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

[Peperino]

APPLE DID NOT LOWER THE PRICE. THEY REDUCE THE MEMORY SIZE!!

Really Apple?? do you think consumers are that clueless??

As someone mentioned, It is embarrassing that they are shipping Macbooks with 128gb and 8gb Ram.

New Macbooks are the same. Who care about a 20% speed bump, if so....

Still no Mag safe, no 32 RAM, no solution for multi adaptors, basically same old krap.

That is why they only dedicated 30 seconds on the WWDC presentation.

Lame...

 

[mackster007]

I'll take a 10-20% increase in speed. That alone is worth buying a 2017 over a refurb'ed 2016. For location shoots and on-the-fly edits this new MBP will be perfect. Beats lugging around my 27" iMac...

As a photographer myself, do you think the 13" MBP has sufficient horsepower for running Lightroom and Photoshop and running 2 external monitors for image editing? I'm thinking of switching from PC to Mac. Thanks.

 

[manu chao]

Do you really need 3GB/sec? Is 1GB/sec not still a huge increase over 5400 RPM drives they're still selling in iMac models?

Apple not giving as much choice as you want is a slightly different topic, and not a new one.

Is that speed going to make up for 120GB being too little or 1TB costing over $3000? Is there nowhere in-between? You seem to miss my point. These things are not upgradeable. You pay out $3000+ upfront or you have to deal with 128GB for the rest of its life.

If I am not mistaken, there are also options for 256 GB and 512 GB in between that 128 GB and that $3000+ option. And let's get your facts straight. The 128 GB option costs $1299, upgrading that to 1 TB brings the price up to $2099, slightly less than your $3000+ claim. In fact, the 13" MBP, the only MBP available with 128 GB, maxes out at $2899, not $3000+ (and to be even more precise, the only MBP with 128 GB is the function-key one, which maxes out at $2599).

And you can always spend another $2099 to get a 1 TB MBP, minus whatever you get for you old MBP. The 'life' of a MBP doesn't end when breaks, for you personally it ends when you sell it.
[doublepost=1497024414][/doublepost]

APPLE DID NOT LOWER THE PRICE. THEY REDUCE THE MEMORY SIZE!!

Really Apple?? do you think consumers are that clueless??

And I thought people were up in arms because the function-key MBP (which in technical terms is a retina version of the MBA) did cost $500 more than the MBA. Now, it only costs $300 more. (Of course it always did cost only $300 more once you matched the specs, but that never stopped people from claiming it cost $500 more).

 

[jjjoseph]

As a photographer myself, do you think the 13" MBP has sufficient horsepower for running Lightroom and Photoshop and running 2 external monitors for image editing? I'm thinking of switching from PC to Mac. Thanks.

Not Really you only have the intel integrated graphics chip which isn't gonna be great for two external monitors. If can you should get the 15" with the extra GPU. My only complaint with the 15" is the Touchbar. I tried and tried to make it seem awesome, and it just never happened.

 

[mackster007]

Not Really you only have the intel integrated graphics chip which isn't gonna be great for two external monitors. If can you should get the 15" with the extra GPU. My only complaint with the 15" is the Touchbar. I tried and tried to make it seem awesome, and it just never happened.

Okay. Thanks a lot for the reply. Have heard mixed reviews on the Touchbar, mostly negative. Would be nice to be able to get a 15" MBP with dedicated graphics without the Touchbar.

 

[TotalAdventure]

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.

Same here. Money is burning a hole in my pocket , but won't be spent until 32GB is available. And $1299 extra for 2TB ? Really ? That should be standard !

 

[Essaux]

Its not premium though. Its a lower entry level pro without touchbar.

It has the Pro moniker which in my eyes stands for something premium, but I agree the 128gb isn't premium at all
[doublepost=1497028759][/doublepost]

No 32Gb memory option, pathetic.

Where is the 16gb? For some people it's enough and they have all their documents and photos in the cloud and us 512gb divas need to stop whining about Apple's embarrassing storage capacity shenanigans.

 

[mrex]

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).

and how are you going to install software or their temps without locally?

there are no words other than "embarrasing" when someone is selling "pro" with 128gb storage.

 

[DevNull0]

if you are referring to that mouse/keyboard that comes with the iMac Pro, well forget it as it won't be sold separately

Of course they will be sold separately. By people who want a more ergonomic mouse and keyboard for a $5000 workstation they're spending hours a day in front of.

And thanks people like to the poster you're replying to, they'll get some good money reselling the mouse and keyboard to help offset the $5000 price tag.
[doublepost=1497030141][/doublepost]

When I read these statements I wonder, "does the poster actually own one?"

