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MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Max, 2023) vs MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro, 2023)

MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Max, 2023)1MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro, 2023)2

Quick look

Quick look: MacBook Pro M2 Max against MacBook Pro M2 Pro
FigureMacBook Pro M2 Max1MacBook Pro M2 Pro2
Price£3,7493launch price£2,6994launch price
ChipM2 Max5chipM2 Prochip
CPU12-coreCPU12-coreCPU
GPU38-core5GPU19-coreGPU
Memory32GBunified memory, base16GBunified memory, base
Storage1TBstorage, base512GBstorage, base
Battery lifeUp to22 hrsvideo playback, claimedUp to22 hrsvideo playback, claimed
Released24 January 20236ReleasedIn Apple Stores; orderable online from 17 January 2023.24 January 20234ReleasedIn Apple Stores; orderable online from 17 January 2023.
Security updatesNot available7Security updatesNot available8Security updates
Price
The MacBook Pro M2 Max is £3,749 at launch, per Apple UK Store (archived 22 January 2023); the MacBook Pro M2 Pro is £2,699 at launch, per Apple Newsroom (UK).

True to scale

MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Max, 2023) · 355.7 × 248.1 mm footprintMacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro, 2023) · 355.7 × 248.1 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 (16-inch, M2 Max, 2023) against Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro, 2023)
SpecificationMacBook Pro M2 Max1MacBook Pro M2 Pro2
Dimensions16.8 x 355.7 x 248.1 mm16.8 x 355.7 x 248.1 mm
Weight2.16 kg2.15 kg
ColoursSilver, Space GreySilver, Space Grey
PortsThree Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, HDMI port, SDXC card slot, MagSafe 3 port, 3.5mm headphone jackThree Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, MagSafe 3 port, HDMI port, SDXC card slot, 3.5mm headphone jack
Thunderbolt ports33
Thunderbolt versionThunderbolt 4Thunderbolt 4
USB-A portsNo USB-A ports.9No USB-A ports.10
HDMIHDMI portHDMI port
SD card slotYesYes
Headphone jackYesYes
MagSafeYesYes
KeyboardBacklit Magic Keyboard with Touch IDBacklit Magic Keyboard with Touch ID
Touch IDYesYes
Touch BarNo Touch Bar.11No Touch Bar.12

Display

Display: Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Max, 2023) against Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro, 2023)
SpecificationMacBook Pro M2 Max1MacBook Pro M2 Pro2
Display size16.2 in16.2 in
Resolution3456 x 22343456 x 2234
Pixel density254 ppi254 ppi
Display typeLiquid Retina XDR displayLiquid Retina XDR display
Brightness500 nits500 nits
Peak brightness (HDR)1,600 nits1,600 nits
Refresh rate120 Hz120 Hz
Wide colour (P3)YesYes
Nano-texture optionNo nano-texture display option.11No nano-texture display option.12

Chip and memory

Chip and memory: Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Max, 2023) against Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro, 2023)
SpecificationMacBook Pro M2 Max1MacBook Pro M2 Pro2
ChipApple M2 Max chip5Apple M2 Pro chip
Apple siliconYesYes
CPU cores1212
Performance cores88
Efficiency cores44
GPU cores38519
Neural Engine cores1616
Chip optionsM2 Max with 12-core CPU and 30-core GPU, or M2 Max with 12-core CPU and 38-core GPUM2 Pro with 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU5
Memory (base)32GB16GB
Memory (maximum)96GB32GB5
Memory options32GB, 64GB or 96GB (96GB with 38-core GPU)16GB or 32GB5
Memory upgradeable by userNo, as Apple documents13No, as Apple documents13
Memory bandwidth400 GB/s200 GB/s
Storage (base)1TB512GB
Storage (maximum)8TB8TB5
Storage options1TB, 2TB, 4TB or 8TB512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB or 8TB5
Media engineHardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes and ProRes RAWvideo decode enginetwo video encode enginestwo ProRes encode and decode enginesHardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes and ProRes RAWvideo decode enginevideo encode engineProRes encode and decode engine

