My 16" review after 4 days ownership

[trailmonkey]

So my 16" i9 2.3 32Gb 8Gb 1Tb rocked up 4 days ago and I've been hammering it in almost full production mode since. Bottom line is I love it ... with a couple of exceptions.

Overall performance

It absolutely smashes every task put in front of it. Nothing is too much effort. My workflow is predominantly design-based using a lot of Chrome/Safari tabs running various apps, image editing, InDesign and non-4k video (Davinci mostly) plus running Win 10 via Parallels for a single app (that will always be Win only). Most days I need to record Webex sessions using SnagIt or Camtasia. And I drive an LG 4k display when the mood takes me.

Historically, I've used powerful laptops, eg HP ZBooks, so I'm well aware of the advantages and expectations of power and performance. However, having become bored of Windows after so many years, I joined the Mac party 9 months ago and started using a MBA for the lightweight work and a Surface Pro for the heavier stuff. Now I'm switching to OSX full time.

So what's happening? Well, the machine spends 80% of its time pulling 24-28Gb RAM. That's acceptable and proves to me that 16Gb is nowhere near enough for me these days. However, the unit itself get super hot a lot, even without being pushed, eg playing a YT video. Seems I'm in good company on this one. Cores regularly hit 65-75deg + with fans getting noisy around 2800-3100. Not unusual to see them reach 4000+.

Battery life

So far, it's poor. Like others have said, it might well have a lot of services going on in the background for the start of its life. I've no idea. But after probably 60hrs of use it's not getting any better. Today I went through 2 full charges in maybe 8hrs. Currently reverted to running off the mains for now. All rather concerning as I can see me clocking up 500+ cycles in less than a year, meaning a replacement battery (or a highly strung one) within 2 years. A lot of techie people I know discourage using laptops off the mains all the time. Unsure what best practice is these days TBH. Maybe mains is the way to go?

Keyboard

In two words: almost perfect. It's pretty similar to the 2015 MBA I've been running - just a bit bigger, more solid and thunkier. Not sure what more I need from a keyboard.

Portability

Speaking of the MBA, let's talk about portability. Naturally, the MBA is incredibly easy to pick up and use almost anywhere, not unlike an iPad. The 16" is a rather different beast. To look at and use, it's a work of art. It's also heavy. Solid. And it demands a whole heap of care. I want to keep it pristine and can see that being hard to accomplish without the right case/cover. Have now got into the habit of using in different places around the house. But not sure I want to take a hulking £3k+ device to quite so many cafes as I did with the MBA.

Screen

Well, it's bright and colourful, but not in a state of the art way. Seems pretty identical to the most recent MBPs so don't expect anything close to iMac levels. And as for the res, well I was expecting to fire up 3072 x 1920 out of the box but that didn't happen. 2048 x 1280 is the default max. Hmm, odd. Why be that? Well, after installing EasyRes and upping the numbers I realised my eyes can't take much more than 2688 x 1680. So now I'm cool with the default.

Speakers

I didn't really care much for this upgrade as I normally use a Bose over BT or a pair of cans. And they're pretty much as I expected them to be, ie imagine the best native laptop speakers given the size/form factor of the device ... and that's what the are. Some impressive depth for sure. But that's it. Some people will no doubt love them and that's cool. I'll happily use them for some ambient tunage from time to time, but I'd rather do so using the 3D Boom app. I paid something like £8 for this a few months and it totally transforms all forms of audio.

Any speaker pop? Once in a while. Not something I'm fretting over right now. Maybe upgrading to 10.15.2 will fix it 100%

Touchbar

Am trying to like it but can see why some people find it totally redundant. It's like someone came up with the idea 5 years ago and Apple can't admit it was just plain dumb. It doesn't really offer anything IMO. I'll persevere though but not holding out much hope.

Catalina

10.15.1? Great so far. Nice and stable. Not much different to Mojave IMO. Nothing more to add.

