The MacBook Pro with Apple silicon is a line of Macnotebook computers first introduced in November 2020 by Apple. It is the higher-end model of the MacBook family, sitting above the consumer-focused MacBook Air, and is currently sold with 14-inch and 16-inch screens. All models use Apple-designed M series systems on a chip.
The first MacBook Pro with Apple silicon, based on the Apple M1, was released in November 2020.
The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros were released on October 26, 2021. Powered by either M1 Pro or M1 Max chips, they are the first to be available only with an Apple silicon system on a chip. These models re-introduced elements from previous revisions which were removed in the 2016 Touch Bar 15-inch and 13-inch MacBook Pro, such as MagSafe and hardware function keys.
13-inch with Touch Bar (2020–2022)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020)
On November 10, 2020, Apple introduced a 13-inch MacBook Pro with two Thunderbolt ports based on the Apple M1 system on a chip, launched alongside an updated MacBook Air and Mac Mini as the first Macs with Apple's new line of custom ARM-based Apple silicon chips.[3] The M1 13-inch MacBook Pro is externally identical to the previous two-port Intel model. It adds support for Wi-Fi 6, USB4, and 6K output to run the Pro Display XDR.[4] The number of supported external displays was reduced to one, while the previous Intel-based models supported two 4K displays.[5] The FaceTime camera remains 720p, but Apple advertises an improved image signal processor (ISP) that came with the M1 for higher quality video.[6]
On June 6, 2022, at WWDC 2022, Apple introduced the 13-inch MacBook Pro with two Thunderbolt ports based on the Apple M2 chip. This launched alongside an updated MacBook Air, with a new design, and also with the M2 chip. The specifications of the M2 MacBook Pro are almost the same, but it supports up to 24GB of unified memory. The 13-inch Touch Bar MacBook Pro was discontinued on October 30, 2023, in favor of an entry-level 14-inch model with the base M3 chip and two Thunderbolt ports.[7]
Reception
CNN's review of the M2 MacBook Pro was generally positive, praising it as "one of the fastest laptops ever", but criticized some aspects of the design, noting the lower-priced M2 MacBook Air has a higher-resolution webcam, larger display and MagSafe charging.[8]
M2 SSD speed
Testing by reviewers found the Solid-state drive in the base 256GB M2 model to be significantly slower (read speeds 50% slower and write speeds 30% slower) than the 256GB M1 model due to only having one NAND chip as opposed to two. Apple later confirmed to The Verge that the M2 MacBook Air with the same 256GB storage also lacked a second NAND chip.[9][10][11] The subsequent M3 fixed this issue with the base 256GB M3 model returning using two NAND chips.[12]
Part/Order number (Order based on stated color above)
MYD82, MYDA2
MYD92, MYDC2
MNEH3, MNEP3
MNEJ3, MNEQ3
Timeline
Announced Date
November 10, 2020
June 6, 2022
Released Date
November 17, 2020
June 24, 2022
Discontinued Date
June 6, 2022
October 30, 2023
Unsupported Date
Supported
14-inch and 16-inch (2021–present)
A silver MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2021)
At an online event on October 18, 2021, Apple announced redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.[18] They are based on the M1 Pro and M1 Max, Apple's first high-end ARM-basedsystems on a chip and their first professional-focused chips. The new models addressed many criticisms of the Touch Bar MacBook Pro[19] by re-introducing hard function keys in place of the Touch Bar, an HDMI 2.0 port,[20] a full-size SDXC reader and MagSafe 3.0 charging. Other additions include a 1000 nit Mini LED Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion supporting variable refresh rates up to 120Hz, thinner display bezels and a 1080p FaceTime webcam housed in an iPhone-like notch, Wi-Fi 6, Thunderbolt 4, and a six-speaker sound system supporting Dolby Atmos. The M1 Pro chip supports up to two external displays, both at 6K resolution, while the M1 Max chip supports up to four displays: three at 6K resolution, and one at 4K resolution.[21] The 16-inch version is bundled with a 140W GaN power supply that supports USB-C Power Delivery 3.1, though only MagSafe supports full-speed charging as the machine's USB-C ports are limited to 100W.[22]
On January 17, 2023, Apple announced the updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models based on the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. The updated models also include Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, HDMI 2.1, longer battery life, and up to 96GB of memory with M2 Max models with better speed and performance.[23]
On October 30, 2023, Apple announced updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max chips, increased memory, and screens that support 600 nits of SDR brightness. The M3 Pro and M3 Max models replace the space gray finish with a darker space black finish. A lower-end 14-inch model was introduced with an M3 chip and two USB 4/Thunderbolt 3 ports, replacing the 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro.[24]
On 30 October, 2024, Apple announced the updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros with the M4 family of chips. Apple also updated the lineup to include more RAM, in which both models now come with 16GB as standard - where the 14-inch model previously started at 8GB with the M3 Chip.
