Without Touch Bar. But insanely cool.
“Thank you for your purchase, and enjoy your use,” with these words, the re:Store store consultant came out from behind the cash register and solemnly handed me a branded package with a box of a MacBook Pro 13” 2016.
Once again, I was convinced that the level of service at re:Store is higher than in any online computer store. The moment of handing over a MacBook is akin to handing over the keys to a Mercedes. In decent car dealerships, there is a separate room for such an event, where you are congratulated on your purchase. The same magic is here. Keep in mind.
How I Almost Bought a 2020 Model
Like many other Apple fans, I was looking forward to the presentation of the new MacBook Pro line. But what Tim Cook’s team showed on October 27 caused bewilderment and disappointment. I even wrote the corresponding material, indignant at the decisions of Apple engineers and marketers. Greedy revolutionaries!
After weighing all the pros and cons, I decided to take the 15-inch MacBook Pro 2015. Advertising banners of a large retail chain (let’s not point fingers) offered installment plans without overpayments for 24 months.
Great option, I thought and went to make the purchase.
After spending more than an hour and a half in the credit department, filling out a form and answering a dozen questions, I received an unexpected answer: “You were not approved for an installment plan, but you can get a loan.” The overpayment will be about 25 thousand rubles,” the credit specialist minted a phrase, as if grinning at me. - No, thanks.
Shock. Anger. Indifference.
It was a daring and completely unexpected refusal; I swore off shopping in stores of this chain. What was the calculation? If the buyer decides to buy equipment in installments, will it be possible to give him a credit option? Found a sucker!
But in fact, I can only thank those who refused.
Two weeks have passed, reviews of the new MacBook Pro model (without Touch Bar) have appeared on Youtube. And then it dawned on me. Having considered all the scenarios for using such a laptop, I realized that I was in vain in criticizing the new product. The case when the first opinion was wrong. But first things first.
At re:Store, the entire payment plan took less than an hour. I went home happy with my beauty. New Year a month and a half before the New Year. This happens to buyers of Apple equipment.
Impeccable Design
For a long time, the Macbook Pro line of models was rightfully considered one of the most beautiful on the market. A recognizable design, precise dimensions, and monolithic body set these laptops apart from their competitors.
Last year, Apple rolled out an all-new MacBook that was admired for its slim design, cool butterfly keyboard, and large touchpad. The design of the MacBook Pro no longer seems ideal. Well, after the announcement of a new generation of professional Apple laptops, the previous models began to look like a blast from the past.
Comparing the new product with the MacBook Pro 2012 model year (my now previous laptop), you are amazed at how much technology has stepped forward during this time. The laptops look like two fighters from different weight classes. Bulky and fat versus nice and fit. And this is with similar characteristics (more on that below).
The new MacBook Pro has completely changed the design of the hinge responsible for opening the laptop. If the previous generation was guilty of unexpectedly cracked plastic plugs, then in the 2016 MacBook Pro the plugs are almost invisible, and it will be difficult to break them.
Dimensions: Thickness: 1.49 cm Length: 30.41 cm Width: 21.24 cm Weight: 1.37 kg
The new product is perfectly assembled , no gaps or creaks. New opening mechanism, updated unibody aluminum body. Handsome.
There are also disadvantages. Firstly, the legendary glowing apple logo on the back of the top cover was removed. Most likely, this decision was made in order to achieve a minimum thickness of the device. A trifle. Although hipsters are probably indignant. You won’t stand out at Starbucks with the new MacBook Pro anymore, or will you just stand out now? Well, you get the idea.
Secondly, you really worry about the device. Its size, weight, and thickness make you shudder at the thought of the laptop possibly falling or hitting something. My previous MacBook was able to survive a lot of different things, a battle-tested comrade, but time will tell how reliable the new product is in this regard. Obviously, the MacBook Pro 2020 will require more careful handling.
Apple MacBook Pro 13 Retina (2016): Review
Materials, design and assembly
Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2016) looks classic for the company's models - it is a stylish and high-quality metal case. Yes, the design has not changed dramatically for a long time, but it seems that this is not necessary.
The main change is the touchpad, which has become almost twice as large. The margins on either side of the keyboard now house speakers, and the apple logo on the lid no longer glows. At the same time, we note that the device itself has become noticeably lighter and thinner. Thus, the dimensions of the MacBook Pro 13 Retina (2016) are 30.4 x 21.2 x 1.49 cm and it weighs 1.37 kg. It turns out that the laptop is much lighter than last year’s MacBook Pro 13 Retina (Early 2015) and thinner than the airy MacBook Air 13.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2016) is sold in two colors - silver and space gray. It’s strange that Apple hasn’t yet started producing pink and gold MacBooks; after all, these colors are popular with the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 6s.