Personal stuff

Anyone looking for a mouse recommendation? Well, I bought an MX Master 3 a couple of months ago to see what all the fuss was about. It's damn silent and exceptionally accurate. Also customisable. And, contrary to the feedback of other MX 3/Catalina users, it works on my 16". No glitches so far. Logi Options app runs fine too.

Parallels working well? So far, yes. I only need to run a single Win 10 app and that's fine. No stresses on CPU or RAM. Main challenge for me is creating the best workflow for sharing 95% of my production files via GoogleDrive. To isolate or not to isolate? That is the question.

Ghosting? No.

Conclusion

So, is this 16" a keeper? Maybe. Sure, it can do everything I demand of it now - and most likely in 2-3 years. i9 with 8 cores certainly handy for Parallels. Maybe an i7 with 6 cores would suffice. And get less hot/noisy? And therein lies the main issue ... I guess the i9 is generating more heat and needs to shift it somehow, but the 'improved' cooling and performance means more fan noise. Longer term, will this create issues with other components, the battery, the keyboard?

And it costs £3250 GBP. That's a big pot of cash. In my head I can't justify it, especially as I'll probably drop another £400 on AC+. Hugely overpriced IMO. But we know that when we hand over our money. Maybe I'll send it back and grab a mint secondhand 2019 i7 or i9 for more-or-less half the money. And some warranty.

That's my tuppence. Hopefully something helpful in there for a few peeps.

 

[Sanpete]

On the battery life, it's better to plug in when you can, will help your battery last longer. Given your use, I'm surprised you get four hours on a charge!

 

[Howard2k]

The more RAM you have the more you will use. Using 28GB out of 32GB doesn’t mean that 16 wouldn’t work, not in isolation. I’m not saying that 32GB is the wrong call either, but if you’d gone with 64GB you’d probably have seen higher figures by now too. macOS will use additional RAM to optimize performance. Glad you’re enjoying it and thanks for posting your review.

 

[Velin]

Am trying to like it but can see why some people find it totally redundant. It's like someone came up with the idea 5 years ago and Apple can't admit it was just plain dumb. It doesn't really offer anything IMO. I'll persevere though but not holding out much hope.

If you're not finding value out of it, here's a suggestion: go into SysPrefs, Touchbar, and choose the setting that makes the basic functions static, like brightness, volume, etc. Then simplify it with the brightness slider, the volume slider, the mute button, and maybe one or two other things. That'll be your best use of the strip.

10.15.1? Great so far. Nice and stable. Not much different to Mojave IMO. Nothing more to add.

10.15.2 is out, the combo update is available here.

 

[Marycom]

Personal stuff

Anyone looking for a mouse recommendation? Well, I bought an MX Master 3 a couple of months ago to see what all the fuss was about. It's damn silent and exceptionally accurate. Also customisable. And, contrary to the feedback of other MX 3/Catalina users, it works on my 16". No glitches so far. Logi Options app runs fine too.

Sry for half off-topic, I have purchased Master Mx 3 for my new MacBook Pro 16" (i9 2.4 Ghz 64 Gb RAM), and I am quite disappointed because internal Bluetooth doesn't find it both in MacOS Catalina than in Bootcamp Windows 10, I need to use the dongle inserted to the USB-C port to use it, neither USB cable, needed to recharge the mouse, allow you to use it cabled. Do you have the same issue or it's just me?

 

[matram]

However, the unit itself get super hot a lot, even without being pushed, eg playing a YT video. Seems I'm in good company on this one. Cores regularly hit 65-75deg + with fans getting noisy around 2800-3100.

Superhot would probably be 95 deg. Macs tend to regulate on temperatur and accept load up to that level.

Be aware of if you simultaneously load both CPU and GPU fans will speed up. I use Fusion for Win10 which typically do not use the GPU but loads the CPU fairly hard. Some programs, e.g. chrome may activate the GPU without not really doing very much.

