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

[saba01]

Sounds like you’re not a professional photographer, so you probably shouldn’t be giving an opinion on the matter. I’m certainly not in the minority. Most people want the SD card reader back. It’s nice to have it. You can’t argue that it’s better not to have it. It’s just not true. Goodness.
[/QUOTE]

Well, I am a professionell advertising photographer; and I would never use SD card as long as CompactFlash is available. Our camera systems (eos 1DX II, Hasselblad) either don't support SD or just use as backup.

So a slot for a flimsy SD card was for us always not needed or wanted.

 

[citysnaps]

"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.

Eh... Strong photographs that have the power to release narrative are not the result of camera gear. Rather, they're from the person making the photograph, his/her life experiences, curiosity, imagination, skill, and a variety of technical choices made during the process.

Many times I find that photographers who love to talk about gear often have photographs that don't evoke or communicate anything interesting or memorable.

 

[macduke]

If they’re going to keep the stupid Touch Bar, I’d prefer they make it taller and have an option to fully put the dock in that space. I use BTT to create shortcuts for expose, launchpad, etc anyway. The thing I would miss most is media and brightness buttons but as someone who prefers the dock to not be hidden, it would at least be an increase in usable screen space and I could probably find a better solution or holding down function key could make those appear at the top. Can’t remember if it already works that way since I have a 2015 and it has been a while since I’ve used a newer one.

 

[PickUrPoison]

But they do though. Portability is about having something that's clean, simple, and doesn't require additional components in order for it to function.
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That's what's so annoying though. Why? Why are they not coming back? The SD card is the most modern and common storage medium for image acquisition. Pro photographers aren't taking pictures with their iPhones and AirDropping them to their Macs. So if Apple's going to slap a "Pro" moniker on their products, then they ought to actually make them tailored for real pros, not just hipster iPhone photographers.

CFexpress, QXD, CFast, CompactFlash are all pro formats. SD of course is also used, and soon SD Express.

Not all that different from the Thunderbolt 2 (mini-DisplayPort), VGA, HDMI, Thunderbolt 3/DisplayPort (USB-C) and DVI situation.

It’s somewhat of a mess, but Thunderbolt 3 ports are able to accommodate all of these. I don’t see any better solution.

 

[ocnitsa]

The only benefit of upgrading your own RAM is saving money buying third-party RAM. But people who can afford a $3k+ computer are unlikely to want to tear open their own computer to save maybe 5% of the purchase cost. On the other hand, those same people place a premium on the slimmest, lightest laptop possible, which is precisely what soldering RAM allows.

There's a bit of repairability to it, as well, though...I've had RAM go bad and replacing it is something one can do oneself if it isn't soldered in...

 

[Boobsandbacon]

It’s hilarious seeing so many people chastise people and defend a computer with pro in the name removing features professionals and prosumers use.

 

[lederermc]

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 tiny touch screen control, which is slower than function keys, does NOT help speed along my creative work.

And carrying an SD dongle around isn't a convenient way of using a product that should already 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 have 13" rMBP 2018 and I love the the touch bar. virtual esc key is not an issue and use zsh and vi daily.

 

[TheMacDaddy1]

So you just refuted your own point. So what if Thunderbolt 3 accounts for a small percentage of the peripherals? TB3 ports are *also* USB-C ports with Power Delivery, which can be used for wide variety of things. If Apple were to include ANY ports - TB3 ports would be the most optimal.

Also, TB3 ports are used by way more than 0.05% of users. Many of us use 5K displays for which you need TB3.

So OK at my company where we have many Macbooks for director and up, ALL of them require multiple dongles, USB-A, HDMI, etc because NOTHING they have is native USB-C. Their default monitor is a 27inch 4K which uses either HDMI or Display Port.

 

[Quu]

My simplistic view is really that one universal port such as USB-C whilst not as convenient for some as a dedicated SD, HDMI or other port is a better way to ultimately provide you with all the port access you will ever need, it makes sense to me at least.

