There were rumors that we could get a refresh of the 16-inch MacBook Pro, but it turns out that the rumors were wrong. However, we did get a new MacBook Pro at Apple’s event and this comes in the form of Apple’s very own M1-powered 13-inch MacBook Pro, which is Apple’s first “Pro” computer to get the Apple Silicon treatment.
Given that the M1 used is the same one used in the new MacBook Air, it will boast similar capabilities such as an 8-core CPU and an 8-core GPU, with Apple touting performance of up to 2.8x faster than its predecessor, a slightly less impressive gain compared to the MacBook Air. However, to be fair, the previous Intel-based MacBook Pro was more powerful than the Intel MacBook Air, so we suppose this is to be expected, although the 2.8x performance gains are impressive if they’re true.
Battery life is also fantastic if they can really hit those advertised hours, where Apple is claiming that it will be able to last as long as 17 hours with wireless web browsing, and up to 20 hours for video playback. Apple claims that with the M1 chipset, Pro users who use programs like Final Cut Pro can expect much faster rendering speeds, where it will be able to render a 3D title up to 5.9x faster than before.
It can also compile four times as much code as its predecessor, potentially making it the perfect laptop to code on while on the go. Apple has improved on the webcam with its image signal processing technology, and has also kept the Touch Bar around. The design remains the same as its predecessors.
The new M1 13-inch MacBook Pro is priced starting at $1,299 is available for pre-order today and will begin shipping out to customers on the 17th of November. Apple will also continue selling the Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Pros for those who aren’t so keen on being an early adopter.
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