MacBook Pro 15-inch 2.7GHz Late 2016
A lighter big Pro that’s still heavy on performance
$2,799 Manufacturer Apple, apple.com Features 2.7GHz quad-core processor, AMD Radeon Pro 455 2GB graphics, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage, 4x Thunderbolt 3 ports, Touch Bar
When it comes to choosing the right MacBook Pro model, it’s not just size that usually differentiates the 15-inch models from the 13-inch models. If what you need is high performance, the bigger Pro is where you get it. This is the top-end MacBook Pro 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar model, which costs $2,799.
For that, you get a 2.7GHz Intel Core i7 quad-core processor, AMD Radeon 455 Pro dedicated graphics card, 512GB of flash storage, and 16GB of RAM. With the exception of RAM, all these elements are improved over those of the $2,399 base-level 15-inch model, which has a 2.6GHz quad-core processor, AMD Radeon 450 Pro graphics card, and 256GB of storage. Both models feature the new TouchBar, and a redesigned case with four Thunderbolt 3 ports, as well as a 2880x1800 display.
The processor and graphics capabilities are the big deal here. The quad-core processor makes a huge difference over the dual-core chip in the 13-inch models. It completed our video encoding benchmark in just 25 minutes – better than half the time. It’s also a solid speed boost over the 2.2GHz 15-inch MacBook Pro from last year, which completed the task in 34 minutes. That’s around a 25% improvement from that model to this, which could make a big difference to video output and other tasks that make full use of the processor.
The 13-inch MacBook Pros are limited to using Intel’s integrated graphics chips, which are reasonably capable, but don’t compare to what a dedicated GPU can do. Using the Radeon 455 Pro, the Batman: Arkham City benchmark reaches 61 fps at 1080p, while the 13-inch model reached 41 fps, making for a nearly 50% improvement here. It was the same story in the Tomb Raider 1080p benchmarks, where the 15-inch machine scored 46 fps to the 13-inch’s 29 fps.
Games performance tells us a lot about a graphics card’s power, but in a pro machine like this, rendering 3D real-time visuals isn’t always how it will be used. Many apps now use the huge processing power of the graphics chips for speeding up some tasks, including Final Cut Pro and Photoshop. To benchmark this, we’re using LuxMark, which tests how fast a graphics chip can perform OpenCL computations (OpenCL is a software framework for using the graphics chip for computing data): the Radeon Pro 455 scored 4207, while the 13-inch model scored 2700. This can make a huge difference working in apps such as Final Cut, Motion, Photoshop, and many more, for really high-end work.
In practice, for more mid-level stuff, you’Il still see a noticeable difference, but
not as pronounced as you might think. Working on a huge raw photo in Pixelmator, adding duplicate layers and effects, the 15-inch model is smoother to work with than the 13-inch model for using effects as well as just zooming and panning around the image. But the difference is not so pronounced that everyone would be too frustrated by the 13-inch model – if you’re just doing that level of work occasionally, it’s fine. Conversely, if that sort of image work is your daily bread, the added smoothness of the 15-inch would help your sanity a lot.
We also had the opportunity to test a model configured with the highest-power graphics chip that Apple offers, as a custom order only: the AMD Radeon Pro 460. This is a more powerful GPU, and comes with 4GB of video memory, rather than the 2GB in the Radeon Pro 455. When it comes to LuxMark, it doesn’t make that big a difference: the Radeon Pro 460 scored 4,566, so not even 10% faster for computation tasks. It was the same story with games. Really, you need to be using apps such as Motion or 3D rendering tools that require the extra video memory to make the upgrade worthwhile.
Both the 15-inch models of MacBook Pro come with 16GB of RAM, which is a great starting point for pros – but it’s also the end point. There’s no option to upgrade to 32GB, because the Intel chips used here don’t support 32GB of lowpower RAM, which Apple is using to prolong battery life. Apple could provide 32GB of higher-power RAM, but there are estimates that this could reduce batter life by more than 10%. Realistically, the vast majority of people will be just fine with 16GB, but we’ve already established that this is the model for those who need really high performance, and for some developers working with virtual machines, or some higherend video work, 16GB will be limiting. If that’s the case for you, you probably already know it, and already know whether you can buy this machine accordingly. If you don’t already know, you can almost certainly get by on 16GB with no problems at all.
If you do find yourself hitting the upper limit of the RAM, having to send and retrieve data using the main flash storage instead is not the hardship it used to be – as with the other models, it’s astonishingly fast. We measured read speeds of 3,231MB/s and write speeds of 2,226MB/s, which are just incredible.
This does all bring us to a frustrating element of the new MacBook Pro models, though we think it’s most pronounced as a problem in the 15-inch as the higher-power machine: there’s basically no future upgrading you can do to its components – the storage and RAM are both soldered directly to the logic board. So you need to think about futureproofing when you buy.
Speaking of futureproofing, let’s talk about the ports. You get four Thunderbolt 3 ports,
which are also USB Type-C. They do power, video, and data all in one connection. They’re great! But barely anything uses them right now, so you’ll need adapters. These can be inexpensive, but if you want a good dock setup, you might need to pay quite a lot extra. There are also some bizarre issues with them – for example, it’s really hard to get an adapter for mini-DisplayPort, even though lots of pro-level displays use it. We understand why Apple made this change in ports, and for many people it won’t be a problem, but you’ll need to factor the extra cost and hassle into your buying decision.
Raising the bar The 15-inch model also received the Touch Bar, and it’s identical to the one on the 13-inch model, just like the keyboard. You can read our thoughts on it in that review, but the same applies here: if apps use it well, it’s excellent… but a lot of hardcore pro software may never bother. The 15-inch model also has a huge new trackpad – bigger than the 13-inch model’s. Again, it’s really nice to have the extra space, but not quite game-changing. The palm-detection and rejection when typing worked perfectly for us. It also features Apple’s new keyboard with very short travel, which we like, but not everyone does – give it a test in-store. There are improved speakers too, which are a massive improvement, though for pro audio work, you’ll still be using headphones or external monitors.
The 2880x1800 screen is big, detailed, brighter than before, and beautiful, with the wider color gamut.
Battery life is still all-day for light work with the brightness turned down slightly. You can get a good nine hours of use if you avoid intensive apps – equally, it’s possible to drain the battery in a little over two hours if you let Adobe After Effects and Premiere run wild…
the bottom line. It’s expensive, but you get good performance from the new 15-inch MacBook Pros, and the Touch Bar and improved screen are great. For a lot of people, the $2,399 2.6GHz model would work as well, though – its components are all nearly as fast. Matt Bolton