Yes it makes sense to me too for the same reasons.

 

[ThatGuyInLa]

What is your set up to get 800-980Mbps internet over Wi-Fi?

Asus PCIe card and and Asus wifi6 router. I’d need to go home to recall the model numbers, but you can look them up on their site. They might actually have a faster PCIe card now.

The trick with wifi is getting the largest pipe you can because you will lose data bandwidth due to any number of things. i’ve seen wild results in my setup. However it averages out.

To be more
clear...

AC i would see maybe 20 to 55 megabytes a/s. (internet) Wifi6 gear I’m seeing 90 to 120 megabytes a/s from interent. Depending on time of day.

Point to point I get 220 megabytes to 280 megabytes. With some bursts as high as 400 and even 700.

My computers all use Samsung 970 Pro m.2s. Soon to be replaced with PCIe v4 drives. Which should allow for more stable throughput and higher speeds.

 

[rezenclowd3]

Still no touchscreen nor fold. I already bought a Lenovo Yoga to replace my MBPr TB 13". Am in the process of dropping Apple all the way. I hate being bored, and all their hardware bores me, and Win 10 and Linux satisfy my development needs.

 

[Zdigital2015]

Shhhhh! Don't say that or they will add it to the Magic Keyboard!

(sorry for the "shhh", I didn't mean to be rude, it was just part of the joke)

I would love the Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad to be fitted with the Touch Bar, but I think it might have to be wired because of the power draw on a strictly Bluetooth keyboard would be too high.

 

[Velin]

Already ordered mine. Available for pickup in a couple weeks. Cannot wait. Thank you Apple, Tim Cook, and Macbook Pro design team. Great screen, great keyboard, exactly the ports we need and want.

 

[UglyCowboy]

Interesting list of features that will not likely materialize. No way minled is coming in ~1.5 years. I have a laptop with 10bit display and it requires the discrete GPU to be on all the time as the iGPU cannot support 10 bits. This kills the battery life and ramps the fans continuously. Apple likes quiet machines so this is unlikely to happen soon. OLED is pretty but you have to deal with retention issues as well as taking a hit to battery life. FaceID module is way too thick to be placed in the screen. I've seen people mentioning that there's enough width at the top but the thickness is the problem. Regarding Intel 10nm don't hold your breath. That process is pretty much broken and is a placeholder for PR purposes until 7nm. I'm afraid we will be limping along with 14nm and a years old architecture. 120Hz refresh displays are possible but why do you need it ? The MBP16 is targeted for video editing and there is no 120Hz frame rate standards any time soon. Sure it's great for games but this is not a gaming machine.

Wifi 6 is really the big ticket item that's missing. Other items such as LPDDR4, upgraded 720P camera, 120hz display is just gravy.

Is it really?

LPDDR4/WiFi 6 are pretty meh when you consider that after next summers refresh, the refresh after that which is likely to come within 6-12 months is potentially a lot bigger: 10nm, new screen options (miniled/OLED/10bit HDR/4K+/120hz?), FaceID etc

Something better is always around the corner but what you’ll be getting is summer is really not items which are worth waiting for for a long term commitment, it is not often so little is around the corner - this is a golden purchase opportunity imo.

 

[patent10021]

Man, those meat-hooks.
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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.

I'm also thinking of waiting for a refresh for a couple of reasons. To wait to see if there are any first gen issues and maybe it'll also have the Nvidia 1660 and maybe a surprise like an optional TouchBar. FaceID plus the expected 1080p camera etc...

 

[Apple2GS]

Ive is gone and the MacBook Pro is thicker, not a coincidence.
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So OK at my company where we have many Macbooks for director and up, ALL of them require multiple dongles, USB-A, HDMI, etc because NOTHING they have is native USB-C. Their default monitor is a 27inch 4K which uses either HDMI or Display Port.

Why attach new MacBook's to small and outdated monitors? New USB C or TB3 monitors are available, many with extra USB A ports and they can also charge the MacBooks, one cord solution.

