Reference tests have indicated that the 256GB variant of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 chip offers slower SSD performance than its M1 equivalent, and now real-world stress tests by YouTuber Max Yuryev of Max Tech suggest that the 256GB SSD in the 13- inch MacBook Pro also has lower performance than everyday use.
The M2 MacBook Pro with 256 GB SSD and 8 GB of RAM was slower than the M1 MacBook Pro with 256 GB SSD and 8 GB of RAM through multiple usage tests with Photoshop, Lightroom, Final Cut Pro, multitasking and file transfers. In a multitasking RAM test, the M1 constantly loads content faster with multiple applications open, and in a test of exporting 50 images to Lightroom with the applications open, the M1 once again became faster. It was able to export 50 images in 3 minutes and 36 seconds, while the M2 took 4 minutes and 12 seconds.
In these tests, the MacBook Pro’s built-in 8GB of unified memory is being used by various processes, with the machine using the SSD for virtual memory. Virtual memory exchange causes slower overall system performance.
These results were consistent across all performance stress tests conducted by Max Tech, and benchmark tests conducted by Max Tech on Saturday showed the same discrepancy. The read speeds of the M2 MacBook Pro appear to be about 50 percent slower, while the write speeds appear to be about 30 percent slower.
- 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
Max Tech attributes this performance difference to Apple’s choice of NAND flash storage. On the M2 MacBook Pro, there is a single 256GB NAND flash storage chip, while the M1 MacBook Pro has two NAND chips that are probably 128GB each. Several NAND chips allow faster speeds in parallel, which could explain the seemingly disappointing performance of the M2.
The slower SSD performance seems to be limited to the 256GB version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro, as higher-capacity machines haven’t shown the same problem. Potential MacBook Pro buyers should be aware of this performance issue as it could affect the purchase choice.
It’s unclear why Apple opted for a different NAND chip configuration to the M2 MacBook Pro, and more testing is needed to determine what’s going on. Apple has not yet responded to our feedback requests, but we will update this article if we have a response.