You may want to experiment a bit. I normally do not hear the fans (1.900 rpm) with core temp around 55 deg when running a VM.

iStat menus is good for checking temperatures on CPU / GPU and Activity monitor can help you understand what forces GPU use or draws more power.

 

[maflynn]

but not in a state of the art way.

Yeah, that's my concensus with apple's display. in 2012, they were leading the charge with their display panels, no 7 1/2 years later they've not done much more, but the competition has leapfrogged them in a number of ways.

can see why some people find it totally redundant.

They removed keys that many people use on a daily basis, with a product that is less efficient, and less ergonomic.

 

[Ma2k5]

My main gripe so far has been on the portability (usually use 13" laptops) and the heat/noise this can pump out. More so the heat, the bottom becomes pretty much unbearable to touch. It does sometimes sway me to just get a MBA and deal with a slower machine (which isn't completely a deal breaker as I do development). I am used to being able to use the machine all around the house very casually but this proves quite a bit more challenging and I completely understand the statement of having to be more careful and worried about traveling with it.

The main thing holding me back from returning is I got the £2,799 model for only £2,219 which is very good value for money.

 

[UpstateCP]

Sry for half off-topic, I have purchased Master Mx 3 for my new MacBook Pro 16" (i9 2.4 Ghz 64 Gb RAM), and I am quite disappointed because internal Bluetooth doesn't find it both in MacOS Catalina than in Bootcamp Windows 10, I need to use the dongle inserted to the USB-C port to use it, neither USB cable, needed to recharge the mouse, allow you to use it cabled. Do you have the same issue or it's just me?

Zero issues here syncing the MX Master 3 via Bluetooth. I just held down the sync button until the number 1 started blinking and it showed right up on BT pairing list and connected quickly.

 

[Ma2k5]

Sry for half off-topic, I have purchased Master Mx 3 for my new MacBook Pro 16" (i9 2.4 Ghz 64 Gb RAM), and I am quite disappointed because internal Bluetooth doesn't find it both in MacOS Catalina than in Bootcamp Windows 10, I need to use the dongle inserted to the USB-C port to use it, neither USB cable, needed to recharge the mouse, allow you to use it cabled. Do you have the same issue or it's just me?

Are you definitely looking under bluetooth and not under mouse in settings? The mouse search will not find it.

 

[MrGunnyPT]

Battery has been good to me HOWEVER If I forget Paralells open without suspending my battery just vanishes out of the window!

 

[WickedPorter]

Battery has been good to me HOWEVER If I forget Paralells open without suspending my battery just vanishes out of the window!

Same ... there is nothing efficient about Parallels. I try not to use Parallels on battery power at all.

 

[MrGunnyPT]

Same ... there is nothing efficient about Parallels. I try not to use Parallels on battery power at all.

Yeah but when I'm at the client I gotta use Parallels because I work with Mac on the Windows VM

 

[ascender]

My workflow is predominantly design-based using a lot of Chrome/Safari tabs running various apps, image editing, InDesign and non-4k video (Davinci mostly) plus running Win 10 via Parallels for a single app (that will always be Win only). Most days I need to record Webex sessions using SnagIt or Camtasia. And I drive an LG 4k display when the mood takes me.

I'm guessing those are the things which, when combined, are eating in to your battery life? I definitely notice it dropping when using conferencing apps and parallels.

 

[Zadillo]

To get more use out of the Touchbar, give BetterTouchTool a look, especially with the GoldenChaos Touchbar replacement template

 

[49erRedGold]

Yeah, that's my concensus with apple's display. in 2012, they were leading the charge with their display panels, no 7 1/2 years later they've not done much more, but the competition has leapfrogged them in a number of ways.

