2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina vs. MacBook 12” 2016: Full specs comparison

We have comprehensively analyzed the technical specifications for the 2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina and MacBook 12” 2016 models. Our report includes intricate details such as the CPU, memory, storage, battery life, display quality, and other features.

2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina Pros

Reasons that 2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina is better than MacBook 12” 2016.

Slightly faster CPU performance

Intel Core i7-5557U inside 2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina has a 19% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core m7-6Y75 inside MacBook 12” 2016.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina - Intel Core i7-5557U
1,663
2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina - Intel Core i5-5287U
1,619
2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina - Intel Core i5-5257U
1,542
MacBook 12” 2016 - Intel Core m7-6Y75
1,390
MacBook 12” 2016 - Intel Core m5-6Y54
1,295
MacBook 12” 2016 - Intel Core m3-6Y30
1,058
Supports larger memory

The 2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina supports a larger memory capacity than the MacBook 12” 2016. It supports up to 16GB versus 8GB of system memory on the MacBook 12” 2016.

Max system memory size
2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina
16 GB
MacBook 12” 2016
8 GB
Upgradable storage

The 2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina comes with a single removable M.2 SSD slot that you can replace and upgrade in the future.

Slots2015 MacBook Pro 13 RetinaMacBook 12” 2016
M.2
Yes x1
Onboard
10% larger display

The 2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina has a 13.3-inch screen size 10% larger than the 12-inch MacBook 12” 2016.

Display size
2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina
13.3-inch
MacBook 12” 2016
12-inch

MacBook 12” 2016 Pros

Reasons that MacBook 12” 2016 is better than 2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina.

Newer manufacturing

2016 vs. 2015

About 42% lighter

MacBook 12” 2016 weighed 2.03 pounds, 42% lighter than the 3.48 pounds 2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina.

Weight2015 MacBook Pro 13 RetinaMacBook 12” 2016
Pound
3.48 lbs.
2.03 lbs.
Kilogram
1.58 kg
0.92 kg

Key Similars

Similar characteristics share between 2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina and MacBook 12” 2016.

Uses the same memory type and speed

Both laptops supports the same 1866MHz LPDDR3 RAM.

Memory type and speed
2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina - LPDDR3
1,866 MHz
MacBook 12” 2016 - LPDDR3
1,866 MHz

Prices

Here are the latest price updates and offers for both devices.

2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina Price
Apple 60W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter for MacBook Pro with 13-inch Retina Display
Apple 60W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter for MacBook Pro with 13-inch Retina Display
By Apple
$72.00
$79.00 9% OFF
Apple MacBook Pro Retina MF843LL/A 13” Laptop, 3.1GHz Intel Core i7, 16GB Memory, 512GB SSD, macOS 10.14 Mojave (Renewed)
Apple MacBook Pro Retina MF843LL/A 13” Laptop, 3.1GHz Intel Core i7, 16GB Memory, 512GB SSD, macOS 10.14 Mojave (Renewed)
By Apple
$435.00
2015 Apple MacBook Pro with intel I7 (15-inch, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD)- Silver (Renewed)
2015 Apple MacBook Pro with intel I7 (15-inch, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD)- Silver (Renewed)
By Apple
$336.96
MacBook 12” 2016 Price
2017 Apple Macbook with 1.2GHz Intel Core m3 (12-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) Space Gray (Renewed)
2017 Apple Macbook with 1.2GHz Intel Core m3 (12-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) Space Gray (Renewed)
By Apple
$351.85
Apple Macbook Retina Display 12 Inch Core M-5Y31 1.1GHz 8GB RAM 256GB SSD (Renewed)
Apple Macbook Retina Display 12 Inch Core M-5Y31 1.1GHz 8GB RAM 256GB SSD (Renewed)
By Apple
$319.68
Apple Early 2016 MacBook with 1.3GHz Intel Core m7 (12 inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) Space Gray (Renewed)
Apple Early 2016 MacBook with 1.3GHz Intel Core m7 (12 inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) Space Gray (Renewed)
By Apple
$375.00

Availability

2015 MacBook Pro 13 RetinaMacBook 12” 2016
Released20152016
Release Date
  • Announced on March 9th, 2015
  • Available on March 9th, 2015
  • Announced on April 19, 2016
  • Available on April 19, 2016
Pricing
  • $1,299
    Intel Core i5 5257U | 8GB RAM | 128GB SSD
  • $1,499
    Intel Core i5 5257U | 8GB RAM | 256GB SSD
  • $1,799
    Intel Core i5 5287U | 8GB RAM | 512GB SSD
  • $1,299
    Intel Core m3-6Y30 | 8GB RAM | 256GB SSD
  • $1,599
    Intel Core m5-6Y54 | 8GB RAM | 512GB SSD
Generations-

