Apple’s MacBook Pro represents the best of what the firm offers in a portable format. With the M2 Max generation, Apple is not reinventing the wheel, but pushing its concept even further.
Our full review
Apple MacBook Pro 16 M2 Pro 2023
In the land of MacBooks, the release of the 2021 generation of MacBook Pro sounded like a small revolution for the laptop dedicated to the most demanding tasks at Apple. It was the first PC of the brand to adopt a brand new design tailor-made for its Apple Silicon chips (M1 Pro and M1 Max) and it introduced the arrival of a notch and the return of a wider connectivity.
More than a year later, Apple returns with a second generation for its design. The big novelty is inside the chassis.
The MacBook Pro 16 M2 Max was loaned by Apple for this test. Here we use a configuration equipped with an Apple M2 Max chip with 12 processor cores and 38 graphics cores. It is supported by 64 GB of unified memory and 2 TB SSD storage.
SAME MASTERED DESIGN
We will not dwell too long on the design of this machine since Apple has chosen to keep its chassis identically between the two generations. We therefore find the 2.15 kg block of aluminum with slightly rounded edges, but still very raw appearance.
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Overall, the finishes are obviously exemplary, but we could find fault with the integration of the slab which is not perfect. A small stop is drawn on the sides of the screen and a plastic strip is placed under the screen. In both cases, it gives something less uniform than expected, and we imagine that dust could end up creeping in. Be careful, this is a purely aesthetic reproach.
KEYBOARD AND TRACKPAD
For the previous generation, we tested the 14-inch version of the MacBook Pro. Here, it is the 16-inch version that we were able to try. Apple chooses to integrate exactly the same keyboard into its MacBooks, regardless of their size. So we find ourselves here with a tiny keyboard lost in the middle of a wide chassis. To optimize space, Apple has still integrated speakers on each side.
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Still, we could have hoped for a numeric keypad on this diagonal or larger and comfortable keys. The enter key or directional keys remain very thin. That said, if you are used to typing on a Mac keyboard, you will immediately find your habits here.
CONNECTION
Apple keeps the same connectivity as on the previous generation. There is a MagSafe charging port, two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports and a 3.5mm jack port. On the right, Apple integrates an SDXC card reader, another USB-C Thunderbolt 4 port, and an HDMI port.
The presence of the SD card reader is great news for all image specialists who will be able to quickly transfer their photos and videos from the card to the Mac. We only regret the lack of USB-A ports. If you have a classic device such as headphones, you will need to use an adapter.
WEBCAM, NOTCH AND AUDIO
The 16-inch MacBook Pro features a 1080p FaceTime HD camera in a particularly visible notch.
THE IDEAL SCREEN
The MacBook Pro M2 Max doesn’t change a recipe that works. The previous generation screen was the best screen on the market and that’s still the case in 2023, despite the progress made by Asus with the Oled. Apple integrates a 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with a definition of 3,456 x 2,234 pixels and a dynamic refresh rate of 120 Hz. Finally, it offers peak brightness at 1600 cd/m² in HDR mode.
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It’s simple, Apple’s screen ticks absolutely all the boxes of a great screen in 2023. It would be difficult to fault it, color probe in hand: color accuracy, excellent level of contrast, flawless fluidity and HDR to enjoy the best content on SVOD services.
With this large 16-inch diagonal workspace, it’s nothing but bliss. The gain against the 14-inch is really appreciable and almost makes it feel like using a desktop PC.
APPLE MACBOOK PRO 16 M2 PRO 2023
The MacBook Pro integrates macOS Ventura and promises to be supported by Apple for many years to come. If we are not totally convinced by some changes like Stage Manager, the operating system of Macs today offers a consistent and easy-to-use interface.
There are still some small hiccups here, including the lack of some applications that exist on Windows (especially games), but all this is raised by Apple’s optimization and the transition now well underway of ecosystem software to Apple Silicon.
We still appreciate the comfort of the services offered by Apple. For example, we were able to restore data from our MacBook Air M2 to the first configuration of this MacBook Pro. As a result, we find all of our work applications correctly configured and connected to our accounts. We can immediately go back to work.
In the same vein, seamless integration of screens from other Apple devices is a success. You slide the cursor to an edge of the screen, and suddenly you take control of your iPad or Mac mini with the trackpad and keyboard of the MacBook Pro. No configuration is necessary and Apple never puts you forward this function, it activates naturally and instinctively. It is these small elements that make the user experience enjoyable on a daily basis. These are not functions unique to this MacBook Pro M2 Max, but it settles in a well-established ecosystem.
