13-inch MacBook Professional M2 vs 14-inch MacBook Professional M3: What’s totally different?

In October 2023 Apple up to date the entire of its MacBook Professional lineup, introducing new fashions powered by the M3, M3 Professional and M3 Max chips. The most important distinction by far is on the backside of the line-up the place the corporate has retired the 13-inch MacBook Professional with M2 in favor of a 14-inch MacBook Professional with M3. Not solely does the brand new MacBook Professional have a brand new, quicker chip, it additionally advantages from the 14-inch design with its superior display screen and different enhancements. We check out how the brand new 14-inch MacBook Professional M3 compares to the 13-inch MacBook Professional it replaces.

MacBook Professional 13-inch M2 vs MacBook Professional 14-inch M3: Specs in contrast

Earlier than we delve into extra element concerning the variations between the 2 Execs, right here’s a breakdown of their technical specs:

MacBook Professional 13-inch M2 vs MacBook Professional 14-inch M3: Worth

With the introduction of the brand new 14-inch MacBook Professional with M3 Apple has discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Professional M2. The unhealthy information is that which means that worth of the most affordable MacBook Professional is now lots greater. The 13-inch MacBook Professional began at $1,299/£1,299 whereas the brand new 14-inch equal begins at $1,599/£1,699, which is kind of a worth hike.

You may avoid wasting cash whereas the older mannequin continues to be obtainable from retailers who’re promoting off their outdated inventory, or maybe you should buy a refurbished mannequin.

You might also see a great deal on the brand new M3 MacBook Professional, we regularly see resellers cut back costs. Take a look at our Greatest MacBook Professional offers round-up. You’ll additionally see the most effective costs proper now for each fashions.

14-inch MacBook Professional, M3, from $1,599/£1,699

The 14-inch MacBook Professional M3 is obtainable from Apple and different suppliers, with the next variants:

• 8GB/512GB – $1,599/£1,699
• 8GB/1TB – $1,799/£1,899

You too can add extra RAM and storage, with each topping out at 24GB and 2TB.

$2099

$2,099.00

13-inch MacBook Professional, M2, was from $1,299/£1,299

At launch the 13-inch mannequin began at $1,299/£1,299 for the 8GB/256GB configuration, transferring as much as $1,499/£1,499 for 512GB and $1,899/£1,899 when you needed 1TB of storage and to double the RAM to 16GB. Whereas resellers filter extra inventory you may even see some good offers.

$1299.97

$1,399.99

$1699

$1699.99

MacBook Professional 13-inch M2 vs MacBook Professional 14-inch M3: Efficiency

When Apple final up to date the 13-inch MacBook Professional in June 2022 it was solely obtainable with the M2 chip. Beforehand the 14-inch MacBook Professional might solely be configured with the M2 Professional or M2 Max chip, however now it may be configured with the M3, M3 Professional or M3 Max.

The brand new M3 collection of chips are the primary to be constructed on a brand new 3-nanometer course of. This could end in efficiency good points past the standard generational bump as a result of it permits the engineers to pack the transistors in tighter, closing the gap that information has to journey and in addition aiding power effectivity.

Apple claims that the M3 chip has a CPU that’s 20% quicker than that of the M2, plus it has fairly a bonus over the M1 chips that powered the sooner MacBook Execs too. Rendering speeds are as much as 2.5x quicker within the M3, whereas the CPU cores can work at as much as 50% the speed of the unique M-series processors. So, when you’re considering of transferring up from an M1-powered machine or the even older Intel machines, then the M3 will really feel lightning quick compared. The M2s are not any slouch although and any improve will ship faster all-round efficiency, however the M3s are the quickest.

Thomas Armbrüster

As you’ll be able to see from our benchmarks beneath, the M3 truly outperforms the 8-core M1 Professional. Clearly, if you’d like the quickest choice the M3 isn’t it, however it’s a lot quicker than the M2 and M1, each of which sped forward of the Intel choices that used to energy the Mac.

Mac processor benchmarks

MacBook Professional 13-inch M2 vs MacBook Professional 14-inch M3: Show and display screen measurement

Because the title suggests, the brand new 14-inch MacBook Professional M3 has grown slightly. For a few years, the 13.3-inch Retina show has been a fixture of the MacBook Professional line-up, however Apple has lastly put these dimensions to mattress with its newest replace. It was time to take action: even the 13.6-inch display screen on the MacBook Air was larger and higher, which means that the 13.3-inch display screen on the MacBook Professional regarded dated by comparability.

