512GB version of the new MacBook Pro has a slower SSD than the Mac it replaces (2024)

FAQs

Is a 512GB MacBook Pro slower? ›

The high-level Blackmagic Disk Speed Test shows the 512GB version of the M1 Pro MacBook Pro with a 4,900 MB/s read speed and 3,951 MB/s write speed, while the M2 Pro version shows a 2,973 MB/s read speed and 3,154.5 MB/s write speed. That's a drop of 40 percent for read speeds and 20 percent for write speeds.

In BlackMagic's Disk Speed Test, the 512GB SSD in Apple's latest flagship achieved read speed scores of around 2,970 MB/s and write speed scores of around 3,150 MB/s, compared to 4,900 MB/s reads and 3,950 MB/s writes that the M1 Pro with a 512GB SSD was capable of.

Unfortunately, the MacBook Air M2's storage read and write speeds are much slower than the MacBook Air M1's when specified with 256GB of storage due to how Apple configured the drive. In our testing, the MacBook Air M2's SSD was up to 50% slower than the MacBook Air M1's SSD.

Thus, the base 256GB SSD in the M2 only has access to half of the chip, and will be slightly slower than the 512GB model..

It depends on your needs; 512GB is perfect for everyday users but might be excessive if you rely heavily on cloud storage or have minimal storage requirements.

Upgrading to an SSD enables you to do everyday tasks, on average, six times faster than on a hard drive. 1 This makes booting up, loading programs, saving data, and transferring files that much faster.

I generally recommend starting with 512GB minimum, and if you take a lot of photos and videos consider going to 1TB. If all you do is surf the web, and use cloud based services you can get away with 256GB, as long as your diligent about cleaning up and removing unneeded files that tend to build up.

Whether you're leaning towards a 512GB or a 1TB SSD, both have their merits. If you're a casual user who mainly surfs the web and checks emails, a 512GB SSD should be more than enough. But if you're a gamer with a hefty game library or a professional dealing with large files, a 1TB SSD is probably the way to go.

In conclusion, a MacBook SSD can last for several years, with the lifespan influenced by usage patterns, NAND technology, TBW rating, and overall device care.

If you find your Mac is running slowly, there are a number of potential causes that you can check. Your computer's startup disk may not have enough free disk space. To make disk space available, you can move files to another disk or an external storage device, then delete files you no longer need on the startup disk.

How fast is the SSD on the MacBook Pro M2 256? ›

Macbook Pro (M2/256 GB) Read Speed: 1.463 MB/s.

M2 Macs cannot be modified. It is all designed to operate as one entire system.

Performance Comparison:

Both 256GB and 512GB SSDs offer impressive read/write speeds compared to HDDs. However, larger capacity SSDs may have a slight edge in performance due to their higher density NAND flash memory and parallel data access capabilities.

Test results published by Tom's Guide also show that the new M2 Pro has faster write speeds than the M1 Pro, but slightly slower read speeds. Testing the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Max, the laptop scored similarly to the 16-inch M2 Pro, achieving a read speed of 5,319 MB/s and a write speed of 6,402 MB/s.

Both MacBook Air with M2 and MacBook Air with M3 provide up to 18 hours of battery life, so you can leave the power adapter at home.

If you mainly use your Mac for tasks that don't involve working with large files like photo or movie editing, backing up your iPhone or iPad to iCloud, and streaming music and video, 256GB will probably be enough. If you work with large files and like to keep everything on your Mac, you will need more.

If you're a casual user who mainly surfs the web and checks emails, a 512GB SSD should be more than enough. But if you're a gamer with a hefty game library or a professional dealing with large files, a 1TB SSD is probably the way to go.

First, if you are looking at reports that say the 256GB SSD is slower than the 512GB SSDm while they may be correct in fact you won't see much practical difference unless you are doing truly disk-intensive work, which photo editing is not.

If you store a lot of files, work with large applications, or enjoy multimedia, the 512 GB option offers ample space for seamless multitasking and future growth. However, if you primarily use cloud storage or have lighter storage requirements, the 256 GB variant could be a budget-friendly and efficient choice.