Keyboard and trackpad
2016 was marked by a controversial update to the MacBook Pro family - the appearance of a new TouchBar instead of a row of function keys. Fortunately, Apple still left one basic version of the MacBook Pro with a classic keyboard, which is what we are considering in this review. There's nothing new about the base model's keyboard, but that's what makes it great.
When you purchase an Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2016), you will have 79 keys and a backlight that works using a light sensor. The keyboard layout is typical for MacBooks, but after Windows devices it may seem a little unusual. In our opinion, the model lacks a fingerprint scanner, which is found in the Touch Bar version of the laptop.
The Force Touch trackpad has undergone some changes, the most visible of which is its size, it has become twice as large in area. In addition, its functionality has expanded - now the trackpad can detect pressing force, which adds possibilities for controlling the device as a whole. For example, you can use the force of touch to adjust the thickness of lines when drawing or perform additional actions.
Ports and interfaces
It sounds funny, but at the same time sad - the “professional” model of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2016) has only two identical connectors, and one will often be used for charging.
And this is not a joke, and if it is a joke, it’s a bad one. No HDMI connector or slot for memory cards - all this was removed, and what was left was combined into two USB Type-C ports. It’s good that at least in all this madness they spared the headphone jack (unlike the iPhone 7). The transition to modern connectors is commendable, but it is not clear why there are only two of them? The same HDMI with a slot for cards are used almost everywhere, it is not clear why they had to get rid of them. The problem could be solved using a docking station, but at the moment there is no such thing available.
Despite problems with connectors, the MacBook Pro 13 Retina 2016 supports high wireless standards - fast Wi-Fi 802.11ac and the new Bluetooth v4.2.
Performance
The performance of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2016) is high for its class and is sufficient for typical and professional tasks.
In the basic version, the laptop received a new and relatively powerful dual-core Intel Core i5 processor (with frequencies from 2.0 to 3.1 GHz) with 4 MB of L3 cache. If you need a more powerful solution, then for an additional payment of 25 thousand rubles you can purchase a version with dual-core Intel Core i7 (operating at frequencies from 2.4 to 3.4 GHz). In the basic model you will find 8 GB of LPDDR3 RAM or 16 GB with an additional payment of 17 thousand rubles. Looking at these parameters, we can say with confidence that even a minimal modification will be more than enough for office applications, demanding programs and multimedia tasks. The MacBook Pro 13 Retina does not have a separate graphics card, only the built-in Intel Iris Graphics 540, but in its level it is close to entry-level discrete solutions. With it, the laptop can run some modern games at low graphics settings, but the most demanding ones like The Witcher 3, Dishonored 2 and Mafia 3 are too tough for it. Yes, the MacBook Pro 13 cannot be called a gaming one, but for these purposes they usually choose models from other companies or consoles like the PlayStation 4 Pro. All data is stored on a 256 GB SSD drive. Few? For a significant surcharge, you can get a version with 512 GB or a whole terabyte of permanent memory.
Display
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2016) has a bright and clear 13.3-inch Retina display with IPS matrix. Its resolution is quite high - 2560x1600 pixels; only tablets and smartphones can compare with the screen in terms of pixel density (227 per inch). Irregularities in the fonts on the screen can only be seen up close. Apple promises brightness of up to 500 nits, which is one and a half to two times higher than the average for tested laptops. In addition, improved color reproduction is claimed - the color gamut is expanded by 25% compared to standard sRGB.
Great display and great sound
Of course, after the non-Retina display, my eyes were in shock for some time. Pleasant, of course. Apple engineers increased the brightness of the LED backlight and improved the contrast of the already gorgeous Retina display. It produces a magical picture , there is nothing like it on the market. The brightness is so great that, out of habit, I reduce it by one division. It's blinding!
We were also pleased with the thinner frames around the screen.
It’s hard to explain about the screen, you just have to see it for yourself. Just for fun, before purchasing re:Store, I asked to put the new product next to the previous generation model. The difference was visible to the naked eye. So it goes.
