Update: MacBook Pro 2022 13-inch reportedly delayed beyond WWDC.
The MacBook Pro 2022 was originally rumored to be announced during the Apple Peek Performance event. The event came and went without a word about the new laptop but rumors still peg it for a 2022 release. Based on what we’ve heard, the MacBook Pro 2022 may not be as big of an upgrade as last year’s MacBook Pro 14-inch and MacBook Pro 16-inch.
At the moment, it appears the 2022 MacBook Pro could be a new entry-level Pro-grade MacBook that will replace the $1,299 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1. That specific laptop was such an improvement over its predecessor that we ranked it among the best laptops. Considering how the MacBook Pro 2022 is rumored to have the Apple M2 chip, we could see improvements in speed and efficiency. This is all especially promising given how hard it can be to find a new Pro these days (MacBook Pros currently take months to ship — here's the best alternatives).
With that said, don't expect big changes for the new 13-inch MacBook Pro. Here are the biggest MacBook Pro 2022 rumored upgrades so far.
Apple M2 chip
The rumored Apple M2 chip is the most exciting thing we’ve heard surrounding the MacBook Pro 2022. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the M2 will feature the same 8-core CPU as the original M1 chip running at higher clock speeds. However, instead of an 8-core GPU like the M1, the new chip could have a 10-core GPU.
What’s interesting about the M2 is that it won’t surpass the current M1 chips. Gurman says that the M2 will “probably be a bit speedier than the M1” but “should retain the same 8-core architecture.” The MacBook Pro 2022 should see improved graphics, however, thanks to the move from seven or eight cores to nine or ten.
Despite the rumors, we can't say how many cores the M2 chip will actually have. Previously, it was believed that the chip would have as many as 12 CPU cores. Neither the M1 Pro nor M1 Max has that many — each packing 8 and 10 cores, respectively.
Mark Gurman has previously claimed that the M2 chip would have an 8 core CPU, complete with four efficiency and high-performance cores, plus a 10-core GPU. That would make it less powerful than the M1 Pro and M1 Max, but more powerful than the M1 chip it's intended to replace.
Updated design...maybe
Regardless of their origin, all rumors point to the MacBook Pro 2022 having an M2 chip – or at least a new slice of Apple silicon. However, we’ve heard conflicting reports about the laptop’s design. Some sources say the MacBook 2022 will feature the same design improvements as the 2021 MacBook Pros. Other rumors say there won't be a design change.
Mark Gurman claims that the laptop will not come with the mini-LED displays featured in the 2021 MacBook Pros. The MacBook Pro 2022 allegedly won't have ProMotion as a means of trimming costs. It’s possible the laptop will have the MacBook Airs’ cheaper IPS LCD Retina display. If this is true, it will be a big disappointment for some holding out for the MacBook Pro 2022.
Gurman also said the 2022 MacBook Pro will come with MagSafe charging and HDMI and SD card ports. For those keeping track, all three of these were reintroduced in 2021’s MacBook Pros. It’s also possible that the new MacBook Pro will have the contentious notched display.
Speaking of controversial design features, the 2022 MacBook may or may not have a Touch Bar. Gurman’s report says Apple will drop the Touch Bar, but if the overall design of the MacBook Pro isn’t different from its M1-powered counterpart, then the dreaded Touch Bar may be included.
Entry-level price
The MacBook Pro 2022 is expected to be the new entry-level Pro laptop. As such, it will cost less than $2,000 and potentially be as low as $1,299 like the M1-powered MacBook Pro. Considering how the new laptop is a replacement, we expect it to have a similar pricing scheme.
However, Apple could decide to increase the MacBook Pro’s starting price. For example, the 16-inch MacBook Pro 2021 costs about $100 more than its predecessor. The smaller 14-inch Pro saw a similar price bump. If Apple tries something similar with the new Pro, we may see a starting price of $1,399.
MacBook Pro 2022: Outlook
MacBook Pro 2022 rumors aren’t exactly plentiful but the few we’ve heard give us reasons to be both excited and cautiously optimistic.
As we said, the most important upgrade of the rumored laptop is the M2 chip. Even if it isn’t as beefy as the M1 Pro and M1 Max, the possible speed boost it’s supposed to provide could be enough for some to upgrade from the current 13-inch MacBook Pro.
Keep in mind that everything discussed here is based on rumors and should be taken with the proverbial grain of salt. Yes, Gurman is a reliable source and Apple is no doubt brewing something in its digital cauldron, but that doesn’t mean we’ll see a new MacBook Pro or the M2 chip this year.
We don’t even know if the new chip will be called “M2” or simply be another iteration of the M1. For now, all we can do is sit tight and wait for more concrete news to surface. Hopefully, we’ll see the MacBook Pro 2022 drop later this year and see how it stacks up.
