M2 MacBook Pro 14” vs. M1 MacBook Air - Specs Comparison

Here is a comparison between the specifications of the M2 MacBook Pro 14” and M1 MacBook Air, including differences in the chip, memory, storage, display, battery, ports, and more.

M2 MacBook Pro 14” vs. M1 MacBook Air

The 2023 M2 MacBook Pro 14” features the Apple M-Series ARM 64-bit 10-core Apple M2 Pro (10C, 16G) up to 12-core Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G) with the boost speed up to 3.70 GHz. While the 2020 M1 MacBook Air features the 10W Apple M-Series ARM 64-bit 8-core Apple M1 (8C, 7G) up to 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 14.2″ M2 MacBook Pro 14” (2023) and the 13.3″ M1 MacBook Air (2020), we have a detailed tech specs comparison between both devices for you to check out here.

M2 MacBook Pro 14” vs. M1 MacBook Air: Specs Comparison

M2 MacBook Pro 14” image

M2 MacBook Pro 14”

M1 MacBook Air image

M1 MacBook Air

Key Features
What's new
  • New M2 Pro and M2 Max - The new M2 processors deliver up to 20% CPU and 30% GPU better performance than the previous M1 Pro and M1 Max. The new chip also supports a larger memory capacity, up to 96GB of unified RAM.
  • More CPU and GPU core count - The new M2 Pro steps up with a minimum of ten CPU and sixteen GPU cores, making the entry configuration a nice upgrade over the previous M1 Pro, starting only with eight CPU cores and fourteen GPU cores while maintaining the same pricing model.
  • Supports 8K at 60Hz - The new 14-inch MacBook Pro has an HDMI 2.1 port that connects an 8K monitor or TV at a 60Hz refresh rate. It also supports a very smooth 240Hz refresh rate at 4K resolution.
  • Better battery life of up to 18 hours - The M2 processors are even more efficient than the M1. For the same 70-watt-hour battery, the new M2 MacBook Pro 14 lasts up to 18 hours of movie playback or 12 hours of wireless web browsing.
  • Welcomed improvements - Here is a list of what's new and what advances the M2 MacBook Pro 14 has over its previous generation:
    • Supports the latest Wi-Fi 6E.
    • Supports Bluetooth 5.3 technology.
    • Supports up to 96GB of unified memory.
    • Shipped with macOS Ventura.
  • Better Performance. With the new Apple M1 Chip, it is now 3x times faster in exporting a project in iMovie, 5x times faster applying 3D effects in Final Cut Pro, editing multiple streams 4K ProRes video in Final Cut Pro with no frame drop, 2x times faster in exporting photos in Lightroom, and more.
  • Better battery life of up to 18 hours. The new M1 MacBook Air has the most extended battery life ever, with up to 18 hours of watching movies and 15 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, has a better dynamic range, and has an improved auto white balance.
  • Better display. It now supports a P3 wide color with 400 nits of display brightness.
  • Improvements
    • It supports the latest USB 4 and Wi-Fi 6.
    • It has better security with the new Secure Enclave in the M1 chip.
What's missing
  • No Bootcamp support - You can't install and run Windows 10/11 by using Bootcamp on the new M2 chip. Virtualization is the only solution you can run the Windows OS on the new Macbook devices.
  • No eGPU supports - The Thunderbolt 4 ports on the 14-inch M2 MacBook Pro don't support external Thunderbolt-enabled graphics processors (eGPUs).
  • Natively supports only one external display. The new M1 chip supports only one extended 6K@60Hz display, while the older Intel version supports up to two 4K@60Hz.
AvailabilityM2 MacBook Pro 14”M1 MacBook Air
Released20232020
Release Info
  • Announced on January 17, 2023.
  • Available on January 24, 2023.
Announced on November 10th, 2020
Pricing
  • $1,999
    M2 Pro, 10C CPU, 16C GPU, 16GB, 512GB
  • $2,299
    M2 Pro, 12C CPU, 19C GPU, 16GB, 512GB
  • $2,499
    M2 Pro, 12C CPU, 19C GPU, 16GB, 1TB
  • $3,099
    M2 Max, 12C CPU, 30C GPU, 32GB, 1TB
