Long-Term Review: MacBook Pro 13" (2016, Touch Bar) – Still a Hidden Gem in 2025

[2strokesilxs]

Long-Term Review: MacBook Pro 13" (2016, Touch Bar) – Still a Hidden Gem in 2025​

I’ve been using my MacBook Pro 13" (Late 2016 with Touch Bar and 4x Thunderbolt 3 ports) as my daily driver for the past 9 years, and I wanted to share my experience in 2025. In short: it’s aging far better than many people would expect — especially with a bit of care and tweaking.

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💰 Specs & Purchase​

I bought this MacBook new in 2016 with the following configuration:

• Intel Core i5 (2.9 GHz, Dual-Core)
• 32 GB RAM
• 1 TB SSD

💸 Original price: approx. €2,600–2,800 (~$2,900–$3,100 at the time)

Expensive? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely.

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✅ Still Daily-Driver-Worthy in 2025​

This MacBook still handles everyday tasks like a champ — from office work to creative software. It runs fast, cool, and stable.

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🔧 Maintenance & Care​

Some things I believe helped extend its life:

• Yearly thermal paste replacement after the warranty expired – I use Arctic MX-5, which has helped with heat management and performance.
• Original battery still installed. I’ve always charged it carefully — avoiding full charges, not leaving it plugged in all the time, and keeping usage cycles healthy.
  👉 Even after 9 years, I still get around 3 hours of battery life under load, which is incredible.

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🧩 macOS 15.4.1 Sequoia via OpenCore Legacy Patcher​

Although official Apple support ended with macOS Ventura, I used OpenCore Legacy Patcher (OCLP) to install and run macOS Sequoia (15.4.1) – and it works flawlessly.

All essential features work:

• iCloud
• Handoff / AirDrop
• Hardware acceleration
• Native performance – no weird crashes or instability

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🎨 Performance in Demanding Applications​

I regularly use:

• Adobe After Effects
• Premiere Pro
• Photoshop
• CAD and 3D tools

Everything runs smoothly, especially if you optimize workflows a bit. It’s obviously not as fast as an M2/M3 Mac, but it’s still perfectly usable for pro work.

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🔌 Ports & Practicality​

The 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports still hold up great in 2025. With the right adapters or a dock, I have everything I need: USB-A, HDMI, SD cards, external displays — no limitations.

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🏁 Conclusion: A Seriously Underrated Mac​

If you're willing to maintain your hardware and don't mind using tools like OpenCore, the 2016 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar is still a perfectly capable and modern machine in 2025.

It’s not for everyone, but for people who enjoy hands-on tech and want to extend the life of their investment, this MacBook is a hidden gem — and mine still has years of life ahead.

 

[chrono1081]

I miss the hell out of the Touch Bar, it was incredibly useful if you have apps that utilized it. Where I think Apple went wrong on it was not allowing the Touch Bar to be fully customizable to end users.

 

[2strokesilxs]

I miss the hell out of the Touch Bar, it was incredibly useful if you have apps that utilized it. Where I think Apple went wrong on it was not allowing the Touch Bar to be fully customizable to end users.

that´s true