Besides, it has the latest M2 processor, which Apple says has a 40% increase in performance compared to its predecessor M1 chip, the 13-inch MacBook Pro (M1, 2020). In addition to the promised increase in speed, it means better battery life, up to 20 hours. And best of all, the new version was released at the same price as the previous model, so you don’t even pay extra (if this is still too much for you, check out the Apple Prime Day promotional nodes for any deals). Admittedly, no one was thrilled with this new MacBook Pro, because in the end, not much has changed: it still has the same overall design, the same touch line, the same 720p webcam. But at the same time, the consensus was that this was a significant improvement over the old model. Until, that is, some YouTubers spotted something Apple was keeping to itself.
Slower SSD
Not so fast, finally (Image: Apple) The problem is that while the M2 processor is actually faster than the older M1 chip, there is something else inside the laptop that slows things down: the SSD (solid state drive), which permanently stores data in solid state flash memory . Well, it turns out that in the base model (256 GB) of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2, the SSD has only one NAND flash storage chip, while the older model had two. This was not made public by Apple and no one noticed until recently, because critics are not in the habit of taking back their laptops (the public relations companies that lend them tend to want them back in a bit!) The issue of SSDs came to light, however, after YouTuber Max Yuryev tried out the base version (256 GB) using Blackmagic Disk Speed Test (opens in a new tab). He found that the read speeds of the SSD are about 50% slower and the write speeds are about 30% slower, compared to the previous model. (Watch the video below). Yuryev’s results were as follows:
13-inch MacBook Pro (M1 / 256GB) Reading speed: 2,900 13-inch MacBook Pro (M2 / 256GB) Reading speed: 1,446 13-inch MacBook Pro (M1 / 256 GB) Recording speed: 2.215 13-inch MacBook Pro (M2 / 256GB) Recording speed: 1,463
Another YouTube channel, Created Tech, came to similar conclusions: A slower SSD is obviously a problem for anyone who regularly transfers large files, such as graphic designers, motion designers, animators, VFX artists, and other creative professionals. With 4K now the norm and giving way to 8K and even higher resolutions, the time it takes to move a file will really have an impact on your productivity. But that is not all. SSDs are not only used to store files, but also double as virtual RAM when existing RAM is exhausted. And this tends to happen when you run resource-intensive software, something that many creative professionals do on a regular basis.
Should you buy it?
So what does all this mean for consumers? Well, to put it simply, if you buy the basic model of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 (2022) and use it to run Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere Pro, 3DS Max, Maya or similar tools, you may well find that performance is actually slower than the 2020 M1 model. The same problem does not appear in the 512 GB model, but it is much more expensive. Overall, then, if you are dealing with a lot of large files and using high-intensity creative software, we would recommend giving the 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro an exception and sticking to one of the existing models. (Our guides for the best MacBooks in general and the best MacBooks for video editing can help you make that choice.) Either that, or you are waiting for the new MacBook Air 2022, which sounds like it will be a lot more interesting. Read more:
