Apple Launches 2018 MacBook Pros: 8th Gen Core, Up to 32GB of RAM, Third-Gen Keyboard, Quad-Core on 13-Inch and More

[Val-kyrie]

Apple today announced the release of 2018 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models with a wide range of new features, including up to six-core eighth-generation Intel Core processors, up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM, up to 4TB of SSD storage, True Tone displays, Apple T2 chips, quieter third-generation keyboards, and more.

The refresh includes a long-awaited quad-core 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. Apple has not refreshed its 13-inch MacBook Pro models with standard function keys, which remain dual-core configurations.

15-Inch MacBook Pro Highlights
6-core Intel Core i7 and Core i9 processors up to 2.9 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 4.8 GHz
Up to 32GB of DDR4 memory
Powerful Radeon Pro discrete graphics with 4GB of video memory in every configuration
Up to 4TB of SSD storage
True Tone display technology
Apple T2 Chip
Touch Bar and Touch ID
13-Inch MacBook Pro Highlights
Quad-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processors up to 2.7 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 4.5 GHz and double the eDRAM
Intel Iris Plus integrated graphics 655 with 128MB of eDRAM
Up to 2TB of SSD storage
True Tone display technology
Apple T2 Chip
Touch Bar and Touch IDStarting at $1,799 and $2,399 respectively in the United States, Apple says the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar and 15-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar are available today through Apple.com and in select Apple retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers later this week.

More details to follow...

Article Link: Apple Launches 2018 MacBook Pros: 8th Gen Core, Up to 32GB of RAM, Third-Gen Keyboard, Quad-Core on 13-Inch and More

While it is nice that the keyboard is 'quieter'; it is more important IF and HOW Apple fixed the design issue. I need a durable keyboard more than a quieter keyboard and I need a keyboard with more key travel. Apple's keyboard provides the least amount of key travel (0.8mm) compared to other (ultra)portables The Dell XPS offers 1.2mm and the Lenovo X1 Carbon offers 1.8mm. Both are comparable in terms of "thin-ness." From an ergonomics standpoint, key travel should be about 1.5mm but no more than 2.0mm. Apple's keyboards just aren't designed for long-term typing.

 

[lec0rsaire]

Not happy at all... specially with the prices. For the specs, the 15" for $2800 is way overpriced.
Get rid of the touchbar and reduced the price by $700.00

Even without the touch bar they wouldn’t be that much cheaper. At most $200. Not more.
Yes $300 difference between nTB and TB 13” but the CPU is much weaker. Oh yeah, half the TB3 ports as well. Only one controller.

Personally I think they will keep the nTB or Escape with dual core Kaby Lake for further differentiation. There is no lower end quad i5 CPU than the one in the base 13” TB.

 

[icymountain]

Looks like they forgot about the 13" ntb model.
Same steep price as last year, with the same ridiculously low 128 Gb on the entry model. Nice.

 

[Val-kyrie]

The non-touchbar model was not updated. Unbelievable.

I guess they have already EOL'd the non-TouchBar model.

 

[Scarpad]

I like macOS, but these really are too much, 2 months ahh I bought an asus vivobook with 8gb DDR4 memory, 1tb Hdrive , $479, 8th gen I5

 

[Peperino]

Apple: 32 GB. There. Have it. Ya'll happy now?

Happy ???

Same keyboard, no Mag Safe, same ports, still includes the useless touchbar so they can charge more.
Waaaayyy overpriced for the specs. $2800 for a 15" with those poor specs? Really?? they've got to be kidding

Apple lost touch with its user base long time ago...so sad.

Not happy whatsoever...

 

[BradWI]

Thes updates just make the Matebook X Pro look even better if you don’t need MacOS or are willing to run it via other means.

 

[jb502]

AAAARGH!! New Macs that are the same thing yet again!

In this day and age they shouldn't be selling a computer aimed at professionals and power-users with 256GB of memory. 256GB!

£600 to upgrade it to 1TB. That should be the standard! You can buy a 1TB external drive for less than £50.

