Best MacBooks of 2023
Apple’s MacBook lineup has undergone some major changes in recent years, with new models featuring the company’s own custom silicon chips instead of Intel processors. For 2023, Apple has refreshed its MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
With new M2 and M2 Pro/Max chips, these latest MacBooks offer significant performance and efficiency improvements over previous generations. In this in-depth guide, we’ll look at the key features, specs, pros and cons of each 2023 MacBook model to help you decide which is the best choice for your needs and budget.
MacBook Air with M2 Chip
The newly updated 13-inch MacBook Air received a complete redesign for 2022 and is powered by Apple’s latest M2 chip. For 2023, it continues as Apple’s most portable and affordable MacBook option. Here’s an overview of the key details:
- Display: 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display (2560 x 1660 resolution)
- Processor: Apple M2 chip with 8-core CPU and up to 10-core GPU
- Memory: 8GB or 16GB of unified memory
- Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB SSD
- Battery Life: Up to 18 hours video playback
- Ports: 2 Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports, MagSafe 3 charging port, headphone jack
- Camera: 1080p FaceTime HD camera
- Wireless: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
- Colors: Silver, Space Gray, Starlight, Midnight
The MacBook Air is Apple’s entry-level laptop and a great choice for general productivity, web browsing, and media consumption. The M2 chip provides a noticeable boost in performance over the previous M1 chip, with up to 18% faster CPU performance and 35% faster GPU performance.
The Liquid Retina display is sharp, colorful, and supports wide color for vibrant images and video. The bezels are much slimmer than before, and there’s now a convenient MagSafe charging port. Battery life is excellent, easily lasting through a full work or school day on a charge.
For connectivity, the Thunderbolt ports allow for quick data transfers and support external displays including Apple’s 6K Pro Display XDR. The Air also has fast Wi-Fi 6 wireless capabilities.
The starting price is $1,199 which makes this one of the most affordable MacBooks. For light computing tasks like web browsing, email, documents and media, the MacBook Air is a capable and portable choice. Power users may want to step up to the 14-inch MacBook Pro though.
13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Chip
Sitting above the MacBook Air, the 13-inch MacBook Pro offers more processing power and a Touch Bar instead of a standard function row. Here are the key details on the latest 2023 version with M2 chip:
- Display: 13.3-inch Retina display (2560 x 1600 resolution)
- Processor: Apple M2 chip with 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU
- Memory: 8GB or 16GB unified memory
- Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB SSD
- Battery Life: Up to 20 hours video playback
- Ports: 2 Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports, headphone jack
- Camera: 720p FaceTime HD camera
- Wireless: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
- Colors: Silver, Space Gray
The M2 chip gives the 13-inch Pro a healthy performance boost over previous models with Core i5 and i7 processors. Both the CPU and GPU are faster, making the system very quick and snappy at everything from browsing large photos to exporting videos.
The Touch Bar provides quick access to handy controls that change depending on the app you’re using. And the Touch ID sensor allows logging in with a fingerprint. However, some users prefer physical function keys over the Touch Bar.
With up to 2TB of fast SSD storage and 20 hours of video playback battery life, you can store plenty of files and apps without worrying about recharging frequently.
The 13-inch Pro starts at $1,299 which is $100 more than the MacBook Air. But you get improved performance and a Touch Bar for the difference. If you need more power, upgrading to the larger 14-inch or 16-inch Pro models is recommended.
14-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max
Serious power users and creative professionals need to look at the 14-inch MacBook Pro and its big brother, the 16-inch model. Available with the new M2 Pro or M2 Max chips, these pro laptops deliver blazing performance for demanding tasks like 4K/8K video editing, 3D modeling, music production, programming and more. Let’s focus on the key specs of the 14-inch version:
- Display: 14.2-inch mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display (3024 x 1964 resolution)
- Processor: M2 Pro chip with 12-core CPU and up to 19-core GPU or M2 Max chip with 12-core CPU and up to 38-core GPU
- Memory: Up to 32GB unified memory
- Storage: Up to 8TB SSD
- Battery Life: Up to 18 hours video playback
- Ports: 3 Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C ports, HDMI, SDXC card reader, MagSafe 3 charging port
- Camera: 1080p FaceTime HD camera
- Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.0
- Colors: Silver and Space Gray
The Liquid Retina XDR display is exceptional, with up to 1600 nits peak brightness for HDR content and rich blacks with a 1 million to 1 contrast ratio. And there’s ProMotion technology for buttery smooth scrolling and responsiveness. This mini-LED panel is ideal for visual creative work.
Both the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips offer huge performance gains over previous Apple silicon and Intel chips. The M2 Pro CPU is up to 20% faster than M1 Pro, while M2 Max can be over 30% faster for CPU and up to 40% faster for GPU performance based on Apple’s claims. These blazing speeds will appeal to video editors, 3D animators, developers, photographers and more.
With up to 8TB of SSD storage, 32GB of memory and almost a full day of battery life, you can run multiple professional apps smoothly even off the charger. The selection of ports allows you to connect nearly any peripheral or external display.
