Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
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GENERAL USE: Good—7.7/10
GAMING/AI: Fair—6.3/10
ENG/DESIGN: Good—7.3/10
SOFTWARE DEV: Good—7.8/10
CONTENT CREATION: Good—7.8/10
PORTABILITY: Very Good—8.9/10
BATTERY: Best in Class—10.0/10
OVERALL SCREEN QUALITY: Good—7.8/10
OVERALL PERFORMANCE: Fair—6.8/10
SIZE: 13.3"
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) comes with an Apple M1 chip and 8-core GPU, offering solid performance for general use and good capabilities for engineering tasks. It has 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB storage drive, which should be ample for everyday tasks but may be limiting for heavy multitasking or large projects. Its 13.3-inch IPS display provides a high resolution and excellent color accuracy, making it ideal for media consumption and creative work. Good battery life ensures you can work for extended periods without a charge, and its lightweight design enhances portability. The MacBook Pro features a fanless design for silent operation, backlit keyboard, and Touch ID for security. It has two Thunderbolt/USB4 ports for connectivity but lacks traditional USB-A ports, so you might need adapters for certain peripherals. It's a good fit for users who need a powerful yet portable laptop and are integrated into the Apple ecosystem, but not for those who require extensive storage or the most powerful gaming capabilities. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Evaluation
Pros
- Excellent battery life
- High-quality Retina display
- Fanless and silent operation
- Solid performance with Apple M1
- Good portability and lightweight
Cons
- Limited port selection
- No touchscreen or facial recognition
- Not upgradeable RAM or storage
- No dedicated number pad
Ratings by Category
Battery Life:5.0
PerfectRec’s Battery Life rating is based on hours of battery life in typical usage scenarios.
Build Quality:5.0
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, chassis rigidity, and overall reliability.
Our assessment of build quality includes many details that are difficult to quantify.
Our laptop experts use their best judgment to produce the final score.
Operating Noise:5.0
PerfectRec’s Operating Noise Score is based on fan noise measurements. Laptops with a fanless design, such as Macbooks, receive the maximum score.
Keyboard Quality:4.9
The Keyboard Quality score is based on the PerfectRec experts’ assessment of tactile feedback, typing comfort, keyboard reliability and typing noise.
Portability:4.7
PerfectRec’s portability rating takes into account the volume and thickness of the laptop as well as its weight.
General Use Screen Quality:4.4
The general use screen score is based on the screen technology, contrast ratio, resolution, brightness, color gamut and color accuracy. This score does not take into account specialized display features for specific use cases, such as high refresh rate for gaming.
General Use:4.3
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is well-suited for general use due to its powerful Apple M1 processor paired with ample RAM that handles everyday tasks with ease, alongside a high-quality IPS screen with excellent color coverage and brightness for sharp and vibrant visuals. It also offers great portability with its lightweight and thin design, complemented by a long battery life and silent, fanless operation that facilitates mobile use and comfortable working environments.
Software Development:4.3
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software development.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Content Creation:4.3
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, and video editing work.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Engineering & Design:4.2
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is equipped with an Apple M1 chip that integrates the CPU and GPU, delivering strong performance suitable for demanding engineering and design software. Its high-quality IPS screen with wide color coverage and high contrast makes for precise and vibrant visuals, important for detailed design work.
Gaming & AI:3.4
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is rated as fair for 3D tasks largely because, while its Apple M1 integrated GPU is capable, it is not as powerful as dedicated gaming or professional GPUs, which may limit performance in more demanding 3D applications.
Full Specs
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
| Price | $1,249 | ||
Release Date | October 1, 2020 | ||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.61'' | ||
Weight | 3 lbs | ||
Width | 11.97" | ||
Depth | 8.36" | ||
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | Apple M1 | ||
RAM | 8 GB | ||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | ||
RAM Slots | 0 | ||
Storage | 256 GB | ||
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | 20 Hours | ||
Battery Capacity | 58.2 Wh | ||
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | ||
Display Technology | IPS | ||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | ||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | ||
Display Brightness | 491 nits | ||
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score  | 10/10 | ||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | ||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | ||
Premium Business Laptop | No | ||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | ||
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | ||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | ||
Webcam | 720p | ||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | ||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | ||
Number Pad | No | ||
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | 0 | ||
USB-C ports | 2 | ||
USB-C Charging | Yes | ||
Display Outputs | 1 | ||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | ||
Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2022
"The MacBook Pro 13 is still a very good subnotebook. The 2022 MacBook Pro 13 might look like recycling at first, because the device is completely identical to the old model expect for the new M2 SoC. We have to admit that we were surprised to see another iteration of the MBP 13 as well. The laptop is obviously familiar, but this does not change the fact that it is still a very good subnotebook. You get an excellent chassis with good stability, a very good display, good input devices and the new M2 chip is very powerful and efficient."
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