 

[patent10021]

They made it thicc so they should've brought back the glowing Apple.

 

[BroTim52]

I love this MacBook Pro!!! Best of Apple in a while!!!

 

[lowkey]

Maybe they could use a usbc to HDMI cable like I do? Pretty simple. Even a company director like me can do it

So OK at my company where we have many Macbooks for director and up, ALL of them require multiple dongles, USB-A, HDMI, etc because NOTHING they have is native USB-C. Their default monitor is a 27inch 4K which uses either HDMI or Display Port.

 

[coachingguy]

People worry about memory cards, when a majority of cameras now have WIFI or blutooth built into them camera or a highspeed data port on the camera. My friend has a older camera and he has a wifi wireless memory card reader he keeps in this bag and just send the data over wirelessly. And you want a memory card slot so dirt, dust and crude can get into the computer? Wireless data is better than physical cards. Do you know how many SD cards that I have zapped by taking them out of a camera and putting them into a reader, a lot. I worked for Kodak for 8 years and wireless is a lot better data transferring method.

I take 12000+ pictures a year with a canon 6D for my school district... know how many SD cards have corrupted? 0

I have WiFi capabilities... but find it too slow for sports pictures... While not having an SD slot is certainly not a deal breaker for me... Don’t assume wireless for photographers is the best option...

 

[Quu]

So you just refuted your own point. So what if Thunderbolt 3 accounts for a small percentage of the peripherals? TB3 ports are *also* USB-C ports with Power Delivery, which can be used for wide variety of things. If Apple were to include ANY ports - TB3 ports would be the most optimal.

Also, TB3 ports are used by way more than 0.05% of users. Many of us use 5K displays for which you need TB3.

You don't need Thunderbolt 3 for 5K displays. Heck my desktop can output to 8K displays using DisplayPort as can other (Windows) laptops with RTX cards.

My point was users don't use Thunderbolt 3 that much. Sure they use USB, since the ports are dual use, but they are spending space inside the laptop for the dedicated Thunderbolt IC's and so on, tbh if they didn't have four Thunderbolt ports they'd have enough room for some USB-A's and so on.

But again for me personally I will make use of Thunderbolt 3 with an insanely expensive dock. (As you may be aware, Thunderbolt 3 things cost way way more than USB ones).

 

[DesertNomad]

I like my 2014 15" MBP with the built-in SD card reader. I am a pilot and the GPS in the aircraft panel needs database updates every 28 days, which are transferred via SD card. I really don't want to carry a dongle. No MagSafe and no SD card - two steps backwards.

 

[0134168]

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 tiny touch screen control, which is slower than function keys, does NOT help speed along my creative work.

And carrying an SD dongle around isn't a convenient way of using a product that should already 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 hate Touch Bar.

 

[torontotim]

Not compelling enough to convince me to spend 2x as much as my Matebook X Pro cost. I moved to the Matebook from my 2015 15" MBP when the logic board died and Apple quoted $900 CAD to repair.

After using a 13.9" 3000x2000 display in a device the size and weight of a MacBook Air, with discrete graphics... I'm waiting for the shoe to drop on the next gen 13" MBP.

Here's hoping for a sensible 14" model with modest discrete graphics, and the better value proposition in terms of RAM and Storage Apple seems to have embraced with the 16" model.

Then I'll ditch my Matebook and get back onto macOS which I do miss. There's still nothing as fluid as a Mac, which I notice every time I use even my wife's 2009 white unibody or my daughter's 2015 13" MBP and her new 2019 27" iMac.

 

[flat five]

The problem is, using different methods on desktop vs. laptop is very, very dumb. .

i guess i’m dumb then?

trackpad on laptop vs a 7button mouse on desktop.. CAD/CAM work no less (two applications with different controls in each.. then each with different navigation depending on mouse or trackpad)

a way bigger difference than touchbar vs F keys but it’s not a problem.. srry

you can muscle memory more than one scenario