Apple M2 Pro vs M2 Max: What are the differences?

Apple’s new M2 Pro and M2 Max chips take the performance of the MacBook Pro and Mac Mini to the next level, especially in graphics.

Although not an event, Apple launched the new versions of the MacBook Pro and Mac Mini on Tuesday 17 January 2023. To equip these ranges, Apple has developed two very powerful chips: the M2 Pro and M2 Max. The first has 40 billion transistors; the second, a whopping 67 billion.

	Apple MacBook Air M2 2022
	$1,678.99

What does the Apple M2 Pro offer?

Let’s look at the M2 Pro first. The chip is based on 5-nanometer manufacturing technology and has 20% more transistors than the M1 Pro. This model also has 10 or 12 CPU cores and up to 19 GPU cores (three more than in its predecessor).

In the 12-core configuration, eight of the cores are high-performance. The remaining four cores are energy-saving, so they come into play for less demanding tasks. The novelty can also work with 32 GB of unified RAM. In this respect, the memory width reaches 200 GB/sec (gigabytes per second), which is double that of the “normal” M2.

The effect could not be otherwise: a lot of performance. According to Apple, the M2 Pro is 40% faster than the M1 Pro in Photoshop. Compared to a MacBook Pro with a Core i9 processor, the new chip is 80% faster for the same task.

In graphics, Apple points out that the M2 Pro is up to 30 percent faster than the M1 Pro. Obviously, this feature improves the performance of heavy games or applications that process images or videos.

What about the Apple M2 Max?

The M2 Max manages to be even more impressive. There are also 12 CPU cores (eight performance, four power efficiency). On the other hand, the chip can have up to 38 GPU cores. The novelty also works with up to 96 GB of unified memory and reaches a bandwidth of 400 GB/s.

Apple reveals that the M2 Max has 10 billion more transistors than the M1 Max. As it gets stronger, that number rises to 67 billion transistors. The manufacturing technology is also 5 nanometres.

The effect: the M2 Max has up to 30% better graphics performance than the M1 Max. With some pride, Apple claims that “the M2 Max is the world’s most powerful and efficient chip for a professional laptop.”

16-core neural engine

The M2 Pro and M2 Max have one notable feature in common: the next-generation Neural Engine, which accelerates machine learning-based tasks.

Here, the chip has 16 cores and can handle 15.8 trillion operations per second. Apple claims that the performance of the new generation is 40% better than the previous one.

Other common features include a new image signal processor which, together with the Neural Engine, improves the quality of camera content. This translates into more effective removal of image noise, for example.

A new generation of Secure Enclave has also been integrated into the new chips. This is a hardware security mechanism that protects sensitive data when the system is compromised.

Which Macs are equipped with the M2 Pro and M2 Max chip?

Both chips are present in the new generation of MacBook Pros. Models with M2 Pro cost €1,5599. Versions with M2 Max cost from €3,6699.

The new Mac Mini was also announced. The model can be equipped with Apple M2 or Apple M2 Pro, but, at least so far, not with M2 Max. The Mac Mini with M2 costs from 695 euros. The version with M2 Pro is available from 1,894 euros.

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