Design
Picture of the re-introduced SD card slot and HDMI port on the MacBook Pro (2021)
The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models feature a thicker and more-squared design than their immediate Intel-based predecessors. The keyboard features full-sized function keys, with the keyboard set in a "double anodized" black well.[25] The MacBook Pro branding has been removed from the bottom of the display bezel and is engraved on the underside of the chassis instead.[26] The models' appearance has been called reminiscent of the Titanium PowerBook G4 produced from 2001 to 2003.[27][28] The models are available in silver or space gray finishes, similar to the previous Intel models. There was some criticism on social media that the MagSafe cable only came in silver and mismatched the space gray models.[29]
Reception
Reception to the 2021 MacBook Pro was generally positive. Online reviewers such Justine Ezarik (iJustine), Emily Young of Linus Tech Tips and Marques Brownlee praised the new design, the larger function keys, the new screen and M1 Pro and M1 Max.[30][31]The Verge gave the models a 9.5/10 score, praising the increased speed and battery life, improved displays and speakers, and the removal of the Touch Bar, but criticized memory upgrade costs as "absurd" and noted only Apple's own apps seemed optimized for the GPUs.[32]
iFixit gave the models a repairability score of 4/10, compared to just 1/10 for the Touch Bar MacBook Pro, saying that battery replacements are easier as it is no longer glued in, and the display as well as most ports are modular, though noted speakers are glued in and solid-state storage is permanently soldered (as before).[33]
Under realistic workloads, the 8GB RAM model suffers from bottleneck issues compared to the 16GB RAM model.[34]
The macOS operating system has been pre-installed on all Apple silicon MacBook Pro computers since release, starting with version macOS Big Sur, which is the first release of macOS that can run on Apple Silicon Macs.[50]
↑ MacBook Pro (14-inch, Nov 2023) with M3 ships with macOS Ventura 13.5. MacBook Pro (14-inch, Nov 2023) with M3 Pro/M3 Max and MacBook Pro (16-inch, Nov 2023) ships with macOS Sonoma 14.1.
The MacBook Pro is a line of Mac laptop computers developed and manufactured by Apple. Introduced in January 2006, it is the high-end sibling of the MacBook family, sitting above the ultra-portable MacBook Air and previously the low-end MacBook. It is currently sold with 14-inch and 16-inch screens, all using Apple M-series chips. Before Apple silicon, the MacBook Pro used Intel chips, and was the first laptop made by Apple to do so, replacing the earlier PowerBook. It was also the first Apple laptop to carry the MacBook moniker.
The MacBook Air is a line of laptop computers developed and manufactured by Apple since 2008. It features a thin, light structure in a machined aluminum case and currently either a 13-inch or 15-inch screen. The MacBook Air's lower prices relative to the larger, higher performance MacBook Pro have made it Apple's entry-level notebook since the discontinuation of the original MacBook line in 2011.
MacBook is a brand of Mac notebook computers developed and marketed by Apple that use Apple's macOS operating system since 2006. The MacBook brand replaced the PowerBook and iBook brands during the Mac transition to Intel processors, announced in 2005. The current lineup consists of the MacBook Air (2008–present) and the MacBook Pro (2006–present). Two different lines simply named "MacBook" existed from 2006 to 2012 and 2015 to 2019. The MacBook brand was the "world's top-selling line of premium laptops" as of 2015.
Mac, short for Macintosh, is a family of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple. The name Macintosh is a reference to a type of apple called McIntosh. The product lineup includes the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops, and the iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro desktops. Macs are sold with the macOS operating system; the latest release is macOS 15 Sequoia.
Mac Mini is a small form factor desktop computer developed and marketed by Apple Inc. As of 2022, it is positioned between the consumer all-in-one iMac and the professional Mac Studio and Mac Pro as one of four current Mac desktop computers. Since launch, it has shipped without a display, keyboard, and mouse. The machine was initially branded as "BYODKM" as a strategic pitch to encourage users to switch from Windows and Linux computers.
