We’ve been waiting for Apple’s MacBook Pros to get some really professional updates and enhancements – for example, ports that are useful and improved performance – and the new versions that Apple just announced seem to fit the bill. The comy company has presented Revised 14-inch and 16-inch versions of their popular Pro notebooks, which ditch the Touch Bar (useful for some, useless for most), have the ports creative professionals need, and offer miniLED displays. On top of all that, the Pros are equipped with the new M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, which Apple says outperform Intel. Of course, we’ll put those claims to the test, but on paper at least, we’re surprised.
Processors new and powerful: M1 Pro and M1 Max
First of all, MacBook Pros are powered by Apple’s newest chips, the M1 Pro and M1 Max. Both chips have up to 10 CPU cores (eight high-performance and two efficient), offering 70% faster performance than the M1, according to Apple.
Here’s where they differ: The M1 Pro has a 16-core GPU, which Apple claims promises graphics performance up to twice as fast as the M1, with up to 200 GB / s of memory bandwidth, nearly three times that of the M1, and 32 GB of RAM. The M1 Pro, which is based on a 5-nanometer architecture, has 33.7 billion transistors, more than double that of the M1. According to Apple, the graphics performance of the M1 Pro is up to 7 times faster than the integrated graphics in the MSI GP66 Leopard.
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The M1 Max is even more Pro than the M1 Pro, with up to 400 GB / s of memory bandwidth, twice that of the M1 Pro and six times that of the M1. The M1 Max can be configured with up to 64GB of RAM and has 57 billion transistors. The 10-core CPU is the same as the M1 Pro, but the 32-core GPU offers four times faster GPU performance than the M1. Apple said the M1 Max offers the same graphics performance as the Razer Blade 15 Advance but with 40% less power.
Apple noted how this performance will play out in real-world use cases. In Final Cut Pro, video analysis for object tracking is up to five times faster than with M1, and ProRes video transcoding is 10 times faster.
Amazing display (with Notch)
Okay, now that you know how awesome the new MacBook chips are, it’s time to talk about design. The reviewed MacBook Pro, which comes in a 16-inch and a more compact 14-inch model, is sturdier than last year’s 13-inch model. The 16-inch MacBook is 16.8mm thick and weighs 2.13kg, and the 14-inch model is 15.5mm thick and weighs 1.59kg. You’ll notice that the keyboard lacks a Touch Bar, something Apple really tried to get users to adopt for several years. Instead, the Pro keyboard has a row of physical function keys as most of us prefer. The new keyboard sits in a cesspool, surrounded by silver aluminum with a giant trackpad.
The MacBook Pro screen is tech MiniLED, just like that of the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro. MacBook Pros also get the iPad Pro’s ProMotion display, with an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. Surrounding the screen are 3.5mm thick side bezels (24% thinner) and a 3.5mm top bezel that is 60% thinner. Yes, there is a Notch where the webcam is located, which will almost certainly be controversial. But that webcam is now 1080p, just like on the new iMac, which will make your video calls look much better than before.
The 16-inch Pro has a six-speaker sound system with two tweeters and four woofers noise-canceling, delivering 80% more bass, if that’s your thing.
And, perhaps most importantly for professionals, the new MacBooks have ports, all ports. Rather than being limited to USB-C, the Pros have an HDMI port, a Thunderbolt 4 port, and an SD card slot on the right, with a headphone jack and two additional Thunderbolt 4 ports on the left side. MagSafe returns for a truly satisfying charging experience, but it can still charge with USB-C. Apple, extRarely, they seem to have celebrated during the event their decision to eliminate the need for adapters, something that they themselves generated in the past. With an M1 Pro-equipped MacBook, you can connect up to two Pro Display XDRs, and with an M1 Max MBP, you can connect up to three Pro Display XDRs and a 4K TV.
Apple also promises the longest battery life in a MacBook, up to 17 hours on the 14-inch model and up to 21 hours on the 16-inch model. It can charge up to 50% in 30 minutes.
The good news is, you can choose your own adventure when it comes to the new MacBook Pro chips. Both the 14-inch and 16-inch Pro will be available with the M1 Pro or M1 Max.
When can you buy them?
In some territories it is already possible to reserve the new MacBook Pro, and it will begin to reach its owners from October 26.
Here’s the important part, the price: The Pro has a base price of $ 1,999 for the 14-inch version and $ 2,499 for the 16-inch model. Those are hard prices to take in, although not totally out of the ordinary for higher-end notebooks, and the performance gains can be impressive enough to justify them, depending on what the user is looking for.
Last year’s MacBook Pro M1 caught the attention of many laptop users. Will the M1 Pro and M1 Max outperform PCs? Intel and AMD are undoubtedly nervously awaiting the test results of benchmarks. The market is about to become more competitive than ever.