Odd to hear you say this as I've had many experiences checking out the Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Extreme/2 and the Carbons and they have some of the worse screens in the industry. Check yours out. #1 complaint is horrible backlight bleed on dark scenes. You can turn all the lights off in the room with Apple's P3 Color Gamut displays and you'll see next to zero backlight bleed and very deep blacks for an LCD screen.
Not sure why you think Apple has made no strides in screen upgrades. The P3 Color Gamut screens are some of the best in the industry. While a 4K OLED screen would be nice it eats up battery life terribly and a higher chance of image retention/burn in.
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Battery life

So far, it's poor. Like others have said, it might well have a lot of services going on in the background for the start of its life. I've no idea. But after probably 60hrs of use it's not getting any better. Today I went through 2 full charges in maybe 8hrs. Currently reverted to running off the mains for now. All rather concerning as I can see me clocking up 500+ cycles in less than a year, meaning a replacement battery (or a highly strung one) within 2 years. A lot of techie people I know discourage using laptops off the mains all the time. Unsure what best practice is these days TBH. Maybe mains is the way to go?

A few things to keep in mind, especially since you're doing a review after a mere 4 days of ownership. The MacOS system has to index the applications and files in the system. This drains battery and causes some slow downs depending on what apps you use. Secondly, verify if the apps you're using are activating the dGPU. They probably are. This will drain the battery much faster. Spotify activates the dGPU and many people don't know it. If you're using Spotify make sure to turn off auto startup. Don't use Chrome if you care about battery life and a cool running computer. It also activates the dGPU.
You can verify if the dGPU is activated by going to ABOUT THIS MAC from the Apple menu. If you see the Intel Integrated Graphics and the AMD Radeon graphics displayed then the dGPU has been activated.

Screen

Well, it's bright and colourful, but not in a state of the art way. Seems pretty identical to the most recent MBPs so don't expect anything close to iMac levels.

I'm not sure why you would expect a laptop screen to be on the same level as the 5K iMacs? The iMac has always had better specs than the MacBook Pros, but the P3 Color Gamut Screen is among the best in the industry. To each his own but I've never heard anyone criticize Apple's P3 Color Gamut screens.

Touchbar

Am trying to like it but can see why some people find it totally redundant. It's like someone came up with the idea 5 years ago and Apple can't admit it was just plain dumb. It doesn't really offer anything IMO. I'll persevere though but not holding out much hope.

The Touchbar offers much more to the user than the original boring function keys that hardly anyone had use for. Calling it plain dumb and not offering anything is your opinion and honestly something I can't take seriously after you using it for just 4 days. I like how it can change with each application and offer functions that I would otherwise normally have to drill through contextual menus to find. If anything is useless it's a touch screen laptop. There's not a single thing one can do more by touching the screen that the trackpad can't do. That's gimmicky. I don't see the Touch Bar as a gimmick.

 

[trailmonkey]

The more RAM you have the more you will use. Using 28GB out of 32GB doesn’t mean that 16 wouldn’t work, not in isolation. I’m not saying that 32GB is the wrong call either, but if you’d gone with 64GB you’d probably have seen higher figures by now too. macOS will use additional RAM to optimize performance. Glad you’re enjoying it and thanks for posting your review.

Cool, that's one of the things I've often wondered about without ever seeking an answer. Makes sense for sure.

FTR I'm now using iStats to gain more insight into all areas of usage, particular RAM and heat/load.
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If you're not finding value out of it, here's a suggestion: go into SysPrefs, Touchbar, and choose the setting that makes the basic functions static, like brightness, volume, etc. Then simplify it with the brightness slider, the volume slider, the mute button, and maybe one or two other things. That'll be your best use of the strip.

I'm trying to use it more to see how intuitive it becomes. It certainly doesn't feel that way yet but I'm going to persevere before maybe stripping it back to basics.