APPLE MACBOOK PRO 16 M2 PRO 2023
STATE-OF-THE-ART PERFORMANCE
The great novelty of this MacBook Pro is the integration of the M2 Max chip. With its 67 billion transistors, Apple’s new chip is the most powerful in its catalog with the M1 Ultra.The CPU processor increases to 12 cores, as on the M2 Pro, and the GPU now increases to a maximum of 38 cores. The engineers also chose to extend the level 2 cache.
The unified memory is also increasing and goes up to 96 GB on the best configuration, with a bandwidth of 400 GB/s.
BENCHMARKS
Unsurprisingly, Apple’s new chip is doing prowess and displays a nice gap compared to the previous generation.
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A benchmark in Cinebench allows you to evaluate the difference in performance at the CPU level. Here, we observe that the M2 Pro / M2 Max generation stands out clearly from the M1 generation whether in single-core, but especially in multi-core thanks to the addition of more cores. This test also shows that the M2 Pro chip and the M2 Max chip use the same CPU processor, which explains the equivalent level of performance.
The difference between the Pro range and the Max range is on the graphics chip (which goes from 19 to 38 cores). On 3DMark Wild Life Extreme, the GPU achieves a score of 19,908 points. For comparison, the M2 Pro version gets 12,869 points and a simple Apple M2 chip gets only 6,989 points. With this level of performance, Apple reaches the level of an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 laptops. According to 3DMark, the latter averaged 21,318 points on this test.
Unfortunately, if the graphics chip is level, this is not the case of the library of games offered that can take advantage of it. Be careful, in 2023, a graphics chip has its place in a MacBook Pro for business applications such as 3D creation or video editing.
The level of performance has above all the merit of being maintained, over time and without the charger being connected. This is not the case for PCs that generally degrade their performance if the machine runs on battery power.
The M1 Pro and Max also impressed with their high-performance encoding capability. Something to seduce all filmmakers and creators of video content on the web. With the M2 Pro and Max chip, Apple raises the bar by integrating two encoding engines. Nvidia offers the same thing with its GeForce RTX 4000 and the result is very convincing. Since video encoding is an easily parallelizable task, this trick from Apple and Nvidia can multiply performance.
On the other hand, Apple once again ignores the AV1 format in decoding or encoding. This is a format that is gaining popularity and is now supported by OBS Studio, YouTube or Discord. On a machine so prepared for the future, it’s a shame to skip this format.
HEAT DISSIPATION AND NOISE
What’s strong about the MacBook Pro M2 Max is its ability to compete in performance with a laptop equipped with a GeForce RTX 3070, but without the same level of noise or heating.
Indeed, Apple’s machine heats up very little, even in full use and the two integrated fans are very rarely heard. When they do, they barely become audible.
APPLE MACBOOK PRO 16 M2 PRO 2023
A DAY OF AUTONOMY
Apple incorporates a 100Wh battery which corresponds to the maximum allowed in the cabin. In other words, we should not expect a larger battery in the future. With such a battery, we were able to use the MacBook Pro for 9 hours before dropping to 14%. Enough to cover a very large working day during which we did image editing, a lot of web browsing (Microsoft Edge) and video streaming (YouTube).
To charge the machine, it is possible to use one of the USB-C ports or use the MagSafe port provided by Apple. A 140W charger and MagSafe cable are supplied with the machine.
OUR OPINION ON THE APPLE MACBOOK PRO M2 MAX
Design
Apple does not change the design of its machine and its excellent finishes. We would like to have a keyboard a little more spacious on a 16-inch machine and the notch is not justified. Otherwise nothing to complain about.
Screen
We didn’t do better in 2021 and that’s still true in 2023. Apple’s screen ticks all the boxes of what is expected of the ideal screen: spacious, well defined, almost infinite contrasts, Accurate colors and dynamic refresh at 120 Hz.
Video
The Full HD camera of the MacBook Pro is at the level of the cameras offered on laptops, nothing more. We regret the absence of Face ID.
Software
The transition to Apple Silicon has progressed well and many business apps are natively compatible with the Apple M2 Max chip. The strength of the ecosystem is there and macOS is always nice to use.
Performance
The Apple M2 Max chip helps compete with the CPU and GPU performance of high-end laptops based on Intel and Nvidia. Where Apple’s chip impresses is in its ability not to heat up and maintain its performance on battery.
Autonomy
The MacBook Pro offers battery life covering a day’s work away from an electrical outlet. Apple provides a 140W charger capable of filling the battery very quickly. …
POSITIVE POINTS OF THE APPLE MACBOOK PRO M2 MAX
- The screen
- Performance (battery operated)
- No noise, no heating
- Connectivity
NEGATIVE POINTS OF THE APPLE MACBOOK PRO M2 MAX
- The notch
- The price of options at Apple
- Few games
