Home » compare

MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015) vs. M2 MacBook Pro 14” - Specs Comparison

Here is a comparison between the specifications of the MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015) and M2 MacBook Pro 14”, including differences in the chip, memory, storage, display, battery, ports, and more.

By Conor Banett

January 26, 2024 03:37 am

MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015) vs. M2 MacBook Pro 14”

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. While 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.

If you are in the market looking for a laptop and don't know what's the difference between the 15.4″ MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015) and the 14.2″ M2 MacBook Pro 14” (2023), we have a detailed tech specs comparison between both devices for you to check out here.

MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015) vs. M2 MacBook Pro 14”: Specs Comparison

	Compare With Please enter device name or part of it MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)	Compare With Please enter device name or part of it M2 MacBook Pro 14”
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.
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).

Availability	MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)	M2 MacBook Pro 14”
Released	2015	2023
Release Info	Announced on March 9th, 2015 Available on March 9th, 2015	Announced on January 17, 2023. Available on January 24, 2023.
Pricing	$1,999 Intel Core i7 4770HQ\| 16GB RAM \| 256GB SSD $2,499 Intel Core i7 4870HQ \| 16GB RAM \| 512GB SSD	$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

Display	MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)	M2 MacBook Pro 14”
Size	15.4 Inches	14.2 Inches
Info	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	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

Exterior	MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)	M2 MacBook Pro 14”
Size Comparison
Dimensions	14.13” x 9.73” x 0.71” (358.9 mm x 247.1 mm x 18 mm)	Height: 0.61 inches (1.55 cm) Width: 12.31 inches (31.26 cm) Depth: 8.71 inches (22.12 cm)
Weight	Starting at 4.49 lb (2.04 kg)	3.5 pounds (1.60 kg) M2 Pro 3.6 pounds (1.63 kg) M2 Max
Colors	Silver	Space GraySilver
Keyboard and Trackpad	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	Backlit 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
Ports	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 Pro 15” Retina (2015)	M2 MacBook Pro 14”
Processor	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	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,
Integrated Graphics	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	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,
Discrete Graphics	AMD Radeon R9 M370X with 2GB of GDDR5 memory
Memory	16GB 1600 MHz DDR3L onboard memory	16GB 32GB 64GB 96GB Unified Memory
Storage	256GB512GB configurable to 1TB SSD	512GB1TB2TB4TB8TB SSD

Connectivity	MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)	M2 MacBook Pro 14”
Wi-Fi	802.11ac Wi‑Fi wireless networking IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible	802.11ax Wi-Fi 6E wireless networking IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac compatible
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 4.2 wireless technology	Bluetooth 5.3 wireless technology

Battery	MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)	M2 MacBook Pro 14”
Size	99.4 Wh lithium‑polymer battery	70 Wh lithium‑polymer battery
Battery Life	Up to 9 hours of wireless web Up to 9 hours of iTunes movie playback Up to 30 days of standby time	Up to 12 hours of wireless web Up to 18 hours of Apple TV app movie playback
Power Supply	85W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter With cable management system; MagSafe 2 power port.	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.

Software	MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)	M2 MacBook Pro 14”
OS	Shipped with OS X Yosemite	Shipped with macOS Ventura
Built-in Apps	PhotosiMovieGarageBandPagesNumbersKeynoteSiriSafariMailFaceTimeMessagesMapsNotesCalendarContactsRemindersPhoto BoothPreviewiTunesiBooksApp StoreTime Machine	PhotosiMovieGarageBandPagesNumbersKeynoteSiriSafariMailFaceTimeMessagesMapsNewsStocksHomeVoice MemosNotesCalendarContactsRemindersPhoto BoothPreviewMusicPodcastsTVBooksApp StoreTime MachineFind MyQuickTime Player

Camera & Audio	MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)	M2 MacBook Pro 14”
Camera	720p FaceTime HD camera	1080p FaceTime HD camera Advanced image signal processor with computational video.
Audio	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)	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

Misc	MacBook Pro 15” Retina (2015)	M2 MacBook Pro 14”
Sensors	Ambient light sensor	Touch ID sensor
Security		Touch ID sensor
In the box	15‑inch MacBook Pro MagSafe 2 Power Adapter Power cord AC wall plug	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)
Warranty	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.	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 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.
More	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	Display 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