Hands-On With Apple's New 16-Inch MacBook Pro

[Razeus]

Should I get the i7 or i9. My poweruser case would be Lightroom/Photoshop, with occasional iMovie.

 

[heretiq]

I would buy this in a heartbeat if it had no Touch Bar at all, and had an SD card slot.

I still feel like Apple cares more about their own hubris than they care about making a product that's convenient to use. A useless touch screen control, which is slower than function keys, does NOT help speed along my creative work.

And carrying a stupid SD dongle around isn't a convenient way of using a product that should be portable. The need to carry around so many dongles negates the product's supposed portability.

All that being said, I applaud Apple for going back to a FANTASTIC keyboard design! Thank you, Apple! And thanks for fixing the thermal issues too! VERY awesome!

And the escape key is great! But I still think there's a massive group of Pro users who just don't want the Touch Bar at all. Especially since it doesn't exist for any of the desktop machines, so its existence on the MacBook Pros automatically creates a disparity across the "professional Mac" product line. (Meaning, there's no sense in getting used to using a Touch Bar while on the go if I can't use a Touch Bar when I'm back on my desktop workstation at the office. So it ultimately ends up being something that's just in the way).

I’m baffled by the Touch Bar hate and “no SD card” agony. I think the Touch Bar is great. Most apps I use take advantage of the Touch Bar to provide quick ways to invoke key actions and I’ve grown accustomed to the fact that the Touch Bar configuration is dynamic and app-specific. Likewise, Apple ditched the SD-Card port (which I used occasionally when I wanted to edit pics from my digital camera) 3 years ago. Since then I’ve embraced the Apple ecosystem (including iCloud storage) and have only picked up my digital camera a handful of times and only for nostalgic purposes — as my iPhone is convenient and all the camera I need.

Net-net: I cannot find any defensible justification for Touch Bar hatred. And unless you’re a professional photographer, I just don’t understand why the lack of a built-in SD-Card reader is an issue — when all media, documents and files are available to multiple Mac and non-Mac devices via iCloud.

 

[Scott6666]

I would buy this in a heartbeat if it had no Touch Bar at all, and had an SD card slot.

I still feel like Apple cares more about their own hubris than they care about making a product that's convenient to use. A useless touch screen control, which is slower than function keys, does NOT help speed along my creative work.

And carrying a stupid SD dongle around isn't a convenient way of using a product that should be portable. The need to carry around so many dongles negates the product's supposed portability.

All that being said, I applaud Apple for going back to a FANTASTIC keyboard design! Thank you, Apple! And thanks for fixing the thermal issues too! VERY awesome!

And the escape key is great! But I still think there's a massive group of Pro users who just don't want the Touch Bar at all. Especially since it doesn't exist for any of the desktop machines, so its existence on the MacBook Pros automatically creates a disparity across the "professional Mac" product line. (Meaning, there's no sense in getting used to using a Touch Bar while on the go if I can't use a Touch Bar when I'm back on my desktop workstation at the office. So it ultimately ends up being something that's just in the way).

Haven't held an SD card in my hand for at least 2 years now. Ever since the iPhone replaced the digital camera there is no need for most people to have an SD slot. And if you're a photographer you carry around so much weight a dongle is irrelevant. You're in the tiny minority here I would think.

 

[nameischarles]

I guess I’m in the minority, I love the butterfly keyboard glad to hear the new keyboard has similar feedback and feel.

 

[FightTheFuture]

Yes we have to use the touch bar, since there are no physical Fn keys.

I've never seen someone touch-type a function key blind. I reach for expose and play/pause buttons all the time, but you eventually have to look at the keys. I just don't see how vital it is to have physical F1-F12 keys.

You don't need to use the Touch Bar, and a one-ounce dongle doesn't "negate ... portability."

If you watch the four pros featured in Apple's MBP video, there's an effect compositor, photographer, audio engineer and software engineer. Only one of those pros needs the SD Card slot. I can see why Apple nixed it.

 

[dspdoc]

LOL. I can tell you right off the bat that as an audio engineer the audio is distorting. So there's that...
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Cannot believe you complained about the minoot size increase in this video. This is needed for better thermal handling and sustained performance. This is something that is WELCOMED! SMH...