  • $3,299
    M2 Max, 12C CPU, 38C GPU, 32GB, 1TB
  • $3,699
    M2 Max, 12C CPU, 38C GPU, 64GB, 1TB
  • $4,099
    M2 Max, 12C CPU, 38C GPU, 64GB, 2TB
  • $4,699
    M2 Max, 12C CPU, 38C GPU, 64GB, 4TB
  • $5,899
    M2 Max, 12C CPU, 38C GPU, 64GB, 8TB
  • $6,299
    M2 Max, 12C CPU, 38C GPU, 96GB, 8TB
  • $999
    Apple M1 Chip (7 cores GPU) | 8GB RAM | 256GB SSD
  • $1,249
    Apple M1 Chip (8 cores GPU) | 8GB RAM | 512GB SSD
DisplayM2 MacBook Pro 14”M1 MacBook Air
Size14.2 Inches13.3 Inches
Info
  • Liquid Retina XDR display
    • Size: 14.2-inch
    • Technology: Liquid Retina XDR display
    • Resolution: 3024 x 1964
    • Pixel Density: 254 PPI
  • XDR (Extreme Dynamic Range)
    • Up to 1000 nits sustained (full-screen) brightness, 1600 nits peak brightness
    • 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio
    • Color
      1 billion colors Wide color (P3) True Tone technology
  • Refresh rates
    • ProMotion technology for adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz
    • Fixed refresh rates: 47.95Hz, 48.00Hz, 50.00Hz, 59.94Hz, 60.00Hz
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
  • 400 nits brightness
  • Supports wide color (P3)
  • True Tone technology
ExteriorM2 MacBook Pro 14”M1 MacBook Air
Size Comparison
Dimensions
  • Height: 0.61 inches (1.55 cm)
  • Width: 12.31 inches (31.26 cm)
  • Depth: 8.71 inches (22.12 cm)
  • Width: 11.97 inches (30.41 cm)
  • Depth: 8.36 inches (21.24 cm)
  • Height: 0.16–0.63 inch (0.41–1.61 cm)
Weight
  • 3.5 pounds (1.60 kg)
    M2 Pro
  • 3.6 pounds (1.63 kg)
    M2 Max
Starting at 2.8 pounds (1.29 kg)
Colors
Space GraySilver
GoldSpace GraySilver
Keyboard and TrackpadBacklit Magic Keyboard with:
  • 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys including 12 full-height function keys and 4 arrow keys in an inverted-T arrangement
  • Touch ID
  • 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:
  • 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys in an inverted-T arrangement
  • 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
PortsTwo 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)
Internal SpecsM2 MacBook Pro 14”M1 MacBook Air
Processor
  • Apple M2 Pro (10C, 16G)
    10 cores, 10 threads, 2.42 → 3.50 GHz,
  • Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)
    12 cores, 12 threads, 2.42 → 3.50 GHz,
  • Apple M2 Max (12C, 30G)
    12 cores, 12 threads, 2.42 → 3.70 GHz,
  • Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G)
    12 cores, 12 threads, 2.42 → 3.70 GHz,
  • Apple M1 (7 GPU Cores)
    8 cores, 8 threads, 3.20 GHz, 10W
  • Apple M1
    8 cores, 8 threads, 3.20 GHz, 10W
Integrated Graphics
  • Apple M2 Pro (10C, 16G)
    Apple M2 Pro iGPU
    16 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores,
  • Apple M2 Pro (12C, 19G)
    Apple M2 Pro iGPU
    19 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores,
  • Apple M2 Max (12C, 30G)
    Apple M2 Max iGPU
    30 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores,
  • Apple M2 Max (12C, 38G)
    Apple M2 Max iGPU
    38 GPU Cores, 16 Neural Engine Cores,
  • Apple M1 (7 GPU Cores)
    Apple M1 iGPU
    7 Graphics Cores, 1280 MHz
  • Apple M1
    Apple M1 iGPU
    8 Graphics Cores, 1280 MHz
Memory
16GB 32GB 64GB 96GB
Unified Memory
  • 8GB
    unified memory
  • Configurable to 16GB
Storage
512GB1TB2TB4TB8TB
SSD
  • 256GB512GB
    SSD
  • Configurable to 1TB or 2TB
ConnectivityM2 MacBook Pro 14”M1 MacBook Air
Wi-Fi
  • 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6E wireless networking
  • IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac compatible
  • 802.11ax Wi‑Fi 6 wireless networking
  • IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac compatible
BluetoothBluetooth 5.3 wireless technologyBluetooth 5.0 wireless technology
BatteryM2 MacBook Pro 14”M1 MacBook Air
