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MacBook 12” 2016 vs. M1 MacBook Pro 13” - Specs Comparison

Here is a comparison between the specifications of the MacBook 12” 2016 and M1 MacBook Pro 13”, including differences in the chip, memory, storage, display, battery, ports, and more.

By Conor Banett

January 24, 2024 10:13 am

MacBook 12” 2016 vs. M1 MacBook Pro 13”

The MacBook 12” 2016 features the 4.5W 6th Generation Intel Skylake dual-core Intel Core m3-6Y30 up to dual-core Intel Core m7-6Y75 with the boost speed up to 3.10 GHz. While the 2020 M1 MacBook Pro 13” features the 10W Apple M-Series ARM 64-bit 8-core Apple M1 (8C, 8G) with a clock speed of 3.20 GHz.

If you are in the market looking for a laptop and don't know what's the difference between the 12″ MacBook 12” 2016 and the 13.3″ M1 MacBook Pro 13” (2020), we have a detailed tech specs comparison between both devices for you to check out here.

MacBook 12” 2016 vs. M1 MacBook Pro 13”: Specs Comparison

	Compare With Please enter device name or part of it MacBook 12” 2016	Compare With Please enter device name or part of it M1 MacBook Pro 13”
Key Features
What's new		Better Performance With the new Apple M1 Chip paired with the MacBook Pro's active cooling system, it's 2.8 times faster than the previous generation. The 8-core GPU is up to 5 times faster allowing smooth graphics performance. Better Battery Life It's a MacBook Pro with the longest battery life ever made, with up to 20-hours of watching movies and 17 hours of web browsing. Better FaceTime HD camera With the latest Apple Image Single Processor (ISP) in the M1 chip, image quality is better in noise reduction, greater dynamic range, and improved auto white balance. More Supports latest USB 4 Supports latest Wi-Fi 6 Better security with new Secure Enclave in M1 chip Studio-quality mics for super clear recordings and calls
What's missing		Supports only one extended 6K@60Hz display, while the older Intel version supports up to two 4K@60Hz. Not supports for external Thunderbolt-3 enabled graphics processors (eGPUs).

Availability	MacBook 12” 2016	M1 MacBook Pro 13”
Released	2016	2020
Release Info	Announced on April 19, 2016 Available on April 19, 2016	Announced on November 10th, 2020
Pricing	$1,299 Intel Core m3-6Y30 \| 8GB RAM \| 256GB SSD $1,599 Intel Core m5-6Y54 \| 8GB RAM \| 512GB SSD	$1,299 Apple M1 Chip \| 8GB RAM \| 256GB SSD $1,499 Apple M1 Chip \| 8GB RAM \| 512GB SSD

Display	MacBook 12” 2016	M1 MacBook Pro 13”
Size	12 Inches	13.3 Inches
Info	Retina display 12-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology 2304-by-1440 resolution at 226 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors 16:10 aspect ratio Supported scaled resolutions: 1440 by 900 1280 by 800 1024 by 640	Retina display 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2560-by-1600 native resolution at 227 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors Supported scaled resolutions: 1680 by 1050 1440 by 900 1024 by 640 16:10 aspect ratio 500 nits brightness Supports wide color (P3) True Tone technology

Exterior	MacBook 12” 2016	M1 MacBook Pro 13”
Size Comparison
Dimensions	11.04” x 7.74” x 0.14 - 0.52” (280.5 mm x 196.5 mm x 3.5 - 13.1 mm)	11.97” x 8.36” x 0.61” (304.1 mm x 212.4 mm x 15.6 mm)
Weight	Starting at 2.03 pounds (920 g)	Starting at 3.1 pounds (1.4 kg)
Colors	SilverSpace GrayGoldRose Gold	Space GraySilver
Keyboard and Trackpad	Full-size backlit keyboard with: 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) individual LED backlit keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys with ambient light sensor Force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and pressure-sensing capabilities; enables Force clicks, accelerators, pressure-sensitive drawing, and Multi-Touch gestures	Backlit Magic Keyboard with: 65 (U.S.) or 66 (ISO) keys including 4 arrow keys in an inverted‑T arrangement Touch Bar Touch ID sensor Ambient light sensor Force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and pressure‑sensing capabilities; enables Force clicks, accelerators, pressure‑sensitive drawing, and Multi‑Touch gestures
Ports	One USB Type-C port with support for: Charging USB 3.1 Gen 1 (up to 5 Gbps) Native DisplayPort 1.2 video output VGA output using USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter (sold separately) HDMI video output using USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter (sold separately)	Two Thunderbolt / USB 4 (USB‑C) ports with support for: Charging DisplayPort Thunderbolt 3 (up to 40Gb/s) USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10Gb/s) Headphone

