MacBook Pros

Apple announced the next generation of their MacBook lineup: an all-new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro. The devices feature a complete external redesign with a notched screen, the addition of an HDMI port, an SD card reader, MagSafe 3 for charging and an additional Thunderbolt 4 port, a thicker chassis and function keys instead of the TouchBar. It was clear, though, that the stars of the show were the new processors: Apple’s M1 Pro and M1 Max. 

The base model of the M1 Pro will house eight high-performance cores, two high-efficiency cores and a 16-core GPU. CPU performance is up to 70% faster than with M1. 

M1 Max boasts a 32-core GPU which is more powerful than other discrete options from Nvidia but with 70% less power consumption. 

Both models are available in multiple configurations with either processor. 16 gigabytes of unified memory comes standard but is configurable up to a baffling 64 gigabytes on either model. Storage ranges from 512 gigabytes to eight terabytes. The solid-state drives on the new devices are over two times faster than previous generations, further increasing the performance. 

Apple said that the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips have up to 3.7 times the performance of a Core i7 16-inch MacBook Pro, and graphics performance is up to 13 times faster. Apple also said that its chips are twice as fast in CPU performance compared to an Intel Core i9, one of Intel’s fastest processors traditionally only available in high-end gaming laptops. Machine learning tasks are five times faster than on an i9 based machine.

The displays of the new machines also received a hefty upgrade. Now featuring a Liquid Retina XDR display, the new MacBooks feature the same mini-LED technology as the current iPad Pro lineup, allowing for significantly better color contrast. 120-hertz ProMotion was added as well, enabling the display to adapt the refresh rate to best suit the media on the screen at any given time. The bezels on either side are 24% thinner, and the top border is 60% thinner. The screen notches around the revamped camera module at the top, though it will not be as noticeable as on the iPhone lineup since MacOS better situates the layout around it. The screen is capable of sustaining 1000 nits of brightness, far brighter than the current MacBook Pro’s 500 nits. Apple touted these new screens as the “world’s best notebook displays.”

The new six-speaker setup allows the devices to support Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos. The microphones received an upgrade as well.

Battery life will be 17 hours for the 14-inch model and 21 hours for the 16-inch, and both will support fast charging; just 30 minutes of charging can get a user up to 50% battery. 

These two new MacBook Pros are jaw-droppingly powerful and show Apple’s commitment to have all processors made in-house.

The 14-inch model starts at $1999 and the 16-inch starts at $2499, though the device can be configured up to $6099 with every possible upgrade. Available in both silver and space gray, orders began Oct. 18, and the new machines will ship starting Oct. 26.

Apple also mentioned the current 13-inch MacBook Pro remains in the lineup, meaning four MacBooks will be available to consumers.