Submenus or precise controls.”
“Shortcuts on the bar are more flexible than key combos, being able to show
it’s a solid gain over the 33 minutes it took last year’s 2.2GHz 15-inch model. That boost could make a big difference to tasks that use the processor well.
In our Batman gaming benchmark, the 15-inch’s Radeon 455 Pro gave almost a 50% improvement over the 13-inch’s integrated Iris Graphics 540 chip. In Tomb Raider, the Radeon reached 46.3fps to the Iris’s 29fps.
Games tell us a lot about a GPU’s power, but in a pro machine like this, rendering 3D real-time visuals isn’t always how it’ll be used. Many apps, such as Photoshop and Final Cut Pro, use the GPU’s huge power to quicken some tasks. In LuxMark, which tests a GPU’s speed at OpenCL computations (leveraging the GPU for computing data), the Radeon scored 4,207, while the Iris got 2,700. This can make a big difference to really high-end tasks, but you’ll notice it less than you might think for mid-level work. Duplicating layers and adding effects to a huge raw photo in Pixelmator, the Radeon’s smoother to work with, yet the Iris is fine for occasional work.
We also tested the Radeon Pro 460 — a custom build option. Its 4GB memory is double the 455’s. LuxMark rated it 4,566 — not even 10% better. It’s the same for games. To be worthwhile, you must use apps like Motion or 3D rendering tools that use the extra memory.
MEMORY LIMITATIONS
Both 15-inch models have 16GB of memory, which is a great starting point for pros but it’s also the end point. The Intel chips used here don’t support 32GB of the low-power memory Apple uses to prolong battery life. Most will fare fine with 16GB, but it’s limiting for some higher-end work. However, having to send data to and retrieve from storage isn’t such a hardship given incredible read speeds of 3,231MB/sec and 2,226MB/sec writes.
Storage and memory are soldered onto the logic board, so you must futureproof when you buy. The four USB-C ports work with USB 3.1 (Gen 1 or 2) and Thunderbolt 3 devices, but barely anything uses the USB-C connector right now, so you’ll need adapters. These are inexpensive, though a good dock can cost quite a lot. There are bizarre issues too, such as Mini DisplayPort adaptors being hard to find, yet lots of pro displays use it. We get why Apple changed ports, but you’ll need to consider the extra costs and hassle.
The new keyboard has very short travel, and the speakers are massively improved compared to previous models — though for pro audio work, you’ll want to use headphones or external monitor speakers.
Battery life is still all-day for light work, with screen brightness lowered slightly. You can drain the battery in a little over two hours by letting After Effects run wild but you can get nine hours of use by avoiding intensive apps. Good performance, Touch Bar is great for some apps, yet the $3,599 model’s components are all nearly as fast.