If you’ve been holding out for a new MacBook Pro, the newly launched 16″ MacBook Pro is the one you should consider. The 16″ MacBook Pro replaces the old 15.4″ MacBook Pro which was last updated in the middle of 2019.
Here are reasons why this is the best value MacBook Pro to date:
Price
Despite making so many improvements to this laptop, the base price is still the same at S$3,499. So for the same amount of money that you might have spent 6 months ago on the 2019 15.4″ MacBook Pro, you’re now getting so much more.
Keyboard
Goodbye butterfly keyboards, the old scissor switch mechanism is back. Apple dubs this new keyboard the Magic Keyboard and promises 1mm of key travel which will definitely making typing so much easier and quieter.
Esc key returns
Esc key makes its comeback. And this will really be good news for people such as coders who use the Esc key frequently. A physical key is always better than touch on a full size keyboard.
Inverted T arrow keys returns
Another decision to go backwards, but glad the arrow keys are back to their inverted T layout. This honestly makes it much more accurate to tap on those keys.
Better thermal cooling
The MacBook Pro was once a big victim of thermal throttling especially with the introduction of power hungry i9 CPU chips. Apple says the new thermal promises 28% more airflow and 35% larger heatsink.
Base 512GB SSD storage
The S$3,499 base model now starts with 512GB storage. This is such a great move from Apple (imagine the iPhone starting at 128GB of storage). I had to upgrade from 256GB of SSD when I bought my MacBook Pro back in 2018.
Again, more value for you money.
Better GPU performance
The new AMD Radeon Pro 5000M series adds over 90% faster render performance in Final Cut Pro/ That is massive.
Improved speakers and microphone
Apple’s MacBook speakers were already the best speakers you can ever find in a laptop. But the engineering team outdid themselves and managed to chuck in a six-speaker sound system which produces room-filling wide stereo sound. There is also a three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio which Apple claims to be studio-quality.
16” display with slimmer bezels
More screen real estate is always better. Because Apple slimmed the bezels on the display, the form factor didn’t really change much. The new 16” MacBook Pro is just a smidge bigger and thicker, making it 250g heavier.
Better battery life
The new 16” MacBook Pro is loaded with a 100Wh battery (largest capacity you can bring on flight). Apple claims 11 hours of battery life which is an improvement over the recent 15.4” MacBook Pro.
Wait… No downsides?
No. Seriously no. Other than it being a little thicker and heavier. Every new change is an improvement. Apple really listened to the customers on this new 16” MacBook Pro.
Any lobang or deals?
As you know Apple rarely cuts you any discounts or deals. And it being a new product the only place you are going to get a cheaper price is through the Apple Education Store if you are a student – S$3,209 for the base model is a good investment if you ask me.