Apple Announces Redesigned, Thinner, & Lighter MacBook Pros

If you were hoping that the rumors of the new MacBook Pro were true, you’re in luck as Apple has taken the wraps off the new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros. This is probably the biggest revamp that Apple has made to the MacBook Pro in years as it is not only redesigned, but it is thinner and lighter than before.

According to Apple, the new laptops are thinner and lighter than the previous generation. For the 13-inch model, we’re looking at a 17% thinner and a 23% smaller laptop, while the 15-inch model is actually 14% thinner and 20% smaller than its predecessor, but we guess the most intriguing feature of the laptop would be its new “Touch Bar” (which we had previously thought was called the “Magic Toolbar”).

This is a retina multitouch display that replaces the function keys. It will allow users to adjust certain system settings easily, and as we suspected, will be able to adapt according to the app you’re using. However it will also be able to offer up tools to users, like when you’re editing photos, you can rotate and straighten the photo via the Touch Bar. It can also offer up text predictions when you’re typing. However we should note that since apps will need to be updated to use it with the SDK, don’t expect all apps to work with it right off the bad.

Apple has also integrated Touch ID into the Touch Bar and has covered it with a sapphire cover. The sensor used will be a second-gen sensor and is also supported by the new Apple T1 chip that provides a secure enclave so that users can use it with Apple Pay. It will also let users login into their Mac using their fingerprint, and if multiple users share the same laptop, it can automatically detect and switch between profiles seamlessly.

Other changes that Apple has made to the new MacBook Pros includes a larger Force Touch trackpad which the company claims is twice as big. The keyboard has also been updated and will use the same butterfly mechanism as the 12-inch Retina MacBook, but apparently this is a second-gen mechanism and is apparently more responsive than before. The display has also been upgraded to be brighter and more energy efficient than before.

As for the hardware specs, both the 13-inch and 15-inch models will use the 6th-generation Intel Core i5/i7 processors (15-inch models are i7 only). The 13-inch will also feature Intel Iris graphics, while the 15-inch model has the option of equipping their laptop with an AMD Radeon Pro GPU with support for up to 4GB of VRAM.

As per the rumors, Apple has also done away with all the traditional ports you’re used to. Instead they will all be equipped with 4x Thunderbolt 3 ports that can also double up as USB ports, HDMI, DisplayPort, and charge your laptop at the same time. The good news is that the headphone jack is still in place, but the bad news is that the SD card reader is gone. Apple is also boasting up to 10 hours of battery life on both models.

In terms of pricing and availability, pricing will range depending on the model you choose but will start at $1,799 for the 13-inch model, and $2,399 for the 15-inch model. The new MacBook Pros will start shipping in 2-3 weeks but pre-orders are open today.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Apple, Computers
Tags: Laptops, Macbook Pro