Listening to music on the MacBook Pro is a pleasure . The new design of the speakers made it possible to expand the dynamic range by as much as twice. In the office, I don't risk playing music at full volume on the new MacBook Pro. It seems to me that the neighbors on the floor will come in with questions about our adequacy. The depth and volume of bass for such a small size is impressive. The laptop sounds an order of magnitude louder than all its predecessors.
Appearance and delivery set
The laptop comes in traditional Apple packaging: a box made of white glossy cardboard with an image of the product inside.
The MacBook itself is located directly under the lid. Models of previous generations had a distinctive feature in the form of a white Apple logo with LED backlight, but since 2020 the design has changed. The apple has shrunk in size and lost its backlight.
In the niche under the laptop there are accessories, namely:
- 60W power supply with removable plug
- 2m USB Type-C to Thunderbolt 3 cable
- Envelope with accompanying documentation and Apple logo stickers
I once came across a rumor online about a specific smell emitted by freshly unpacked Apple equipment. So, I didn’t notice anything like that. The only noticeable smell was the rubbery smell from the included cable.
On the left side of the MacBook Pro there are two Thunderbolt 3 / USB Type-C ports. They are used for charging, for connecting any peripherals, and even the image is output to the monitor through this port (when connected directly or through an HDMI adapter).
Two more Thunderbolt 3 ports are located on the right side of the MacBook Pro in the touchbar version. My MacBook is not equipped with a touchbar, so on its right side there is only a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
The body is entirely made of aircraft-grade aluminum. Rubberized legs are its only non-metallic elements.
An interesting design feature: the ventilation holes are not located on the side (as on most laptops), but on the rear end in a slot under the lid.
Thin. Easy. Minimalistic. The MacBook Pro doesn't try to impress with throwaway design features like minimal display bezels. It looks like a well-made work tool, the appearance and functionality of which will remain relevant for many years.
And the MacBook is perhaps the only branded laptop on the surface of which there are no stupid stickers with information that there is an Intel processor, GeForce video card or Dolby Digital sound inside.
Updated keyboard and giant trackpad
The new MacBook Pro features an improved butterfly keyboard. It was first introduced in the 15th year MacBook and not everyone liked it. Minimum height, a completely new key stroke and, correspondingly, a “click” in this regard.
The most objective way to compare the new keyboard with the old one is, of course, the owner of a MacBook. I gave the new product to the happy owner of a similar laptop, which he has been using for a year, to test. According to him, the new product has a clearer, more pleasant key press. On his MacBook, he barely feels the button travel, which causes some difficulties. In general, Apple engineers worked on the bugs.
I didn't feel like I was typing on a touch keyboard. I just had to get used to the minimum distance between the keys and their new sizes. Otherwise, the transition to the butterfly was easy. The speed of touch typing has not changed compared to a regular keyboard. The only thing is that instead of the usual clicking sound, we now hear a dull and cold knock.
I'm pleased with the new key backlighting technology. Instead of several rows of LEDs in older models, miniature LEDs are used here that separately illuminate each key. There are practically no gaps between the buttons, resulting in smooth backlighting at any angle.
Below the keyboard is a huge trackpad with Force Touch. Fantastically comfortable. Do I need to say something about him? In short, you can forget about the mouse forever. However, this could have been done a few years ago. Apple has been making great trackpads for a long time.
Screen and sound are the best
With a maximum resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels, the MacBook's screen is still the sharpest and most pleasing to the eye of any non-Apple laptop.
Photos and videos look great on this screen, especially with the DCI-P3 color profile: the same one used by professionals in the creation and editing of modern blockbusters.
In the new MacBook Pro, the colors on the screen are bright, white is truly white, without any impurities, and black is deep and rich.
If you turn the brightness to maximum, it even becomes somehow uncomfortable. Apple writes about 500 nits of aperture (in other laptops this figure ranges from 200 to 350 nits), but for me, as a user, this translates into the fact that even when looking at the screen at the sun, I don’t need to squint – everything is visible perfectly.
But the front camera for video calls is a little disappointing: its 0.7 megapixel resolution seems a little outdated compared to other characteristics of this laptop.
It is clear that this resolution allows you to transmit a video stream without delays and works for the stability of the picture, but during video calls a certain graininess catches your eye.
The sound in the 2020 MacBook Pro is just as amazing as the 2016 model.
The sound is still the best in laptops of our time. Apple uses some special magic to achieve this volume and sound integrity from the speakers.
After I got a MacBook Pro 2020, I abandoned all portable speakers as unnecessary - the built-in speakers produce simply excellent sound.
