It should be noted that I’m using a model of the MacBook Pro that’s slightly more kitted out than the $2,399 base configuration. My model, which Apple loaned me for testing, has the 2.4GHz 8-core 9th generation Intel Core i9 CPU with 32 GB of RAM, an AMD Radeon Pro 5500M graphics card with 8 gigs of memory, along with 2 TB of storage. All of that techspeak essentially means it’s very powerful, and the final price? $3,899. That’s not even as high as you can go with the upgrades, either. You could take the RAM all the way up to 64 GB and bump the storage up to an insane 8 TB for a price tag of $6,099.
I’m wary about complaining too much about weight and size. Apple has long tried to build the most lightweight and portable products, yet we can see a change this year. The iPhone 11 Pro is heavier and thicker than its predecessor, with the upshot of class-leading battery life. The heavier and thicker MacBook Pro allows for better heat management and a better keyboard. So if the removal of constraints requires a little suffering, I’ll take it.
If you have the funds and want the best and biggest laptop Apple has to offer, then the 16-inch MacBook Pro is the way to go.
MacDailyNews Take: Wired rates Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro 9/10 or “nearly flawless.” Wired‘s “flaws” include the cost, the size and weight, and the lack of Face ID.
Our 16-inch MacBook Pros are the same config as Julian’s review unit, but with 1 TB of internal storage, which we find to be more than fine for the road (we have external storage on our desks, of course). Our Geekbench benchmarks for one of the machines are here.
I traded in my HORRIBLE 2017 15″ MBP with the GARBAGE keyboard that was repaired 3 times in 6 months.. Anyone that bought a MBP from 2015 until now was screwed unless they were lucky enough to not have keyboard issues.. I didn’t have such luck.
Having said this, I love the 2016 MBP and hope that Apple has learned the error in it’s ways. Good riddance to Jony “make everything slim” Ive.. I couldn’t be happier to see him leave. He simply lost sight of what is important.
In Dec. 2017 I bought a 15MBP, but with the limited option (offered for only a few months) to have the laptop built with the old-style chassis and ports — non-USB-C ports, etc., but with the faster, up-to-date processor. After the fact, I’m glad I did, after hearing and reading about the butterfly keyboard complaints!
Happy to see the release of the new 16MBP has been well-received so far; I’ve always been a fan of the 17MBP’s and still have 2004 and 2009 models still working as needed to run legacy software.
Hmmm… now with 6% cash back if purchased on Apple Card! I also bought a 2015 MBPro after being disappointed with the Touch Bar MBPro in 2017. Might be time to really upgrade.
Last time I bought a new Macbook Pro was early 2011, still using it (with lots of internal upgrades including SSD) with Photoshop and Final Cut Pro.
My work just told me they are buying me a new MacBook Pro. I told them that the one I wanted was $4,000. They said . . . okay. Shocked the heck out of me. I’m ordering it on the 19th. 🙂