Skip to main content

Refreshed M2 MacBook Pro to launch in late 2022

Apple will be making some change-ups to its entry-level MacBook and MacBook Pro lineup later this year, according to reporting by some new leaks.

The information comes from the reliable leaker @dylandkt, and the details are promising, especially if you are hoping for more affordable MacBook options.

Touch bar on the MacBook Pro.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

There are two models that are expected to release in 2022. The first is a new MacBook Pro 14 with an M2 processor, expected to launch in the second half of 2022. Since it will supposedly have the same form factor as the new MacBook Pro 14, it could possibly have the same port selection, compared to the more limited four USB-C ports on the current MacBook Pro 13.

The M2 will also likely have lower performance overall than the M1 Pro chip. It will come with “a slight increase over the previous generation,” but it will still be more palatable than the $2,000 M1 Pro option.

The other model will be a redesigned M2 MacBook Air. There is no confirmation as to what that design will be, but a notched display is a safe assumption, giving the MacBook lineup a uniform look and feel. The M2 MacBook Air has been rumored for a while, and it has likely been delayed until the latter half of 2022.

The currently available M1 MacBook Pro 13 will be replaced with a MacBook Pro 14 with an M2 chip in the 2H of 2022. It will receive a slight price increase over the previous generation. Alongside this release time frame, we will receive the redesigned M2 MacBook (Air).

— Dylan (@dylandkt) January 17, 2022

It’s hard to say what the price will be for the new devices, but we can make some assumptions. The current MacBook Pro 13 starts at $1300, so a slightly pricier model would probably be in the ballpark of $1500. That puts it squarely between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 14 starting prices. It could serve as a good option for those looking for something a bit more powerful than the Air, but don’t need all the power found in the Pro and Max models.

Unless something dramatic changes on the MacBook Air, we can expect it to still start at $1,000, since the Air is still Apple’s entry-level laptop device.

Apple usually holds keynote events in September or October to make hardware announcements and that is likely when they will officially announce these new devices, as well as the new iPhone and any other devices.

Editors' Recommendations

Caleb Clark
Caleb Clark is a full-time writer that primarily covers consumer tech and gaming. He also writes frequently on Medium about…
7 key settings in macOS Sonoma you should change right now
A MacBook Pro running macOS Sonoma at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2023.

Apple’s macOS Sonoma came loaded with a bunch of great new features, including desktop widgets, video screen savers, and more. With plenty of them, you just need to sit back and enjoy them, without much action required on your part. But that’s not always the case.

Sometimes, you’ll have to change a few settings to enable a new feature. Other times, you might want to disable something that is switched on by default. Either way, it’s often worth diving into macOS Sonoma’s settings to get things how you want them.

Read more
One of my favorite Mac apps is driving me nuts
A close-up photo of the Shortcuts app on an Apple device, against a red background.

Shortcuts is probably the most frustrating app I’ve used on macOS. Not because it’s a bad app -- it’s actually one of the best Mac apps you can get -- but because Apple gives next to no support on how to use such a powerful part of its operating system. It’s like being given a supercar, but the dealership forgot to include the keys.

Most of the time in macOS, the low level of official support is not a problem. But with Shortcuts, it's detrimental.
Apple needs to do more

Read more
The MacBook Pro we all want is still many years away
An open MacBook Pro on a table.

As great as the MacBook Pro is right now, there's one important feature that's always been missing. A touchscreen. It's something Windows laptops have enjoyed for years now, and many have viewed it as a missing piece of the puzzle for the Mac.
The latest rumors, however, suggest that a solid road map is in place that could potentially end with touch-enabled OLED screens coming to the MacBook Pro.
The news comes from @Tech_Reve on X (formerly Twitter), who indicates that Apple has plans to reveal MacBook Pro models featuring OLED displays in the 2026 to 2027 time frame. These models might come in 14.2-inch and 16.2-inch variants and are also expected to be touchscreen enabled.

After the introduction of the OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro, Apple is expected to push both features to MacBook Air models in 13.6-inch and 15.3-inch variants. This could happen starting in 2026 and beyond, depending on the tentative timeline of the MacBook Pro launch.
According to @Tech_Reve, Apple is working with Samsung and LG as its display suppliers. Each manufacturer has their own updated version of touchscreen technology that integrates the touch panel directly into the display. Samsung's technology is called Y-OCTA and LG's is Touch On Encapsulation. However, they ultimately produce the same result, a thinner panel at a lower cost. The current standard entails layering the OLED panel and then a separate touch panel, WCCFTech noted.
The OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro might trickle down from the OLED iPad Pro, which is one of the big Apple rumors for a launch during the first half of 2024. The tablet already has a touchscreen display, so many believe it would be an easy transition to add an OLED screen for a similarly high-end product. Additionally, the rumored 11-inch and 13-inch models are expected to be solid testers for future OLED touchscreen devices, such as the 2026-2027 MacBook Pro.
WCCFTech made the point that the OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro would likely require tweaks to the macOS interface to accommodate for the precision needed when using touch on a display. Notably, the iPad Pro already has the assistance of the Apple Pencil, but there's no telling how accessories will fit into the equation.

Read more