Verdict
The MacBook Pro 14 - inch ( 2023 ) is another fantastic Apple laptop , plan with those who need serious power on the go in mind . The climb over the previous variation are minimal , but that does n’t stop this from being one of the best laptops you may purchase .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Apple ’s muscular laptop range got a immense upgrade in 2021 , with a rejuvenated intent and display alongside the first high - operation Apple Silicon chips . In 2023 , the upgrade is much milder . However , even a MacBook Pro 14 - inch ( 2023 ) that ’s just an iterative upgrade has the potency for excellence .
The MacBook Pro divulge this year is n’t belong to go down in chronicle for its eclat and condition , with a round-eyed insistency release revealing the new role model . What you get in 2023 is very similar to 2021 but with the boosted performance offered by the M2 Pro and M2 Max . If you ’ve used the M1 Pro or M1 MaxMacBook Pro 14 or 16 - in , you ’d be super intimate with what you ’ll find here . And that ’s a marvellous machine , now with a straight boost to its chip . As such , if you own a 2021 mannikin , you do n’t ask this laptop computer .
If you ’ve recollect about buy a MacBook Pro to get accession to a larger 16 - in display , then you should hold up off until WWDC in June . At Apple ’s yearly developer group discussion , we ’re expect to see a new15 - inch MacBook Air . Those looking for a bigger functioning boost should keep an heart out forM3Pro and M3 Max versions of the MacBook Pro that could come in 2024 , but it may be even afterward than that . But we are expect to see M3 chip in some MacBooks this year , just not the Pro .
However , for those who want a new MacBook Pro now , the latest model offers the good performance you’re able to get on an Apple laptop , along with the already excellent exhibit and sensational battery life .
Design and Keyboard
The MacBook Pro 14 - column inch ( 2023 ) is a wondrous automobile to count at , even if it vex to the same overall blueprint as its 2021 harbinger . Considering this was a vast refresh in terms of design for the series , it was always improbable Apple would deviate too far for the follow - up .
The MacBook Pro line is actually a small confusing , mostly due to the beingness of the 13 - inch M2 Pro model that is more akin to theMacBook Airthan these actual pro - aimed models . Why Apple keep that mannikin around I am not sure , but it ’s the only Pro model that has n’t switch to this young innovation language .
The two high - end professional ( those usable withM2 ProandM2 Max ) microprocessor chip come in a duo of sizes : 14 - inches and 16 - inches . you’re able to spec up either model to suit your specific needs , and whatever the 16 - in poser can do , the 14 - in alternative can do too .
I ’ve used the 14 - inch manakin for this recap and I cogitate it ’s the utter size for a portable , creative laptop computer . The 16 - in gets more screen – which is great if you ’re ferment with media , photos or artistic material – yet the 14 - inch display is very roomy , and it feel noticeably better than the 13.3 - inch screen on the older MacBook Pros .
It ’s far from the slim machine around , however , I am not enumerate that against it . Apple has listened to feedback and focused more on adding back skill users bemoaned were murder before than doing whatever it could to make a thin machine . consider what ’s on offer , the 1.6 kg ( 1.63 kilogram for the M2 Max ) weight and 1.55 atomic number 96 height are n’t bad at all .
The box-shaped aim reminds me of MacBook Pro example before the big 2016 design break , and the selection of ports is reminiscent of those machines too . No longer does Apple force you to rely solely on USB - C ports , instead there ’s a wide of the mark choice . One side houses twoThunderbolt 4USB - light speed ports , a mic / earphone larboard and theMagSafecharging connector . The other opposing side yield you a full - size SDXC card reader , another Thunderbolt 4 USB - C interface and HDMI .
That HDMI port has picked up some raw trick , include the power to output 8 cat valium at 60Hz and 4 K at 240Hz . Apple is n’t specifically call this HDMI 2.1 , as skills likeVRRare not supported .
The returning ports are wondrous welcome and I hope they do n’t vanish again until there ’s a viable option . Always having to have a menu reader or dongle ready to hand for importing camera snap or plugging into an external reminder was a pain , and while many may still want to keep one around ( there are no standard USB - A ports and CFExpress card are becoming more common ) it ’s no longer vital .
MagSafe was another welcome return when it was supply again with the 2021 versions , and it ’s become my favoured method of charging here . While all three USB - C ports can level , the include magnetic MagSafe charger clips in reassuringly and pops out if you trip over the cable – something I do a lot more than I would like to admit . The braided cable television is now colour - matched to the motorcar – like it is with the MacBook Air series – and it provide faster charge , though this does depend on which screen size of it you go for .
