Here's How Apple's New MacBook Pro Compares to Last Year's Model

[JustinRP37]

2017 is better in almost everyway
1) better cpu and gpu
2) better keyboard
3) proper 10-11hours

The keyboard in the 2017 Pros is the exact same second generation butterfly mechanism as the 2012. I think you are thinking about the MacBook, which likewise also received the second generation butterfly mechanism. The battery is also the exact same part as 2016, and the GPU is the same, just with a name change and tiny bit of an increase in clock speed. The CPU is the major upgrade.

Not saying the 2017 isn't better, because it is with the new processor, but just do not overstate the differences.

 

[Johnny London]

How's the battery life on the 2017 MBP?
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Why?

I think it's strange that at this point a tiny iPhone offers as much storage or more than this 128gb model laptop. But you're right, not everybody needs more than 128gb.

 

[DrJohnnyN]

with my returned base 15" MBP 2016 i never got over 8 maybe 8 and a half hours indoors
with the base 2017 15" i got with the same usage test, around 11 hours and 11 minutes until it hits 1% battery life (both latest macOS sierra)

Thanks for the reply. You were already able to test the 2017's battery?

I sold my spec'd out 6 month old 15" Pro to my cousin for $1,000 and now I'm waiting for my 2017 to arrive in the mail!
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Releasing anything, especially a premium laptop with 128GB of storage in 2017, should be considered a crime.

I just don't get it. Why is 128GB so bad?

 

[northernmunky]

Lucky Americans, the prices are the same for you guys. In EU, the "15 inch MacBook prices increased by another €150 (~$170). It also take 3-4 weeks to ship!!!

For me it's actually cheaper to buy a ticked to New York, buy a MacBook and go back home on the same day...

My thoughts exactly and thats exactly what I'm going to do, they're even cheaper in Tokyo!

 

[jjjoseph]

I just don't get it. Why is 128GB so bad?

I think people are commenting on the fact that your internal storage is non-upgradable and you will have 128GB as your storage size for as long as you own this computer. When you are buying hardware of this price you would hope to use it for a while. 128GB is not that much storage, and if you do anything with HD or 4K Video your space will be gone before you know it. Also the OS and Programs get larger and larger every year. Next year 128gb will feel totally small as you try to install more applications and use them properly. IMHO 128GB is a joke and shouldn't be even a baseline option for a "high end" laptop. 256GB should be the Minimum.

 

[Dydegu]

I have the top end 15" (2.7 Ghz Core i7 2016 model) and I'm pretty happy with it.
My only complaint is the keyboard. It has no "life" to it.
A better keyboard would have been the one thing that would have made me swap out to a 2017 model.
The performance is more than adequate for my needs.

I love the 2016 keyboard!

2017 is better in almost everyway
1) better cpu and gpu
2) better keyboard
3) proper 10-11hours

The keyboard hasn't changed on the pros. Only on the MacBook.

 

[robeddie]

128gb storage = embarrassing.

No kidding. You cant even get an ipad mini 4 with less storage than that. And these are 'pro' computers.
It would be another thing if the ssd was upgradeable, but nope.

 

[MrGuder]

No mention of High Sierra???

 

[daveak]

Its too bad the article did not indicate the performance difference of the graphics processor. That seems like an important change, but maybe not.

Myself, I can't see any particular reason to get one, even though I use a laptop almost exclusively.

The performance is nearly identical. They are just rebadged 45x/46x with a very small clock speed increase.

 

[manu chao]

128gb storage = embarrassing.

Well, the MBA also starts at 128 GB. First people wanted a MBA with retina screen. They got it in the form of 13" MBP w/ function keys. Then they complain that it cost $500 more. Now Apple is adding a configuration that matches the entry-level MBA (SSD + RAM size), which reduces the retina screen surcharge to $300 (which it already was when you compared a 256 GB MBA with a 256 GB MBP). And now people complain that 128 GB is too small.

And note that the $300 retina screen surcharge not only includes the retina upgrade. It also includes wider gamut, higher contrast, wider viewing angle screen (IPS vs TN). Plus TB3 and now also Kaby Lake (7th gen) vs Broadwell (5th gen) with all its improvements in regard to performance (incl. the graphic card) and power consumption.
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No mention of High Sierra???

Why should there be? It won't ship, as usual, before Fall, which most likely means October.

 

[robeddie]

Kaby Lake mobile still doesn't support the lower power DDR4, so unless Apple wants to reverse its stance on the battery hit for standard DDR4, 16 is it for now.

Or add one goddam millemeter of thickness and make the battery as robust as it was on the 2015 macbook pro. But I know, nobody would buy a laptop that ridiculously thick.

 

[manu chao]

I think people are commenting on the fact that your internal storage is non-upgradable and you will have 128GB as your storage size for as long as you own this computer. When you are buying hardware of this price you would hope to use it for a while. 128GB is not that much storage, and if you do anything with HD or 4K Video your space will be gone before you know it. Also the OS and Programs get larger and larger every year. Next year 128gb will feel totally small as you try to install more applications and use them properly. IMHO 128GB is a joke and shouldn't be even a baseline option for a "high end" laptop. 256GB should be the Minimum.

