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MacBook 12” 2016 vs. MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015) - Specs Comparison

Here is a comparison between the specifications of the MacBook 12” 2016 and MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015), 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. MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)

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 MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015) features the 47W 4th Generation Intel Crystal Well quad-core Intel Core i7-4770HQ up to quad-core Intel Core i7-4980HQ with the boost speed up to 4.00 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 15.4″ MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015) , we have a detailed tech specs comparison between both devices for you to check out here.

MacBook 12” 2016 vs. MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015): 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 MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)
Availability
Released	2016	2015
Release Info	Announced on April 19, 2016 Available on April 19, 2016	Announced on March 9th, 2015 Available on March 9th, 2015
Pricing	$1,299 Intel Core m3-6Y30 \| 8GB RAM \| 256GB SSD $1,599 Intel Core m5-6Y54 \| 8GB RAM \| 512GB SSD	$1,999 Intel Core i7 4770HQ\| 16GB RAM \| 256GB SSD $2,499 Intel Core i7 4870HQ \| 16GB RAM \| 512GB SSD

Display	MacBook 12” 2016	MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)
Size	12 Inches	15.4 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 15.4-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2880-by-1800 native resolution at 220 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors Supported scaled resolutions: 1920 by 1200 1680 by 1050 1280 by 800 1024 by 640 300 nits brightness Standard color gamut (sRGB) 900:1 contrast ratio

Exterior	MacBook 12” 2016	MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)
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)	14.13” x 9.73” x 0.71” (358.9 mm x 247.1 mm x 18 mm)
Weight	Starting at 2.03 pounds (920 g)	Starting at 4.49 lb (2.04 kg)
Colors	SilverSpace GrayGoldRose Gold	Silver
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	Full-size backlit keyboard with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys (inverted “T” arrangement) 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
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)	2 x Thunderbolt 2 ports Supports data transfers up to 20 Gbps. 2 x USB 3.0 ports Supports data transfers up to 5 Gbps. 1 x HDMI port 1 x 3.5 mm headphone jack 1 x SDXC card reader 1 x MagSafe 2 power port

Internal Specs	MacBook 12” 2016	MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)
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	4th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-4770HQ 4 cores, 8 threads, 2.20 → 3.40 GHz, 5 MB Cache, 47W 4th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-4870HQ 4 cores, 8 threads, 2.50 → 3.70 GHz, 6 MB Cache, 47W 4th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-4980HQ 4 cores, 8 threads, 2.80 → 4.00 GHz, 6 MB Cache, 47W
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	4th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-4770HQ Intel® Iris® Pro Graphics 5200 40 Execution Units, 200 → 1200 MHz 4th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-4870HQ Intel® Iris® Pro Graphics 5200 40 Execution Units, 200 → 1200 MHz 4th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-4980HQ Intel® Iris® Pro Graphics 5200 40 Execution Units, 200 → 1300 MHz
Discrete Graphics		AMD Radeon R9 M370X with 2GB of GDDR5 memory
Memory	8GB 1866 MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory	16GB 1600 MHz DDR3L onboard memory
Storage	256GB512GB PCIe-based onboard flash storage.	256GB512GB configurable to 1TB SSD

Connectivity	MacBook 12” 2016	MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)
Wi-Fi	802.11ac Wi‑Fi wireless networking IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible	802.11ac Wi‑Fi wireless networking IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology	Bluetooth 4.2 wireless technology

Battery	MacBook 12” 2016	MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)
Size	41.4 Wh lithium‑polymer battery	99.4 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 9 hours of wireless web Up to 9 hours of iTunes movie playback Up to 30 days of standby time
Power Supply	29W USB-C Power Adapter	85W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter With cable management system; MagSafe 2 power port.

Software	MacBook 12” 2016	MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)
OS	Shipped with OS X El Capitan	Shipped with OS X Yosemite
Built-in Apps	PhotosiMovieGarageBandPagesNumbersKeynoteSafariMailMessagesFaceTimeCalendarNotesApp StoreiTunesiBooksMapsContactsReminders	PhotosiMovieGarageBandPagesNumbersKeynoteSiriSafariMailFaceTimeMessagesMapsNotesCalendarContactsRemindersPhoto BoothPreviewiTunesiBooksApp StoreTime Machine

Camera & Audio	MacBook 12” 2016	MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)
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 Dual microphones 3.5 mm headphone jack Support for Apple iPhone headset with remote and microphone Support for audio line out (digital/analog)

Misc	MacBook 12” 2016	MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)
Sensors		Ambient light sensor
In the box	MacBook 29W USB-C Power Adapter USB-C Charge Cable (2 m)	15‑inch MacBook Pro MagSafe 2 Power Adapter Power cord AC wall plug
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 with Retina display 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 800-823-2775.
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 Dual display and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 3840 by 2160 pixels on up to two external displays, both at millions of colors Thunderbolt digital video output Native Mini DisplayPort output DVI, VGA, dual-link DVI, and HDMI output supported using Mini DisplayPort adapters (sold separately) HDMI video output Support for 1080p resolution at up to 60Hz Support for 3840-by-2160 resolution at 30Hz Support for 4096-by-2160 resolution at 24Hz