 

[baryon]

I'm really considering getting this... it's just the lack of useable ports that really puts me off. Basically you buy this computer, and out of the box, it's unusable as a computer. You can't connect it to anything except the charger. So you have to buy these no-name dodgy Chinese designed USB-C docks that slow down your transfer speeds and may or may not work, and they're quite expensive too. Or you can buy a bunch of dongles from Apple (2 USB dongles, HDMI and SD card slot to get you the port selection of the first Retina MacBook Pro), however, their cables will eventually fray from heavy use as they are poorly built. And that's it, there's no really other way to use this computer.

I feel USB-C is like Thunderbolt 1 and 2: Apple is really pushing it but it's just not catching on. It's been 4 years since the release of the first USB-C MacBook and I've yet to come across anything that plugs into this damned port.

So I kind of feel like the only thing I wish for is to be able to upgrade my GPU, CPU and RAM on my 2013 MBP. That's it. The screen is great, the keyboard is great, the thermals are great, and so are the ports. Having to get a whole new computer just to upgrade 2-3 things is really just planned obsolescence.

Oh and for God's sake stop gluing the battery to the case. Please. Why the hell is this a thing? The battery is a consumable, it will eventually have to be replaced. Having to nearly buy a whole new computer just to replace the battery is ridiculous!

 

[TheMacDaddy1]

Ordered one the day it launched for an executive at work from the Apple business site. It came in this morning and I got it ready for her. That was fast. It shipped from Tennessee. I was shocked to be honest.

It is bigger and heavier than my 2017 15inch, making it too big for me.

The Keyboard is really nice. In between the disaster on my 2017 in terms of feel and depth, and my 2013 I got rid of when I got my 2017. It has more depth (enough for me) and it is not as wiggly as my 2013 keyboard. The escape key is nice but other than that its the same deal.

The rest of it is the same as my 2017....as in I still miss the MagSafe and serious lack of usable ports....as in none.

 

[AMP12345]

I get mine the 25th. 8 Core / 32GB RAM / 8GB GPU / 1TB SSD

Same specs I ordered! Also upgrading from a late 2013.

 

[TheMacDaddy1]

Haven't held an SD card in my hand for at least 2 years now. Ever since the iPhone replaced the digital camera there is no need for most people to have an SD slot. And if you're a photographer you carry around so much weight a dongle is irrelevant. You're in the tiny minority here I would think.

"Ever since the iPhone replaced the digital camera there is no need for most people to have an SD slot. "

Lol!

For selfies and super quick photos of random stuff, it sure has replaced the digital camera. For serious, important photos that you actually care about.....NOT.

 

[thebluepointe]

I just got mine today. Replacing my 2016 MacBook Pro 15". While I certainly didn't like the keyboard, my biggest complaint were the thermals with my 2016. The fan was always louder than I liked, even under what I considered low load (i7 2.7GHz version). So far, after a time machine transfer to the new one, things seem much quieter. Only had it several hours tho, so Time will tell.

Overall, I think it is a good trade for the 2016. I got $940 for the old one (which I had already gotten deeply discounted in 2017). The keyboard is definitely nicer—I am someone who enjoys the "Magic Keyboard." It feels very familiar.

The screen is very nice, but so was the 2016 screen. And most of the time I use external monitors. I also like that is has a T2 chip. Extra piece of mind if it gets stolen. Plus, I like that it helps with H264/H265 video encoding.

Besides the new keyboard, it doesn't really feel like a significantly new computer. Only side-by-side to the 15.4" does the screen look all that much bigger.

I also use a 2015 MBP at work. The new keyboard is nicer than the 2015 keyboard, at first impressions.

 

[flimpy]

This is awesome laptop, or rather would have been three years ago.
If it was made by any other company but Apple, I would have understood absence of Wi-Fi 6.
Apple's flagship laptop without Wi-Fi 6 at the end of 2019 - this I can't understand.

It is good that Apple is finally listening to customers feedback, but they also need to keep up with technology and not just catch up. No buy from me.

 

[iShater]

I'm most likely going to break down at work and finally accept an upgrade to my 3.5 year old trusty 2015 MBP.