Thunderbolt is the brand name of a hardware interface for the connection of external peripherals to a computer. It was developed by Intel in collaboration with Apple. It was initially marketed under the name Light Peak, and first sold as part of an end-user product on 24 February 2011.
Apple silicon refers to a series of system on a chip (SoC) and system in a package (SiP) processors designed by Apple Inc., mainly using the ARM architecture. They are the basis of Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch, AirPods, AirTag, HomePod, and Apple Vision Pro devices.
The Mac transition to Apple silicon was the transitioning of Apple Inc.'s line of Mac computers from designs using Intel x86-64 CPUs to designs based on Apple-designed processors based on the ARM64 architecture.
Apple M1 is a series of ARM-based system-on-a-chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., launched 2020 to 2022. It is part of the Apple silicon series, as a central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU) for its Mac desktops and notebooks, and the iPad Pro and iPad Air tablets. The M1 chip initiated Apple's third change to the instruction set architecture used by Macintosh computers, switching from Intel to Apple silicon fourteen years after they were switched from PowerPC to Intel, and twenty-six years after the transition from the original Motorola 68000 series to PowerPC. At the time of its introduction in 2020, Apple said that the M1 had "the world's fastest CPU core in low power silicon" and the world's best CPU performance per watt. Its successor, Apple M2, was announced on June 6, 2022, at Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).
The MacBook Air is a line of Mac laptops made by Apple Inc. In 2020, Apple stopped using Intel processors in the Air and switched to using their own Apple silicon M-series chips. In the current product line, the MacBook Air is Apple's entry-level laptop, situated below the performance range MacBook Pro, and is currently sold with 13-inch and 15-inch screens.
The iMac with Apple silicon is a line of all-in-one desktop Macs made by Apple Inc. since 2021. The first major redesign of the iMac line since 2012, the case and internals were redesigned to use Apple's custom processors, starting with the M1 system on a chip. The Apple silicon iMac features a 24-inch screen in a thin aluminum enclosure, elevated off the resting surface by a foot, and comes in seven colors.
The fifth-generation iPad Pro, colloquially known as the M1iPad Pro, is a line of iPad tablet computers developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It was announced on April 20, 2021, and was available in 11-inch (28 cm) and 12.9-inch (33 cm) screen size options, which are the same as its predecessor, the iPad Pro. Preorders began on April 30, 2021, and the product was released worldwide on May 21, 2021. It comes in two colors: Silver and Space Gray.
The Intel-based MacBook Pro is a discontinued line of Macintosh notebook computers sold by Apple Inc. from 2006 to 2021. It was the higher-end model of the MacBook family, sitting above the low-end plastic MacBook and the ultra-portable MacBook Air, and was sold with 13-inch to 17-inch screens.
The Mac Studio is a small-form-factor workstation developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It is one of four desktop computers in the Mac lineup, sitting above the consumer-range Mac Mini and iMac, and positioned below the Mac Pro. It is configurable with either the M2 Max or M2 Ultra system on a chip.
Apple M2 is a series of ARM-based system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., launched 2022 to 2023. It is part of the Apple silicon series, as a central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU) for its Mac desktops and notebooks, the iPad Pro and iPad Air tablets, and the Vision Pro mixed reality headset. It is the second generation of ARM architecture intended for Apple's Mac computers after switching from Intel Core to Apple silicon, succeeding the M1. Apple announced the M2 on June 6, 2022, at Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), along with models of the MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro using the M2. The M2 is made with TSMC's "Enhanced 5-nanometer technology" N5P process and contains 20 billion transistors, a 25% increase from the M1. Apple claims CPU improvements up to 18% and GPU improvements up to 35% compared to the M1.
The sixth-generation iPad Pro is a line of iPad tablet computers developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It was announced on October 18, 2022, and was released on October 26, 2022. It is available with the same screen size options as its predecessor: 11-inch and 12.9-inch.
Apple M3 is a series of ARM-based system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series, as a central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU) for its Mac desktops and notebooks. Released in late 2023, it is the third generation of ARM architecture intended for Apple's Mac computers after switching from Intel Core to Apple silicon, succeeding the Apple M2.
Apple M4 is a series of ARM-based system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series, including a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a neural processing unit (NPU), and a digital signal processor (DSP). The M4 chip was introduced in May 2024 for the iPad Pro, and is the fourth generation of the M series Apple silicon architecture, succeeding the Apple M3. It was followed by the professional-focused M4 Pro and M4 Max in October 2024.
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