Available in two versions of 14 and 16 inches, the new MacBook Pro from Apple promise impressive performance and record autonomy.
The rumor had been swirling around for a few hours and turned out to be true. Apple presented its two new MacBook Pros, now equipped with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips.
6E Wi-Fi and improved HDMI support, but nothing new in design
We will quickly go over the exterior appearance of the two models, since nothing changes between the two generations. Both devices still benefit from a Liquid Retina XDR Mini-LED screen topped with a notch that integrates both the 1080p FaceTime camera and the various microphones. The MacBook Pro also features a 6-speaker audio system, identical to that of previous computers released in 2021.
It should be noted, however, that Apple is upgrading the network part of its MacBook, with support for Wi-Fi 6E and speeds announced as being twice as fast as those of the previous generation.
Apple also indicates support for 8K screens at 60 Hz and 4K at 240 Hz thanks to the integrated HDMI port. The three Thunderblot 4 ports as well as an SDXC card reader and the MagSafe charging port complete the connectivity.
Two new processors and an announced 22-hour battery life
The real novelty is obviously inside, with the presence of the two new M2 Pro and M2 Max processors.
The M2 Pro processor has 10 to 12 CPU cores and is touted as 20% more efficient than the M1 Pro chip. It also offers a unified memory bandwidth of 200 GB/s (twice as much as the M2) and up to 32 GB of unified memory. The chip also integrates up to 19 GPU cores for graphics performance up 30%, according to data provided by the brand.
For example, Apple advertises 40% faster image processing in Photoshop compared to the M1 Pro and 80% faster than the latest most powerful Intel chips.
The M2 Max does even better, with 12 CPU cores including 8 high-performance cores, 38 GPU cores, 400 GB/s of unified memory bandwidth and up to 96 GB of RAM, depending on the configuration chosen.
Apple further explains that the performance delivered by its two new machines, regardless of the processor chosen, are the same on battery or on mains thanks to an optimization of energy consumption. Autonomy is also announced at 22 hours, a record on Mac, but Apple indicates that its tests were carried out in video playback. It will be necessary to see in use, with heavier applications, what it really is.
The MacBook Pro M2 Pro and M2 Max go on sale January 24 and are available for pre-order today. The 14-inch M2 Pro model starts at 2,399 euros while the 16-inch version has a starting price of 2,999 euros. Count respectively 3,699 and 4,149 euros to switch to the M2 Max.
Source : Apple press release
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