Refreshed M2 MacBook Pro to launch in late 2022

By Caleb Clark Published January 18, 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.

Recommended Videos

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.

https://twitter.com/dylandkt/status/1483094105613914115

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.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Caleb Clark is a full-time writer that primarily covers consumer tech and gaming. He also writes frequently on Medium about…

Topics

Computing

Storage breakthrough promises safe data recovery even after hackers infect your computer

This new system keeps your deleted files recoverable for up to 126 days after a cyberattack

An SSD data port.

When hackers break into your computer, one of the first things they do is delete or lock your files and vanish. By the time you realize something is wrong, the damage is often permanent. A researcher at Florida International University has found a way to change that, and the solution is built right into your storage drive.

Understanding where your deleted files actually go

Computing

Android will now warn you if someone is using AI to fake your contact’s voice on a call

Google's fake call detection is the first time a phone platform has built a real-time cryptographic defense against AI voice cloning scams.

Android fake call detection featured.

Yes, advancements in AI help people from different walks of life, but they have some cons. One of the most exploited con has been AI voice cloning. Over the years, it has reached the point where most people can no longer tell a deepfake voice from a real one.

Scammers already know this, and they’ve been spoofing users’ contacts, cloning their voice, and committing financial frauds for quite some time. Android's new fake call detection is designed to stop that exact scenario before it costs you.

Computing

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite finally lands in a mini PC, and it looks like Windows’ answer to the Mac mini

Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Featured Image Render

For the past two years, Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series has largely been confined to notebooks. The chips delivered impressive battery life and surprisingly competitive performance, but they never got the chance to challenge compact desktop machines like Apple's Mac mini or even the more powerful Mac Studio. The Ascent QN10 changes that.

Packing the 18-core Snapdragon X2 Elite processor alongside Qualcomm's integrated Adreno GPU, the tiny desktop also becomes the world's first mini PC to offer 80 TOPS of AI performance through its dedicated Hexagon NPU. So, ASUS is introducing a new form factor for Qualcomm's most powerful PC silicon.