"Do they really render complex 3D images or video work?"

Just smoke on the waters.

Oh and what makes the poster a "Pro" over all those they have insulted by calling those purchasers "prosumers?"

I use mine extensively for photoshop. And 300-500 meg image sizes are pretty typical (multilayer files). A few of those open at a time devours ram. I can easily imagine light video work using a lot more.

And to have a few hundred of my photo files locally stored in my working folder on my my will use a couple of hundred gig right there. iCloud doesn't help much when you're actively editing the files. That's just a few hundred images. Apple makes it painful to store my whole work in progress folder.

My wedding videographer gave me all the unedited files his team shot. 150 gigs worth. Imagine his storage needs when he's got 15-20 projects on the go. And this is not long term backup but working files.

 

[bjet767]

My only complaint with the 15" is the Touchbar. I tried and tried to make it seem awesome, and it just never happened.

I read all the complaints and comments like this and owning the 13" TBMBP from day one I can safely write; it's a non-event and issue. The TB works well, isn't confusing, adds some functionality to the keyboard and can be safely ignored.

Personally, I like the look of it over those function keys and I don't have to remember what an F6 does because it is clearly spelled out by the apps that program the TB.

 

[DevNull0]

It has the Pro moniker which in my eyes stands for something premium, but I agree the 128gb isn't premium at all

To Apple "Pro" is a buzz word that translates as jack up the prices for the suckers.

Where is the 16gb? For some people it's enough and they have all their documents and photos in the cloud and us 512gb divas need to stop whining about Apple's embarrassing storage capacity shenanigans.

I guess if all you want is a content consumption device that is fine. You try editing a few hundred gigs of files at once that are stored on the cloud.

 

[AdonisSMU]

It has the Pro moniker which in my eyes stands for something premium, but I agree the 128gb isn't premium at all
[doublepost=1497028759][/doublepost]
Where is the 16gb? For some people it's enough and they have all their documents and photos in the cloud and us 512gb divas need to stop whining about Apple's embarrassing storage capacity shenanigans.

Pro does not necessarily mean premium.

 

[jjjoseph]

I read all the complaints and comments like this and owning the 13" TBMBP from day one I can safely write; it's a non-event and issue. The TB works well, isn't confusing, adds some functionality to the keyboard and can be safely ignored. Personally, I like the look of it over those function keys and I don't have to remember what an F6 does because it is clearly spelled out by the apps that program the TB.

I think personal preference is important, that is why Apple should make a 15" without the touchbar. Some people will definitely appreciate a 15" with a regular keyboard.

 

[Markoth]

Oh I'm not talking about the Fusion drives. I'm talking about the good ol' standard 5400-rpm spinners. Apple is still selling iMacs and Mac Minis with them.

Also it absolutely matters more than most people realize. Boot-up, copying files, loading games, etc. are all directly and linearly affected by drive speed. I would know, I switched my 2014 iMac's stock boot drive (5400 rpm) to an external USB 3 SSD and everything feels at least 5 times faster.

I'm aware of the benefits of a faster drive. They really should have Fusion Drive as default, if they're going to include a 5400RPM drive, though. I had thought it was for some reason. My bad.

 

[bjet767]

I think personal preference is important, that is why Apple should make a 15" without the touchbar. Some people will definitely appreciate a 15" with a regular keyboard.

Let's face it allowing a very large number of configurations so individuals can "personalize" their machine just isn't practical nor cost effective for Apple or any other manufacturer. They go to go with what marketing says is the best compromise
[doublepost=1497034551][/doublepost]

My wedding videographer gave me all the unedited files his team shot. 150 gigs worth. Imagine his storage needs when he's got 15-20 projects on the go. And this is not long term backup but working files.

You mention a very unique area of storage needs and truthfully no portable computer will fulfill that need without some sort of external storage. My niece is a wedding photographer/videographer in the Chicago area and learned rather quickly that storing her work on the portable device wouldn't work. The cloud/online storage, external drives and really good backup to prevent loss (and then lawsuits) is huge with her.

 

[jjjoseph]

Let's face it allowing a very large number of configurations so individuals can "personalize" their machine just isn't practical nor cost effective for Apple or any other manufacturer. They go to go with what marketing says is the best compromise

Then why have a non-touchbar option on the 13"?? Just force touchbar across the line for every computer.

You mention a very unique area of storage needs and truthfully no portable computer will fulfill that need without some sort of external storage. My niece is a wedding photographer/videographer in the Chicago area and learned rather quickly that storing her work on the portable device wouldn't work. The cloud/online storage, external drives and really good backup to prevent loss (and then lawsuits) is huge with her.

