Apple M2 Pro and M2 Max Chips Specifications and Details, Announced Today!

Apple has announced the launch of two new SoCs (systems on a chip), the M2 Pro and M2 Max, which are designed to supercharge the performance of the MacBook Pro and Mac mini. Both chips feature a more powerful CPU and GPU, up to 96GB of unified memory, and industry-leading power efficiency. The M2 Pro has an up to 12-core CPU and up to 19-core GPU, along with up to 32GB of fast unified memory, while the M2 Max builds on the capabilities of the M2 Pro, with an up to 38-core GPU, double the unified memory bandwidth, and up to 96GB of unified memory.

Both chips also feature enhanced custom technologies, such as a faster 16-core Neural Engine and Apple’s powerful media engine. The M2 Pro brings pro performance to the Mac mini for the first time, while the M2 Pro and M2 Max take the performance and capabilities of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro to new heights.

 

“Only Apple is building SoCs like M2 Pro and M2 Max. They deliver incredible pro performance along with industry-leading power efficiency,”

said Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Technologies.

“With an even more powerful CPU and GPU, support for a larger unified memory system, and an advanced media engine, M2 Pro and M2 Max represent astonishing advancements in Apple silicon.”

Apple M2 Pro Specs and Details:

The M2 Pro is a next-generation system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple. It is built using a second-generation 5-nanometer process technology and contains 40 billion transistors, which is 20% more than M1 Pro and double the amount in M2. The chip has a memory bandwidth of 200GB/s and can be configured with up to 32GB of low-latency unified memory.

It also features a next-generation 10- or 12-core CPU, consisting of up to eight high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores, resulting in multithreaded CPU performance that is up to 20% faster than the 10-core CPU in M1 Pro. The GPU in M2 Pro can be configured with up to 19 cores, three more than the GPU in M1 Pro, and includes a larger L2 cache. Graphics speeds are up to 30 per cent faster than that of M1 Pro, resulting in significant increases in image processing performance and enabling console-quality gaming.

Apple M2 Max Specs and Details

The M2 Max, featuring 67 billion transistors, surpasses its predecessor M1 Max and boasts 3x more than M2. This new chip offers an impressive 400GB/s of unified memory bandwidth, twice that of the M2 Pro and supports up to 96GB of fast unified memory. This allows for the instant opening of massive files and smooth multitasking across multiple professional applications. The 12-core CPU, found in the M2 Pro, is paired with an even more powerful GPU of up to 38 cores, and a larger L2 cache.

Graphics performance is increased by 30% compared to M1 Max, and with 96GB of memory, the M2 Max is capable of handling graphics-intensive projects that other systems cannot. Whether it be powering visual effects, training machine learning models, or stitching gigapixel images, the M2 Max in the MacBook Pro delivers exceptional performance both plugged in and on battery power. The M2 Max is the most powerful and efficient chip for a professional laptop currently available.

Custom Technologies on the new Apple Chips

Both the M2 Pro and M2 Max feature updated custom technologies, including Apple’s next-generation, 16-core Neural Engine, capable of 15.8 trillion operations per second, and up to 40% faster than the previous generation. The M2 Pro is equipped with an efficient and powerful media engine, including hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, and ProRes video encoding and decoding, allowing for smooth playback of multiple streams of 4K and 8K ProRes video while consuming minimal power.

The M2 Max, on the other hand, has two video encoding engines and two ProRes engines, resulting in up to 2x faster video encoding than the M2 Pro. Additionally, the latest image signal processor in the M2 Pro and M2 Max provides improved noise reduction, and together with the Neural Engine, uses computational video to enhance camera image quality. A next-generation Secure Enclave is a critical component of Apple’s top-notch security and is included here.

macOS Ventura Experience with M2 Max and M2 Pro

macOS Ventura has been optimized for use with Apple silicon, and the combination of this operating system and the new M-series chips delivers unparalleled performance and productivity for users. Mac computers equipped with Apple silicon have access to over 15,000 native apps and plug-ins that take full advantage of the power of the M-series chips.

macOS Ventura offers new features such as Stage Manager, and enhanced capabilities with Continuity Camera and Handoff in FaceTime. Additionally, it includes significant updates to Safari, Mail, Messages, Spotlight, and more, all of which are more responsive and runs efficiently on the M2 Pro and M2 Max.

Environmental Impact of Apple Silicon

The M2 Pro and M2 Max contribute to the new MacBook Pro and Mac mini meeting Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency. The power-efficient performance of Apple’s silicon chips enables the new MacBook Pro to achieve the longest battery life ever in a Mac, reaching up to 22 hours. This means less time spent plugged in and less energy consumed over its lifetime.

Apple is already carbon neutral for global corporate operations and plans to have a net-zero climate impact across the entire business by 2030, including manufacturing supply chains and all product life cycles. This means that all chips created by Apple, from design to manufacturing, will be 100% carbon neutral.

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