Occasionally, Apple will come out with an updated device: a new iPhone, a new iPad, a new i-something. This time they have redone the MacBook Pro, declaring it a touch of genius. And it was time for an update. After all, it has been 18 months since Apple updated their professional laptops. Is the MacBook Pro better than previous iterations? The only way to find out is to examine the features.
New Macbook Pro Features
The Touch Bar and Touch ID
This feature must be discussed before any other because this is the most controversial and talked about feature of the new MacBook Pro. The brand-new offering from Apple features a Touch Bar, which is a thin strip of glass directly above the number keys on the keyboard. Instead of the traditional function keys above the numbers on the keyboard, this strip of glass which Apple calls the Touch Bar, offers something more interesting and appealing for more modern users. It’s a versatile tool that changes depending on what you are doing.
The Touch Bar starts off with the function keys. However, once you start using the computer it will change to accommodate whatever you are doing. For example, if you’re looking at pictures, you can manipulate them, changing the angle and other options. When you are writing, you will notice word suggestions popping up on the Touch Bar. If you’re watching a video, you’ll get some media controls on the bar that allow you to fast forward and rewind. These are just a couple of the ways the Touch Bar changes to meet a user’s actions.
The Touch Bar is highly customizable. Users can see if an app they are using is supported by the Touch Bar. If it is, they can see the Touch Bar settings which allows them to drag and drop the tools they want to use for that app in the Touch Bar. Therefore, users can decide which tools in the apps are more useful and relevant for their needs. Now onto the Touch Id. This feature can, of course, be used to identify the user. When you power on your device, you unlock it with the Touch ID. The Touch ID is also the power key, so not only do you place your finger on top of it to scan your fingerprint, but you can also press down on it to power on your computer.
The Audio
The speakers have been redesigned to offer up to 58 percent more volume. This means that users can enjoy their gaming, music, and movies with sound that has drastically improved. Because it is so light, weighing in at about four pounds, it’s easy to take the new MacBook Pro and enjoy the improved sound system anywhere. For music lovers, the bass is two and a half times louder. Since they are connected to system power, you can expect up to three times more peak power. This is all good news for music lovers and Apple, because users can go directly to the iTunes store to purchase their music and enjoy listening to it with better sound than ever before.
The Keyboard
The keyboard on the MacBook Pro features a 2x larger trackpad. With this update, it was redefined for greater comfort and control by the user. The keypad on the new MacBook Pro features an updated trackpad. The trackpad is a Force Touch trackpad, which means that users can’t accidentally cause changes to happen by resting the palm of their hand on it. The Force Touch Trackpad responds to gestures of fingers, not the palm. The keys have 4x more stability as well.
The Display
The display of the new MacBook Pro is the best ever offered in a Mac notebook. The LED backlighting is brighter than ever before, with an increased contrast ratio that shows brighter whites and deeper blacks. The screen is bright and vivid with an up to 67 percent brighter display. The graphics are up to 130 percent faster which means that users can enjoy a better video watching experience on this notebook. Yet another surprising feature is that screen thickness. Just when you thought a screen couldn’t get any thinner, the new MacBook Pro’s screen is thinner- up to seventeen percent thinner. It’s also more efficient than earlier generations, with larger pixel aperture and variable refresh rate.
Other Features
One of the things that users may like about the new pro is what happens when you open the screen. Whether your computer was off or sleeping, it autoboots. Instead of the traditional chime that would greet you in previous generations, the new MacBook Pro will now power up automatically. You don’t have to try to figure out whether you turned it off or if it was sleeping, awkwardly pressing the power button until the screen comes up. This is most likely a welcome feature for most users. The new MacBook Pro comes in a 13-inch model or a 15-inch model. The 13-inch model weighs in at 3 pounds and the 15-inch model weight in at 4 pounds. Both are super light and portable.
The Takeaway
The MacBook Pro’s new design offers some features that will be appealing to many consumers. Apple is constantly pushing the envelope on features and this time is no different. The Touch Bar with Touch ID along with the drastically improved audio offers a strong incentive for consumers to consider. Whether you think it is the best offering ever from Apple is up for debate, but you won’t know unless you give it a shot. If you need to sell your old MacBook Pro to replace it with the new one, just use our service.