Battery and power

Battery and power: Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Max, 2023) against Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro, 2023)
SpecificationMacBook Pro M2 Max1MacBook Pro M2 Pro2
Battery capacity100 Wh100 Wh
Rated charge cycles1,000 cycles141,000 cycles14
Video playback (claimed)22 h22 h
Wireless web (claimed)15 h15 h
Included power adapter140 W140 W
Fast chargingYesYes

Connectivity

Connectivity: Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Max, 2023) against Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro, 2023)
SpecificationMacBook Pro M2 Max1MacBook Pro M2 Pro2
Wi-FiWi‑Fi 6E (802.11ax)Wi‑Fi 6E (802.11ax)
Bluetooth5.35.3
EthernetNo Ethernet port.11No Ethernet port.12
External displays (base)42

Camera and audio

Camera and audio: Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Max, 2023) against Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro, 2023)
SpecificationMacBook Pro M2 Max1MacBook Pro M2 Pro2
Camera1080p FaceTime HD camera1080p FaceTime HD camera
SpeakersHigh-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofersHigh-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers
MicrophonesStudio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming15Studio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming

Platform

Platform: Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Max, 2023) against Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro, 2023)
SpecificationMacBook Pro M2 Max1MacBook Pro M2 Pro2
Newest macOSmacOS 27 Golden Gate16macOS 27 Golden Gate17
Model identifierMac14,6, Mac14,1018Mac14,6, Mac14,1018
Model year20232023

Benchmarks

Benchmarks: Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Max, 2023) against Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro, 2023)
SpecificationMacBook Pro M2 Max1MacBook Pro M2 Pro2
Geekbench 7 (CPU, single-core)2,490192,43119
Geekbench 7 (CPU, multi-core)17,0341916,64019
Geekbench 7 (Metal)140,2191982,98119

Sources

  1. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2023) - Tech Specs · Default for MacBook Pro M2 Max · Apple’s figure · read 30 Sep 2026

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  2. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2023) - Tech Specs · Default for MacBook Pro M2 Pro · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  3. Apple UK Store (archived 22 January 2023) — MacBook Pro 16-inch, M2 Max with 12-core CPU and 38-core GPU, 32GB, 1TB, £3,749.00 · third-party figure · read 11 Oct 2026

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  4. Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple unveils MacBook Pro featuring M2 Pro and M2 Max · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  5. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2023) - Tech Specs · Apple’s figure · read 2 Oct 2026

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  6. Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple unveils MacBook Pro featuring M2 Pro and M2 Max · Apple’s figure · read 30 Sep 2026

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  7. Security updates: no end date published. Checked: endoflife.date. Read 30 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. MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Max, 2023): No USB-A ports. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2023) - Tech Specs. Read 30 Sep 2026

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  10. MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro, 2023): No USB-A ports. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2023) - Tech Specs. Read 15 Sep 2026

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  11. MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Max, 2023): No Touch Bar. No nano-texture display option. No Ethernet port. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2023) - Tech Specs. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  12. MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro, 2023): No Touch Bar. No nano-texture display option. No Ethernet port. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2023) - Tech Specs. Read 9 Oct 2026

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

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

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  15. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2023) - Tech Specs · Apple’s figure · read 11 Oct 2026

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  16. Apple Support (UK) — macOS 27 Golden Gate is compatible with these computers · Apple’s figure · read 30 Sep 2026

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

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  18. Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Pro model · Apple’s figure · read 9 Oct 2026

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

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Not published by Apple

MacBook Pro M2 Max. Apple doesn’t publish for this Mac: storage upgradeable by user, the macOS it shipped with. Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2023) - Tech Specs; Identify your MacBook Pro model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple unveils MacBook Pro featuring M2 Pro and M2 Max, read 9 Oct 2026.

MacBook Pro M2 Pro. Apple doesn’t publish for this Mac: storage upgradeable by user, the macOS it shipped with. Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2023) - Tech Specs; Identify your MacBook Pro model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple unveils MacBook Pro featuring M2 Pro and M2 Max, 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 M2 Max (16-inch, 2023)? · Should I upgrade my MacBook Pro M2 Pro (16-inch, 2023)?

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