Pricing starts at $1,999 for 14-inch MacBook Pro models. Overall, this is the best MacBook for demanding creative work, coding, product design, and other performance-intensive tasks. But expect to pay a premium for the power.
16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max
For those who want a larger screen and the ultimate performance, the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro/Max silicon offers the pinnacle of Apple’s laptop engineering. Let’s examine some key features:
- Display: 16.2-inch mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display (3456 x 2234 resolution)
- Processor: M2 Pro chip with 12-core CPU and up to 19-core GPU or M2 Max chip with 12-core CPU and up to 38-core GPU
- Memory: Up to 96GB unified memory
- Storage: Up to 8TB SSD
- Battery Life: Up to 22 hours video playback
- Ports: 3 Thunderbolt 4/ USB-C ports, HDMI, SDXC card reader, MagSafe 3 charging port
- Camera: 1080p FaceTime HD camera
- Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.0
- Colors: Silver and Space Gray
With a larger 16-inch screen, the Liquid Retina XDR display provides even more room for working on pro media and design projects. It has the same exceptional brightness, contrast ratio, and ProMotion technology as the 14-inch model.
The M2 Pro and M2 Max chips available in this MacBook represent the utmost in Apple silicon performance. With up to a 40% faster GPU, you can export complex 3D scenes, apply effects to 8K video, batch process giant images and more at remarkable speeds.
Up to 96GB of memory means you can seamlessly run multiple pro apps at once. The 8TB SSD configuration offers expansive storage for enormous files like high-res photos, videos and complex 3D object models. Transferring data is blazing fast with the Thunderbolt 4 ports supporting up to 40 Gbps connections.
Pricing starts at a steep $2,499, but for certain advanced professional workflows like rendering complex 3D animations, the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Max justifies its premium price. This is the MacBook for the most hardcore creators.
Direct Model Comparisons
Now that we’ve provided overviews of each 2023 MacBook model, let’s directly compare some key specs and features to help summarize the differences:
MacBook Air
- M2 chip (8-core CPU/10-core GPU)
- 13.6″ Liquid Retina display
- Up to 2TB storage
- Up to 18hr battery life
- Starts at $1,199
13″ MacBook Pro
- M2 chip (8-core CPU/10-core GPU)
- 13.3″ Retina display
- Up to 2TB storage
- Up to 20hr battery life
- Touch Bar
- Starts at $1,299
14″ MacBook Pro
- M2 Pro/Max chips (12-core CPU/up to 38-core GPU)
- 14.2″ mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display
- Up to 8TB storage
- Up to 18hr battery life
- Starts at $1,999
16″ MacBook Pro
- M2 Pro/Max chips (12-core CPU/up to 38-core GPU)
- 16.2″ mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display
- Up to 8TB storage
- Up to 22hr battery life
- Starts at $2,499
As you can see, the Air and 13″ Pro models share very similar base specs and are designed for mainstream users. Stepping up to the 14″ and 16″ Pro laptops brings much more processing power, RAM, storage capacity and premium displays for creative professionals and power users.
How to Decide Which is Best For You
With distinctive options across the 2023 MacBook lineup, how do you choose the right model for your needs and budget? Here are some key factors to consider:
Portability – If you prize lightweight and compact design, the 2.7lb MacBook Air is ideal for frequent travel and use on-the-go. Avoid the bulkier 16-inch Pro if maximum portability is vital.
Display Quality – For a gorgeous screen with superb contrast and colors, consider a 14″ or 16″ model with the exceptional XDR mini-LED display. The Air and 13″ Pro have good but more basic Retina displays.
Performance Needs – The latest M2 chips in the Air and 13″ Pro easily handle general productivity, web, and media tasks. But demanding creative work requires the 14″ or 16″ Pro’s far more capable M2 Pro/Max processors.
Battery Life – If you need the longest possible battery runtime between charges, the 14″ and 16″ MacBook Pros last up to 22 hours. The Air gets up to 18 hours and 13″ Pro up to 20 hours.
Budget – The MacBook Air starts at $1,199, providing the most affordable entry point. But prosumers and professionals will benefit from the 14″ and 16″ Pro models despite their higher $1,999 and $2,499 starting prices.
Legacy Accessories – Only the Pro models retain a full-size SD card slot and HDMI port. The Air and 13″ Pro offer two Thunderbolt ports only. So owners of old peripherals may prefer the bigger Pro laptops.
Ultimately your MacBook choice comes down to balancing power, portability, display quality, battery life and sheer affordability. Prioritize the capabilities that matter most for your daily workflow.
For many general users, the MacBook Air hits the sweet spot. But if you run intensive creative apps for video, photography, 3D modeling that demand more memory, GPU power and storage, invest in a 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro. Let your professional needs and budget determine which new 2023 MacBook is best for you.
