Apple MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Early 2013) vs Apple MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014)
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| AppleMacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Early 2013) | AppleMacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014) | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | February 2013 | July 2014 |
| Display | ||
| Screen size | 15.4″ | 15.4″ |
| Resolution | 2880 × 1800 | 2880 × 1800 |
| Panel | IPS LCD | IPS LCD |
| Touchscreen | No | No |
| Display type | Retina LED-backlit IPS display with millions of colours; native 2880 × 1800 and scaled modes of 1920 × 1200, 1680 × 1050, 1280 × 800 and 1024 × 640. Refresh rate and brightness unpublished by Apple. | Retina LED-backlit IPS display, millions of colours; native 2880 × 1800, with scaled modes of 1920 × 1200, 1680 × 1050, 1280 × 800 and 1024 × 640. Refresh rate and brightness unpublished by Apple. |
| Pixel density | 220 ppi | 220 ppi |
| Performance | ||
| Processor | Intel Core i7-3635QM, Intel Core i7-3740QM or Intel Core i7-3840QM | Intel Core i7-4770HQ, Intel Core i7-4870HQ or Intel Core i7-4980HQ |
| CPU cores | 4 | 4 |
| CPU threads | 8 | 8 |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M (1 GB GDDR5) | Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 or NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M (2 GB GDDR5) |
| Memory | 8 GB or 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB to 768 GB | 256 GB to 1 TB (better) |
| CPU | Quad-core Core i7-3635QM at 2.4 GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.4 GHz, 6 MB shared L3 cache), Core i7-3740QM at 2.7 GHz (up to 3.7 GHz, 6 MB), or Core i7-3840QM at 2.8 GHz (up to 3.8 GHz, 8 MB). The lower base offers both faster processor options; the upper base can upgrade from 2.7 GHz to 2.8 GHz. Primate Labs documents exact chip identities, cross-checked against Intel. | Quad-core Intel Core i7-4770HQ at 2.2 GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.4 GHz), i7-4870HQ at 2.5 GHz (up to 3.7 GHz), or i7-4980HQ at 2.8 GHz (up to 4.0 GHz); all with 6 MB shared L3 cache. Exact identities documented by Primate Labs. Lower base offers either faster processor; higher base offers the 2.8 GHz upgrade. |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 4000 and NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1 GB GDDR5 memory; automatic graphics switching | Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 on all configurations; the higher base adds NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M with 2 GB GDDR5 and automatic graphics switching. Upgrading the lower base processor does not add the NVIDIA GPU, as distinguished in Macworld's exact-model review. |
| Memory type | 1600 MHz DDR3L onboard memory; the lower base has 8 GB, configurable to 16 GB. The upper base has 16 GB as standard. Memory cannot be upgraded after purchase. | 16 GB of 1600 MHz DDR3L onboard memory |
| Storage type | Flash storage; lower 2.4 GHz base has 256 GB, configurable to 512 GB or 768 GB. The upper 2.7 GHz base has 512 GB, configurable to 768 GB. All three processor options and both memory sizes are explicitly available through the lower base; duplicate upper-base combinations appear once. | PCIe-based flash storage; Iris Pro-only base has 256 GB, configurable to 512 GB or 1 TB, with any of its three processor choices. NVIDIA-equipped base has 512 GB, configurable to 1 TB, with the 2.5 GHz or 2.8 GHz processor. |
| Battery and size | ||
| Battery life (maker's claim) | Up to 7 hours | Up to 8 hours |
| Battery capacity | 95 Wh | 95 Wh |
| Weight | 2.02 kg | 2.02 kg |
| Thickness | 18 mm | 18 mm |
| Width × depth | 358.9 × 247.1 mm | 358.9 × 247.1 mm |
| Battery life detail | Built-in 95 Wh lithium-polymer battery; up to 7 hours wireless web or 30 days standby under Apple's test conditions. Reference weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process. | Built-in 95 Wh lithium-polymer battery; up to 8 hours wireless web, 8 hours iTunes movie playback or 30 days standby under Apple's test conditions. Reference weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process. |
| Charger | 85 W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter with cable management | 85 W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter with cable management |
| Materials | Aluminium enclosure | Aluminium enclosure |
| Colours | Silver | Silver |
| Connections | ||
| Ports | 2 × USB-A, 2 × Thunderbolt, MagSafe 2, headphone jack, SD card slot, HDMI | 2 × USB-A, 2 × Thunderbolt 2, MagSafe 2, headphone jack, SD card slot, HDMI |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11n; compatible with 802.11a/b/g | 802.11ac (draft specification); compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Webcam | 720p FaceTime HD | 720p FaceTime HD |
| Operating system | macOS | macOS |
| Port detail | Two USB 3 ports up to 5 Gb/s, two Thunderbolt ports up to 10 Gb/s with native Mini DisplayPort output, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 2 and headphone/optical digital audio output and support for Apple iPhone headset with microphone. Ethernet and FireWire require separate Thunderbolt adapters. | Two USB 3 ports up to 5 Gb/s, two Thunderbolt 2 ports up to 20 Gb/s with native Mini DisplayPort output, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 2 and headphone jack; support for digital/analogue audio line output and Apple iPhone headset remote and microphone. Ethernet and FireWire require separate Thunderbolt adapters. |
| External displays | Built-in screen plus up to two external displays at 2560 × 1600, with millions of colours; DVI, VGA and dual-link DVI adapters sold separately | Built-in screen plus up to two external displays at 2560 × 1600, with millions of colours; HDMI supports 1080p at up to 60 Hz, 3840 × 2160 at 30 Hz or 4096 × 2160 at 24 Hz. DVI, VGA and dual-link DVI adapters sold separately. |
| Keyboard | Full-size backlit keyboard with 78 US or 79 ISO keys, 12 function keys, four arrow keys and ambient light sensor | Full-size backlit keyboard with 78 US or 79 ISO keys, 12 function keys, four arrow keys and ambient light sensor |
| Trackpad | Multi-Touch trackpad with inertial scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, three-finger swipe, four-finger swipe, tap, double-tap and drag | Multi-Touch trackpad with inertial scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, three-finger swipe, four-finger swipe, tap, double-tap and drag |
| Speakers | Stereo speakers | Stereo speakers |
| Microphones | Dual microphones | Dual microphones |
| In the box | MacBook Pro with Retina display, MagSafe 2 Power Adapter, AC wall plug and power cord; OS X Mountain Lion and iLife apps | MacBook Pro with Retina display, MagSafe 2 Power Adapter, AC wall plug and power cord; OS X Mavericks, iLife apps and qualifying free iWork apps |
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