Exterior

2015 MacBook Pro 13 RetinaMacBook 12” 2016
Dimensions12.35” x 8.62” x 0.71” (314 mm x 219 mm x 18 mm)11.04” x 7.74” x 0.14 - 0.52” (280.5 mm x 196.5 mm x 3.5 - 13.1 mm)
WeightStarting at 3.48 lb (1.58 kg)Starting at 2.03 pounds (920 g)
Colors
Silver
Silver Space Gray Gold Rose Gold
Keyboard and Trackpad
  • Full-size backlit keyboard with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys (inverted “T” arrangement) with ambient light sensor
  • Force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and pressure-sensing capabilities; enables Force clicks, accelerators, pressure-sensitive drawing, and Multi-Touch gestures
Full-size backlit keyboard with:
  • 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) individual LED backlit keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys with ambient light sensor
  • Force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and pressure-sensing capabilities; enables Force clicks, accelerators, pressure-sensitive drawing, and Multi-Touch gestures

Display

2015 MacBook Pro 13 RetinaMacBook 12” 2016
Size13.3 Inches12 Inches
InfoRetina display
  • 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2560-by-1600 native resolution at 227 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
  • Supported scaled resolutions:
    • 1680 by 1050
    • 1440 by 900
    • 1024 by 640
  • 300 nits brightness
  • Standard color gamut (sRGB)
  • 900:1 contrast ratio
Retina display
  • 12-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology
  • 2304-by-1440 resolution at 226 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
  • 16:10 aspect ratio
  • Supported scaled resolutions:
    • 1440 by 900
    • 1280 by 800
    • 1024 by 640

Ports

2015 MacBook Pro 13 RetinaMacBook 12” 2016
2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina Ports
Image Source: Apple
Left (5)
  • 1 x power port
    MagSafe 2
  • 2 x Thunderbolt 2
    DisplayPort, 20Gbps
  • 1 x USB-A
    USB 3.0 (5 Gbps)
  • 1 x headphone jack
    Headphone/Microphone
Right (3)
  • 1 x full-size SD card slot
  • 1 x HDMI
  • 1 x USB-A
    USB 3.0 (5 Gbps)
One USB Type-C port with support for:
  • Charging
  • USB 3.1 Gen 1 (up to 5 Gbps)
  • Native DisplayPort 1.2 video output
  • VGA output using USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter (sold separately)
  • HDMI video output using USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter (sold separately)

Internal Specs

2015 MacBook Pro 13 RetinaMacBook 12” 2016
Processor
  1. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-5257U
    2 cores, 4 threads, 2.70 → 3.10 GHz, 3MB Cache, 28W
  2. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-5287U
    2 cores, 4 threads, 2.90 → 3.30 GHz, 3MB Cache, 28W
  3. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-5557U
    2 cores, 4 threads, 3.10 → 3.40 GHz, 4MB Cache, 28W
  1. 6th Gen Intel® Core™ m3-6Y30
    2 cores, 4 threads, 0.90 → 2.20 GHz, 4MB SmartCache, 4.5W
  2. 6th Gen Intel® Core™ m5-6Y54
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.10 → 2.70 GHz, 4MB SmartCache, 4.5W
  3. 6th Gen Intel® Core™ m7-6Y75
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.20 → 3.10 GHz, 4MB SmartCache, 4.5W
Integrated Graphics
  1. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-5257U
    Intel® Iris® Graphics 6100
    48 Execution Units, 300 → 1050 MHz
  2. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-5287U
    Intel® Iris® Graphics 6100
    48 Execution Units, 300 → 1100 MHz
  3. 5th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-5557U
    Intel® Iris® Graphics 6100
    48 Execution Units, 300 → 1100 MHz
  1. 6th Gen Intel® Core™ m3-6Y30
    Intel® HD Graphics 515
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 850 MHz
  2. 6th Gen Intel® Core™ m5-6Y54
    Intel® HD Graphics 515
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 900 MHz
  3. 6th Gen Intel® Core™ m7-6Y75
    Intel® HD Graphics 515
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 1000 MHz
Memory
8GB
configurable to 16GB of 1866MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
8GB
1866 MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
Storage
256GB 512GB
configurable to 1TB SSD
256GB 512GB
PCIe-based onboard flash storage.