Speaking of the CLOUD, legally speaking, we work with a lot of studios and agencies that actually don't allow any of their assets on the CLOUD. All of the legal agreements say all media and all assets must be stored locally. This is a very sticky legal area for companies trying to keep assets secret and private.

This also means now AMAZON AWS, no rendering to the cloud etc.. Fun right? Also a lot of our media assests run into the TB per job and we have about 30 floating at all times. 30TB of cloud usage?? Per day?? Uploading and downloading on this level isn't possible.

 

[minton]

The SD card slot is there guys, right next to the SCSI port.

While I agree that the cloud isn't everything, shoot-and-sync is clearly the way that 99% of photography ( non-professionals) is going, as opposed to the old shoot-shoot-shoot ... then take out SD card and plug it into computer and hunt around for the newest photos in your DCIM folder.

My wedding videographer gave me all the unedited files his team shot. 150 gigs worth. Imagine his storage needs when he's got 15-20 projects on the go. And this is not long term backup but working files.

I used velcro to attach additional storage to the base of my Macbook Air lid. Yeah, it's not graceful but it works quite well. But you don't even need to do that, as the following 2TB drives are bus-powered via USB-C and are built to withstand being tossed around: CalDigit Tuff ($180) / Lacie Rugged ($160)/ Silicon Power Armor ($105). A Samsung 1TB SSD external USB-C drive is about $360, but it's SSD and a speed demon.

I would save my upgrade cash for ram, and be ok with the 256 gb (I'm looking at Touch Bar MBPs) for being just for application data.

 

[asiga]

This is not a rant, I'm very happy with the renewed commitment of Apple with the Mac, but I really think the MacBooks need to be rethought.

If there was a non-pro 15'' MacBook (I mean, a 15'' you could hold with one hand), I would buy it.

If there was a heavy 15'' MacBook Pro (or even 17'') with really pro graphics (read NVIDIA with at least 8GB of dedicated VRAM), I could buy it too.

But instead of having two models, one a very light 15'' and a second model as a really powerful 15'' we have some sort of a compromise: it's not light (you cannot hold it with one hand), but it doesn't have really powerful components either. You have a semi-heavy MacBook with a compromise in RAM size and in GPU specs.

I have the money for the top configuration of the 15'' MBP, but I'll only spend that money if I really feel I'll enjoy the new MBP for 5 years or so. And I won't enjoy the current compromised 15'' for 5 years. If it was a 15'' I could hold on one hand, I would love enjoying it for 5 years. If it was a heavy 15'' or 17'' with an NVIDIA 1080, I would love it too for 5 years. But if I buy the current model, I'll want to buy either a lighter model or a more powerful one just a couple of years from now. I don't buy a MBP for buying a new one next year or during the next couple of years.

So, to sum it up:

Apple, release a low performance but very light 15'' I can hold on one hand, and I'll buy it.

Or release a heavier but more powerful 15'' or 17'' with an NVIDIA GPU and I'll buy it.

But for the current 15'' which isn't light nor powerful, I cannot justify the price, I have the money but I want to invest it in a MacBook I'll love for years.

 

[Mainsail]

APPLE DID NOT LOWER THE PRICE. THEY REDUCE THE MEMORY SIZE!!

Really Apple?? do you think consumers are that clueless??

As someone mentioned, It is embarrassing that they are shipping Macbooks with 128gb and 8gb Ram.

New Macbooks are the same. Who care about a 20% speed bump, if so....

Still no Mag safe, no 32 RAM, no solution for multi adaptors, basically same old krap.

That is why they only dedicated 30 seconds on the WWDC presentation.

Lame...

Yep, I noticed that right away too. Nevertheless, the low cost MBP might be a good option for me when I replace my 2014 MBA in a couple of years, since I only use about half of my 128GB storage on the MBA. Also, I suspect we will see some pretty good deals during the holidays at BB and other big stores. I wouldn't be surprised to see $200 off the base MBP configuration.

There are a lot of people that are just fine with 128GB.....the base MBA only has this much storage, and it continues to be very popular. I understand that some folks believe that 128GB of storage is not consistent with a "Pro" computer, but frankly the "Pro" moniker is just a naming convention for marketing purposes. Apple sold the older base MBP with 128GB of storage, so it's not a completely without precedent.

Frankly, I was surprised Apple didn't make the same price and storage adjustments to the 2017 retina MacBook. I think a 128GB rMB for $1099 would be very popular.

