 40 billion on the M2 Pro and from 57 billion on the M1 Max to over 67 billion on the M2 Max.

Like their predecessors, both the M2 Pro and M2 Max feature dedicated media engines to offer hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW support.

Apple says the new media engine has “twice the ProRes support to dramatically accelerate media playback and transcoding.” The new M2 Max chip continues to include two video encode engines like Apple did with the M1 Max.

Display

The M2 MacBook Pro machines feature the same display with identical specs.

14″ M2 MacBook Pro14″ M1 MacBook Pro16″ M2 MacBook Pro16″ M1 MacBook ProActual screen size14.2″14.2″16.2″16.2″Resolution3024 x 19643024 x 19643456 x 22343456 x 2234Aspect Ratio16:10 + notch16:10 + notch16:10 + notch16:10 + notchPPI254254254254Nits (brightness)XDR: 1000 sustained, up to 1600 peak; SDR 500XDR: 1000 sustained, up to 1600 peak; SDR 500XDR: 1000 sustained, up to 1600 peak; SDR 500XDR: 1000 sustained, up to 1600 peak; SDR 500Liquid Retina XDR display✅✅✅✅ProMotion (up to 120Hz)✅✅✅✅mini-LED backlit✅✅✅✅True Tone✅✅✅✅P3 wide color✅✅✅✅

The latest MacBook Pros come with a notch at the top center of the display for the 1080p FaceTime camera just like the 2023 models.

Unfortunately, Face ID has not arrived with the M2 MacBook Pro machines.

MacBook Pro I/O

The M2 MacBook Pro features almost all the same ports with the same layout as the M1 MacBook Pro. That includes an HDMI port, SDXC card reader, and MagSafe (officially called MagSafe 3). There are also 3 Thunderbolt 4/USB-C 4 ports.

But M2 Pro and M2 Max do take external display support a bit further with an upgrade from the HDMI 2.0 to 2.1 port that supports up to 8K output at 60Hz. That also allows for multichannel audio output.

Two more upgrades include Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

Correction: The chart below for the external display row was updated to reflect accurate details.

Size and weight

Physical dimensions are the same between the 2023 and 2023 MacBook Pro laptops. And Apple is still making the computers in two finishes: silver and space gray.

Here’s the full breakdown of size and weight:

14″ M2 MacBook Pro14″ M1 MacBook Pro16″ M2 MacBook Pro16″ M1 MacBook ProWeight3.5 pounds (1.6 kg)3.5 pounds (1.6 kg)4.7 pounds (2.1 kg)4.7 pounds (2.1 kg)Thickness0.61 inch (1.55 cm)0.61 inch (1.55 cm)0.66 inch (1.68 cm)0.66 inch (1.68 cm)Width12.31 inches (31.26 cm)12.31 inches (31.26 cm)14.01 inches (35.57 cm)14.01 inches (35.57 cm)Depth8.71 inches (22.12 cm)8.71 inches (22.12 cm)9.77 inches (24.81 cm)9.77 inches (24.81 cm)Display size14.2 inches14.2 inches16.2 inches16.2 inchesFinishesSilver or space graySilver or space graySilver or space graySilver or space gray

Battery life

Battery life was impressive with the M1 MacBook Pro machines and Apple was able to extend that even further with the M2 MacBook Pro models.

Both the 14 and 16″ M2 MacBook Pro laptops feature 1 hour longer battery life for video playback and wireless web use as compared with their predecessors.

That means up to 22 hours of video use for the 16″ M2 MacBook Pro and 18 hours of video playback for the 14″ M2 MacBook Pro.

14″ M2 MacBook Pro14″ M1 MacBook Pro16″ M2 MacBook Pro16″ M1 MacBook ProWireless web battery12 hours11 hours15 hours14 hoursVideo playback18 hours17 hours22 hours21 hoursIncluded power adapter67W or 96W USB-C + MagSafe67W or 96W USB-C + MagSafe140W USB-C + MagSafe140W USB-C + MagSafeBattery capacity70Wh70Wh100Wh100WhFast charging✅ (with 96W)✅ (with 96W)✅✅

Like the 2023 MacBook Pro models, the current MacBook Pro machines can fast charge which gives up to 50% battery in just 30 minutes.

Price

Prices for the base and middle-level standard configurations from Apple remain the same. However, custom builds with up to 96GB RAM and slightly different GPU core choices mean the M2 MacBook Pro machines can cost up to $6,499.

Model/price14″ M2 MacBook Pro14″ M1 MacBook Pro16″ M2 MacBook Pro16″ M1 MacBook Pro512 / 16GB$1,999$1,999$2,499$2,4991TB / 16GB$2,499$2,499$2,699$2,6991TB / 32GB$2,899$2,899$3,499$3,499Custom buildsUp to $6,299Up to $5,899Up to $6,499Up to $6,099

M2 MacBook Pro comparison wrap-up

The M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro laptops certainly offer some notable upgrades, but naturally, they aren’t as impressive as the jump from Apple’s Intel MacBook Pro to M1 Pro/Max models were.

If you’re a creative pro or other professional who needs the latest and greatest from Apple, the upgrade may be worth it. The latest MacBook Pros will also be great for those who are coming from an Intel MacBook.

However, for anyone who already has an M1 Pro/Max MacBook Pro and/or doesn’t have workflows that necessitate the absolute fastest performance, passing on these releases may make the most sense.

For those on the fence about which M2 MacBook Pro specs to go with, remember that you can get the same 10 or 12-core processor with the M2 Pro and M2 Max. The big difference you’re paying for is the extra GPU power including the more capable media engine and increased external display support with the M2 Max chip builds.

When it comes to RAM (unified memory), if you have medium to heavy workflows and/or plan to keep your new MacBook Pro for some years, going with 32GB or more will likely be worth the $400+ upgrade.

You can find the new MacBook Pro at Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and more.

Thanks for checking out our MacBook Pro comparison!

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