The new Pro features three Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports for connecting to high-end displays and accessories, an SDXC slot for transferring photos and videos from a camera, an HDMI port for external monitors and TVs and a headphone jack that supports high impedance headphones, which is a popular standard for audiophiles. Its edges are a bit thicker than those of the 13-inch Pro and not nearly as sleek as the Air, but for good reason: The MacBook Pro finally has good ports again. Our 14-inch MacBook Pro unit is noticeably wider and taller than the 13-inch Pro we use daily, though it doesn’t feel much heavier at 3.5 pounds versus 3.1 pounds. However, we found our 14-inch M1 Pro model’s battery life to be far behind the M1 Macs as well as some competitors.īig rubber feet, thick edges loaded with ports, a MagSafe charger - wait, what year is it? The new MacBook Pro feels like a loving callback to the chunky MacBooks of a decade ago, bringing some much-needed utility back to Apple’s laptops while still maintaining a sleek and modern-looking design. These new MacBooks mostly run circles around rivals like the Dell XPS 13 in terms of sheer performance, and can even hold their own against laptops with discrete graphics like the Surface Laptop Studio. The 14-inch and 16-inch models also carry far more ports than the M1 Air and 13-inch Pro, making them ideal for folks who need to plug in lots of stuff at once.
How it compares: The latest MacBook Pros outperform the M1 MacBook Air and M1 MacBook Pro by a significant margin - especially when it comes to graphical capabilities.
They also pack some of the best webcam and speaker sets we’ve ever tested on a Mac.
What you need to know: The new MacBook Pros have Apple’s most powerful processors yet with your choice of an M1 Pro or M1 Max chip, as well as new Liquid Retina XDR displays that are colorful, smoother and more immersive than before. It’s also worth considering for everyday folks who don’t mind splurging for the MacBook with the most ports and best display and speakers.
Who it’s for: The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros are ideal for creative professionals and software developers who want desktop-grade power in a portable machine.