With the MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1, 2020), Apple refreshes its MacBook Pro 13-inch for a second time in 2020, and this latest release is revolutionary.
The MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1,2020) is a watershed moment for Apple’s Pro line. That’s because, along with the MacBook Air (M1,2020) and the Mac mini (M1,2020) that launched at the same time, it has moved Apple into a new era. Instead of using Intel CPUs that have powered all of the company’s computers for a while now, it uses the new Apple-made M1 chip. This upgrade to the laptop line is the first truly big leap that it has seen in a long time. That’s not to say that it looks all that different from previous models. In fact, as big of a change as the M1 chip is, it’s the only big upgrade the Pro 13-inch gets. If you have a 2019 or even an early 2020 model, for instance, you’ll probably want to wait a few generations before getting a Pro with an M1 chip. However, it’s still a big update. This new model is 2.8 times faster than its predecessor and has a better battery life to boot. Additionally, it’s three times faster than comparable Windows laptops. Though we would have loved to see an additional port or two and a design update, the new MacBook Pro 13-inch is a fantastic update for Apple’s top line of portables. Apple has yet again redefined what we can expect from a laptop. Prices for the MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1,2020) start at $1,299 / £1,299 / AU$1,999 for the 256GB SSD/8GB RAM model, with the 2TB SSD/16GB RAM model selling for $2,299 / £2,299 / AU$3,499. Both models come with the same M1 chip with an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU, and storage can be configured up to 2TB. For comparison, the MacBook Pro (2020) launched earlier this year for $1,299 / £1,299 / AU$1,999, so we’re not seeing the price cut on the MacBook Pro some were hoping to see now that Apple has moved to its own silicon, but we commend Apple for releasing the new version at the same price as the previous model. What’s interesting is that the new MacBook Air (M1,2020) is available with the same M1 chip, and with the same amount of RAM and 512GB storage, for $1,249 / £1,249 / AU$1,949. Usually, we wouldn’t compare the MacBook Pro with the MacBook Air, but considering how close the specs are, and the fact that new MacBook Air also features a screen that supports the P3 color gamut, previously exclusive to MacBook Pros, there may be some people who think going for the Air is a better choice, especially as it comes with double the capacity for less money. However, the MacBook Air (M1,2020) has a fanless design, whereas the MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1,2020) still has fans. This means the new MacBook Air is limited in how long it can run intensive tasks for before its performance is throttled in order to prevent overheating, due to there being no fans to cool it down. If you’re going to have your machine working for hours on end on rendering tasks, for example, then the MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1,2020) will be worth the extra outlay. The MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1,2020) is one of the most exciting releases from Apple for a while, thanks to its new M1 silicon brains, but you probably wouldn’t think that when you first get it out of the box. That’s because, with its dimensions of 0.61 x 11.97 x 8.36 inches (1.56 x 30.41 x 21.24cm) and a weight of 3.0 pounds (1.4kg) it’s pretty much the same as the previous model. It certainly looks and feels identical to previous MacBook Pro 13-inch models, so anyone hoping for a radical new look to match the radical new hardware within is going to be disappointed. We feel that this is a bit of a missed opportunity for Apple. It’s made a big deal of what a revolutionary change its move to the M1 chip is, along with macOS Big Sur – which is a big enough change to warrant naming it ‘macOS 11’, and not ‘macOS 10.17′ – so we’d have like to see Apple be just as bold with the look of the MacBook Pro 13-inch. Apple would probably argue, along with some of its fans, that the MacBook Pro 13-inch’s design is perfect, so there’s no point changing it. In a way that’s fair – this is still a good-looking laptop after all, and it remains impressively thin and light; but when Apple’s rivals, such as Dell and HP, are doing some innovative things with their designs, be it super-slim bezels or 2-in-1 designs that let you use the laptop like a tablet, the MacBook Pro 13-inch (M1,2020)’s look starts to feel a little dated. For a while now, many people felt that Apple had neglected the Mac and MacBook in favor of the iPhone.
