Apple has unveiled a range of new MacBook Pro models with the shiny new M2 Pro and M2 Max processors. You can read about the 14-inch model here, but in this article, we’ll examine the larger (and more expensive) 16-inch version.
With its newly launched M2 Pro and Max chips, we can certainly expect the 2023 16-inch MacBook Pro to make its way onto our list of the best MacBooks and Macs, unlike the powerful 13-inch MacBook Pro (2022), which didn’t have On those chips, it instead uses the standard M2 SoC found in the MacBook Air (2022).
There’s a lot to like here, from the new ultra-strong silicone to the pleasantly affordable model. Sure, these devices are still very expensive, but that should come as no surprise to anyone remotely familiar with Apple hardware; The important thing here is that we’re not looking at any huge price jumps between generations.
Keep reading for all the details we know about this new laptop now. Of course, we’ll be doing a review as soon as we can put the new MacBook Pro through its paces, so stay tuned for that in the next few days.
16-inch MacBook Pro (2023): Stop working
- What is this? 16-inch model of the Apple 2023 M2 MacBook Pro
- When will it be available? Available to order now, official release on January 24th
- What will it cost? Ranging from $2,499 / £2,699 / $3,999 to $3,499 / £3,749 / AU$5,599 without optional upgrades
MacBook Pro 16-inch (2023): Release date
Take a quick trip to the Apple website and you’ll find a video (Opens in a new tab) With a lot of information about the new 16-inch MacBook Pro. Perhaps the most relevant detail here is the release date, which it will be Jan 24th – anyway Pre-orders are now available through the Apple website and supporting retailers.
The 14-inch M2 MacBook Pro and new M2-powered versions of the Mac mini will also launch on January 24. The Dispatch is guaranteed by January 23rd if you pre-order directly from Apple, so head over to their website for yourself. (Opens in a new tab) If you want one of these new laptops to be ready for release day (or very soon after, at least).
MacBook Pro 16-inch (2023): Price
As mentioned above, we’re glad to see that the 16-inch M2 MacBook Pro doesn’t get a generational price increase this time around. Much like the M1 Pro version, this laptop starts at $2,499 in the US for the basic configuration: That’s an M2 Pro chip, 16GB of unified memory, and 512GB of SSD storage.
Considering the more powerful models, the M2 Max version of the 16-inch MacBook Pro will run you a thousand dollars more with its $3,499 base price, which comes with 32GB of memory and a 1TB drive.
As usual, of course, all the models listed on the Apple website can be configured specifically to your liking, adjusting the processor, RAM and storage. If you go crazy and opt for the highest spec possible (which has a ridiculous 96GB of memory and 8TB of storage), you’ll pay $6,499. You can also get Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro preinstalled on the laptop for $299.99 and $199.99, respectively.
Unfortunately for UK buyers, prices outside of America are a bit steeper. Additional internal component upgrades get you a straightforward currency swap (so it’s $200 / £200 to upgrade from a 512GB SSD to a 1TB) but base prices for each model are inexplicably higher in the UK.
The cheapest model will cost £2,699 in Britain, which is about $3,315 at the time of writing. The top-of-the-range M2 Max will cost £3,749 – just over $4,600, more than a thousand US dollars more than it costs in the States. Given the current cost of living crisis hitting the UK, this is a very disappointing move from Apple.
Australian pricing is also relatively attractive, starting at AU$3,999. To upgrade to 1TB of storage, Australian buyers will have to pay an additional $300 AUD for it. The M2 Max also has a sharp price jump, which hampers anyone following the AU$5,599 top model.
MacBook Pro 16-inch (2023): Specifications
Interestingly, only the more powerful of the two M2 Pro chip variants is available in the 16-inch MacBook Pro; A slightly slimmed-down version with fewer CPU cores and a GPU can be found in the cheapest configurations of the new 14-inch MacBook Pro.
You can choose between two different versions of the M2 Max chip, one with 30 GPU cores and a more powerful version with 38. Each model has the same 12 CPU cores and 16 onboard Neural Engine cores.
In terms of memory, the configurations are linked to the chosen processor, with 16GB or 32GB available for the M2 Pro and up to 96GB for the M2 Max models. Storage starts at 512GB and can be configured up to 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB. The 16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Max chip will come with at least 1TB drive capacity.
The screen is 16 inches Technically speaking The screen is 16.2 inches, but the rounded corners slightly reduce the effective viewing area. However, it’s the same high-quality Liquid Retina XDR display that we’ve come to love on Apple laptops. We also have an upgraded battery, with a potential battery life of up to 22 hours.
For physical connectivity, we’re looking at three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port that supports 8K video output, an SDXC card slot, a headphone jack, and a MagSafe 3 port for charging the laptop. All in all, it’s an impressive offering for Apple’s latest MacBook Pro.