Avatar photo

By Faizel Patel

Senior Digital Journalist


WATCH: Apple unveils new Mac mini, MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips

Apple rolled out its first new products of 2023 offering faster versions of its high-end MacBook Pro laptops and the Mac mini desktop.


Tech giant Apple has launched two next-generation SoCs (systems on a chip), the M2 Pro and M2 Max.

Apple also unveiled the new Mac mini featuring the M2 and M2 Pro while the MacBook Pro showcased boasts the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips.

M2 Pro and M2 Max

The Silicon Valley company said the M2 Pro scales up the architecture of M2 to deliver an up to 12-core CPU and up to 19-core GPU, together with up to 32GB of fast unified memory.

It said the M2 Max builds on the capabilities of M2 Pro, including an up to 38-core GPU, double the unified memory bandwidth, and up to 96GB of unified memory.

Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Technologies said both chips also feature enhanced custom technologies, including a faster 16-core Neural Engine and Apple’s powerful media engine.

“M2 Pro brings pro performance to Mac mini for the first time, while M2 Pro and M2 Max take the game-changing performance and capabilities of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro even further.”

“They deliver incredible pro performance along with industry-leading power efficiency. With an even more powerful CPU and GPU, support for a larger unified memory system, and an advanced media engine, M2 Pro and M2 Max represent astonishing advancements in Apple silicon,” Srouji said.

Mac Mini

Apple also unveiled the new Mac mini, supercharged by M2 and the all-new M2 Pro.

Apple said the Mac Mini with the M2 and M2 Pro delivers faster performance more unified memory, and advanced connectivity, including support for up to two displays on the M2 model, and up to three displays on the M2 Pro model.

Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing Greg Joswiak said paired with Studio Display and Magic accessories, along with macOS Ventura, Mac mini provides a “phenomenal” desktop experience.

“With incredible capabilities and a wide array of connectivity in its compact design, Mac mini is used in so many places, in so many different ways.”

Availability

Customers can order the new Mac mini models today, with availability beginning Tuesday, January 24.

MacBook Pro

Apple also showcased the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro featuring M2 Pro and M2 Max which it said brings even more power-efficient performance and battery life to pro users.

Apple claims the new M2 Pro and M2 Max tackles demanding tasks, like effects rendering, which is up to 6x faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Pro, and colour grading, which is up to 2x faster.

It said battery life on the MacBook Pro has also improved with now up to 22 hours of work time.

The new MacBook Pro also supports Wi-Fi 6E, which is up to twice as fast as the previous generation, as well as advanced HDMI, which supports 8K displays for the first time.

Joswiak said with up to 96GB of unified memory in the M2 Max model, creators can work on scenes so large that “PC laptops can’t even run them.”

“MacBook Pro with Apple silicon has been a game changer, empowering pros to push the limits of their workflows while on the go and do things they never thought possible on a laptop.

Availability

Customers can order the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro today, with availability beginning Tuesday, January 24.

Watch the launch of the new MacBook Pro and Mac mini 

ALSO READ: 5 Ways 5G will affect your experience with future mobile apps

Read more on these topics

apple technology

Access premium news and stories

Access to the top content, vouchers and other member only benefits