THE ALL-IMPRESSIVE M1 PRO & M1 MAX
With the M1 Pro and M1 Max, Apple’s innovative M1 system-on-chip has been pushed even farther, and the 14-inch and 16-inch Pros can be equipped with any CPU.
The M1 Pro and M1 Max custom processors, which are significant advancements over last year’s M1 chip, are the most compelling feature of the new MacBook Pros. The M1 Pro and M1 Max, like the M1, are powered by 5-nanometer processors with 16-core Neural Engines, although Apple has increased the number of cores, RAM, and storage. The configuration options are far more flexible than the M1, which had an 8-core CPU and an 8-core GPU.
Also, the M1 Pro versions can support two 6K external screens at 60Hz, while M1 Max models can support three 6K external displays and one 4K monitor at 60Hz. 4K TVs at 60 frames per second can be viewed using the HDMI 2.0 connector. Up to 250 MB/s transfer speeds are supported by the SD card reader for UHS-II cards.
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND
The return of useful ports to the MacBook Pro is a game-changer for those who utilize a lot of devices in their workflow.
Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, a headphone jack, an HDMI port, an SD card slot and a MagSafe charging port are all included on both MacBook Pros. External displays are supported by both of the new MacBooks, making them ideal for film professionals.
COLORs, WEIGHT & DISPLAY SPEC
The new MacBook Pros come in silver and space gray. As per weight, the 14-inch Pro is 3.5 pounds thick, 12.31 inches wide, and 8.71 inches deep, with a thickness of 0.61 inch. The 16-inch weighs 4.7 pounds and has a thickness of 0.66 inches, a width of 14.01 inches, and a depth of 9.77 inches.
The new Pros aren’t as portable as the MacBook Air, but they make up for it with connectors and power.
The new MacBook Pros, like the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro, feature miniLED Liquid Retina XDR screens with adjustable refresh rates up to 120Hz. The smaller Pro has a 14.2-inch display with a resolution of 3024 x 1964 and a pixel density of 254 pixels per inch. With 7.7 million pixels and 254 ppi, the bigger Pro’s 16.2-inch 3456 x 2234 display boasts 254 ppi.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro features 8,040 miniLEDs distributed over 2,010 local dimming zones, and the 16-inch has 10,216 miniLEDs distributed across 2,554 local dimming zones. MiniLEDs bridge the gap between less expensive LCD panels and more expensive OLED panels by providing exceptional brightness (up to 1,600 nits at peak brightness and 1,000 nits sustained brightness) without compromising the contrast and detail that OLED provides.
Watching HDR content on the new MacBooks’ LCD screens, which have a maximum brightness of 600 nits, is far more immersive than watching it on the old MacBooks’ LCD screens. This screen is fantastic all-around, with a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and a P3 broad color gamut.
OTHER COOL FEATURES
The iPad Pro’s ProMotion feature has also been added to the new Pro displays, which is so amazing that using a laptop without it can become a chore. The Pro’s refresh rate can be adjusted between 10Hz and 120Hz depending on what you’re doing, thanks to ProMotion, which is set on by default. If you prefer, you can disable ProMotion and use the Pro at a fixed refresh rate (47.95Hz, 48Hz, 50Hz, 59.94Hz, or 60Hz), but after nearly a week at 120Hz, I found the difference to be too noticeable at 60Hz. With ProMotion enabled, everything is so much smoother.
STORAGE
The unified memory, on the other hand, can be used by both the CPU and the GPU. On either the 14-inch or 16-inch model, the 16GB base may be upgraded to 32GB with the M1 Pro and 64GB with the M1 Max. The M1 Pro has a memory bandwidth of up to 200 GB/s, whereas the M1 Max has a bandwidth of up to 400 GB/s.
The base model 14- and 16-inch MacBooks come with 512GB of storage, which can be upgraded to 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB. $5,899 gets you a fully loaded 14-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Max and 8TB of storage.
PRICE RANGE
The base model of the M1 Pro costs $1,999. The 14-inch MacBook starts with an 8-core CPU and 14-core GPU, though for additional money, you can upgrade to a 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU. The M1 Max comes standard with a 10-core CPU and 24-core GPU, but may be upgraded to a 32-core GPU if desired.
VERDICT
Most people don’t buy a laptop simply for performance, but if you do, the MacBook Pro with M1 Max is one of the greatest laptops on the market right now. There are other things to think about and questions to answer: Do you like to play video games? Which operating system do you prefer: Windows or macOS? Is the software you need for business or play compatible with M1 Macs? Performance is only one factor.
