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

Apple’s new 13-inch MacBook Professional is just a little powerful to suggest given the choices in Apple’s lineup, however that does not change the important thing takeaway: The brand new, second-generation M2 chip does not disappoint.

Whereas Apple calls the 13-inch MacBook Professional its “most moveable Professional laptop computer,” there’s nothing that’s notably “Professional” about it. It has too few ports for energy customers, and it may’t contact the 14-inch MacBook Professional in efficiency—but it gives little to attract would-be consumers away from the equally specced and soon-to-be-launched MacBook Air redesign.

That mentioned, the true story is that that is the primary laptop computer Apple launched with its second-generation ARM-based processors for Macs. The M2 is an thrilling follow-up to the already spectacular M1 and a promising herald of what is to return to future Macs that deserve the Professional moniker.

Specs

There’s only one main distinction between the 2022 13-inch MacBook Professional and the 2020 mannequin it replaces: It sports activities Apple’s second-generation M2 system-on-a-chip as a substitute of the M1. We’ll spend most of our time right here on that, however let’s get just a few different key particulars out of the best way.

Beginning at $1,299, the laptop computer gives two base storage configurations: 256GB, or 512GB for an extra $200. You’ll be able to improve additional to 1TB or 2TB for a considerable worth bump.

No matter which configuration you purchase, the port choice is similar, and it is fairly restricted: there are simply two Thunderbolt/USB-4 ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack. As a result of it lacks the brand new MagSafe charging port present in its 14-inch and 16-inch huge siblings (and within the upcoming MacBook Air redesign), a kind of will typically be taken up by a connection to the ability brick.

That signifies that a lot of the time, this laptop computer has successfully one port. Thunderbolt has the throughput to work with an exterior dock or adapter to cope with a number of gadgets. Nonetheless, it appears just a little unusual {that a} laptop computer marketed to professionals gives much less flexibility than the in any other case equally priced and specced MacBook Air that is just a few weeks away.

Like its M1-based successor, the 2022 13-inch MacBook Professional can drive just one exterior show (as much as 6K) along with its built-in show. It is a doubtlessly crushing limitation for energy customers and a number of other forms of skilled workflows, and it is one which appears to be shared with the upcoming MacBook Air, too.

Different key specs embrace a 1080p front-facing digital camera, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, and a 13.6-inch, 2560×1664 decision display screen with 500 nits of most brightness. (We examined it and confirmed roughly that brightness vary.) That display screen compares effectively to the Air, but it surely’s tremendously inferior in virtually each respect to what you get with the 14-inch MacBook Professional.

One of many few notable benefits it has over different laptops in Apple’s lineup is its promised 17 hours of battery life for wi-fi net looking. That is in comparison with 15 hours for the upcoming MacBook Air, 14 hours for the 16-inch MacBook Professional, and 11 hours for the 14-inch MacBook Professional.