Apple on Monday unveiled a completely redesigned MacBook Pro lineup alongside two new chip options at its Unleashed event in Cupertino, California.
The new MacBook Pro comes in 14-inch or 16-inch models and can be further customized with either the new M1 Pro or M1 Max chip. The computer’s hardware has been updated to include a Liquid Retina XDR display, a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, better audio systems and a broader range of ports — including three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an SDXC card slot, an HDMI port and an improved headphone jack — for better connectivity.
The new 14-inch model delivers up to 17 hours of video playback, while the 16-inch model offers up to 21 hours of video playback — the longest battery life ever on a Mac notebook — and delivers the same level of performance whether it is plugged in or using the battery. The new aluminum enclosure optimizes internal space that includes an advanced thermal system that can move 50% more air than the previous generation.
In addition, the new MacBook Pro also comes with a Magic Keyboard that gets rid of the touch bar and includes TouchID for login. The impressive display, which has even thinner borders and extends up around the camera, offers up a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and features an adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz.
The new chips are the star of the MacBook Pro’s updates, providing up to 70% faster CPU performance and up to four times faster GPU performance versus the M1 chip, all while utilizing less power. Both chips offer a 16-core Neural Engine for on-device machine learning acceleration and improved camera performance, a new display engine to facilitate multiple external displays and Apple’s custom image signal processor, along with the Neural Engine.
M1 Pro offers up to 200GB/s of memory bandwidth with support for up to 32GB of unified memory packed inside of its 33.7 billion transistors. The M1 Max boasts 57 billion transistors — the largest chip Apple has ever built — offering up to 400GB/s of memory bandwidth and allowing for it to be configured with up to 64GB of unified memory.
The new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are available for pre-order today will be available beginning Tuesday, October 26. The 14-inch model starts at $1,999 USD, while the 16-inch starts at $2,499 USD.
In case you missed it, check out Apple’s updates to its AirPods.
