This is the MacBook Pro update that many have been waiting for. Not only do we get a refreshed design with some new (and old) user-friendly features, but we also see the next step in Apple’s in-house silicone journey with the M1 Pro and M1 Pro SoCs. M1 Max. Apple seems to have listened to users who weren’t satisfied with the past few generations of its MacBook Pro, and has tweaked the design and spec sheet to reintroduce the MagSafe charging standard, an SD card slot, and an SD card slot. HDMI video output. Gone are the controversial Touch Bars that stole space from the Fn key row and never really lived up to its promise. However, there is a new problem – a notched screen.
So should creative professionals and heavy multitaskers rush to buy this laptop? Does it solve all your problems and what exactly is living with the notch? I was able to spend a day with New 14-inch MacBook Pro, and although it’s too early to make a full review, here are my initial thoughts.
There is a fingerprint sensor for Touch ID in the top right corner of the keyboard
Firstly, new MacBook Pro models is extremely expensive, no surprise. The 14-inch model starts at Rs. 1,94,900 and this gives you an M1 Pro processor with eight CPU cores and 14 GPU cores working. It is also the only variant that comes standard with a 512GB SSD and comes with MagSafe Charger 67W.
There is an option with the same M1 Pro processor, but with 10 CPU cores and 16 GPU cores, priced at Rs. 2,39,900. This one has a 1TB SSD and a more powerful 96W MagSafe charger. You can go into custom configuration options to upgrade to the M1 Max processor, and you can get up to 64GB of RAM plus up to 8TB of storage. Your new 14-inch MacBook Pro can be as expensive as Rs. 5,79,900 with all bells and whistles.
As usual, everything is soldered, so if you didn’t choose to upgrade at the time of purchase, you won’t be able to roll back and there are no low-cost third-party alternatives. Apple’s incremental prices have gone from absurd to outrageous – but buyers have no choice.
If cost isn’t a constraint and you’re still interested, here’s a new feature. You get three Thunderbolt 4 ports (with charging support, DisplayPort video output, and 40Gbps USB4 data transfer), an SDXC card slot, an HDMI output, and then a new MagSafe 3 charging port. Apple ships with MagSafe chargers for all new MacBook Pros, and unlike before, the cable is detachable from the power block, using a USB Type-C connector. This gives you a bit of flexibility. MagSafe 3 is not physically compatible with the previous generation MagSafe, either on the charger side or the device side. However, it produces exactly the same satisfying ‘bang’ sound when the plug is in place and has the same status LED as before.
The new MacBook Pro sees the triumphant return of MagSafe, along with an HDMI port and an SDXC card slot
The 14-inch MacBook Pro is less than 1cm wider and deeper than the 13-inch model continues. All variants are available in Silver and Space Grey. At 1.6kg, it’s not an ultraportable by today’s standards but is still very easy to use and carry. Quality build is exceptional – the hinge feels smooth but solid; the lid doesn’t bend under impact and everything is balanced. The only negative point is that the groove provided to help you lift the lid has sharp corners.
We’ll cover the keyboard and trackpad in detail in our full review – not much has changed here. The big news is the screen. Apple has switched to mini LED backlighting and the 3024×1964 resolution is incredibly sharp. Apple’s boat belongs to the “Extreme Dynamic Range” and the backlight can reach 1000nits for maximum sustained brightness and 1600nits for maximum brightness. The refresh rate has now adapted and increased to 120Hz, in addition to DCI-P3.
And of course there is a groove. You won’t immediately notice it thanks to the cleverly designed default wallpaper and the fact that the macOS status bar is thicker and rather dark. The trackpad pointer moves behind it unless you’re trying to drag something. In most cases, the menu bar for Finder or whatever application you have open will be on the left, while the operating system status icons are on the right. Sometimes it doesn’t fit all, but I have not encountered such a case.
The controversial notch is covered to some extent by the taller screen and thicker status bar
16:9 aspect ratio video has letterbox, so the notch won’t get in the way. When running apps in full screen, they’ll be below the notch, with the space on either side simply blacked out. It may seem like you can’t really use a large portion of the screen, but you have to remember that these are extra pixels in a taller rectangle; notch is not pushed down to what used to be usable space. Overall, the notch doesn’t really get in the way of content, but it’s still distracting. As I use the new MacBook Pro longer, I’ll revisit this issue in the full review.
It’s disappointing that Apple hasn’t managed to implement Face ID using this reclaimed space but has a fingerprint sensor on the keyboard. In terms of performance with heavy content creation, battery life, and overall usage experience, we’ll have a detailed review coming up. If you’re wondering whether it’s time to upgrade and whether you should spend that much on a new MacBook Pro, keep an eye on Gadgets 360.
