13-inch vs. 14-inch MacBook Pro: Is the M1 Pro chip worth the extra cost?

In 2021, Apple unveils a redesignedMacBook Pro, with a new 14-inch display and massive performance upgrades.However, the company is still selling its popular 13-inchMacBook Pro, in the old design with the Touch Bar.At WWDC 2022, Apple refreshed this older model with a newer M2 chip.

So if you're in the market for a MacBook Pro, you might have a hard time choosing between the 13-inch and 14-inch models.Is the extra inch, and all the features and bells and whistles, worth the huge price difference despite having an older chip?Next, here we'll compare the two models so you can decide which model is best for your use case.

design differences

Updated 13 inchesM2 MacBook Pro仍然采用了苹果在2016年首次推出的设计。这次设计更新为Touch Bar铺平了道路，Touch Bar在重新设计的14英寸机型上不再是一项功能。虽然13英寸和14英寸机型的厚度相同，但13英寸M2 MacBook ProIt looks thinner because of its shape, and the 14-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro goes for function over form.

Apple replaced sharp edges with slightly rounded edges on the 14-inch MacBook Pro.When you turn it on and plug it in, you'll find the new iPhone-style notch that houses the FaceTime camera hardware.The side bezels have been shrunk by 24 percent, while the top bezel is now 13 percent thinner than the 60-inch model for a more modern look.

Apple replaced the controversial Touch Bar with physical function keys on the 14-inch MacBook Pro.Not everyone likes it, but if you like using the Touch Bar, the 13-inch MacBook Pro might be one of the last MacBooks to include it.

显示器

13英寸M2 MacBook Pro采用13.3英寸IPS显示屏，分辨率为2560x1600像素，给你每英寸227像素的像素密度。重新设计的14英寸机型采用华丽的14.2英寸Liquid Retina XDR显示屏，分辨率为3024x1964像素。每英寸254个像素，这个显示屏比以前的型号更清晰，但分辨率甚至不是谈话的重点。

In case you didn't know, the Liquid Retina XDR display uses the same mini-LED display technology that Apple uses in the 12.9-inch M1 iPad Pro.This panel uses 10,000 mini LEDs to provide excellent detail with vivid, true colors.Watching HDR content on the Liquid Retina XDR display is a joy, as peak brightness can go all the way to an astonishing 1,600 nits. The 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro can only hit 500 nits and has no chance of winning in this competition.

In addition to the mini LED backlight, Apple is also bringing ProMotion technology to the 2021 MacBook Pro models, enabling it to dynamically adjust the refresh rate, from 24Hz to 120Hz, based on what you're watching.As such, the 14-inch MacBook Pro is the first MacBook model to have a high refresh rate screen.On the other hand, the 13-inch MacBook Pro still uses the good 60Hz panel we've seen over the years.

CPU and GPU performance

People generally expect high-end performance when buying a MacBook Pro, but there's a huge performance gap between the 13-inch and 14-inch models, even though the former packs a second-generation M2 chip.

While the updated 2-inch MacBook Pro with the M13 chip had a solid performance for most casual users, the redesigned 14-inch MacBook Pro takes performance to an even higher level thanks to a scaled-up M1 Pro and M1 Max chips.

虽然苹果没有将M1 Pro与新的M2处理器进行比较，但我们知道M1 Pro的CPU性能比M1快70%，而M2的CPU性能只比老的M1芯片快18%。因此，你可以知道M1 Pro仍然比新的M2芯片快很多。

As for GPU performance, Apple's M2 boasts a 1 percent boost in performance over the M35 chip.However, that's still not enough to compete with the M1 Pro, which is twice as powerful in terms of graphics as the M1.And Apple's flagship M1 Max, with 32 GPU cores, is four times faster than the M1.

If you plan to use the Mac for any creative or rendering work, the 14-inch model is easily the better choice, but most users will be fine with the 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro.

Ports and Connections

The redesigned 14-inch MacBook Pro brings back all the ports Apple took away from its notebooks in 2016.You get an SDXC card slot, an HDMI port, a headphone jack, and a brand new MagSafe 3 port that supports fast charging.In addition to these, you have three Thunderbolt 4-capable USB-C ports for high-speed data transfers.

The newer 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro only gives you two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports and a headphone jack, which means you'll probably need to buy adapters to connect all your accessories.

If you plan to connect your Mac to a monitor, the 14-inch model may be a better fit, as it can support up to four monitors, depending on the processor you choose. The M1 Pro lets you connect up to two external monitors, while the flagship M1 Max supports up to four.You'll need to use an HDMI port for the fourth monitor, though.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro's M2 chip limits you to only one 6K external display.

Battery Life

Whether you buy the 13-inch or 14-inch model, you'll get excellent battery performance.However, if we had to pick one winner here, it would be the 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro, which can give you up to 20 hours of video playback.By comparison, the 14-inch MacBook Pro offers up to 17 hours of video playback, but that's because it's powered by the more power-hungry M1 Pro or M1 Max chip.

Those three extra hours might be a lot for some users, but the 14-inch MacBook Pro makes up for it with its fast-charging capabilities.You can charge it to 3 percent in just 30 minutes using the MagSafe 50 charging port or the USB-C port (if you bought a fast-charging adapter for it).

Price

Finally, there's their price, with a roughly $13 price gap between the 14-inch and 700-inch models.

13英寸M2 MacBook Pro起价1299美元，存储空间为256GB，统一内存为8GB。但是，如果你选择512GB的存储和16GB的统一内存，价格就会上升到1699美元。

Relatively speaking, the base-model 14-inch MacBook Pro with 512GB of storage and 16GB of unified memory starts at $1999, but there's a catch: This base-model MacBook Pro uses an 8-core M1 Pro chip, losing roughly 20 percent of Apple's advertised MacBook Pro. % performance.

要获得苹果宣传的M1 Pro，你需要多花300美元购买具有16个GPU核心的10核M1 Pro芯片，使14英寸MacBook Pro的成本达到2299美元。对于新设计和M1 Pro芯片的全部功率来说，这相差约600美元。而如果你想要顶级的M1 Max，你需要花3099美元购买带有32GB统一内存的定制配置。

The 14-inch MacBook Pro isn't for everyone

Despite all the hardware upgrades and performance improvements brought by the redesigned 14-inch MacBook Pro models, the 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro remains a solid choice for some users.Although you might want to look atM2 MacBookAir, if you prefer an updated design.

Unless you're a creative professional working with intensive software like Final Cut Pro, Blender, or DaVinci Resolve, it's highly unlikely that you'll benefit from the extra GPU cores of the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips.However, it's still a worthwhile option if you want that flashy new design with a mini LED display or those extra ports.