Connectivity

2015 MacBook Pro 13 RetinaMacBook 12” 2016
Wi-Fi
  • 802.11ac Wi‑Fi wireless networking
  • IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
  • 802.11ac Wi‑Fi wireless networking
  • IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
BluetoothBluetooth 4.2 wireless technologyBluetooth 4.0 wireless technology

Battery

2015 MacBook Pro 13 RetinaMacBook 12” 2016
Size74.9 Wh lithium‑polymer battery41.4 Wh lithium‑polymer battery
Battery Life
  • Up to 10 hours wireless web
  • Up to 12 hours of iTunes movie playback
  • Up to 30 days of standby time
  • Up to 10 hours of wireless web
  • Up to 11 hours of iTunes movie playback
  • Up to 30 days of standby time
Power Supply60W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter
With cable management system; MagSafe 2 power port.
29W USB-C Power Adapter

Software

2015 MacBook Pro 13 RetinaMacBook 12” 2016
OSShipped with OS X YosemiteShipped with OS X El Capitan
Built-in Apps
Photos iMovie GarageBand Pages Numbers Keynote Siri Safari Mail FaceTime Messages Maps Notes Calendar Contacts Reminders Photo Booth Preview iTunes iBooks App Store Time Machine
Photos iMovie GarageBand Pages Numbers Keynote Safari Mail Messages FaceTime Calendar Notes App Store iTunes iBooks Maps Contacts Reminders

Camera & Audio

2015 MacBook Pro 13 RetinaMacBook 12” 2016
Camera720p FaceTime HD camera480p FaceTime HD camera
Audio
  • Stereo speakers
  • Dual microphones
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack
    • Support for Apple iPhone headset with remote and microphone
    • Support for audio line out (digital/analog)
  • Stereo speakers
  • Dual microphones
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack
    • Support for Apple iPhone headset with remote and microphone

Misc

2015 MacBook Pro 13 RetinaMacBook 12” 2016
Sensors
  • Ambient light sensor
-
In the box
  • 13‑inch MacBook Pro
  • MagSafe 2 Power Adapter
  • Power cord
  • AC wall plug
  • MacBook
  • 29W USB-C Power Adapter
  • USB-C Charge Cable (2 m)
WarrantyYour MacBook Pro with Retina display comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan to extend your service and support to three years from your computer’s purchase date. Only the AppleCare Protection Plan provides you with direct telephone support from Apple technical experts and the assurance that repairs will be handled by Apple‑authorized technicians using genuine Apple parts. For more information, visit Apple Support or call 800-823-2775.Limited Warranty and ServiceYour MacBook comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan to extend your service and support to three years from your computer’s purchase date. Only the AppleCare Protection Plan provides you with direct telephone support from Apple technical experts and the assurance that repairs will be handled by Apple-authorized technicians using genuine Apple parts. For more information, visit Apple Support or call 800-823-2275. 
More
Video Support
  • Intel Iris Graphics 6100
  • Dual display and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 3840 by 2160 pixels on up to two external displays, both at millions of colors.
  • Thunderbolt digital video output
    • Native Mini DisplayPort output
    • DVI, VGA, dual-link DVI, and HDMI output supported using Mini DisplayPort adapters (sold separately)
  • HDMI video output
    • Support for 1080p resolution at up to 60Hz
    • Support for 3840-by-2160 resolution at 30Hz
    • Support for 4096-by-2160 resolution at 24Hz
Video Support
  • Intel HD Graphics 515
  • Dual display and video mirroring: simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 3840 by 2160 pixels at 30Hz on an external display, both at millions of colors

Key Features

2015 MacBook Pro 13 RetinaMacBook 12” 2016
At Glance
Released in Early
2015
16:10 WQXGA
13.3”
1600p 60Hz
Weight
3.48 lb
1.58 kg
Up to
Intel Core i7-5557U
2C/4T, 3.10 → 3.40 GHz
Geekbench 5
795
Single Core
Geekbench 5
1,663
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® Iris® Graphics 6100
48 Execution Units, 300 → 1100 MHz
Configurable up to
16GB
1866 MHz LPDDR3
2015 MacBook Pro 13 Retina Ports
Released in Early
2016
16:10 QHD
12”
1440p 60Hz
Weight
2.03 lb
0.92 kg
Up to
Intel Core m7-6Y75
2C/4T, 1.20 → 3.10 GHz
Geekbench 5
639
Single Core
Geekbench 5
1,390
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® HD Graphics 515
24 Execution Units, 300 → 1000 MHz
8GB
1866 MHz LPDDR3

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