I do n’t consider it ’s too glowing to say this is a about - consummate piece of laptop computer conception . The 14 - in straddles the all right line between a big enough concealment and excellent portability , while the thicker material body ( when compared to MacBook Pro models pre-2021 ) appropriate for a honest interface survival of the fittest and bigger batteries without it being too heavy or big .
The keyboard and trackpad are both great , too . The keys have a contraband environs that attain them easier to use in low - brightness post and they ’re big enough to easy shoot . The controversial Touch Bar remains release to the 13 - inch MacBook Pro , with a magnanimous purpose row and reach ID sensing element sit above the traditional keys here .
Apple continues to make the in force trackpads on any laptop computer : large , responsive and withhaptic feedbackthat would dissipate most into thinking the launchpad is really moving .
Screen
As with most of the aspects of this laptop , the display is the same as Apple used in the previous looping . This come with many positive component , along with a few negative ones too .
My biggest issue with the display is the notch isstillhere – and it ’s still seemingly not really doing that much , aside from peradventure making room for the good 1080p webcam . I do n’t fit with the view that the mountain pass gets in the way – most apps lick around it and pitch-black bars cover it in video – but at least expend that space to add an extra biometric unlocking feature of speech into the machine .
The MacBook 14 - column inch 2023 ( along with its big 16 - in cousin ) totes the effective screen on a MacBook and aside from the operation ceiling , get a better display is one of the biggest reasons to go for this over the MacBook Air . It ’s shrill ( the resolution here is 3456 x 2234 ) , brighter and smoother .
In terms of headline spec , the MacBook 14 - inch has aMini LEDpanel which is a immense upgrade over vie simple machine that use liquid crystal display control board . It combines the cryptical demarcation , inky fateful and punchy colours typically associated withOLEDpanels of this size with the high brightness level of LCD , essentially give you the best of both . Now , I do n’t think the projection screen is as punchy as OLED , but it ’s not far off .
The concealment is design for HDR , and HDR workflows . If you edit out video for HDR yield this exhibit is fantastic , and it can playback the content as well as some of thebest TVs . Spider - Man Into the Spiderverse inDolby Vision 4Klooked fantastic when I streamed it from iTunes . In The Batman , the mellow levels of light show up when there are fiery explosions in dark scenery – Apple says these situations can hit 1600 nits , while standard HDR is around 1000 nits .
ProMotionremains a way to speed up , and slow down , the refresh of the display up to 120Hz and I still do n’t bump this as much of a biz - changing feature film as I do on touchscreen gadget . Maybe it would be more welcome if this Mac was more of a gaming motorcar .
I ’d love to see a touchscreen MacBook Pro at some point ( rumours say it could be 2025 when one finally arrives ) but the shape factor would need to change , as would the software system . Just adding a touch display to this would make no sense , and I am glad it remains a non - touch panel .
Performance
It ’s on the interior where most of the changes for this 2023 model are ascertain . There are new chips , more remembering options andWi - Fi 6E – great if you ’ve of late upgraded your router .
Both 14 - in and 16 - inch models can come with either the M2 Pro ( cheaper ) or M2 Max ( pricier ) chipsets and can be specced out with piles of storage , memory and so on as you open up your wallet wider . Certain upgrades ( the gamy - end GPUs , or 96 GB storage ) require the higher - remnant Max bit .
Here ’s a quick look at the differences between the M2 Pro and the M2 Max .
The filmy number of option for customisation here build judging performance across the whole mountain chain a little tricky . All the bench mark below are for anM2 Prochipset with a 12 - core CPU , 19 - gist GPU and 32 GB retentivity . This solidification of specs will be sufficient ( and belike ) overkill for a lot of you reading this critical review , but if your workload is in particular computer memory or GPU - intensive , then get it on that you could pay for more performance .
All customisations need to be made when purchasing and there ’s no way to increase the amount of memory after the fact . It ’s also a very pricey process , peculiarly if you want wrapping of memory .
I ran a number of benchmarks on my M2 Pro review whole and the scores depict a minor upgrade over the M1 Pro . Scores in general benchmarking tools like Cinebench R23 and Geekbench 5 show small , but always welcome , jumps . I would require far bigger scores from an M2 Max chip .
In the GPU bench mark Basemark , the graphical grunt of the auto makes itself known . The score of 5148 is a small upgrade on the M1 Pro ( 4837 ) , but a massive raise over an Intel Windows machine like the Lenovo 7i Slim Pro with an RTX 3050 which scored a far lower 1766 .
Test Data
These score back up my view that this machine is n’t positioned at those who upgrade last time , instead it ’ll put up much more of a bump over those come from high - close Intel machines . This is where you ’ll notice the biggest upgrades , in everything from export and fork over times on video editing to other creative tasks .
