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Controversial range refreshed – only for more controversy to ensue...
We take an in-depth look at Apple’s incredible new 32GB Macbook Pro
Can you remember the last time Apple released a new Mac without at least one controversy? Of course, when the Macbook Pros were updated in 2016 to their current design, the lack of connectivity sent Pro users into a frenzy. They argued that in the age of iphone, Apple didn’t really care about Mac. The USB-C port may be the future, but like the end of the headphone jack before, it continues to polarise opinion. Then there was the trouble with the keyboard, and more specifically, how dust and crumbs could single-handedly break it. More on that later…
No surprise then that Apple decided to refresh the Macbook Pro lineup to little fanfare last month. No conference slot, no ‘one more thing’ reveal and very little pomp. Nevertheless, Apple were straight on the offensive. “The latest generation Macbook Pro is the fastest and most powerful notebook we’ve ever made,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Now with 8th-generation 6-core processors, up to 32GB of system memory, up to
4TB of super fast SSD storage, new True Tone technology in its Retina display and Touch Bar, the Apple T2 chip for enhanced security and a third-generation quieter keyboard packed into its thin and light aluminium design with all-day battery life, it’s the best notebook for pro users.”
The first thing to note about Schiller’s handy summary is the third-generation ‘quieter’ keyboard. Essentially Apple has masked the need to stop anything getting into your keyboard and rendering it unusable by saying it’s now much quieter. Our friends at ifixit have already instigated a teardown that shows a silicone layer protecting the key parts of the Mac’s assembly from crumbs and the like. A good start, but an odd way of dealing with a problem without acknowledging it.
Impressive speed
The controversy doesn’t end there. A software bug, which has now been patched, caused the new machines to throttle their speed down under thermal distress. Not ideal for Pro users, but
“The latest generation Macbook Pro is the fastest and most powerful notebook we’ve ever made”
we stress this has now been fixed.
But, controversies aside, this is still a phenomenal Mac and one that remains one of the best available to buy.
The new Macbook Pro is now faster and more powerful, with 8th-generation 6-core Intel Core processors on the 15inch Macbook Pro and 8th-generation quad-core Intel Core processors on the 13-inch model. That’s up to 70 per cent faster performance on the 15-inch model, and twice as fast on the 13-inch model. Mightily impressive figures, especially when you consider how razor-sharp the 2016 models were.
With the option to add up to 32GB of memory on the 15-inch Macbook Pro, users can run more apps simultaneously or load larger files. And with up to a 2TB SSD on the 13-inch model and up to a 4TB SSD on the 15-inch, these machines give you the flexibility to work with large libraries and projects wherever they go. You’ll still need those dongles because the Thunderbolt 3/ USB-C ports are the only connectivity ports built into a Macbook Pro. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.
The other major development concerns the display. With 500 nits of brightness and support for the P3 wide colour gamut,
Apple is claiming this is the best Mac notebook display ever. It now comes with
True Tone technology, meaning the display delivers a more natural viewing experience for design and editing, as well as everyday tasks like browsing the web and writing emails. There’s also space for Apple’s T2 chip, which first debuted in the imac Pro. This delivers enhanced security and brings “Hey Siri” functionality to the Mac for the first time. You can get your hands on a 2018 Macbook Pro today via all the usual avenues. The new range also heralded the start of Apple’s brilliant Back to School campaign, which offers great discounts for those in education and a free pair of Beats headphones to boot. With macos Mojave just around the corner, now seems like the perfect time to upgrade your Macbook. No keyboard issues, no performance issues, just a high-calibre Pro machine that still puts the competition in the shade. What are you waiting for…?