Want to buy a 13-inch MacBook Pro? Well, with Apple, we’ve all gotten used to the idea that the latest model is the best. And so the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 (2022), which launched on June 17, is certainly a hit?
After all, it has the latest M2 processor, which Apple says is a 40% increase in performance over its predecessor’s M1 chip, the 13-inch MacBook Pro (M1, 2020). In addition to the promised speed increase, it means better battery life, up to 20 hours. And best of all, the new version has been released at the same price as the previous model, so don’t even pay more (if that’s still too much for you, stay tuned to our Apple offer centers of Prime Day for any bargain).
It is true that no one has been too excited about this new MacBook Pro, because ultimately it has not changed much: it still has the same overall design, the same Touch Bar, the same 720p webcam. But at the same time, the consensus was that this was a remarkable improvement over the old model. Until, that is, a couple of YouTubers discovered something that Apple had kept to themselves.
Slower SSD
Not so fast, after all (image credit: Apple)
The problem is that while the M2 processor is actually faster than the older M1 chip, there’s something else on the laptop that slows things down: the SSD (solid state drive), which stores persistent data in solid state flash memory.
Well, it turns out that in the base model (256GB) of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2, the SSD only has a single NAND flash storage chip, while the previous model had two. This was not published by Apple, and no one has noticed until recently because reviewers are not in the habit of removing the back of their laptops (the public relations firms that lend them usually want them). back in one piece!)
The SSD issue came to light, however, after YouTuber Max Yuryev tested the base version (256GB) using Blackmagic’s Disk Speed Test app (opens in a new tab). He found that the read speeds of the SSD are about 50% slower and that 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 / 256 GB) Read speed: 2,900
- 13-inch MacBook Pro (M2 / 256 GB) Read speed: 1,446
- 13-inch MacBook Pro (M1 / 256 GB) Write speed: 2,215
- 13-inch MacBook Pro (M2 / 256 GB) Write 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 increasingly giving way to 8K and even higher resolutions, the amount of time it takes to move a file will really have an impact on your productivity.
But this is not all. SSDs are not only used for file storage, but are also used as virtual RAM when existing RAM is fully depleted. And this often happens when you use software that consumes a lot of resources, which many creative professionals do on a regular basis.
Do you have to buy it?
So what does all this mean for consumers? Well, to put it simply, if you buy the base 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 find that the performance is actually slower than the 2020 M1 model.
The same problem does not seem to occur in the 512 GB model, but this is much more expensive. So in general, if you’re dealing with a lot of large files and using creative software that consumes a lot of resources, we recommend that you take a look at the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 and stick with one of the existing models. (Our guides on the best MacBooks in general and the best MacBooks for video editing can help you choose.)
Either that, or wait for the new MacBook Air 2022, which looks set to be much more interesting.
Read more: