Today, Apple updated the MacBook Pro series with two new models. The company first announced the 14-inch MacBook Pro alongside the 16-inch MacBook Pro. Both laptops are powered by Apple’s new M1 Pro and M1 Max chips. Apple’s new laptops offer better battery life, high refresh rate screens, faster performance, more storage, and more port selection. Let’s take a look at the specs, features, and price of the new MacBook Pro line.
Apple MacBook Pro Price and Availability
Both MacBook Pro models with the M1 Pro and M1 Max will be available for pre-order from the Apple Store. Sale starts October 26th. The new 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,620 and the 16-inch MacBook Pro starts at $3,220.
| 14 inches | 16 inches | |
| M1 Pro | from 2620$ | from 3220$ |
| M1 Max | from 3765$ | from 4440$ |
The company also announced that macOS Monterey will be available as a free software update on October 25th.
Apple M1 Pro and M1 Max chipsets announced
Before we start with the new Mac laptops, let’s take a look at the new chipsets announced today, which are also used in the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops. The Apple M1 Pro, as the name suggests, is the successor to the M1 chipset. The M1 Pro chipset features 200GB/s memory bandwidth, up to 32GB RAM, and is built on a 5nm process.
In addition, the chipset has 33.7 billion transistors, up to a 10-core CPU with 8 high-performance cores and 2 power-efficient cores. Apple claims it is 70% faster than the M1 chip. There are also up to 16 GPU cores on board. Other features include a ProRes codec for video production and an advanced display engine.
The Apple M1 Max, on the other hand, is built on the same architecture as the M1 Pro, but more powerful. It has 400GB/s memory bandwidth, up to 64GB RAM, 10-core CPU and up to 32-core GPU, offering 2x faster encoding than M1 Pro.
Apple MacBook Pro M1 Pro, M1 Max: specifications and features
For the first time, the MacBook will be available in a 14-inch model alongside a 16-inch model. Both models come with a thin 3.5mm bezel all around and a camera notch to increase screen real estate. The 14″model features a 14.2″mini LED display with 3024×1964 resolution, while the 16″variant features a 16.2″mini LED display with 3456 x 2234 resolution. Both feature a Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion offering frequency screen refresh up to 120Hz. The display can go up to 1600 nits.
In addition, both laptops can be equipped with M1 Pro and M1 Max chipsets. The improved thermal system allows laptops to pass 50% more air and run quietly. In terms of connectivity, Apple is adding more ports to the MacBook Pro – you get HDMI, Thunderbolt 4, an SD card slot on the right side, as well as a headphone jack, two Thunderbolt ports, and a Magsafe 3.0 port to change on the left. The machines also support fast charging, which can charge a device up to 50% in 30 minutes. You can also charge laptops through thunderbolt ports.
In terms of battery life, the 14-inch model delivers 17 hours of video playback, while the 16-inch model delivers 21 hours of video playback. The new MacBooks feature a Full HD webcam with f/2.0 aperture, a larger sensor, and smart HDR features.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro comes with 16GB of RAM, configurable up to 32GB for the M1 Pro or M1 Max, and up to 64GB for the M1 Max variant. The 16-inch MacBook Pro comes with 16/32GB of RAM and can be configured up to 64GB.
Other features include a six-speaker setup, spatial audio support, macOSMonterey with instant wake-up and iPad and iPhone app support, Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, studio-quality microphones, and SSD speeds up to 7.4GB/s. Notably, the new MacBook Pro line is missing the Touch Bar, instead you get more port options.
Finally, the 14-inch MacBook Pro weighs 1.58 kg, while the 16-inch MacBook Pro weighs 2.13 kg.