The Touchbar offers much more to the user than the original boring function keys that hardly anyone had use for. Calling it plain dumb and not offering anything is your opinion and honestly something I can't take seriously after you using it for just 4 days. I like how it can change with each application and offer functions that I would otherwise normally have to drill through contextual menus to find. If anything is useless it's a touch screen laptop. There's not a single thing one can do more by touching the screen that the trackpad can't do. That's gimmicky. I don't see the Touch Bar as a gimmick.
[/QUOTE

I reckon no more than 10% of MBP users I know are happy with the Touchbar. I'm pretty much in the same camp but going to give it a go as I'm curious about it value and relevance. It may well help out with the more tactile workflows, eg video timelines. Or it may not.

Don't agree about touch screens. Having hammered a Surface Pro for 18 months there were times when the hands-on feel of exactly that was just what I wanted. Not going to argue about the versatility of flip/tablet designs etc as that takes useability to another level when down well IMO.

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10.15.2 is out, the combo update is available here.

Updated to .2 last night. Still get a bit of popping when using the Touchbar for scrubbing. Not an issue right now though.

 

[trailmonkey]

Sry for half off-topic, I have purchased Master Mx 3 for my new MacBook Pro 16" (i9 2.4 Ghz 64 Gb RAM), and I am quite disappointed because internal Bluetooth doesn't find it both in MacOS Catalina than in Bootcamp Windows 10, I need to use the dongle inserted to the USB-C port to use it, neither USB cable, needed to recharge the mouse, allow you to use it cabled. Do you have the same issue or it's just me?

Zero issues here syncing the MX Master 3 via Bluetooth. I just held down the sync button until the number 1 started blinking and it showed right up on BT pairing list and connected quickly.

Mine worked straight away. I think it also worked similarly with my MBA. Big issues to begin with on my SP though - ended up with loads of profiles and took an age to fix. Then Flow only worked one way (SP to MBA but not back again). Had to do some weird stuff to get it working.

Forgot to mention last night that as good as the MX 3 is, it's not worth anything close to £100 IMO. It's basically the older model with a silent scroller/ratchet for twice the price.

 

[49erRedGold]

To get more use out of the Touchbar, give BetterTouchTool a look, especially with the GoldenChaos Touchbar replacement template

I think the TB by itself offers a great deal of functionality among different apps without needing BTT. I can't understand why anyone would say it's useless when the standard function keys did very little to help the end user but then install BTT. 🤷‍♂️

 

[trailmonkey]

Superhot would probably be 95 deg. Macs tend to regulate on temperatur and accept load up to that level.

Be aware of if you simultaneously load both CPU and GPU fans will speed up. I use Fusion for Win10 which typically do not use the GPU but loads the CPU fairly hard. Some programs, e.g. chrome may activate the GPU without not really doing very much.

You may want to experiment a bit. I normally do not hear the fans (1.900 rpm) with core temp around 55 deg when running a VM.
[/QUOTE

Yep, mine does spike into the 80s and 90s but it's the noise lower down the scale that's bugging me a bit. Found it easier to manage today as I gained more of a grip on my workflow. Also trying to migrate away from Chrome but some apps/extensions - as we all know - are Chrome-centric.

Battery has been good to me HOWEVER If I forget Paralells open without suspending my battery just vanishes out of the window!

Yeah, going to keep an eye on Parallels. Thankfully I'm normally running only a single app - and maybe a temporary web session - so it's pretty quick to shut down and restart if necessary. So far anyway, that may change.

Secondly, verify if the apps you're using are activating the dGPU. They probably are. This will drain the battery much faster. Spotify activates the dGPU and many people don't know it. If you're using Spotify make sure to turn off auto startup. Don't use Chrome if you care about battery life and a cool running computer. It also activates the dGPU.

Yep, I'll be testing exactly that. I have little knowledge on how Mac apps/utiilties that over-exert CPU/RAM/etc so any heads up is much appreciated.

 

[Marycom]

Zero issues here syncing the MX Master 3 via Bluetooth. I just held down the sync button until the number 1 started blinking and it showed right up on BT pairing list and connected quickly.

Thanks!!!! I was just waiting for Bluetooth to find it, missed to hold down the button passage, my fault

And thanks to everyone else replied to my question, now more in-topic...

