Apple has announced that from Friday 17th June 2022, it is possible to pre-order an M2 Powered 13-inch MacBook Pro, making it the first M2-powered computer available to buy. But is it a good idea? In this article, we look at the pros and cons…
Lacking In Ports
One of the challenges of the 1st generation of M1-powered computers was the limited number of ports. Because the M2 MacBook Pro is the same design as the 1st generation M1-powered MacBook Pro, with just 2 Thunderbolt 3/USB 4 ports and a headphone socket. You also have to charge your laptop using one of the two Thunderbolt ports so in reality you only have one port, so some kind of Dock becomes essential.
Compare that with the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops with either the M1 Pro or M1 Max chips, there is a MagSafe charging port, 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports, 2 on the left on one of the right, together with an SDXC card port, and an HDMI port as well as the 3.5mm headphone socket.
Even the new, not yet available M2-powered MacBook Air has more ports than the M2 13-inch MacBook Pro as the new M2 Air comes with a MagSafe as well as 2 Thunderbolt/USB ports and headphone socket, so you don’t need to tie up a Thunderbolt port to charge your laptop.
It Is An Older Design And Display
The 13-inch MacBook Pro design predates the M1-powered model and although it is a classic design Apple Shook things up with the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops, which means the M1 and M2 13” MacBook Pro design is long in the tooth, to say the least, and this is emphasised when you put it up against the new M2 MacBook Air.
The first stand-out is the size of the screen bezels, the old 13” design looks thick and outdated. Whilst we are looking at the screen, like its 1st generation M1 MacBook Pro cousin, it doesn’t have Apple’s newer Liquid Retina technology, which brings more colours and rounded corners, that match the contours of the design. That said, the M2 MBP does come with a screen with 2560×1600 pixels, 500 nits brightness, wide colour (P3) and True Tone technology, which adjusts the colours and brightness according to the ambient light, making it easier on the eyes. If you want a MacBook Pro with a better screen then you will need to look at the 14 and 16-inch models, which come with a Liquid Retina XDR display with 1,000 nits sustained full-screen, 1,600 nits peak brightness and ProMotion technology for adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz. Alternatively, if the larger MBPs are out of your budget then the new M2 MacBook Air comes with a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display with 500 nits brightness, wide colour (P3) and True Tone technology.
However, there is one feature of the new M2 MBP that you may appreciate and that is it is the only current Apple laptop model that doesn’t have a notch. The notch is where Apple fits the camera and using a notch, allows Apple to increase the size of the screen, but the notch isn’t to everyone’s taste so if you prefer an Apple laptop without a notch then the new M2 MacBook Pro may be for you.
The Camera Is Still 720p
Although for audio work, this is less of an issue, because the M2 MBP uses the same design as the 1st gen M1 MBP, the M2 version comes with a 720p FaceTime HD camera. as with other features we have looked at the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops, as well as the M2 MacBook Air, all come with a 1080p sensor in the FaceTime camera. However there is one workaround, once macOS Ventura comes out, and that is you will be able to use the better camera in your iPhone and use Ventura’s Continuity Camera feature.
Audio Features
When it comes to audio features, the new M2-powered MacBook Pro doesn’t come with the four-speaker sound system that you will find in the M2 MacBook Air, however, the M2 MBP does come with support for Apple’s Spatial Audio when playing music or video with Dolby Atmos including dynamic head tracking when using Apple’s AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, which it’s M1-powered predecessor didn’t have. Note that the M2 MBP does support high impedance headphones on the 3.5mm headphone socket.
Who Wants A MacBook With A Touch Bar?
The M2 MacBook Pro becomes the only Apple laptop that retains the Touch Bar. Consequently, this is likely to be the last Apple laptop that comes with the Touch Bar. Now, this may be a good thing or a bad thing depending on where you stand on the usefulness, or not of the Touchbar. If you like the Touch bar then the M2 MBP will be your last opportunity to get an Apple computer with it. If you hate it then you are buying a new computer that comes with a useless feature.
The MacBook Air Is The Same Price
All in all the new M2-powered MacBook Air looks the better bet. It is a new design taking on board a number of the features that the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops have. It has a MagSafe 3 charging port plus 2 Thunderbolt ports, it has a larger 13.6” Liquid Retina display with True Tone, it has a 1080p FaceTime camera, it has a fast charge option, charging up to 50% capacity in 30 minutes and it has a new keyboard design all for the same price as the M2 MBP.
One other consideration is that the MacBook Air is a fanless design whereas the MacBook Pro has an active cooling system. How there are pros and cons to this. The fanless Air will be quieter than the MBP which has a fan, but the fan will potentially give you faster speeds for a longer time. That is something you are going to have to weigh up.
Price Varies Around The World
Although the US price for the base model of the M2 MacBook Pro hasn’t changed in the US at $1,299, it has changed in other countries. For example, here in the UK, the 13” MacBook Pro starting price is £1,349, whereas previously it was £1,229.
It’s Up To You
There is no doubt that with the performance benefits of the M2 chip the new 13-inch MacBook Pro has closed the gap between the 13’ model and its larger cousins. But if you are in the market for a 13-inch Apple laptop right now then do take a close look at the new MacBook Air, the Air’s redesign means that it comes with a number of features you cannot get with the M2 MacBook Pro.
That said, at the end of the day, the final decision is up to you. but hopefully, in this article, we have given you some food for thought so you can make a more considered choice about whether the new M2-powered MacBook Pro is the right computer for you.