Pros and Cons of Apple MacBook Pro 13 M2

Apple launched the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) in June 2022. Together with the MacBook Air (2022), this laptop is the first device with the Apple M2 chipset. The arrival of this laptop is proof that Apple is increasingly optimistic about making products with its own chipset.

Apple had launched the MacBook Pro series with the M1 chipset and Intel processor in 2020. However, since 2021, Apple has only produced the MacBook Pro line with its own chipset, which is affectionately called Apple Silicon.

 

Apple claims that the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) with the M2 chipset has 39% better gaming performance than the MacBook Pro 13 (2020) which uses the M1 chipset. The M2 chipset is claimed to make the battery life of this laptop even longer.

Is that really the case? So, are there any advantages other than performance and battery life that this laptop has? You will soon find the answers to these 2 questions in this article on the advantages and disadvantages of the MacBook Pro 13 (2022). Read the explanation to the end!

MacBook Pro 13 M2 features

Monitor: 13.3 inch, LED-backlight IPS (Retina Display), 2560 x 1600 pixels, P3 color gamut
Processor: Apple M2 chipset, 8 CPU cores (4 performance cores + 4 efficiency cores)
Graphics Card: 10 GPU cores
RAM: 8 GB, 16 GB, or 24 GB unified memory
Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB SSD
Optical Drives: -
Connections: WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
Ports: 1x 3.5mm audio jack, 2x Thunderbolt (charging, display out, data transfer; Thunderbolt 3, USB 4, USB 3.1 Gen2 support)
Battery: 58.2 Wh (up to 20 hours of video playback)

Pros of the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) M2

Apple laptops, including the MacBook Pro 13, are loved by the public because they can increase prestige. Beyond that factor, this laptop has various advantages so that it can be seen as a valuable device.

 

1. Stunning Design and Best Build Quality

Apple is the same as cool. The short sentence just now is not without basis. The problem is that some people weigh Apple products because of their low performance. That's the case with the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) which uses the Apple M2 chipset.

The unibody design of this laptop conveys Apple's signature simple and charming impression. It has a succinct shape with a thickness of only 1.56 cm, and weighs lightly at 1.4 kg. Apple bundles the body of this laptop with recycled aluminum material. Two color options exist: Silver and Space Gray.

The presence of the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is an argument if there are some customers who still want a laptop with a short form factor. However, Apple has MacBook Pro 14 and 16 inch monitor variations.

Several testers also liked the design of the MacBook Pro 13 (2022). For example, Phillip Tracy from Gizmodo thinks that this laptop can give the impression of being a premium product. Because the body is strong and all corners feel smooth because they are made accurately.

Tracy also likes the contrasting layout of this laptop keyboard. The goal, between the keyboard is silenced according to the color of the body, and the buttons are painted with black. However, Tracy's assessment regarding this is definitely subjective.

2. Comfortable Keyboard and Trackpad

Not a single tester complained about the quality of the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) Magic Keyboard. They feel comfortable while writing with this laptop. The button is said to be responsive and okay every press.

According to Brian Westover of PC Mag, it feels like a combination of thin membrane switches with scissor-switches a la engineering keyboard that gives each key consistency. Anyway, Westover thinks the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) keyboard is pretty good.

However, in Westover's individual view, this laptop keyboard is not the best yet. The laptop with the best keyboard for it is still held by the Dell XPS 15 OLED (9520). This is because Westover feels that the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) keyboard feels shallow.

Sherri L. Smith from Laptop Mag admits that the average person can write 80 words per minute using this laptop. Smith wrote using his 10 fingers. Even Ben Sin from XDA Developers can reach 103 words per minute!

Statements from Sherri L. Smith and Ben Sin are proof that this laptop keyboard is comfortable to use for writing. The MacBook Pro 13 (2022) keyboard certainly has a backlight as an illumination when writing in a dim room.

Meanwhile, the trackpad problem or commonly mentioned with the touchpad, some testers appreciated. The element that Apple mentioned with the Force Touch Trekpad since 2016 has a wide sector, which is 5.1 x 3.2 inches.

3. The Right Monitor for Content Initiators

As the name implies, this laptop has a monitor with a range of 13 inches, 13.3 inches to be more precise. Based on the features listed on Apple's official site, the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) was found to use an IPS panel with LED backlighting.

This monitor called Retina Display has a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels, so the pixel density reaches 227 ppi. The MacBook Pro 13 (2022) monitor is claimed by Apple to emit color on the DCI-P3 range. Color claims 25% more than sRGB.

According to tests conducted by Tony Polanco from Tom's Guide, this laptop monitor can display colors up to 109.4% sRGB, and 77.5% in the DCI-P3 standard. Monitors with a minimum color of 100% sRGB are suitable for content creation, such as editing videos.