I have i9 2.4 Ghz 5500M 8 Gb Radeon 64 Gb RAM version, and so far I am really impressed by the performance of this MBP, exellent SSD speed and sound satisfacting compared to my old MBP late 2013 15".

First of all I have to admit no issue affected me so far I have to complain about.

Touchbar is helpfull regardless I still need to get more trained to use it, I mostly forgot it exists.

I use Bootcamp Windows 10 too half of the time, and it works good, just performance on few software seems to work better on OSX, I am thinking at Cinema 4D and Photoshop now, but the feeling is that Windows drivers still have room for a little performance rise.

Size is definitely not an issue, for my needs it is perfectly portable while performance are enough to avoid missing a desktop machine, in few words the Mac I was waiting for... last but not least the price, compared to last 15" configuration I checked before release I saved some money and was able to get more RAM, more performance GPU and a larger screen. My vote is 10/10!

 

[trailmonkey]

My main gripe so far has been on the portability (usually use 13" laptops) and the heat/noise this can pump out. More so the heat, the bottom becomes pretty much unbearable to touch. It does sometimes sway me to just get a MBA and deal with a slower machine (which isn't completely a deal breaker as I do development). I am used to being able to use the machine all around the house very casually but this proves quite a bit more challenging and I completely understand the statement of having to be more careful and worried about traveling with it.

Mine was toasty from the moment I started using it but over time I've adapted my workflow to - I think - contain it better (without any loss in output).

I too love the portability of my MBA but every day I'm becoming more easygoing with mooching about the house with the 16".

Size is definitely not an issue, for my needs it is perfectly portable while performance are enough to avoid missing a desktop machine, in few words the Mac I was waiting for... last but not least the price, compared to last 15" configuration I checked before release I saved some money and was able to get more RAM, more performance GPU and a larger screen. My vote is 10/10!

9.5/10 from me. A 10 would require better VFM.

 

[RedTheReader]

Maybe I'll send it back and grab a mint secondhand 2019 i7 or i9 for more-or-less half the money. And some warranty.

Good luck finding a machine like that for anything less than $2700.
(Honestly, if you can find a 2019 15” i9 for anywhere near half the price, hook me up)

 

[trailmonkey]

Re heat issues, this morning I remembered I had a barely used Tecknet cooling pad sitting around from my HP ZBook days. Dug it out then realised I forgot I don't have a USB port. Will grab an adapter soonish and see what difference it makes.

 

[Flabasha]

So my 16" i9 2.3 32Gb 8Gb 1Tb rocked up 4 days ago and I've been hammering it in almost full production mode since. Bottom line is I love it ... with a couple of exceptions.

Overall performance

It absolutely smashes every task put in front of it. Nothing is too much effort. My workflow is predominantly design-based using a lot of Chrome/Safari tabs running various apps, image editing, InDesign and non-4k video (Davinci mostly) plus running Win 10 via Parallels for a single app (that will always be Win only). Most days I need to record Webex sessions using SnagIt or Camtasia. And I drive an LG 4k display when the mood takes me.

Historically, I've used powerful laptops, eg HP ZBooks, so I'm well aware of the advantages and expectations of power and performance. However, having become bored of Windows after so many years, I joined the Mac party 9 months ago and started using a MBA for the lightweight work and a Surface Pro for the heavier stuff. Now I'm switching to OSX full time.

So what's happening? Well, the machine spends 80% of its time pulling 24-28Gb RAM. That's acceptable and proves to me that 16Gb is nowhere near enough for me these days. However, the unit itself get super hot a lot, even without being pushed, eg playing a YT video. Seems I'm in good company on this one. Cores regularly hit 65-75deg + with fans getting noisy around 2800-3100. Not unusual to see them reach 4000+.