Apple ’s Siliconhas descend a retentive way in the few short years it has been on the market . It was outstanding to begin with , but there were some concerns over app compatibility . Now , however , I have shinny to find out any app that does n’t work or does n’t have a dedicated Apple Silicon reading . Chrome , Photoshop , Lightroom – the list goes on . Even apps that run using the Rosetta 2 interlingual rendition layer , like Steam and games like Football Manager 2023 , offer better public presentation than the outgoing Intel Mac system .
MacOS remains a organisation that ’s not designed for play . There ’s surely some power here that could lean even some demanding deed of conveyance , but the breadth of titles merely is n’t uncommitted to make spend this form of money deserving it .
Performance is n’t just how fast a scheme run , though . The MacBook Pro 14 - inch ( 2023 ) impress me elsewhere , with its speakers bear on out fantastic audio that sounded full and plentiful . I also found the fans seldom quetch into gear – in fact , the only fourth dimension I could pick up them was when I was running benchmarking software system .
Battery Life
The endurance is the final piece of the jigsaw here , turn an excellent originative laptop into a fantastic machine . While you ’ll get the most succus from the 16 - inch machine , the 14 - inch example has impressed me thoroughly throughout the review period ,
Using the MacBook Pro 14 - in ( 2023 ) has made me rethink what to anticipate from battery life on a laptop computer . I do n’t need to take my charger to the office unless I am going to be doing hour of GPU - intensive task , as it ’ll comfortably last a full workday without dipping below 30 - 40 % . If I was more careful with closing applications , or switching to Safari rather than Chrome , I retrieve it could last two days . Of naturally , your mileage may vary – but I struggle to see anyone disappointed by the electric battery life here .
The machine also performs the same whether you ’re carry off world power or the battery . If you ’re on a plane or direct away from a cud that performance wo n’t dip or struggle . I tested these hightail it bench mark and they were always the same .
I did n’t employ a similarly specced M1 Pro 14 - in Mac from last year , but from my time with other M1 Pro and M1 Max machines that battery life seems to be mostly the same . This is in my test , although Apple does like to go big with its electric battery claim by using metrics like offline telecasting playback .
I put Apple ’s two battery claims to the examination – and my results actually surpassed them . It claims 18 hours of playback of a 1080p film in the Apple TV app , with brightness set to one-half . When I recreated this tryout , my test motorcar lasted for just over 19 hours . Another one , set to try web browsing survival should get me 12 hours harmonize to Apple ’s claims , whereas I in reality got minute under 14 hours . Of course , neither of these are typical habit cause , but it does show the chipset and assault and battery combination is very efficient .
Charging velocity vary look on the model you choose and whether you use MagSafe or USB - C. The 14 - column inch model come with either a 67w or a 96w adaptor , while the 16 - inch comes with a 140w sparking plug .
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Should you buy it?
The MacBook Pro 14 - inch ( 2023 ) offers a seriously wide-eyed selection of powerful internals , admit up to 96 GB memory board and tidy sum of cores for both the CPU and GPU .
This is a underage update , likely intended for those contain onto older Intel Macs . away from the small boost to operation and improve internal options , the climb are minimal .
Final Thoughts
If you ’re someone who ’s already cut down a stack of money on an M1 Pro or M1 Max MacBook Pro , then you do not need to upgrade to this 2023 version . However , if you have an erstwhile machine that ’s beginning to feel a little honest-to-goodness , or envision the substitution to Apple ’s MacOS , then this MacBook Pro 14 - inch ( 2023 ) is a brilliant laptop that you should n’t ignore .
The various price raise ( toll have stayed in the States , but risen in regions like the UK ) are tough to take , peculiarly when the cost for extra memory and computer storage are so mellow . This auto , as a result , is for a very specific type of client – for once , the Pro moniker is n’t just a selling terminal figure like it is with theAirPodsProoriPhone 14Pro .
For many , theMacBook Air M2is more than enough laptop for a muckle less money , and a15 - inchmodel may be on the way too . You do n’t need the MacBook Pro for canonic 4 K television editing or RAW pic editing , as the M2 microprocessor chip is more than capable of completing those tasks .
But , if you necessitate that supernumerary smash of GPU and CPU then that ’s where this MacBook Pro comes in . It also offer a far good display , the choice of larger sizes , more larboard and quicker charging . Once again , Apple has made one of thebest laptopsaround .
Trusted Score
How we test
Every laptop we review goes through a series of undifferentiated deterrent designed to guess key aspects including anatomy quality , performance , screen timbre and battery animation .
These let in stately synthetical benchmarks and written tests , plus a series of real - world checks .
FAQs
While both the 14 and 16 - inch models can support 96 GB memory , you will need to go for the M2 Max model to go past 64 GB .
It ’s available in both silver and grey – with the pictures in this review being the silver model .