The 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR show within the MacBook Professional isn’t simply bigger than its 13.3-inch predecessor, it’s additionally brighter (as much as 1,600 nits in comparison with 500 nits) and gives double the refresh fee of the older model due to its 120Hz ProMotion expertise (a function that the MacBook Air lacks).

That is all offered by the brand new mini-LED panel, which might attain brightness ranges over 3 times greater than that of the 13-inch mannequin. When you’ve ever tried engaged on a doc or enhancing a video in shiny environment, you’ll know the way vital this enchancment could possibly be to your poor eyes.

Foundry

The bezels on the 13-inch MacBook Professional weren’t precisely big, however they’ve been made thinner on the brand new mannequin, with one exception. Alongside the highest, you’ll see that the notch has come to the MacBook Professional. Right here the notch homes nothing however the FaceTime digicam, there’s no Face ID on any Macs, but), this solely cuts into the menu bar on the prime of the display screen so it shouldn’t detract an excessive amount of from the display screen house obtainable. If the presence of the notch bothers you then the older mannequin is the one MacBook to not have a notch as a function so that you would possibly need to put money into one whereas they’re nonetheless obtainable.

MacBook Professional 13-inch M2 vs MacBook Professional 14-inch M3: Audio

Audio has additionally been upgraded with the brand new 14-inch MacBook Professional, as Apple strikes from the stereo audio system within the 13-inch mannequin to a brand new six-speaker high-fidelity system with force-canceling woofers. Each machines help Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos, however it will sound higher on the 14-inch MacBook Professional due to these specialised audio system.

There’s the identical triple mic array on each units, so that you’ll sound good on convention calls, and must you want a little bit of privateness you’ll be able to plug some headphones into the three.5mm on both machine. One further choice on the 14-inch MacBook Professional is that its HDMI port helps audio output.

MacBook Professional 13-inch M2 vs MacBook Professional 14-inch M3: Webcam

One of many largest disadvantages of the outdated 13-inch MacBook Professional was its decrepit 720p FaceTime digicam. Fortunately the 14-inch MacBook Professional incorporates a a lot better 1080p digicam for these FaceTime, Zoom and Groups calls. Macs nonetheless lack Apple’s Centre Stage function obtainable on iPads that retains you within the body when you transfer about.

MacBook Professional 13-inch M2 vs MacBook Professional 14-inch M3: Connectivity

The number of ports on the 13-inch MacBook Professional was considerably minimalist. All you bought was two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack. These could possibly be expanded through a USB-C hub at an additional expense.

The 14-inch MacBook Professional with M3 boasts two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports, plus an SXDC card slot, HDMI port and three.5mm headphone jack. If you’d like extra USB ports the M3 Professional verison consists of three. There’s additionally a separate MagSafe charging port so that you don’t have to surrender charging to be able to plug in one thing else.

Foundry

MacBook Professional 13-inch M2 vs MacBook Professional 14-inch M3: The top of the Contact Bar

The notch could have arrived with the 14-inch MacBook Professional, however one notable absence is that of the Contact Bar. Adore it or loath it, this interactive strip, that adjustments relying on the app you might be utilizing, isn’t any extra.

When you just like the Contact Bar the 13-inch MacBook Professional is the final probability you’ll have to make use of it.

Apple

MacBook Professional 13-inch M2 vs MacBook Professional 14-inch M3: Battery Life

With the M3 silicon, there are some important battery life enhancements on the 14-inch MacBook Professional, however not in all instances. Apple says that you just’ll get a most of twenty-two hours of video playback with the brand new machine, two greater than its predecessor. However, in terms of utilizing the web, the M2-powered 13-inch MacBook Professional retains a stunning lead as it could final for as much as 17 hours, which is 2 greater than the newer mannequin.

One small benefit the 14-inch MacBook Professional M3 gives is that it helps quick charging, though you’ll want to purchase a 97W charger to entry the faster recharge speeds.

MacBook Professional 13-inch M2 vs MacBook Professional 14-inch M3: Verdict

Apple has put some severe work into upgrading the MacBook Professional this time round. Whereas the 13-inch MacBook Professional M2 stays a wonderful machine, it won’t be straightforward to seek out now that Apple has discontinued it. To be sincere although, the bigger, brighter show, additional ports, quicker processor, improved webcam and prolonged battery life (in some conditions) makes the 14-inch MacBook Professional a extra rounded machine for the calls for of contemporary customers. We simply want Apple hadn’t hiked the value up fairly a lot.