On Thursday Apple released refreshed MacBook Pro models, seemingly out of nowhere. 13 months after the last release, the 2018 models feature more changes than expected, and overall they are a very solid upgrade:
- New eighth-generation Intel Core processors. The 15-inch model is up to 70% faster than the 2017 model, and the 13-inch is up to twice as fast.
- The 15-inch MacBook Pro can now be ordered with up to a 2.9GHz six-core Core i9 processor.
- The 13-inch MacBook Pro (finally) includes quad-core processors, up to 2.7GHz.
- The 15-inch MacBook Pro (again, finally) has the option for up to 32GB of RAM. Phil Schiller had previously said that 32GB of RAM would be too power-hungry for the MacBook Pro, so this has been made possible thanks to a 10% increase in battery capacity. The overall battery life remains the same, however.
- On the 15-inch model, AMD’s Radeon Pro graphics cards now come with 4GB of GDDR5 memory as standard, while 13-inch models now have 128MB of embedded DRAM, compared to 64MB on 2017 models. Besides this, the graphics remain unchanged.
- Both 2018 models now feature an upgraded Apple T2 chip, versus an Apple T1 chip in the 2017 models. The T2 chip, borrowed from iMac Pro, integrates several previously separate components, including the system management controller, image signal processor, audio controller, and SSD controller. It also allows “Hey Siri” to come to the Mac for the first time.
- Maximum storage options have been doubled, with up to a massive 4TB SSD on the 15-inch and up to a 2TB SSD on the 13-inch.
- In a surprise move, these new MacBook Pros now feature True Tone displays - and this includes the Touch Bar display - on both models. True Tone, originally introduced on the 9.7-inch iPad Pro in 2016, and brought to iPhone 8 and X last year, automatically adjusts the white balance to match the colour temperature of the light around you for a more natural viewing experience. When connected to a 2018 MacBook Pro, True Tone can also adjust the Apple Thunderbolt Display, the LG UltraFine 5K Display, and the LG UltraFine 4K display.
- An “improved third-generation butterfly keyboard for quieter typing”. It is unclear whether or not this new keyboard has solved the issues that plagued the previous generation butterfly keyboards, but Apple claims that this was not a consideration when designing this keyboard - Dieter Bohn of The Verge writes: “In fact, company representatives strenuously insisted that the keyboard issues have only affected a tiny, tiny fraction of its user base…” - so time will tell as to whether or not this keyboard will be an improvement.
- 2018 MacBook Pros feature Bluetooth 5.0, compared to 4.2 on the 2017 models.
Besides the still-incredibly-high price (a maxed out 15-inch costs £6209 from Apple), this MacBook addresses much of the criticism faced by the previous models. It is also encouraging to see both annual and considerable upgrades to the line, further reinforcing Apple’s recommitment to the Mac
There were no updates to the non-Touch Bar models, with the 2017 versions still on sale. Apple also finally axed the 2015 15-inch model, indicating a full commitment to the post-2016 design, and with that, the Touch Bar.
:))