 

[TheMacDaddy1]

I’m baffled by the Touch Bar hate and “no SD card” agony. I think the Touch Bar is great. Most apps I use take advantage of the Touch Bar to provide quick ways to invoke key actions and I’ve grown accustomed to the fact that the Touch Bar configuration is dynamic and app-specific. Likewise, Apple ditched the SD-Card port (which I used occasionally when I wanted to edit pics from my digital camera) 3 years ago. Since then I’ve embraced the Apple ecosystem (including iCloud storage) and have only picked up my digital camera a handful of times and only for nostalgic purposes — as my iPhone is convenient and all the camera I need.

Net-net: I cannot find any defensible justification for Touch Bar hatred. And unless you’re a professional photographer, I just don’t understand why the lack of a built-in SD-Card reader is an issue — when all media, documents and files are available to multiple Mac and non-Mac devices via iCloud.

"Since then I’ve embraced the Apple ecosystem (including iCloud storage) and have only picked up my digital camera a handful of times and only for nostalgic purposes — as my iPhone is convenient and all the camera I need. "

What the what???

So adopting the Apple ecosystem means you have to give up better photographs? Is there a tattoo you need to get as well?

NO smartphone can come close to what even your $1000 DSLR's can achieve in auto mode no less. Sure if you just want quick pictures it is fine for most. If you want good to great photos then put down the smartphone and pickup a camera. Yes you see some great shots from a iPhone from pro photographers that have the iPhone in some rig that you will never have and then heavily edited in software.

 

[eatrains]

Yes, we all have our wish list, but I think Apple did a great job bringing back a portable Mac worth buying.

This Mac gives me hope Apple hasn’t lost the plot on their user base. (And it’s not just the Mac. The iPhone getting thinner and thinner when all of us were worried about battery life, charging at bars and cafes during the day, which showed an Apple that cared more about their internal design aesthetic and inward facing hubris than care for customers.)

I am hopeful we will see a turnaround with Apple in 2020. These new keyboards and thermal changes cannot come to the rest of the lineup fast enough. Especially the Air which most people use, particularly in enterprise.

iPhones haven't gotten thinner since 2014.

 

[now i see it]

I'll bet it was the complaints from Apple's very own Excoms about the missing esc key that pushed to change to include one

 

[FairlyKors]

I'm typing this on a MBP 16 at an Apple store. The keyboard is definitely much improved. Even though the 1mm of travel is still on the low side it provides enough cushion so that typing doesn't feel like banging on concrete.

I was close to pulling the trigger on a near maxed out config but decided to wait. For close to $6K I plan on using this laptop for 6+ years. I can't imagine using a laptop without wifi 6 in 2026. I consider it a given that Apple will do a refresh with Intel's 10th gen Comet Lake CPU the summer which includes wifi 6 and LPDDR4. A config with 64GB, or even 32GB, of RAM will definitely have improved battery life using LPDDR4 compared to the current DDR4. Given the high cost of my config and the length of time I plan to keep it it's definitely worth waiting another 6 to 7 months. Also, this will give Apple enough time to iron out the inevitable bugs from the near first gen product.

Not sure how you can buy a computer while waiting for the current model to be six years future proof.

This laptop is going to look silly in six years, forget about the WiFi version it’s on. Everything about this style of laptop is dying out—from the type of processor used, to overall size and weight, to display technology, to battery life to the way accessories are interfaces with.

Apple will likely be getting rid of Intel CPUs in the next year or so, beginning with machines like the MacBook Air, then eventually they’ll move on to their “Pro” models. With ARM/Arm/arm based computing, overall size and weight is going to shrink massively. Just look at what fits into an iPad Pro 11” now. This current chassis might even be the last of these large clamshell “notebooks”—and they appear to be going out in plus-sized fashion.

Screen technology has also been stagnant for a long time. We’re about to see *true* HDR displays make their way to phones, tablets, laptops, monitors and TVs. The upcoming $5K Apple will be one of the first “correct” implementations of this standard. And, IMO, true HDR screens are going to make current screens look incredibly dim, dull and flat (though it’s hard to care about something we’re not really familiar with yet).

