Apple's new MacBook Pro machines are equipped with super efficient M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, which means improvements in both performance and efficiency. The new machines have much improved battery life compared to prior-generation Intel machines.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro/Max chip offers up to 17 hours of movie playback with the Apple TV app and up to 11 hours of wireless web browsing. The prior 2020 Intel model offered 10 hours of movie playback and 10 hours of wireless web browsing.
M1 Pro/Max performance is on par with M1 performance, but it can't quite match wireless web battery life. The M1 chip in the entry-level MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air offers 20 hours of movie playback and up to 17 hours of wireless web browsing.
The 16-inch MacBook Pro has far more impressive performance than the prior-generation Intel model. It offers up to 21 hours of movie playback and 14 hours of wireless web browsing. The 16-inch Intel machine offered 11 hours of movie playback and 11 hours of wireless web usage.
According to Apple, the 14-inch MacBook Pro is equipped with a 70-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery, while the 16-inch model includes a 100-watt hour battery. The 16-inch MacBook Pro uses a 140W power adapter, while the 14-inch model uses a 67W power adapter for the 8-core machine and a 96W power adapter for the 10-core machine. Both models can charge over Thunderbolt or MagSafe.
The 10-core 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are also capable of charging from zero to 50 percent within 30 minutes through a new fast charge feature. The 14-inch model can fast charge over Thunderbolt or MagSafe, while the 16-inch model needs the MagSafe connection for fast charging.