Ports
Two USB Type-C ports on the left side and a “legacy” 3.5mm headphone jack on the right. All. Imposed minimalism, which will give a kick to the computer market so that it accelerates its step forward.
Forget about everyone's favorite Magsafe, standard USB, card slot, HDMI output. Apple offers to buy adapters. Controversial? The stumbling block and the main reason for not buying a MacBook Pro? Come on, everything can be solved.
Of course, everyone has different scenarios for using laptops, but I don’t see any problems with the decisions of the “surgeons” from Apple. It is enough to always have at hand only one adapter from USB to USB-C. The issue price will be 799 rubles.
Judge for yourself:
Card slot
Have you decided to transfer photos to your laptop? This means they took out the memory card from the camera, which in turn was probably in the photo backpack. What prevents you from keeping a card reader in it?
USB port
Connecting flash drives and external hard drives is also easy to organize, having the same single USB -> USB-C adapter. Moreover, “flash drives” with two types of connectors have appeared on the market a long time ago.
What you can blame Apple for is greed. It was worth putting the adapter in the kit rather than forcing you to buy it separately. Plus a strange solution: versions without Touch Bar have only 2 USB-C ports. This is pure redneck.
HDMI
There is one word here - “pain”. You will have to buy a special adapter. But on the other hand, not all owners connect external peripherals to their MacBook Pro.
MagSafe RIP
What really hurts me is, of course, the cut out MagSafe. A thing that simplified life when connecting power and saved the life of the laptop during careless or sudden movements.
In my personal experience, the lack of MagSafe has made connecting power in complete darkness insanely difficult. There was no such problem before, I slapped my original “magnet” on the left edge and watched the series further. Now, alas, you have to poke around like a blind hedgehog trying to get into the narrow USB-C slot.
Device autonomy
The new MacBook Pro's battery life means you won't have to worry about charging your battery throughout the workday, as long as you're not working on heavy, power-hungry applications like Final Cut. That is, the scenario in which the laptop “powers up” only in the evening (in the manner of the Apple Watch) is quite real.
The built-in Li-Ion battery has a capacity of 54.5 Wh, the official website promises 10 hours without recharging while browsing the Internet wirelessly and the same time when watching a movie “in iTunes”. In real conditions, the laptop worked for 6.5 hours with a backlight of -2 divisions from the maximum.
A new interesting feature is that the laptop automatically turns on, just open the lid. At the same time, the system loading speed is amazing. Lightning fast!
Performance
I will compare it with the laptop on which I worked for four whole years. This may seem like a completely stupid comparison, but my old 2012 MacBook Pro is still an infantry fighting vehicle.
It is enough for most operations. It easily holds 3 dozen open pages in Chrome, it is easy and comfortable to work in Photoshop and LightRoom, and it does not slow down in Final Cut. It’s just that he didn’t have success with games, after all, the video card is not fire at all, and the display is completely last century.
I bought a new MacBook Pro with a minimum configuration.
The GeekBench synthetic test showed similar results between the two laptops. The new one is a little faster. It’s funny that the current “minimum wage” pays less attention to the once top model.
Just for fun, I installed the best online shooter of the year, Battlefield 1, on a MacBook Pro 2020 (Windows 10 was installed first using Boot Camp). The game runs without any problems! Looks great, no brakes were noticed. Great graphics and gameplay. My old man couldn't even start the game. So a synthetic test is not yet an indicator of a computer’s capabilities.
The situation with drives is even more interesting. Instead of a disk drive, I installed a SanDisk SSD in my 2012 MacBook Pro. After the replacement was made, I was surprised how much more pleasant and convenient it became to work. An SSD drive saves a lot of time.
But, if you compare the performance of the drive in the new product, you understand that my SSD drive is a complete failure. The numbers speak for themselves. The system simply “broke” the SSD speed test, since the obtained value exceeds the limit of the measurement program.
- Full comparison test of MacBook in different versions
- The whole history of the MacBook Pro line
Performance testing
Out of interest, I tested the performance of the MacBook Pro in the Octane browser test and the popular multi-platform benchmark Geekbench 4, comparing the results with my home computer.
Of course, the more recent Intel Core i5 turned out to be more productive in almost all respects than the old AMD FX - even one of the top models of its generation. Except that in multi-threading the FX-8320E takes its toll: 8 weak cores in total give slightly better performance than two Core i5 cores.
