In the recent timeline, Apple’s most upscale laptop has undergone additional modifications and was presented in the new light at the conference in June 2017. The latest modified models were dropped at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, and their design remained untouched, but the processors became more elaborate adding to the laptop’s overall efficiency.
Though this line of laptops implicitly deemed the most powerful, yet this modification boosts the performance of several positions up. We shall talk about the main features of the laptop, what has remained the same and what has changed significantly.
PROCESSOR, GRAPHICS, AND SSD
The newest MacBook Pro switched to the Intel’s seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors, leaving previous sixth-generation ones behind.
The graphics hardware also has undergone adjustments and now the 13-inch models with an integrated graphics processor operate on Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640/650, replacing Intel Iris Plus Graphics 540/550.
In the 15-inch model, the graphics transformed into an Intel HD Graphics 630 from Intel HD Graphics 530. Also, for demanding users, Apple has furnished their first-class MacBook Pros with Radeon Pro 555 accompanied by 2GB of GDDR5 memory and automatic graphics switching and Radeon Pro 560 with 4GB of GDDR5 memory.
The SSDs are now faster by 50% over the previous models!
TOUCH BAR
There are no significant changes to the touch bar yet. The MacBook Pro line boats 4 models with an OLED strip located in the function keys area at the top of the keyboard. For those not acquainted with its functions, it serves as an emoji keypad, where you touch the strip to swipe them in both directions and pick the ones you need. Also, it changes the key options depending on your actions online and offline, so it wasn’t meant just for the emojis =)
In contrast, they also have 2 other MacBook Pros that lack the OLED strip, and for obvious reasons, are slightly less expensive, with a starting price of $1,299. Both of the versions have 2.3GHz dual-core Core i5 processor, which is quite modest and stands out from the whole range.
MODELS
Apple carries 4 basic configurations of the 13-inch MacBook Pro and 2 of the 15-inch MacBook Pro. Each laptop has two color options, Space Gray, and Silver, and the price varies between $1,299 and $2,799. But the following models can be customized at an additional cost, so that the end price may be slightly bigger.
13-inch MacBook Pro
Processor: 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz, with 64MB of eDRAM
Storage: 128GB/256GB SSD
Memory: 8GB
Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640
Expansions: Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports
13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar
Processor: 3.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz, with 64MB of eDRAM
Storage: 256GB/512GB SSD
Memory: 8GB
Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650
Expansions: Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports
15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar
Processor:
2.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz, with 6MB shared L3 cache
2.9GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz, with 8MB shared L3 cache.
Storage: 256/512GB SSD
Memory: 16GB
Graphics:
Radeon Pro 555 with 2GB and Intel HD Graphics 630
Radeon Pro 560 with 4GB and Intel HD Graphics 630
Expansions: Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports
If you are looking for a more affordable version of the 15-inch MacBook Pro, you can check an additional 15-inch version of the laptop with tech specs of a 2015 model and a fourth-generation Intel processor which is available only in Silver.
15-inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar
Processor: 2.2GHz quad-core Core i7 (Haswell), Turbo Boost up to 3.4Hz.
Storage: 256GB SSD
Memory: 16GB
Graphics: Intel Iris Pro Graphics 520
Expansions: Two Thunderbolt 2 ports and two USB 3 ports.
ADD-ONS
There are also build-to-order options for each model that come along for an extra fee. It’s a good value for money since you get the unparalleled experience with your laptop. Let’s see what the max options for both 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros are:
13-inch MacBook Pro
Processor: Configurable to 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 4.0GHz, with 64MB of eDRAM
Storage: Configurable to 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB SSD
Memory: Configurable to 16GB of memory
13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar
Processor: Configurable to 3.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.7GHz, with 64MB of eDRAM; or 3.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 4.0GHz, with 64MB of eDRAM
Storage: Configurable to 512GB or 1TB SSD
Memory: Configurable to 16GB of memory
15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar
Processor: Configurable to 3.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 4.1GHz, with 8MB shared L3 cache
Storage: Configurable to 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB SSD
Graphics: Configurable to Radeon Pro 560 with 4GB of GDDR5 memory
HOW TO BUY A MACBOOK PRO
Undoubtedly, all the mentioned pieces can be found on Apple store online and in the nearest retail stores. Also, if you are looking for cheaper options the company has official Refurbished Store where selected models can be scooped up at a discounted price.
All the products listed in the Refurbished store are officially certified and tested by Apple. And they guarantee that each product falls under a one-year warranty. But the range of products is quite small, and sometimes Apple can run out of the stock quickly due to high demand, so it’s better to update the page regularly to not to miss your lucky chance.