MacBook Air 2023 Review: Best All-Around MacBook
Delving deeper, let’s now take a detailed look at why the latest MacBook Air is the best overall MacBook for most people. Apple’s thin and light laptop received a complete overhaul for 2022 with a fresh design built around the company’s new M2 chip. For 2023, it retains the same exterior design but with upgraded internals.
Here are the key reasons why the MacBook Air is such an excellent choice for general productivity and casual users:
Incredibly thin and lightweight – At just 11.3mm thick and 2.7 pounds, the aluminum unibody Air weighs barely more than an iPad Pro 12.9. It’s the lightest MacBook by far, making it a joy to carry around all day or travel with. The new tapered design adds style while reducing size.
Vibrant 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display – While not the most advanced MacBook display, the 2560 x 1660 resolution Retina screen looks bold and brilliant. Vastly reduced bezels allow for a larger 13.6-inch size in a smaller overall footprint. This display is perfect for web browsing, video streaming, or knocking out documents.
Surprisingly robust stereo sound – Despite its thin profile, the Air produces strong stereo separation and sound quality. The three-mic array captures audio clearly. It won’t replace headphones, but the sound is better than expected.
M2 chip delivers excellent performance – From brisk app launching to buttery smooth system navigation, the M2 chip is a major upgrade over the previous M1. It benchmarks around 20% faster thanks to the 8-core CPU. Graphics intensive tasks like editing family photos see an even bigger boost from the 10-core GPU.
Big jump in battery life – Apple claims up to 18 hours of video playback, which is 6 hours longer runtime than the prior Air. The more efficient M2 chip allows the 49.9-watt-hour battery to last noticeably longer, reducing anxiety about finding an outlet.
New MagSafe charging – The Air brings back Apple’s convenient magnetic power connector after a long absence. MagSafe 3 automatically detaches to prevent accidents, while charging at the same 30W rate as USB-C.
1080p webcam – Working from home is better with the much sharper full HD webcam. Visual call quality beats most competitors, great for Zoom meetings or video chat.
Wide range of colors – Pick your favorite from Silver, Space Gray, Starlight, Midnight and Blue finishes. The different palette helps the Air stand out from the Pro line.
Lower starting price – At $1,199 the MacBook Air is the most affordable model in Apple’s portfolio. Yet it doesn’t feel cheap, offering premium features and performance without big compromise.
No MacBook is perfect, and hardcore users will rightly find the Air underpowered compared to 14-inch or 16-inch Pros. But for the majority of everyday people, this finely crafted ultraportable does everything they need in a MacBook while costing several hundred dollars less than upgrading. For the ideal balance of value, mobility and efficiency the MacBook Air deserves to be called the best all-around MacBook for 2023.
MacBook Pro 14-inch and 16-inch Review: Best for Professionals
At the other end of the performance spectrum, Apple’s largest MacBook Pro laptops stand out as the best machines for professional creative work and maximum power. The 2023 update brings faster new M2 Pro and M2 Max chips to the already blistering 14-inch and 16-inch models. Let’s focus first on how the 14-inch version excels as a pro creative’s dream machine:
Jaw-dropping XDR mini-LED display – This is the killer feature for visual pros. The 14.2-inch 3024 x 1964 resolution panel flaunts stunning vibrant HDR color, inky blacks with million-to-one contrast ratio, 1600 nits peak brightness and buttery 120Hz smooth ProMotion support. It’s unmatched for color grading video, retouching photos and realistic 3D rendering.
Blazing performance from M2 Pro or M2 Max – These new chips leave all previous MacBook Pros and consumer laptops far behind. Expect up to 20% faster CPU performance from the 10 or 12-core M2 Pro. But the monstrous up to 38-core M2 Max delivers over 30% faster multithreaded CPU power and up to 40% faster graphics. Nothing else matches this speed for 3D, video editing, music production and rigorous creative work.
Abundant memory and fast storage – Configurable up to 32GB of unified memory keeps your largest projects running smoothly even with dozens of tabs and apps open. The laptop can be outfitted with up to 8TB of SSD storage, ideal for massive photos, 8K video footage and huge Logic Pro project files. Transferring data is extremely fast over the Thunderbolt 4 ports.
All-day battery life – Despite the bright mini-LED panel, Apple still quotes up to 18 hours of video playback runtime thanks to the efficient M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. Even under heavy use, expect 10+ hours away from an outlet, freeing you to work anywhere.
Improved 1080p webcam – Like the rest of the 2023 MacBook lineup, the 14-inch Pro’s webcam has been stepped up to full 1080p quality. It looks much sharper on video calls compared to 720p cameras.
Robust selection of ports – Professionals will appreciate that this MacBook retains full-size HDMI, an SD card reader and MagSafe charging. There are three Thunderbolt 4 ports for breakneck accessory and external monitor connections. Legacy compatibility matters for many longtime Mac users.
Premium craftsmanship – The CNC machined aluminum chassis exudes quality and thoughtful design, now in a thinner profile. It’s still substantial but easier to slip into a bag or backpack. This feels like a true premium professional tool.
Stepping up to the 16-inch MacBook Pro magnifies these advantages with an even larger mini