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MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) vs MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)

MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020)1MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)2

Quick look

Quick look: MacBook Pro M1 against MacBook Pro
FigureMacBook Pro M11MacBook Pro2
Price£1,2993launch price£1,7494launch price
ChipM1chipCore i53.1GHz dual-core Intel
CPU8-coreCPU2-coreCPU
GPU8-coreGPUNot available5GPU
Memory8GBunified memory, base8GBmemory, base
Storage256GBstorage, base256GBstorage, base
Battery lifeUp to20 hrsvideo playback, claimedUp to10 hrsvideo playback, claimed
Released10 November 20206Available online; Apple gave no in-store day7 June 20177ReleasedIn Apple Stores; orderable online from 5 June 2017.
Security updatesNot available8Security updates15 September 20259Security updates ended
Price
The MacBook Pro M1 is £1,299 at launch, per Apple Newsroom (UK); the MacBook Pro is £1,749 at launch, per Apple UK Store (archived 23 June 2017).

True to scale

MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) · 304.1 × 212.4 mm footprintMacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) · 304.1 × 212.4 mm footprint

Footprints from above, from Apple’s published dimensions, drawn to one scale and superposed. Corner rounding is our drawing convention, not a measurement.

Specifications

Each figure is from the source marked by its Mac’s name unless it carries its own small number, which links to where that figure was read.

Body

Body: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) against Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
SpecificationMacBook Pro M11MacBook Pro2
Dimensions15.6 x 304.1 x 212.4 mm14.9 x 304.1 x 212.4 mm
Weight1.4 kg1.37 kg
ColoursSilver, Space GraySilver, Space Gray
PortsTwo Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports, 3.5 mm headphone jackFour Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, 3.5 mm headphone jack
Thunderbolt ports24
Thunderbolt versionThunderbolt 3Thunderbolt 3
USB-A portsNo USB-A ports.10No USB-A ports.11
HDMINo HDMI port.12No HDMI port.13
SD card slotNo SD card slot.12No SD card slot.13
Headphone jackYesYes
MagSafeNo MagSafe port.10No MagSafe port.11
KeyboardBacklit Magic Keyboard with Touch Bar and Touch IDFull-size backlit keyboard with Touch Bar with integrated Touch ID sensor
Touch IDYesYes
Touch BarYesYes

Display

Display: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) against Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
SpecificationMacBook Pro M11MacBook Pro2
Display size13.3 in13.3 in
Resolution2560 x 16002560 x 1600
Pixel density227 ppi227 ppi
Display typeRetina displayRetina display
Brightness500 nits500 nits
Wide colour (P3)YesYes
Nano-texture optionNo nano-texture display option.12Not available5

Chip and memory

Chip and memory: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) against Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
SpecificationMacBook Pro M11MacBook Pro2
ChipApple M1 chip3.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
Apple siliconYesIntel processor, not Apple silicon.11
CPU cores82
Performance cores4Not available14
Efficiency cores4Not available14
GPU cores8Not available5
Graphics8-core GPU15Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650
Neural Engine cores16Not available16
Chip optionsM1 with 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU153.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz; configurable to 3.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.7GHz, or 3.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 4.0GHz
Memory (base)8GB8GB
Memory (maximum)16GB16GB
Memory options8GB or 16GB8GB or 16GB
Memory upgradeable by userNo, as Apple documents17No, as Apple documents17
Storage (base)256GB256GB
Storage (maximum)2TB1TB
Storage options256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB256GB, 512GB or 1TB

Battery and power

Battery and power: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) against Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
SpecificationMacBook Pro M11MacBook Pro2
Battery capacity58.2 Wh49.2 Wh
Rated charge cycles1,000 cycles181,000 cycles18
Video playback (claimed)1920 h10 h
Wireless web (claimed)17 h10 h
Included power adapter61 W61 W
Fast chargingNo fast charging.20No fast charging.13

Connectivity

Connectivity: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) against Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
SpecificationMacBook Pro M11MacBook Pro2
Wi-Fi802.11ax Wi-Fi 6802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
Bluetooth5.04.2
EthernetNo Ethernet port.12No Ethernet port.13
External displays (base)12

Camera and audio

Camera and audio: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) against Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
SpecificationMacBook Pro M11MacBook Pro2
Camera720p FaceTime HD camera720p FaceTime HD camera
SpeakersStereo speakers with high dynamic rangeStereo speakers with high dynamic range
MicrophonesStudio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamformingThree microphones