Finally, I would not underestimate the future popularity of the 2017 MBA, even with the minor processor improvements. BB frequently has them on sale for $800. They are just very reliable and functional computers. The screen is not high resolution and viewing angles are poor. Viewing angles are really not that big of a deal on a laptop, since they are easy to rotate and the screen is hinged. The screen is energy efficient. This is the only computer in Apple's line-up that gets 12 hours of battery life....pretty nice. Plenty of ports (wish there was a USB C). It's the same weight as the 13in Pro. If the past is any indication, I suspect the 2017 MBA will continue to receive MacOS updates for at least 5 years. Not a bad option.

 

[mac_in_tosh]

Apple has always been cheap with their components (and charging 2x to 3x market rates for RAM upgrades) but offering a so-called price reduction while downgrading to a 128 GB SSD is laughable in 2017. Apple must be delusional to think that their base will accept this greed and arrogance forever. As a hobbyist photographer, I always bought the least expensive G4, G5 and MB Pro as it met my needs but I don't think this entry MB Pro even does that and, frankly, I would feel like a sucker to pay what Apple is asking now for their machines.

 

[iop]

Dual core on a "pro" laptop is simply pathetic...

 

[bjet767]

Then why have a non-touchbar option on the 13"?? Just force touchbar across the line for every computer.

A 13" non-TB is marketed to a different audience and it seems your are in business and would recognize that from your statements. You also might notice the TB version is "more powerful" than the non-TB. I write that lightly.

As far as clients and the cloud goes that is a cost of doing business and again as I wrote no laptop will have enough HD capacity by itself to see the needs of a business. Additionally for security, data volume and loss of data protection external storage is not just an option it is a must. Data security is the number one issue these day with any business but posts about the size of the internal drive on the MBP really are not part of that discussion.

If a user can get away with 128 gigs then why should I care and the fact they will pay less because of it is good.

I personally need a min of 256 gig free for so that means I get the 512 drive and use iCloud for backup purposes. I am wondering how this new "file drive" idea will work.

If you haven't figured it yet I have issues with those whose opinions demand that others must be the same, i.e. the small internal storage (not really a drive anymore) ,the machine costs too much, it's on a Pro machine, the over use of the adjective "pathetic" and others ... ad nauseam.

Apple makes outstanding stuff and set the bar for customer service in the PC industry. If others don't believe that just look what Microsoft has done in the past few years in response to Apple. But you do pay for it!!!!

 

[SEC_Design]

Apple refreshed its MacBook Pro lineup this week with Intel's seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors and faster standard graphics options from Intel and AMD. There's also a cheaper 13-inch MacBook Pro with function keys starting at $1,299 with 128GB storage, compared to $1,499 for the previous base model.

Beyond that, the 2017 MacBook Pro is nearly identical to the 2016 MacBook Pro in both design and other tech specs.

The update arrives just eight months after Apple redesigned the MacBook Pro with features such as the Touch Bar, Touch ID, Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a shallower keyboard with a second-generation butterfly mechanism. Prior to then, the MacBook Pro had gone over 500 days without an update.

For prospective buyers of the 2017 MacBook Pro, here's how the new models stack up against the 2016 MacBook Pro.

Mobile users: tap this link to view the full-size image​

Geekbench results suggest the 2017 MacBook Pro is up to 20 percent faster than the 2016 MacBook Pro in CPU performance, but the difference is likely lower in real-world usage and given the apparent optimizations that Apple has made to last year's MacBook Pro between its launch and now.

Apple began accepting online orders for the new MacBook Pro on Monday, and delivery estimates currently range between June 12 and June 22 in the United States. The notebooks are also available today at most Apple Stores, and customers have the option to reserve a model for in-store pickup on Apple's website.

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

[doublepost=1497044851][/doublepost]Don't tell me Apple didn't release a 15 inch without that useless $200 additional touch bar?!?!

 

[lysingur]

Sorry to break it out to you but the crappy screen on my 2011 Air that I used for 3 months is the reason I upgraded to the pro and have never turned back to non-retina ever since.

Actually, I'm sorry to break it to you that crappy screen has nothing to do with a laptop's ability to play HD videos. And just in case you feel like replying to me again, "playing HD videos" is not usually what people mean when they say they use their laptop for "email/Internet only".

 

[jjjoseph]

If you haven't figured it yet I have issues with those whose opinions demand that others must be the same, i.e. the small internal storage (not really a drive anymore) ,the machine costs too much, it's on a Pro machine, the over use of the adjective "pathetic" and others ... ad nauseam.

Your absolutely right, that is why I defended myself against working in the cloud and having to use 128GB of internal storage, someones "opinions demand" that I could work in the cloud. I simply can not. On that note if I am told that I can do any work I need to do with 128GB of internal storage.. Again, I can not. I should not have someone eases "opinions demand" my computer configuration and my workflow. Totally in agreement.