There are a lot of reasons why this style laptop won’t last six years. I’m not saying it won’t be useful for something six years out, but I’d look at a $6K laptop purchase as more of a three year deal at the moment (and also at least $2K more than you need to spend). Just my two cents.

 

[CodeSpyder]

I have the late 2016 MacBook Pro. No keyboard issues, thank goodness. So, I'm going to upgrade to the new 16" MacBook Pro. Getting the i9/64GB/8GBGraphics/4TB version. Space gray.

 

[thebluepointe]

I'm most likely going to break down at work and finally accept an upgrade to my 3.5 year old trusty 2015 MBP.

I have a 2015 at work and would recommend. The need for dongles annoys me far less than I thought it would. Plus, I get to choose what types of ports I want and all the benefits of Thunderbolt 3. I like the new keyboard better than my 2015. I got my 16" for use at home, but I hope to get one at work someday too.

 

[LeeW]

Yes, dongles do indeed negate portability. The point of having something that's portable is to have something that doesn't need to be tied down to a bunch of dangly crap that makes it annoying to use on a lap or on an airplane.

What are you going to use on your lap or in an aeroplane that needs to be plugged in but having to use a dongle will cause you anxiety? If a dongle negates portability then surely anything you need to plug in will do the same?

 

[pray2crom]

I am waiting for what Mr. Louis Rossmann says about this macbook. I have bitter memories of being an early adopter. Also I am waiting for the kickstarter that's currently prototyping a new 100watt magsafe charger called thundermag. If Mr. Rossmann doesn't crap all over this macbook and thundermag works out then I will pick this up.

 

[csadangi]

Just ordered one with only upgrading to 32 GB ram. I always wanted to have more disk space and finally Apple started the base model with 512 GB. Arrival estimate in Canada is late November but I hope they ship it sooner. Can’t wait that long 😉

 

[LeeW]

If Mr. Rossmann doesn't crap all over this macbook and thundermag works out then I will pick this up.

He makes a living out of doing that and relies on finding issues, not saying I disagree with everything he says but he can't afford to show anything but disdain for Apple products.

 

[theluggage]

I’m baffled by the Touch Bar hate and “no SD card” agony. I think the Touch Bar is great.

I'm baffled by the way some people think that because they don't need a feature (like SD slots or physical function keys) then nobody needs that feature and thus it should be expunged for everybody, let they suffer the appalling ignominy of having a computer with a slot or key that they don't use.

Personally, I like the sound of the touch bar (but I'm using an iMac at the mo', so it will have to wait until I upgrade to Catalina and can use an iDevice). However, I'm also aware that there are people who spend all day pounding a particular pro application and have memorised the function keys. They could have found room for both - especially as nobody was asking for the trackpad to be made even larger than the largest-in-the-business one in the pre-2016 MBP.

Only one of those pros needs the SD Card slot.

I'm not one of those pros. However, I've got a phone that takes SD cards. I've got 4 Raspberry Pis that take SD cards. I've got a Fire TV that takes SD cards. I've got a module in my Eurorack synth that takes SD cards. Other people have GoPros, dashcams etc. that take SD cards. You can get low profile fit-and-forget SD cards that are perfect for (say) storing a music or photo library on without wasting fast SSD.

Sure, there are adapters. Know what's better than needing an adapter? not needing an adapter! Know what the downside is of having a (tiny, cheap) SD card reader in your laptop that you don't use? None!

 

[NickName99]

I'm most likely going to break down at work and finally accept an upgrade to my 3.5 year old trusty 2015 MBP.

I had a 2015 MacBook Pro for a while, the top spec 2.8Ghz 1TB SSD model, it was great. I replaced it with a 2018 MacBook Pro 15" 2.2Ghz 6-core, which is faster in every way: single core, multi core, GPU, SSD speed. It's also got better battery life, better display, lighter weight, TB3 options (rocking an eGPU). These new 16" models look to solve the only shortcoming of the 2018 model (the keyboard), while doubling GPU performance and providing much less thermal throttling. Looks like a winner for sure! If I didn't mainly use my MacBook Pro hooked up to a keyboard, monitor and 4K display, I'd be wanting one big time.