Tech giant Apple on Tuesday announced several new products, including updates to its MacBook Pro that will feature the company's most potent processing chip yet.

The move comes after Apple came off a quarter in which overall sales were up 8% compared with a year earlier, at around $90 billion, and ahead of first-quarter 2023 earnings which will be released on Feb. 2.

The updated Macs are launching into an uncertain economic environment for both Apple and its consumers, as customers feel their wallets pinched from inflation. The company warned in October that its Mac sales would decline in the December quarter on an annual basis.

Apple is the world's largest electronics maker by annual revenue. Apple has an array of products but the iPhone accounts for about half of the company's overall revenue.

The new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros will feature Apple's latest M2 Pro and Max chips. Apple also announced an update to its Mac mini computer with support for the M2 Pro or M2 Max.

Apple claims its newest chips should result in better performance in apps like Adobe Photoshop and Xcode. The MacBook Pro with M2 Pro "is able to process images in Adobe Photoshop up to 40 percent faster than with M1 Pro, and as much as 80 percent faster than MacBook Pro with an Intel Core i9 processor," according to the company.

Apple's shift toward performance signals its narrowing scope for its laptop line, allowing professionals to reliably use their products for editing, designing, and producing.

Apple didn't hold a press event for these new MacBook M2 Pro and Max models, opting to publish a 19-minute YouTube video in its place. Apple CEO Tim Cook, who recently announced he would take a 40% pay cut for 2023, does not make an appearance, but the video still features several Apple engineers at Apple Park headquarters in California.

Aside from the processing updates, the latest MacBook Pro models will include Wi-Fi 6E3 and a "more advanced HDMI" that supports 8K displays up to 60Hz and 4K displays up to 240Hz.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro is priced at about $2,000, while the 16-inch Pro model starts at about $2,500. The Mac mini starts at about $600. All will arrive in stores and begin shipping on Jan. 24 and are also available for order starting Tuesday.

In November 202, Apple broke a 15-year partnership with Intel on its Macs.

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