Meanwhile, the brightness level of the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) monitor is said to reach 500 nits. This level of brightness is good for indoor use, even if it is possible to do it outside too.

4. Favorite Speakers and Microphones

The speaker features of the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) haven't changed much over the MacBook Pro 13 (2020). There are 2 speakers attached to the left and right of the keyboard. Therefore, the configuration is stereo.

Brian Westover said that the sound output of this laptop speaker is pretty good. Still according to Westover, the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) speakers can provide sound with good active range.

5. Trigger M2 Chip Is Slightly Better Than M1 Chip

Apple M2 as the 2nd generation chipset or SoC made by Apple. In the first batch, Apple introduced the M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max and M1 Ultra. Apple M2 is predicted to replace M1.

This SoC is still made with a 5nm manufacturing process. However, M2 is claimed to have better performance and power consumption effectiveness than M1.

For example, in the scenario of changing videos, the M2 is said to be able to make the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) 1.4x 1.4x faster than the MacBook Pro 13 (2020) M1, and 6x more powerful than the MacBook Pro 13 (2020) Core i7.

The Apple M2 has eight CPU cores (4 performance cores + 4 effectiveness cores) and 16 neural engine cores, the same as the M1. However, the GPU has increased from 8 cores to 10 cores (for the highest variation).

The MacBook Pro 13 (2022) kitchen does not only contain the M2 SoC. The SoC is also supported by RAM - which they call integrated memory (unified memory). Then there is SSD storage, a cooling mechanism in the form of a fan with a heat pipe, and macOS Monterey which is supported by the Rosetta 2 emulator.

6. Battery life that is difficult to match Windows laptops

Apple frankly mentions that the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has a lithium polymer battery with a capacity of 58.2 Wh. They have never shown transparency regarding battery capacity on the iPhone.

According to Apple's claims, the battery can last up to 20 hours. The condition is that the laptop is used to play movies on the Apple TV program. This resistance is the same as the MacBook Pro 13 (2020) which uses the M1 SoC.

However, based on theory, this laptop has better power usage effectiveness because its performance surpasses the MacBook Pro 13 M1. We also lead tests from various testers to show the truth of Apple's claims regarding the durability of the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) battery.

Disadvantages of the Macbook Pro 13 M2

MacBook Pro 13 (2022) as a good tool for serious tasks. However, you need to see some of the restrictions on this laptop. Maybe you don't like it. Here we describe one by one.

1. Minor Design Aspects

The design of the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is indeed capable of exuding premium impressions. Good build quality makes this laptop a product that is built to last. It seems that there is nothing strange about the design of this laptop, especially when it is used by common people.

However, some people may be bored with the design of the MacBook Pro 13 which has never been different since 2016. This is the first factor that moved people to look even more at the MacBook Air (2022). The latter laptop mentioned is more contemporary with monitors with bangs and thin frames.

The next minor feature of the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) design is the Touch Bar. For those who don't know what the Touch Bar is, the feature that was introduced in 2016 is the OLED panel which is located right above the keyboard layout.

2. Minor aspects of Monitors, Webcams, and Speakers

The MacBook Pro 13 (2022) monitor actually has good quality. There are no problems with color depth, sharpness, or brightness levels. This laptop monitor is suitable for watching movies, playing games, and changing videos.

However, this laptop monitor is not as cool as the MacBook Pro 14 (2021) which already uses a Liquid Retina Display XDR monitor. This new type of monitor has been introduced by Apple in 2021. Liquid Retina XDR is better because it uses mini-LED technology which can add color contrast.

Blacks are darker and whites are clearer on Liquid Retina, like OLED panels. One more proof that you need to know about the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) monitor problem is that the standard refresh rate is only 60 Hz.

3. Number of Ports

It's a shame that the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is port-poor. It only has two USB C aka Thunderbolt ports. There are no special MagSafe plugs for charging, no HDMI, and no SD card slots either. The MacBook Air (2022) is cooler because it has a MagSafe port.

4. Competition with MacBook Air (2022)

Three points before this point always touch the MacBook Air (2022). Nothing, we do that on purpose because the MacBook Pro - which has a higher status than the MacBook Air - is lagging behind in many ways. Starting from the design, webcam, speakers, to the number of ports.

One of the things that makes the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) better than its sibling is the presence of a fan. This element makes the MacBook Pro capable of dealing with heavier workloads. Meanwhile, the fanless MacBook Air (2022) will certainly experience throttling more easily.

Old face, new power. That short sentence seems to be able to visualize what the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) will look like. The performance of this laptop is like the MacBook Pro 13 which ran in 2016. However, because of the Apple M2 SoC, its power has experienced a marked increase.

Apple M2 has a positive impact on image processing and power consumption effectiveness. These are some of the reasons why the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is suitable for use by innovative employees. For example, graphic designers, YouTubers, to programmers.