The WWDC 2022 event brought us the latest refresh to the MacBook Pro line, with the new 13-inch laptop boasting the M2 chip.
Apple has reported that the latest M2 chip will provide an 18% performance boost for the CPU for the latest 13-inch MacBook Pro, as well as a boost to the GPU performance.
Make sure you keep reading to find out everything you need to know about the new MacBook Pro M2 laptop.
Release date
The MacBook Pro 2022 will be available for pre-order on June 17, from 1:00pm UK time. The laptop officially becomes available on Friday June 24.
Pricing
The MacBook Pro M2 has a starting price of $1299/£1349, making it more expensive than the recently announced MacBook Air M2.
Depending on where you live, the price is not a big jump from the 13-inch MacBook Pro M1 (2020), which has a starting price of $1299/£1299 and features the M1 chip.
Specs
The MacBook Pro 2022 comes with the latest M2 chip. While the M2 chip is still built on similar 5nm architecture as the M1 processor, Apple has been able to squeeze another four billion transistors onto the chip, resulting in a total of 20 billion transitions which should provide a noticeable performance boost.
| Architecture | CPU Cores | GPU Cores | |
| Apple M2 | 5nm | 8 | Up to 10 |
| Apple M1 | 5nm | 8 | Up to 8 |
It has been confirmed that the M2 chip houses the same number of CPU cores as the M1 – with eight cores – although it has still seen a performance boost of 18%, which suggests the 13-inch MacBook Pro will be faster and smoother than its predecessor.
The GPU count is a different story; with the option of two new GPU cores, bringing the top number up to 10, and the improved architecture, Apple is claiming that there has been a 35% performance boost to the graphics. This will be a big boon for those who want a laptop for content creation.
It’s worth pointing out that the M2 chip is not as powerful as the M1 Pro, so the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops remain significantly more powerful than their 13-inch sibling.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro M2 will also feature 8GB of RAM (can be configured up to 24GB), with 256GB and 512GB SSD options (configurable up to 2TB).
Apple claims that it has a 20-hour battery during video playback, with a 58.2Wh battery inside the machine.
Design
The MacBook Pro packs a 13.3-inch Liquid Retina LED-backlit display and comes in two colours: Silver and Space Grey. It features Thunderbolt 3, USB-C 4, USB 3.2 and 3.5 audio jack setup, with no MagSafe charging support.
It has a 720p webcam alongside a backlit Magic Keyboard, retaining the Touch Bar design from the last generation of MacBook Pro. The laptop has also missed out on the controversial display notch, giving the laptop a cleaner look overall.
It weighs in at 1.4kg and is 15.6mm thick, meaning that it should work well as a portable device. The Pro 2022 also comes with a fan to keep the processor running efficiently, which explains why it’s slightly heavier than the MacBook Air 2022, which Apple has confirmed is fan-less.
The 2022 edition of the 13-inch MacBook Pro actually shares the exact same design as the 2020 model, with Apple opting against giving it a redesign as it has done with the new MacBook Air. It remains to be seen whether Apple has any future plans to freshen up the design.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
