After months of leaks and speculations Apple has finally released the new and highly anticipated 16-inch MacBook Pro. Just like the AirPods Pro, this new MacBook Pro has been released without much fanfare through a press release and media hands-on.
Although the 16-inch MacBook Pro features the same design Apple has been using since 2016, it also introduces some significant new changes. This includes a larger 16-inch Retina Display, a new Magic Keyboard that uses scissor mechanism instead of the controversial Butterfly mechanism, improved specs on both entry-level and high-end models and more.
The most notable feature of 16-inch MacBook Pro is its larger screen. The new device has a 16-inch display as opposed to the 15.4-inch size of older models. This means users will get slightly more screen real estate to work with while also gets much smaller and better looking bezels. The device isn’t bezel-less by any means but it is still a noticeable improvement over the older model. The screen offers a resolution of 3072 x 1920 pixels, goes up to 500 nits brightness and has a P3 wide color gamut.
Perhaps the biggest and most important change that this MacBook Pro introduces to the MacBook lineup is the New Magic Keyboard. This new keyboard goes back to the scissor mechanism that was used in the 2015 MacBooks, when Apple switched to the controversial Butterfly keyboard. The butterfly keyboard offered less key travel and was plagued by sticky key issues where certain keys would stop working properly. With the New Magic Keyboard Apple is hoping to mitigate the issues that Butterfly keyboard brought and satisfy its most loyal Mac users. The new keyboard offers 1mm travel for more satisfying key feel, notes Apple in its press release.
The new 16-inch MacBook Pro is a powerhouse and is capable of supporting 8-core processors with up to 64GB RAM, 8GB of VPRAM and up to 8TB of storage. The entry-level mode now comes with 512GB storage, which is a welcome change since older models started with only 256GB.
Externally the new MacBook Pro looks pretty much the same and has 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports and a headphone jack. The speakers and microphone have also gotten major improvements as the new 16-inch MacBook Pro features high-fidelity six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofers for a richer music listening experience. Apple has also included new ‘Studio-quality’ three-mic array with high signal to noise ratio and directional beamforming. Apple claims the new microphones can compete with professional-grade digital microphones.
Other features of the new 16-inch MacBook Pro include a separate physical escape key, Touch ID, T2 Security chip, 11 hours battery life (1 more hour compared to previous generation), 96W USB-C power adapter, Silver and Space Grey color options and more.
The new MacBook Pro starts at $2,399 and can be configured up to $6,099 with maximum specifications. You can order it now from Apple’s website.
Here’s official promo and a few hands-on videos for the new 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR Release
Along side MacBook Pro announcement Apple has also announced that the Mac Pro and the Pro Display XDR will be releasing in December, 2019.
Today, Apple also announced that the all-new Mac Pro, the world’s best pro desktop, and Apple Pro Display XDR, the world’s best pro display, will be available in December. Designed for maximum performance, expansion and configurability, Mac Pro features workstation-class Xeon processors up to 28 cores, a high-performance memory system with a massive 1.5TB capacity, eight PCIe expansion slots and a graphics architecture featuring the world’s most powerful graphics card. Pro Display XDR features a 32-inch Retina 6K display with P3 wide and 10-bit color, 1,600 nits of peak brightness, 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and a superwide viewing angle, all at a breakthrough price point.