Not SSD

 

[nt5672]

Launching things unexpectedly so Apple like

Computers are not important anymore. Marketing could care less. So they just do it and get it over with, which is fine by me. Unfortunately, I won't be buying one 1) because of the keyboard, 2) because of the non-user replaceable battery, and 3) because of the ports.

 

[edouardheck]

Well the same design (same keyboard?). I'm disappointed.

Will you ever be happy ? Every time there is an update, you guys have something else to complain about. Anyways, Apple only updates the MacBook Pro design every 4 years or so, so the next one is in 2020 since 2016 was the year where the last redesign of the MacBook Pro was made.

 

[Zwhaler]

Sweet! 32GB finally! I'm pretty happy with that. The keyboard issue is still a factor, but I'm glad Apple didn't make us wait too long for these MacBook Pros. Solid update!

edit: ok the GPU is still underwhelming. This wouldn't be Apple if everything was perfect...

edit 2: looks like they did improve the keyboard's reliability. Way to go!

 

[ZMacintosh]

13-inch with quad core and 32gb ram on 15-inch, awesome

 

[geromi912]

Think I'm going for a new Razerblade 15'' instead - shame on the bad graphics card

You mean 14’’?

 

[parsonsmike]

Was the price lowered?

You must be new here.

 

[edouardheck]

They did not even show the "New" tag on the MacBook Pro on their site.

They did, check again

 

[lec0rsaire]

I was waiting for the 8th gen CPU update but I was hoping for a slightly better price. Right now I can get the xps 15 with an nvidia GPU, 1050ti, (which is more pro since I can use it for parallel computing) for 1500€ (1751$) or the new MBP for 2700€ (3152$). The price difference is ridiculous and I am not sure I can justify even to myself this purchase.

If you can take a trip to America buy it here. Otherwise go with the XPS. I agree the Euro premium sucks.

 

[xgman]

I think it is safe to say that the reaction here is overwhelmingly negative for whatever reason.

 

[ignatius345]

Keyboards have same travel but were made quieter.

The sound was the only real feedback to let you know you hit a key. Not great!

 

[Val-kyrie]

Considering Apple admitted issues with the keyboard it seems odd they’d ship new models - and even mention an improved 3rd gen keyboard - with the same keyboard issues as before. Sure some people still won’t like the keyboard because they prefer more key travel but that’s just a preference not a flaw with the keyboard.

It is a flaw. It is an ergonomic flaw and in the end is more likely to cause the user to suffer from things like carpal tunnel syndrome. That is why there are guidelines for key travel (1.5mm) and why the Apple keyboards are so bad for the user (0.8mm of travel). Preference is secondary to health, in this case.

 

[johannnn]

Same keyboard,

It’s not the same keyboard. This is the 3rd generation.

 

[ignatius345]

According to John Gruber the issue with the keyboards had to do with supplier sourcing of a specific metal part that wasn’t up to standard. Supposedly that has been fixed. He didn’t get this first hand so he said take with a grain of salt of course.

Even when the Butterfly keyboard is working, it's god-awful to type on.

 

[neowolfwitch]

I wonder if the 13" still has crippled right-side Thunderbolt 3 ports?

 

[lec0rsaire]

The only disappointing thing I see here is they're still using Polaris GPUs. Not like they have many options right now. Guess eGPUs are still an option, but it's too bad Thunderbolt 4 isn't out yet.

At least this means new iMac 5K with six core processors are coming. No way they'd update them with only with options lower than the MacBook Pro. I think an iMac Pro with six-core i9, 64GB of RAM, 2TB SSD and a newer GPU would suit me quite well. Wish they would upgrade it to a 32" 6K display. Also still want to wait to see what the new modular Mac Pro is all about.

They probably will but the desktop chips are already way stronger than their mobile counterparts.

 

[samwight]

Yea, because *noise* is the main problem with the keyboard...

 

[parsonsmike]

The label '13" MBP with TouchBar' is a shorthand for the 13" MBP with 29-W TDP processors (which for the first time now come in quad-core configuration).

Bingo. They also tank the battery life compared to the non-TB models (15w TDP).