The MacBook Pro 13 from 2022 offers a quieter, fanless operation, and is usually less expensive than the MacBook Pro 14 from 2021, which may appeal if budget and a noiseless environment are important. The MacBook Pro 14, however, features a more powerful processor and graphics, a brighter and larger mini-LED screen, and longer battery life, making it better suited for demanding tasks like video editing, 3D rendering, and intensive multitasking, although it is somewhat heavier and more costly. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022)
Best in class battery life
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
8.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
479.0 nits
20.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
13.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
8.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.9/10
8.4/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good.
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, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
9.2/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.2in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
479.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 13 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a high-resolution, bright display with great color accuracy, making it ideal for general use and detailed engineering tasks that benefit from precise colors. The MacBook Pro 14 offers an even more superior display with higher brightness and wider color gamut coverage, leveling up the visual experience for designers and engineers who rely on color fidelity. However, for 3D applications that require fast refresh rates, both models fall short, as they prioritize resolution and color accuracy over the higher refresh rates preferred in 3D rendering and gaming.
Battery
20.0 Hours
13.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Cost
$1,219
$1,905
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has a price of $1,219 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) costs $1,905.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) outperforms the MacBook Pro 13 (2022) in 3D tasks primarily because it has a more powerful GPU, the Apple M1 Pro with a 14-core GPU, compared to the MacBook Pro 13's Apple M2 with a 10-core GPU, and a higher screen refresh rate of 120 Hz as opposed to the MacBook Pro 13's 60 Hz, enhancing the visual fluidity and providing a better experience for 3D applications.
Software Development
7.8/10
8.3/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) to be very good for software development, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.2in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) both have best in class build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) compare to other laptops
"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."
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) or the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.