Yeah, but you cannot complain about 128 GB in a vacuum if more money buys you more storage. The 256 GB configuration is still available and costs exactly the same as last year. You are complaining about Apple adding choice. Usually the complaints go the other way.
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The keyboard in the 2017 Pros is the exact same second generation butterfly mechanism as the 2012. I think you are thinking about the MacBook, which likewise also received the second generation butterfly mechanism. The battery is also the exact same part as 2016, and the GPU is the same, just with a name change and tiny bit of an increase in clock speed. The CPU is the major upgrade.

Not saying the 2017 isn't better, because it is with the new processor, but just do not overstate the differences.

I guess the implication is that the battery life will be longer because Kaby Lake consumes less power (at least for a given performance).

 

[NBAasDOGG]

The keyboard is slightly different, no?

Keyboard feels the same tough, but there are new logo's on the "control" and "option" keys.

 

[jiggad369]

So basically nothing changed. Literally almost nothing.

2017 is better in almost everyway
1) better cpu and gpu
2) better keyboard
3) proper 10-11hours

Two consecutive posts aka MR in a nutshell.

 

[jacg]

Does it make a nasty metallic rattle when you place it on a desk?

 

[manu chao]

Or add one goddam millemeter of thickness and make the battery as robust as it was on the 2015 macbook pro. But I know, nobody would buy a laptop that ridiculously thick.

No, but in Apple's estimation, the additional number of sales by offering a 32 GB (RAM) version is lower than the additional number by having a slightly thinner and lighter laptop. The additional number of sales by either move won't be large but when there is such a tradeoff to be made, you weigh these two options against each other.

 

[mikecorp]

there is no reason to upgrade. 2013 model is quite ok too.

 

[johnnybeagle]

I bought the 128gb version. I managed a law firm with my last machine, and rarely used more than 20-30gb locally. I was going to buy a MBP anyway, Apple just saved me $200. Just because your needs require a ton of local storage, doesn't mean that fits the need of every user.

 

[Sovon Halder]

The CPU and GPU is updated. And also there are some control symbols in the keyboard layout as well, which were different in last year's models.

But why is nobody talking about the clock speed of the RAM?

Entry level 2016 MBP (w/o Touchbar) had 1866Mhz RAM as opposed to 2133Mhz in the latest.

 

[Saturn007]

1. The price drop was deceptive. They pretended to drop the price on the $1499 model to $1299 -- or, perhaps more charitably, deliberately created the impression that the entry model was the same and that they had lowered its price!

But they had not. That's why people are upset about the $1299 pricing. They rushed through those changes at the keynote, too, almost suggests they were embarrassed by the pricing smoke dissolve and about how limited the improvements were.

2. A couple of people have said that the 2017 MacBook Pros' keyboards are the same as in 2012. Is that right?? That's not what I've seen or read. When they introduced the TB models and non-TB models, which were thinner and lighter than ever before, they brought the MacBook's 2nd gen butterfly key mechanism to it. Whichever was first (MBP or MB; someone chime in please), that keyboard is decidedly not the one that was on the 2012-2015 MacBook Pros!

3. It sounds as if the 2017 MBP battery life is normal again or better.

4. Anyone heard yet whether the keyboard problems have been fixed on the MacBook Pros?!

5. By the way, were the keyboard problems across all models, TB and non-TB, or just the TB ones? And, they didn't affect the MBs, is that right?!

 

[fyun89]

Does anyone have any idea why the new top end i7 processors dont have 8MB L3 cache?

 

[IlluminatedSage]

Hey, I'm impressed Apple updated their laptops faster for the new chipset. This is an improvement. I really hope apple takes a cue from Sony (camera division is killing it) and keeps all aspects of their Mac product line fresh and new.

Could they have added an SD card slot and USB 3? yep. but just refreshing is a good step in the right direction.

Now if only across the board they can keep this sort of stuff up on a more regular basis.

 

[bgraham]

128gb storage = embarrassing.

It really isn't. There's a reason Chromebooks and things are catching on, more and more people don't need to store all their media locally anymore (I know I don't).

 

[4487549]

Also, still provides the same:

• 0 USB ports
• 0 HDMI ports
• 0 Ethernet ports (would it even fit?)
• 0 SD card slots
• 0 MagSafe

A slightly better graphics card is slightly less insulting but Alienware, Asus, MSI, Razer, Sager... offer Nvidia 1060+ graphics cards (my 2014 MBP is the last to offer Nvidia). And, guess what? They're all pretty much the same size and weight, and they even offer ANTI-GLARE screens.

Meanwhile, I noticed that none of the refreshed computers at the WWDC announcement added that ridiculous Touch Bar.

The MacBook Prosumer is a great machine for prosumers but it can't handle pro tasks like 3D rendering without running out of memory.

The reality is:

• Macbook = Macbook Air
• Macbook Pro = Macbook
• (nonexistent) = Macbook Pro

 

[Maigrais]

Come on, when are we going to see 32GB of RAM, hopefully this configuration will be an option by the 4th quarter.....

I was ready to pull the trigger to replace my current Late 2013 macbook pro, but no reason, this hardware is still going strong.

We will not see anymore update to the notebooks until next year. How will current generation 15-inch MacBook Pro owners feel about another surprise update just 3 months later?