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

Apple’s new 13-inch MacBook Pro is a little tricky to recommend given the options in Apple’s lineup, but that doesn’t change the main takeaway: the new second-generation M2 chip doesn’t disappoint.

While Apple calls the 13-inch MacBook Pro its “most portable Pro laptop,” there’s nothing particularly “Pro” about it. It has very few ports for power users, and it can’t touch the 14-inch MacBook Pro in performance — yet it does offer little to lure potential buyers away from the soon-to-be-launched redesign of the MacBook Air. .

However, the real story is that this is the first laptop to be released with second generation ARM-based processors for Macs. The M2 is an exciting follow-up to the already impressive M1 and a promising harbinger of what’s to come to future Macs worthy of the Pro title.

Determine

There’s only one major difference between the 13-inch 2022 MacBook Pro and the 2020 model it replaces: It’s running Apple’s second-generation M2 on a chip instead of the M1. We’ll spend most of our time here on that, but let’s get some other basic details out of the way.

Starting at $1,299, the laptop offers two basic storage configurations: 256GB or 512GB for an additional $200. You can upgrade to 1 TB or 2 TB for a huge price hike.

No matter which configuration you buy, the port selection is the same, and it’s very limited: There are only two Thunderbolt/USB-4 ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Because it lacks the new MagSafe charging port found on its big 14- and 16-inch siblings (and in the upcoming MacBook Air redesign), one of those is often handled by connecting to the power unit.

This means that often, this laptop has effectively a single port. Thunderbolt has the ability to work with an external dock or adapter to handle multiple devices. However, it seems a little strange that the laptop marketed to professionals offers less flexibility than the similarly priced MacBook Air with specifications that are a few weeks away.

Like the M1-based niche it comes after, the 13-inch 2022 MacBook Pro can only run one external display (up to 6K) in addition to its built-in display. This is an overwhelming limitation for power users and many types of professional workflows, and it looks like it can be shared with the upcoming MacBook Air as well.

Other key specs include a 1080p front camera, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, and a 13.6-inch screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1664 with a maximum brightness of 500 nits. (We’ve tested it and roughly confirmed this brightness range.) This screen compares well with the air, but it’s inferior in almost every respect than what you get with the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

One of the few notable advantages it has over other laptops in Apple’s lineup is the promised 17 hours of battery life for wireless web browsing. That’s compared to 15 hours for the upcoming MacBook Air, 14 hours for the 16-inch MacBook Pro, and 11 hours for the 14-inch MacBook Pro.