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Apple has announced the release of the M2 Pro and M2 Max, next-generation systems on a chip (SoCs) that are set to take the power-efficient performance of Apple silicon to new heights.
The M2 Pro features an up to 12-core CPU and a 19-core GPU, as well as 32 GB of fast unified memory. The M2 Max, on the other hand, boasts an up to 38-core GPU, double the unified memory bandwidth, and up to 96 GB of unified memory, making it the most powerful and power-efficient chip for a pro laptop on the market.
According to Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Technologies, “Only Apple is building SoCs like M2 Pro and M2 Max. They deliver incredible pro performance along with industry-leading power efficiency.”
The M2 Pro and M2 Max are built using a second-generation 5-nanometer process technology and feature enhanced custom technologies, including a faster 16-core Neural Engine and Apple’s powerful media engine.
The M2 Pro brings pro-level performance to the Mac mini for the first time, while the M2 Pro and M2 Max take the capabilities of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro even further.
The M2 Pro and M2 Max also feature updated custom technologies, such as Apple’s next-generation, 16-core Neural Engine, capable of 15.8 trillion operations per second, and up to 40 percent faster than the previous generation. They also include a next-generation Secure Enclave, which is a critical part of Apple’s best-in-class security.
macOS Ventura has been designed for Apple silicon, and the combination of macOS Ventura and the industry-leading new chips delivers unbeatable performance and productivity for users.
Mac computers powered with Apple silicon have access to more than 15,000 native apps and plug-ins that unlock the full power of M-series chips.
The M2 Pro and M2 Max help the new MacBook Pro and Mac mini meet Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency. The power-efficient performance of Apple silicon helps the new MacBook Pro achieve the longest battery life ever in a Mac — up to 22 hours.
In addition to the impressive performance and power efficiency of M2 Pro and M2 Max, Apple has also included a number of updated custom technologies to enhance the overall user experience.
M2 Pro also boasts an incredibly powerful and efficient media engine, including hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, and ProRes video encode and decode, allowing for the playback of multiple streams of 4K and 8K ProRes video while using very little power. M2 Max takes this even further, with two video encode engines and two ProRes engines, resulting in up to 2x faster video encoding than M2 Pro.
Apple’s latest image signal processor also delivers better noise reduction, and in combination with the Neural Engine, uses computational video to enhance camera image quality. This means that users can expect even better image and video quality from their Macs.
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The introduction of the M2 Pro and M2 Max marks a significant step forward in the evolution of Apple silicon and takes the performance and capabilities of the Mac to new heights.
The pro-performance and power-efficient nature of these chips make them the ideal choice for professionals and power users, while the updated custom technologies and improved security ensure that all users can enjoy a seamless and secure experience.