Internal Specs	MacBook 12” 2016	M1 MacBook Pro 13”
Processor	6th Gen Intel® Core™ m3-6Y30 2 cores, 4 threads, 0.90 → 2.20 GHz, 4MB SmartCache, 4.5W 6th Gen Intel® Core™ m5-6Y54 2 cores, 4 threads, 1.10 → 2.70 GHz, 4MB SmartCache, 4.5W 6th Gen Intel® Core™ m7-6Y75 2 cores, 4 threads, 1.20 → 3.10 GHz, 4MB SmartCache, 4.5W	Apple M1 8 cores, 8 threads, 3.20 GHz, 10W
Integrated Graphics	6th Gen Intel® Core™ m3-6Y30 Intel® HD Graphics 515 24 Execution Units, 300 → 850 MHz 6th Gen Intel® Core™ m5-6Y54 Intel® HD Graphics 515 24 Execution Units, 300 → 900 MHz 6th Gen Intel® Core™ m7-6Y75 Intel® HD Graphics 515 24 Execution Units, 300 → 1000 MHz	Apple M1 Apple M1 iGPU 8 Graphics Cores, 1280 MHz
Memory	8GB 1866 MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory	8GB 4266 MHz LPDDR4X onboard memory Configurable to 16GB
Storage	256GB512GB PCIe-based onboard flash storage.	256GB512GB SSD Configurable to 1TB or 2TB

Connectivity	MacBook 12” 2016	M1 MacBook Pro 13”
Wi-Fi	802.11ac Wi‑Fi wireless networking IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible	802.11ax Wi‑Fi 6 wireless networking IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac compatible
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology	Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology

Battery	MacBook 12” 2016	M1 MacBook Pro 13”
Size	41.4 Wh lithium‑polymer battery	58.2 Wh lithium‑polymer battery
Battery Life	Up to 10 hours of wireless web Up to 11 hours of iTunes movie playback Up to 30 days of standby time	Up to 17 hours wireless web Up to 20 hours Apple TV app movie playback
Power Supply	29W USB-C Power Adapter	61W USB‑C Power Adapter

Software	MacBook 12” 2016	M1 MacBook Pro 13”
OS	Shipped with OS X El Capitan	Shipped with macOS Big Sur
Built-in Apps	PhotosiMovieGarageBandPagesNumbersKeynoteSafariMailMessagesFaceTimeCalendarNotesApp StoreiTunesiBooksMapsContactsReminders	PhotosiMovieGarageBandPagesNumbersKeynoteSiriSafariMailFaceTimeMessagesMapsNewsStocksHomeVoice MemosNotesCalendarContactsRemindersPhoto BoothPreviewMusicPodcastsTVBooksApp StoreTime MachineFind MyQuickTime Player

Camera & Audio	MacBook 12” 2016	M1 MacBook Pro 13”
Camera	480p FaceTime HD camera	720p FaceTime HD camera
Audio	Stereo speakers Dual microphones 3.5 mm headphone jack Support for Apple iPhone headset with remote and microphone	Stereo speakers with high dynamic range Wide stereo sound Support for Dolby Atmos playback Studio-quality three-mic array with directional beamforming 3.5 mm headphone jack

Misc	MacBook 12” 2016	M1 MacBook Pro 13”
Sensors		Touch ID sensor Ambient light sensor
Security		Touch ID sensor Apple T2 Security Chip
In the box	MacBook 29W USB-C Power Adapter USB-C Charge Cable (2 m)	MacBook Pro 13” 61W USB‑C Power Adapter USB-C Charge Cable (2 m)
Warranty	Limited Warranty and ServiceYour MacBook comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan to extend your service and support to three years from your computer’s purchase date. Only the AppleCare Protection Plan provides you with direct telephone support from Apple technical experts and the assurance that repairs will be handled by Apple-authorized technicians using genuine Apple parts. For more information, visit Apple Support or call 800-823-2275.	Your MacBook Pro comes with 90 days of complimentary technical support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase AppleCare+ for Mac to extend your coverage to three years from your AppleCare+ purchase date and add up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $99 for screen damage or external enclosure damage, or $299 for other repairable damage, plus applicable tax.
More	Video Support Intel HD Graphics 515 Dual display and video mirroring: simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 3840 by 2160 pixels at 30Hz on an external display, both at millions of colors	Video Support Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at millions of colors and: One external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz Thunderbolt 3 digital video output Native DisplayPort output over USB‑C VGA, HDMI, DVI, and Thunderbolt 2 output supported using adapters (sold separately)

M1 MacBook Pro 13”: Key Features

Better real-world application performance

When compared to the previous generation, the new M1-powered 13-inch MacBook Pro can:

Build code in Xcode up to 2.8x faster.
Render a complex 3D title in Final Cut Pro up to 5.9x faster.
Fluidly design intricate game scenes in Unity Editor up to 3.5x faster.
Perform ML tasks in Create ML up to 11x faster.
Separate out beats, instrumentals, and vocal tracks from a recording in real-time in djay Pro AI, thanks to the amazing performance of the Neural Engine.
Playback full-quality, 8K ProRes video in DaVinci Resolve without dropping a single frame.
Compile four times as much code on a single charge, thanks to the game-changing performance per watt of the M1 chip.