Platform

Platform: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) against Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
SpecificationMacBook Pro M11MacBook Pro2
Shipped withmacOS Big Sur21Not available5
Newest macOSmacOS 27 Golden Gate22macOS Ventura23
Model identifierMacBookPro17,123MacBookPro14,223
Model year20202017

Benchmarks

Benchmarks: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) against Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
SpecificationMacBook Pro M11MacBook Pro2
Geekbench 7 (CPU, single-core)2,166241,00824
Geekbench 7 (CPU, multi-core)8,309241,99924

Sources

  1. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) - Tech Specs · Default for MacBook Pro M1 · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  2. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) - Technical Specifications · Default for MacBook Pro · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  3. Apple Newsroom (UK) — Introducing the next generation of Mac · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  4. Apple UK Store (archived 23 June 2017) — MacBook Pro 13-inch with Touch Bar, 3.1GHz dual-core Core i5, 8GB, 256GB, £1,749.00 · third-party figure · read 11 Oct 2026

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  5. Not published by Apple. Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) - Technical Specifications; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Pro model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — iMac receives major update featuring more powerful graphics, faster processors, Thunderbolt 3 and brighter displays. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  6. Apple Newsroom (UK) — Introducing the next generation of Mac · Apple’s figure · read 22 Sep 2026

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  7. Apple Newsroom (UK) — iMac receives major update featuring more powerful graphics, faster processors, Thunderbolt 3 and brighter displays · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  8. Security updates: no end date published. Checked: endoflife.date. Read 22 Sep 2026

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  9. endoflife.date — Apple macOS · third-party figure · read 2 Oct 2026

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  10. MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020): No USB-A ports. No MagSafe port. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) - Tech Specs. Read 15 Sep 2026

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  11. MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports): No USB-A ports. No MagSafe port. Intel processor, not Apple silicon. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) - Technical Specifications. Read 15 Sep 2026

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  12. MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020): No HDMI port. No SD card slot. No nano-texture display option. No Ethernet port. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) - Tech Specs. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  13. MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports): No HDMI port. No SD card slot. No fast charging. No Ethernet port. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) - Technical Specifications. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  14. Doesn’t apply: this is an Intel processor, and Apple lists a total core count only

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  15. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) - Tech Specs · Apple’s figure · read 9 Oct 2026

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  16. Doesn’t apply: Apple silicon feature; this Mac has an Intel processor

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  17. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro: how to remove or install memory · Apple’s figure · read 18 Oct 2026

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  18. Apple Support (UK) — Determine battery cycle count for Mac laptops · Apple’s figure · read 15 Oct 2026

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  19. Two different Apple tests. MacBook Pro M1: Apple TV app movie playback. MacBook Pro: iTunes movie playback.

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  20. MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020): No fast charging. Checked: Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple unveils game-changing MacBook Pro. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  21. Apple Newsroom (UK) — Introducing the next generation of Mac · Apple’s figure · read 9 Oct 2026

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  22. Apple Support (UK) — macOS 27 Golden Gate is compatible with these computers · Apple’s figure · read 22 Sep 2026

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  23. Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Pro model · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  24. Geekbench Browser (Primate Labs) · third-party figure · read 11 Oct 2026

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Not published by Apple

MacBook Pro M1. Apple doesn’t publish for this Mac: refresh rate, memory bandwidth, storage upgradeable by user, media engine. Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) - Tech Specs; Apple Newsroom (UK) — Introducing the next generation of Mac; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Pro model, read 9 Oct 2026.

MacBook Pro. Apple doesn’t publish for this Mac: refresh rate, storage upgradeable by user. Geekbench 7 Metal: the Mac chart has no Metal score for this Mac (chart read 10 Oct 2026). Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) - Technical Specifications; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Pro model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — iMac receives major update featuring more powerful graphics, faster processors, Thunderbolt 3 and brighter displays, read 9 Oct 2026.

If you own one of them

Whether to move is a different question from which is better. Each Mac has a page on it: what its successor changes (the newest Mac in its line where Apple sells one, otherwise the Mac this site treats as its replacement, which can be in another line), what it fetches and whether it still gets updates. Should I upgrade my MacBook Pro M1 (13-inch, 2020)? · Should I upgrade my MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)?

The pairs a buyer of either Mac would also weigh. Any two Macs in the catalogue can be compared from the chooser.