Battery life

So far, it's poor. Like others have said, it might well have a lot of services going on in the background for the start of its life. I've no idea. But after probably 60hrs of use it's not getting any better. Today I went through 2 full charges in maybe 8hrs. Currently reverted to running off the mains for now. All rather concerning as I can see me clocking up 500+ cycles in less than a year, meaning a replacement battery (or a highly strung one) within 2 years. A lot of techie people I know discourage using laptops off the mains all the time. Unsure what best practice is these days TBH. Maybe mains is the way to go?

Keyboard

In two words: almost perfect. It's pretty similar to the 2015 MBA I've been running - just a bit bigger, more solid and thunkier. Not sure what more I need from a keyboard.

Portability

Speaking of the MBA, let's talk about portability. Naturally, the MBA is incredibly easy to pick up and use almost anywhere, not unlike an iPad. The 16" is a rather different beast. To look at and use, it's a work of art. It's also heavy. Solid. And it demands a whole heap of care. I want to keep it pristine and can see that being hard to accomplish without the right case/cover. Have now got into the habit of using in different places around the house. But not sure I want to take a hulking £3k+ device to quite so many cafes as I did with the MBA.

Screen

Well, it's bright and colourful, but not in a state of the art way. Seems pretty identical to the most recent MBPs so don't expect anything close to iMac levels. And as for the res, well I was expecting to fire up 3072 x 1920 out of the box but that didn't happen. 2048 x 1280 is the default max. Hmm, odd. Why be that? Well, after installing EasyRes and upping the numbers I realised my eyes can't take much more than 2688 x 1680. So now I'm cool with the default.

Speakers

I didn't really care much for this upgrade as I normally use a Bose over BT or a pair of cans. And they're pretty much as I expected them to be, ie imagine the best native laptop speakers given the size/form factor of the device ... and that's what the are. Some impressive depth for sure. But that's it. Some people will no doubt love them and that's cool. I'll happily use them for some ambient tunage from time to time, but I'd rather do so using the 3D Boom app. I paid something like £8 for this a few months and it totally transforms all forms of audio.

Any speaker pop? Once in a while. Not something I'm fretting over right now. Maybe upgrading to 10.15.2 will fix it 100%

Touchbar

Am trying to like it but can see why some people find it totally redundant. It's like someone came up with the idea 5 years ago and Apple can't admit it was just plain dumb. It doesn't really offer anything IMO. I'll persevere though but not holding out much hope.

Catalina

10.15.1? Great so far. Nice and stable. Not much different to Mojave IMO. Nothing more to add.

Personal stuff

Anyone looking for a mouse recommendation? Well, I bought an MX Master 3 a couple of months ago to see what all the fuss was about. It's damn silent and exceptionally accurate. Also customisable. And, contrary to the feedback of other MX 3/Catalina users, it works on my 16". No glitches so far. Logi Options app runs fine too.

Parallels working well? So far, yes. I only need to run a single Win 10 app and that's fine. No stresses on CPU or RAM. Main challenge for me is creating the best workflow for sharing 95% of my production files via GoogleDrive. To isolate or not to isolate? That is the question.

Ghosting? No.

Conclusion

So, is this 16" a keeper? Maybe. Sure, it can do everything I demand of it now - and most likely in 2-3 years. i9 with 8 cores certainly handy for Parallels. Maybe an i7 with 6 cores would suffice. And get less hot/noisy? And therein lies the main issue ... I guess the i9 is generating more heat and needs to shift it somehow, but the 'improved' cooling and performance means more fan noise. Longer term, will this create issues with other components, the battery, the keyboard?

And it costs £3250 GBP. That's a big pot of cash. In my head I can't justify it, especially as I'll probably drop another £400 on AC+. Hugely overpriced IMO. But we know that when we hand over our money. Maybe I'll send it back and grab a mint secondhand 2019 i7 or i9 for more-or-less half the money. And some warranty.

That's my tuppence. Hopefully something helpful in there for a few peeps.

Your machine should not be running this hot. I've got the same model and it's whisper quiet except when I'm playing games, FWIW.
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