Apple has reinvented the keyboard in the MacBook Pro, though the name continues to remain the same as it was since 2006.
Thinking Differently
Apple has started to think differently about the MacBook Pro, bringing in several changes to the big picture of this iconic notebook. The name continues to remain the same for this notebook, but everything else seems to have changed for this new gen, high-end laptop. The major updates for the most expensive of Apple laptop, the MacBook Pro came in 2014. According to Craig Federighi, the senior VP, Software Engineering and Phil Schiller, Senior VP, Worldwide Marketing, the wait has been long, as Apple wanted to take a really huge step forward and not just increase the memory or offer a faster chipset.
New Models – Amazing Evolution
The new models include two 13 inches and one 15 inch new MacBook Pro laptops. The new Touch Bar rumored as the Magic Toolbar is worth the excitement. It can be compared to the Swiss Army knife for laptops. It is 60 pixels in height and 2170 pixels in width. It can be changed for working across various applications, imitating several touch buttons and control sliders and jog dials. In short, this is Apple’s reply to Windows laptop touchscreens.
Dynamic Bar
The Touch Bar offers all the functions that users already had, but it is offered in a more attractive and adaptable manner, according to Schiller. For instance, users can make adjustments to the brightness and volume merely with a touch on the bar. All system functions are available in the Touch Bar, which completely replaces all function keys that are used, plus much more.
New Gen Laptops with the Same DNA
The Touch Bar is not the only difference, as the new MacBook Pro is now more expensive. The touchpad, the keyboard and everything else looks renewed. The outside design is also different, marking the entry of a new gen laptop, but the basic DNA remains the same.
The new MacBook Pro laptops are now slimmer and lighter. For instance, the 13 inch version is just 14.9inches in thickness weighing 3 pounds, whereas the 15 inch one is 15.5 inches in thickness and weighs 4 pounds. Both of these were previously 18 mm in thickness and weight ½ a pound heavier when compared to the new ones.
What’s Not Cool?
All this is cool, but what is not cool is the price hike. The 13 inches model, with Intel Core i5 and 8 GB or RAM with 256 GB storage comes at a painful $1799, whereas the 15 inches model, quad core i7 with 16 GB RAM and storage of 256 GB comes at a higher $2399. The specs have been updated and now the MacBook Pro laptops are on par with the top Windows laptops. The RAM has become faster and the data transfer speeds have increased. The displays are brighter and offer more color range, consuming 30% less power. So all these updates do justify the price hike to some extent.
In addition, there is a 13 inch entry level version, which offers the new design, the new touchpad features, but comes minus a few of the specifications. There is no Touch Bar and it starts at a price of $1499, which is also an increase when compared to the previous price of $1299.