With Apple’s M4 family officially on the scene, prices for older M2 Pro and M2 Max machines have dipped—yet their real-world performance still holds strong. For many users still on Intel or M1 systems, these M2 chips represent one of the best values in the second-hand Mac market right now. Based on benchmark data from our internal database, they deliver an impressive balance of CPU speed, GPU performance, and overall capability—especially considering how well they’ve aged compared to their M3 counterparts.
If you’re upgrading from the M1 base to the M2 base, what are your performance gains?
Single Core - M1 vs M2
What about the multi-core scores?
Multi Core - M1 vs M2
GPU Metal - M1 vs M2
Moving up the stack, the advantages continue for creative professionals and power users considering the Pro and Max variants. While perhaps not as dramatic as the Base model leap, upgrading from an M1 Pro to an M2 Pro still delivers a solid graphics performance increase, with Metal scores improving by approximately 23%. Similarly, the transition from an M1 Max to an M2 Max shows a respectable gain of around 24% in Metal benchmarks. These enhancements translate directly to faster video rendering, more fluid 3D modeling workflows, and better overall performance in demanding creative applications that rely heavily on GPU acceleration.
For those pushing the absolute limits of performance, the upgrade from an M1 Ultra to the M2 Ultra offers a truly compelling reason to make the switch. Mirroring the impressive gains seen at the base level, the M2 Ultra boasts a Metal GPU score that’s almost 39% higher than its M1 Ultra predecessor, according to the benchmark data. This massive improvement is crucial for high-end workstations tackling the most complex visual effects, large-scale 3D rendering, intensive scientific computations, and other top-tier graphical workloads, ensuring significantly reduced processing times and a smoother workflow under heavy load.
💼 For Creative Pros on a Budget (~$1,000–$1,300)
If you’re a video editor, motion graphics artist, or developer needing serious horsepower but can’t justify shelling out $2,000+ for a new M4 Pro or M3 Max, the MacBook Pro with M2 Pro is a sweet spot. With 12 CPU cores, 19 GPU cores, and 200 GB/s memory bandwidth, the M2 Pro delivers multi-core and GPU Metal scores (14,949 / 89,032) that are still competitive today. Plus, many refurbished or lightly used M2 Pro models with 16GB or 32GB RAM are selling in the $1,100–$1,300 range—offering performance that punches far above that price point.
🎮 For Gamers and 3D Power Users (~$1,500–$1,700)
If your workflow leans heavily on GPU-intensive tasks—3D rendering, machine learning, or even native Apple gaming—the M2 Max remains a beast. Packing up to 38 GPU cores and scoring over 139,000 on Geekbench Metal, it even outpaces the newer M3 Max in some areas. When paired with 32GB+ unified memory, the M2 Max is capable of keeping up with pro workflows well into 2026 and beyond. Used units now regularly dip below $1,700, making them a performance-forward pick for GPU-heavy work on a mid-tier budget.
🔍 Why They’re Smart Buys Right Now
While the M3 Pro stumbled and the M4 family has only recently launched, the M2 Pro and Max chips have emerged as stable, reliable, and high-value options. They support all modern macOS features, offer ample ports (including HDMI and MagSafe), and don’t suffer from the GPU or memory bandwidth compromises found in M3 Pro models.
Whether you’re upgrading from Intel Macs or trying to stay under budget without sacrificing pro-grade power, a well-priced used M2 Pro or M2 Max is one of the most balanced Mac buys in 2025.
Here’s the entire Apple SOC relative performance chart:
Normalized Combined Geekbench Scores* Across SOC Generations
And if you don’t need the power of a M2 Pro or Max, check out how the base M2 (in the MacBook Air 13″) is still 20% overall faster (single and multi-core CPU + normalized GPU scores combined) than the previous M1 in our comparison engine.
