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Touch Bar MacBook Pro Q&A
Published June 3, 2020
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How fast are the 13-Inch "2020" MacBook Pro models compared to one another? How fast are they compared to the 13-Inch models replaced?
The "2020" 13" MacBook Pro models have been discontinued. However, this Q&A is up-to-date and can be helpful to someone considering one of these models on the used market.
In the company press release for the 13-Inch "2020" MacBook Pro, Apple boasts that the notebook provides "faster performance" and more specifically claims that:
The 13-inch MacBook Pro lineup now offers up to 10th-generation quad-core Intel Core processors with Turbo Boost speeds of up to 4.1GHz. Customers who are upgrading from a 13-inch MacBook Pro with a dual-core processor will see up to 2.8 times faster performance. The integrated Intel Iris Plus Graphics deliver up to 80 percent faster performance over the previous generation 13-inch MacBook Pro for 4K video editing, faster rendering, and smoother gameplay.
It is worth evaluating the underlying details behind these claims. The entry-level MacBook Pro "Core i5" 1.4 13" 2020 with two Thunderbolt 3 ports uses an 8th Generation "Coffee Lake" processor. The higher-end MacBook Pro "Core i5" 2.0 13" 2020 4 TB 3 uses a 10th Generation "Ice Lake" processor, but only the most expensive configure-to-order option, which EveryMac.com documents as the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.3 13" 2020 4 TB 3, has a processor with a Turbo Boost up to 4.1 GHz.
Furthermore, the 13-Inch "Mid-2018" and "2019" MacBook Pro models all have quad-core processors. To make the claim that "customers who are upgrading from a 13-inch MacBook Pro with a dual-core processor will see up to 2.8 times faster performance" presumably must be referring to the performance difference between a model introduced in 2017 and one introduced in 2020.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (13" 2020 MacBook Pro)
Especially given the nuance of these performance claims, independent -- and objective -- benchmarks and analysis can be helpful particularly.
General Performance Overview
For a general overview of overall performance between the 13-Inch "2020" MacBook Pro and earlier models, EveryMac.com's own Ultimate Mac Comparison makes it quick to compare side-by-side Geekbench benchmark averages with all other G3 and later Macs for thousands of possible performance comparisons.
For example, compared to one another, Geekbench 5 shows that the high-end standard configuration of the 13" MacBook Pro -- the MacBook Pro "Core i5" 2.0 13" 2020 4 TB 3 -- is 25% faster in single core tasks and 15% faster in multicore tasks than the entry-level 13" MacBook Pro -- the MacBook Pro "Core i5" 1.4 13" 2020 2 TB 3.
Because the higher-end model is using a newer architecture and has a faster clockspeed, it should not be too surprising that it is much faster than its entry-level counterpart.
Custom Processor Value Evaluation
As a straight up value-for-money calculation, the configure-to-order faster processor option for the higher-end 13-Inch "2020" MacBook Pro -- the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.3 13" 2020 4 TB 3 -- is not a great value.
Specifically, upgrading the stock MacBook Pro "Core i5" 2.0 13" 2020 4 TB 3 from a 2.0 GHz Core i5 (I5-1038NG7) processor to a 2.3 GHz Core i7 (I7-1068NG7) processor costs an extra US$200 -- an 11% increase of the purchase price -- but only provides around 2% more single core and multicore performance.
For someone who wants the fastest 13" Mac notebook possible, it could still be money well spent, but the custom processor option is unlikely to be worth the cost for most users.
2020 13" Performance Comparison to Earlier 13" MacBook Pro
Compared to their immediate 13" predecessors, the entry-level 13-Inch "2020" MacBook Pro models with two Thunderbolt 3 ports have the same processors and architectures and provide essentially identical performance.
However, the higher-end 13-Inch "2020" MacBook Pro -- the MacBook Pro "Core i5" 2.0 13" 2020 4 TB 3 -- does provide a performance boost across the board compared to earlier models:
| 2020 13" MBP Compared To: | Percent Faster (Single Core) |
Percent Faster (Multicore) |
| "Core i5" 2.3 13" (2017) | +35% | +104% |
| "Core i5" 3.1 13" (2017) | +40% | +116% |
| "Core i5" 2.3 13" (2018) | +29% | +12% |
| "Core i5" 2.4 13" (2019) | +21% | +10% |
| "Core i5" 1.4 13" 2 TB 3 (2019) | +24% | +12% |
With a modest multicore performance increase over models released in 2018 and 2019 -- all of which also have four processor cores -- it is clear why Apple decided to focus on the much more substantial performance jump compared to models released in 2017 that only have two processor cores.
Of course, the newer 13" MacBook Pro models provide a significantly better keyboard and better external display support than any of these earlier models, as well.
Other Benchmarks & Real-World Test Results
Geekbench benchmarks provide a solid evaluation of overall performance, but other benchmarks and real-world tests also can be useful, especially for graphics performance.
PC Mag tested the 13" MacBook Pro with a set of ten Photoshop filters and explained:
The Photoshop test stresses CPU, storage subsystem, and RAM, but it can also take advantage of most GPUs to speed up the process of applying filters, so systems with powerful graphics chips or cards may see a boost.
The publication found that the "2020" model shaved nine seconds off this test when compared to its predecessor from 2019.
In an in-depth review, the always detailed Notebook Check reported:
The Ice Lake processor is equipped with the Iris Plus Graphics, which takes care of all the graphics calculations. It is the faster G7 version with 64 EUs. The performance is on the expected level, but the higher TDP classification is no advantage over the Windows rivals. Compared to the Iris Plus Graphics 655 (with eDRAM cache) of the previous MacBook Pro 13, the performance is about 30-40% higher.
It is clear that the 13" MacBook Pro models provide a notable increase in graphics performance compared to models that came before it, but because the graphics processor shares system memory, the overall graphics performance remains modest.
Performance Summary
Ultimately, the "2020" 13-Inch MacBook Pro models provide a not insignificant boost in overall performance and graphics performance compared to their predecessors and earlier models. The improved keyboard may be equally worthwhile, too.
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