Review | Apple M2 MacBook Pro 2022 13-inch review: new chip that’s super efficient takes laptop to the next level, even if it may look the same
- The new MacBook Pro’s M2 chip is powerful and battery life and performance are superb, making the laptop a great tool for digital nomads and content creators
- Disappointingly it has the same body as the 2020 model, but the screen is vibrant and the keyboard and trackpad are accurate and easy to use
Two years ago, Apple flipped the computing industry upside down when it launched the M1 chip, a tiny streamlined silicon chip similar to the those powering smartphones that somehow was able to provide enough processing power for all of Apple’s computers large and small.
Now the M2 is here, debuting in Apple’s new 13-inch MacBook Pro that goes on sale next week. I’ve been testing this machine heavily for the past week, and it’s an excellent computer for digital nomads and entry- to mid-level content creators.
Design and hardware
This 2022 model of the 13-inch MacBook Pro brings back the exact same outer hardware and design as the 2020 13-inch model. This normally wouldn’t be a big deal – laptops don’t get annual makeovers the way smartphones do – but in this case, it’s undeniably disappointing because Apple had introduced a new MacBook design in autumn 2021, one with slimmer bezels around a more vibrant display, a higher resolution webcam and better speakers.
In fact, the MacBook Air that was introduced alongside this MacBook Pro uses the newer design.
I’m not sure why Apple gave this Pro model an older design when all other MacBooks have made the switch – perhaps there’s a lot of leftover components? – but there’s no getting around this: the MacBook Air looks more modern than this MacBook Pro.
If you don’t compare it against other Apple laptops, then it looks fine: it’s still a well constructed unibody aluminium casing with a sturdy hinge, and while the bezels around the 13.3-inch LED display are a bit thick, the screen still pumps out accurate colours and looks sharp enough.