Apple silicon : M1 vs M2
The first major difference between the MacBook Pro M1 and the MacBook Pro M2 is obviously their CPU. The second is of course an improved version of the first, announced by Apple as being 1.4 times more efficient. At least on paper, because on a daily basis we won't really see what changes. Indeed, the M1 chip was already very powerful to the point that it became difficult to crack it, even with the most demanding tasks. With either machine, you won't be disappointed. And if you want better, look instead at the case ofM1 Pro and M1 Max motherboards.
Large difference in RAM
The MacBook Pro M1 is limited to 16 GB of RAM, with also an 8 GB option for limited budgets. The MacBook Pro M2 goes up to 24 GB while also retaining the first two choices. Play your games, the RAM will follow. Provided that your game is not too greedy, for the M1.
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Price comparison
Starting at 1,449 euros, the MacBook Pro M1 is the cheapest in our comparison. Its successor, the MacBook Pro M2, starts at 1,599 euros. Only 100 euros difference, therefore, but don't forget that this is the perfect opportunity to treat yourself to the old model as a refurbished one. And therefore up to 30% cheaper in theory.
Everything that doesn't change
The design
You may have already noticed it at first glance, but the appearance of the MacBook Pro M1 and that of the MacBook Pro M2 are strictly identical. In terms of dimensions, it will be 1.56 cm thick, 30.41 cm long and 21.24 cm wide. The weight reaches 1.4 kg but it is very reasonable for a laptop.
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Unfortunately, Apple therefore did not wish to offer a more compact machine. The borders around the screen are also still wide while the colors are space gray and silver for the MacBook Pro M1 as for the MacBook Pro M2.
Storage
On MacBook Pro M1 and MacBook Pro M2, the storage options offered are identical. You therefore have the choice between:
- un SSD de 256 Go
- un SSD de 512 Go
- un SSD de 1 To
- un SSD de 2 To
However, keep in mind that these models do not have an SD card reader unlike the 14-inch MacBook Pro and the 16-inch MacBook Pro. Instead, Apple still offers a paid subscription to its iCloud+ online storage service.
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The screen
While the MacBook Air M2 offers a larger screen than the previous generation of the same size as the MacBook Pro M1, the MacBook Pro M2 released at the same time is not entitled to this advantage. On either model, no notable difference is observable: it will be 13.3 inches for each device.
Autonomy
Autonomy, too, and the same on MacBook Pro M1 and MacBook Pro M2. You will thus be able to watch videos for up to a maximum of seventeen hours according to Apple, which, however, only applies under certain conditions. Indeed, as soon as you multiply the number of apps open, you can quickly reach half a day.
Touch Bar et Touch ID
With its latest MacBooks, Apple has chosen to abandon the Touch Bar in favor of the return of physical function keys. However, the MacBook Pro with M1 chip is surprisingly not affected by this change. The same goes for the fingerprint sensor, still installed at the top right of the keyboard on the new model.
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The camera
On MacBook Pro M2 as on MacBook Pro M1, the FaceTime camera offers 720p HD definition. This offers a fairly modest rendering, but sufficient for video calls at work or with family. Otherwise, note that as the MacBook Pro M2 and the MacBook Pro M1 are both compatible with macOS Ventura, they are entitled to the Camera Continuity functionality. This uses your iPhone's camera to replace the MacBook Pro's base sensor. practical !
Why the update should be put into perspective
No MagSafe
You must have noticed this when reading this comparison; The MacBook Pro M1 and the MacBook Pro M2 aren't that different. However, Apple got off to a good start by updating its MacBook Pro range in late 2021, with marquee improvements such as the return of the HDMI port and SD card reader. With this, Cupertino also marked the return of MagSafe, a proprietary magnetic attachment system for the charging cable.
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But here again, MagSafe is not offered with the new MacBook Pro M2. Too bad, especially when we know that the manufacturer announces faster flow rates thanks to this technology.
No notch
On MacBook Air M2, the arrival of a notch allowed Apple to reduce the borders around the panel, in order to offer a larger display area to users. However thenotchis absent from the MacBook Pro M2, which limits its diagonal to 13.3 inches as before. Perhaps this is a wise choice to differentiate this model from the 14-inch MacBook Pro, but it is very unfortunate for us buyers.
Only USB-C sockets
To finish with “what is missing”, how can we not mention the case of the rather poor connectivity of our two MacBooks? Whether with the MacBook Pro M2 or with the MacBook Pro M1, here you will only be able to benefit from two USB-C sockets. At a time when professionals often store their data on external hard drives, this is one point less for the transition to the new version, which will require investing in additional accessories. However, we know that these are particularly expensive in the Apple Store, especially when they are published by Cupertino…
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To conclude this comparison, we will start with a quick summary of the differences that should be noted between the MacBook Pro M1 and the MacBook Pro M2 then we will end with the summary of our tests of the two models.
Concretely, the MacBook Pro M1 is first of all 100 euros cheaper than the MacBook Pro M2. Its performance is also a little lower with 2 fewer cores for the GPU + 16 compared to 24 GB of RAM, but these scores remain very decent. We are talking here about 7,708 points on Geekbench 5 for the M1 chip in multicore compared to 8,908 points for the M2 chip. As for the design, there are no major differences to note.
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As we saw inthis review of the MacBook Pro M1, we therefore cannot recommend this model which scores 8.9/10 against8.2/10 for the MacBook Pro M2, thanks also to a “nice keyboard” and good screen quality but all this at a lower cost. Allow five to seven years of support for the next versions of macOS, the only real additional risk compared to the MacBook Pro M2 which, more recent, should be supported a little longer than its successor by the developer.