Size70 Wh lithium‑polymer battery49.9 Wh lithium‑polymer battery
Battery Life
  • Up to 12 hours of wireless web
  • Up to 18 hours of Apple TV app movie playback
  • Up to 15 hours wireless web
  • Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback
Power Supply
  • 67W USB‑C Power Adapter
    M2 Pro with 10-core CPU models
  • 96W USB‑C Power Adapter
    M2 Pro with 12-core CPU or M2 Max models. Supports Fast-Charging.
30W USB‑C Power Adapter
SoftwareM2 MacBook Pro 14”M1 MacBook Air
OSShipped with macOS VenturaShipped with macOS Big Sur
Built-in Apps
PhotosiMovieGarageBandPagesNumbersKeynoteSiriSafariMailFaceTimeMessagesMapsNewsStocksHomeVoice MemosNotesCalendarContactsRemindersPhoto BoothPreviewMusicPodcastsTVBooksApp StoreTime MachineFind MyQuickTime Player
PhotosiMovieGarageBandPagesNumbersKeynoteSiriSafariMailFaceTimeMessagesMapsNewsStocksHomeVoice MemosNotesCalendarContactsRemindersPhoto BoothPreviewMusicPodcastsTVBooksApp StoreTime MachineFind MyQuickTime Player
Camera & AudioM2 MacBook Pro 14”M1 MacBook Air
Camera1080p FaceTime HD camera 
Advanced image signal processor with computational video.
720p FaceTime HD camera
Audio
  • High-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-canceling woofers
  • Wide stereo sound
  • Support for spatial audio when playing music or video with Dolby Atmos on built-in speakers
  • Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking when using AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max
  • Studio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack with advanced support for high-impedance headphones
  • Stereo speakers
  • Wide stereo sound
  • Support for Dolby Atmos playback
  • Three-mic array with directional beamforming
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack
MiscM2 MacBook Pro 14”M1 MacBook Air
SensorsTouch ID sensor
  • Touch ID sensor
  • Ambient light sensor
SecurityTouch ID sensor
  • Touch ID sensor
  • Apple T2 Security Chip
In the box
  • 14‑inch MacBook Pro
  • 67W USB‑C Power Adapter
    M2 Pro with 10-core CPU models.
  • 96W USB‑C Power Adapter
    M2 Pro with 12-core CPU or M2 Max models.
  • USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable (2 m)
  • MacBook Air
  • 30W USB‑C Power Adapter
  • USB-C Charge Cable (2 m)
WarrantyYour 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 every 12 months, each subject to a service fee of $99 for screen damage or external enclosure damage, or $299 for other repairable damage, plus applicable tax.Your MacBook Air comes with 90 days of complimentary technical support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase AppleCare+ 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.
MoreDisplay Supports
  • M2 Pro
    • Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at 1 billion colors and:
    • Up to two external displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt, or one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI
    • One external display supported at 8K resolution at 60Hz or one external display at 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI
  • M2 Max
    • Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at 1 billion colors and:
    • Up to four external displays: Up to three external displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz over HDMI
    • Up to three external displays: Up to two external displays with 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one external display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or one external display with 4K resolution at 240Hz over HDMI
  • Thunderbolt 4 digital video output
    • Native DisplayPort output over USB‑C
  • HDMI digital video output
    • Support for one display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or 4K resolution at 240Hz
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)

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