Which Size MacBook Pro Is Right for You?

The battle of 14-inch vs 16-inch ends here

Today is a rest day, which means that, rather than head to the gym, I’m walking to the studio. This counts as a rest, in my book; it means my day will be absent of the desire to throw a treadmill through a gym window.

Despite this, previous treks to the studio (it’s only a smidgen over a mile from my house — so ‘trek’ is, admittedly, pushing it) would still represent a relatively heavy lift. Literally — I had to cart the 16-inch MacBook Pro there.

Whenever I note how heavy Apple’s biggest laptop is, I’m told to “head to the gym” or “get over it, mate, that’s not a heavy laptop lol”. I’ve learned to ignore those who fail to recognise my dry British sense of humour (I don’t actually think it weighs the same as a planet, folks) but I do stand firm on my belief that the 16-inch MacBook Pro is a bad buy for a great many people.

However, I’m equally conscious that the big MacBook Pro is a good buy for some. So, today, I’m going to finally offer my thoughts on which MacBook Pro is right for you.

What’s changed?

I’ve got access to a 14-inch MacBook Pro at the moment. It’s specced up with the best M2 Max chip, 96GB of unified memory, and a 4TB SSD.

This is a wonderful laptop. Whenever I have access to the 14-inch MacBook Pro, I rue my decision to go for the big one. It’s lighter, feels just as powerful in everyday use, and suits the retro chunky MacBook Pro design aesthetic far better.

Extended time with this particular variant has made me appreciate it even more. The aforementioned walk to the studio this morning will be absent of that dead weight of a 16-inch laptop. Heading to the gym to undertake some last-minute video editing no longer requires careful thought about what to take out of my backpack. Whenever I decide to use the MacBook as intended and get some production work done on the sofa, this 14-inch version doesn’t force my girlfriend to sit on the other side of the room.

Regardless, my real daily driver as far as production duties are concerned is still the 16-inch M1 Max MacBook Pro, and that puts me in a great position to offer some real-world buying guidance for you today.

14-inch vs 16-inch MacBook Pro: power

We could really get lost in the weeds here, folks. For that reason, I’ll spare you detailed benchmarks and stats. It’s getting boring, to be honest — all modern MacBook Pros are incredibly powerful.

I’ve run tests previously and they do nothing more than confirm that the 14-inch MacBook Pro is a bit slower than its big brother. Although Apple has never confirmed it, this is probably because that smaller chassis has no choice but to force some throttling of whatever M-series chip is inside.

However, you’ll only spot that under heavy load and if you’re sat there timing your exports, compiles, or renders. Which no one does apart from us reviewers.

A quick test involving a 10-minute piece of 4K footage from my Sony FX3 camera between the M1 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro and M2 Max 14-inch MacBook Pro illustrates this perfectly.

16-inch M1 Max MacBook Pro (32GB)

Render: 01:02

Export: 02:41

14-inch M2 Max MacBook Pro (96GB)

Render: 01:10

Export: 02:47

Every time I’ve pitched an M2 Mac against the previous generation, it has won with the render race. That’s important — rendering gets you to the end result quicker as a video editor. As for the export, it is indeed a few seconds slower on the M2 14-inch MacBook Pro, but we know why.

We’re not testing apples for apples here. The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros have vastly different cooling abilities, as noted earlier, and the latter is far less likely to reach for the throttling control when things get intense. Secondly, my tests are ridiculously ‘back street garage’; there are far more comprehensive and scientific ways to measure this stuff.

There’s just one problem with all of this — we’re talking seconds here, and in everyday life — even during heavy production work — you’re barely going to notice the difference between the two. I haven’t; they are super fast laptops.

14-inch vs 16-inch MacBook Pro: battery

The 16-inch MacBook Pro has noticeably more battery stamina than the 14-inch version.

This is one area of tech comparisons which I’ve never attempted to benchmark — for two reasons. Firstly, there are so many variables involved which makes battery testing a very scientific process (I’m not a scientist). Secondly, I really, really can’t be bothered.

I can go on real-world experience, though — and I’ve had a lot of that with both of these laptops. The 16-inch MacBook Pro remains an incredible performer, battery-wise — the best I’ve experienced, in fact. I’ve reached the point with that machine where I genuinely forget that it hasn’t been connected to the power after many hours of creative use.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro isn’t far off, but it does chew through its battery quicker — to the point where you think more readily about the availability of a power outlet if you’ve got some serious crushing to do. Despite this, it remains an impressive performer when it comes to battery life — physics is just physics, I’m afraid.

14-inch vs 16-inch MacBook Pro: price

The ‘cheapest’ 14-inch M2 MacBook Pro is £2,149. Step up to the 16-inch version, and you’ll be asked for an additional £550 (although you do get two extra CPU and three extra GPU cores).

At the top end, you’ll spend £6,549 on the 14-inch version, and £6,749 — a mere £200 difference.

When you’re spending this much on a laptop, the differences in price are often marginal. After all, these top-end MacBooks are usually bought by businesses, creative individuals, or people who just want the absolute best and who have the budget for it.

Therefore the price is, surprisingly, a moot point. You know your budget far better than I do, and you’ll therefore know whether or not the price plays an ultimate role in your decision-making between the two.

14-inch vs 16-inch MacBook Pro: size

I won’t overdo this point, and your thirst for power, display size and the all-important wantability factor (I’ll come onto that next) should dictate your choice, but these are vastly different laptops in terms of footprint.

If you’ve never spent time in the same room as a 16-inch MacBook Pro but you’re considering buying one, I’d urge you to head to an Apple Store. They are surprisingly large.

The 14-inch version, by comparison, really is the sweet spot for most people. You sacrifice screen estate (more than you think, in fact), and it won’t last quite so long in-between charges, but it’s damn near perfect for everything else, which makes any perceived deficiencies in power completely irrelevant.

14-inch vs 16-inch MacBook Pro: wantability

Don’t worry, you’re in a safe place. You can say it — honestly. In fact, I’ll say it for you: Mac purchases are driven significantly by how much you just want that particular laptop.

There doesn’t have to be a reason for it. Equally, it’s damn near impossible to define the feeling of needing a particular MacBook Pro.

That’s absolutely fine. Apple is a master at making us want stuff for no discernible reason, and if you’ve got the budget for it, why not? Although I must note at this juncture that due to the nature of the wantability factor, this particular part of the decision-making process is entirely up to you.

My next MacBook Pro move

I have a problem. This 14-inch M2 MacBook Pro has to go back in a month’s time. And I’m going to miss it, big time.

I’ve noted previously that I can see a 14-inch MacBook Pro in my future. The M2 chip’s marginal gains and my need to invest in other areas of the business have simply put that plan back somewhat.

I firmly believe that most people need the 14-inch MacBook Pro. The 16-inch is too big unless it’ll spend most of its time in one spot or if the increased screen estate, slightly better battery life, and performance gains are required.

Which one are you going for? Let me know your reasons in the comments, please!

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Originally published at https://markellisreviews.com on March 28, 2023.