Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
The MacBook Pro is ready to take on the undertaking of the most demanding users . The Kaby Lake processors provide a squeamish boost over its predecessors , and its reinforcement for 4 K HEVC video mean it ’s ready for macOS High Sierra .
Best Prices Today: 15-in 2.9GHz Core i7 MacBook Pro 512GB storage Touch Bar (mid 2017)
Did you learn cries of ruefulness and peradventure a few cuss words in the background during Apple ’s Worldwide Developers Conference tonic ? If you did , it was from folks who bought aMacBook Proin the past few weeks . You see , during WWDC , Apple let on an upgrade to the MacBook Pro to replace the modeling that werereleased just last Fall .
Now , on the control surface , the newfangled MacBook Pro looks exactly the same , but all of the changes are found under - the - hood via functioning gibbosity . And our mental testing resultsdoshow an expected increase in hurrying , but it ’s not enough to induce serious buyer ’s remorse in anyone who of late bought a MacBook Pro of the previous contemporaries — though it may activate a morsel of envy .
( This review covers Apple ’s top - of - the - line model , a 15 - inch MacBook Pro with a 2.9GHz processor . This particular model sells for $ 2,799 . )
What’s changed
The heart of the MacBook Pro is where you ’ll find the major change . All MacBook Pro models now feature Intel ’s Kaby Lake processors , which supplant the Skylake processor found in the previous MacBook Pro . For this review , a Kaby Lake 2.9GHz quad - essence Core i7 in the exemplar I reviewed supervene upon a Skylake 2.7GHz quadrangle - core Core i7 .
Stock up on adapters : The MacBook Pro relies on Thunderbolt 3 for connectivity . The 15 - column inch models have four of them . OurMacBook Pro Thunderbolt 3 adapter guidewill help you get the ones you need .
Another major alteration is the graphics technology . The $ 2,799 modelling now has the Intel HD Graphics 630 rather of the Intel HD Graphics 530 as integrate nontextual matter . The distinct high - performance graphics chip is now a 4 GB Radeon Pro 560 , which replaces a 4 GB Radeon Pro 460 .
What’s the same
Just about everything else about the MacBook Pro is the same as before . The aluminum unibody case design ( available in Space Gray or Silver ) , the 15.4 - inch exhibit with a 2880 - by-1800 native resolution and P3 color gamut , the Thunderbolt 3 ports ( four ports on my limited review modeling ) , and the Force Touch trackpad are unchanged .
The keyboard does n’t have enough “ life ” for my taste , but I have intercourse the maxi - sized Force Touch trackpad .
Disappointingly , the MacBook Pro still supports a level best of 16 GB of RAM , which is what ’s included in the $ 2,799 mannequin . Apple use LPDDR3 memory rated at a speed of 2133 MHz , and in order for the MacBook Pro to support 32 GB of RAM , Apple would have to use memory that needs more world power , thereby bear on bombardment living . ( MacDaddyhas a outstanding clause explaining the issues with 32 GB of RAM on the MacBook Pro . )
The $ 2,799 MacBook Pro comes with a 512 GB solid - country driveway . Apple says that the carrying out of the SSD is 50 percent faster than the former SSD . The speed increase come from improvements in the SSD ’s hardware control .
Let’s touch on the Touch Bar
The Touch Bar made its debut on the MacBook Pro last crepuscule . Since it has n’t changed , I ’m not going to plunge into what it is and how it works . ( If you are n’t familiar with the Touch Bar , I encourage you toread our review of the 2016 MacBook Pro , specifically , the “ cope with the Touch Bar ” and “ Using the Touch Bar in apps ” sections . )
stick in last twelvemonth , the Touch Bar is here to stay .
My personal experience with the Touch Bar ? I do n’t use it that much . I like using Touch ID to unlock the laptop computer , but I ’ve gone through oeuvre session where Touch ID is the only fourth dimension I use the Touch Bar . When I use a Mac , my focus is on the CRT screen , and I just have n’t get used to looking down at the keyboard to use the Touch Bar controls .
But I do know people who bed the Touch Bar . I hesitate to say that the Touch Bar is wasted on me ; if I forced myself to look at it , I ’m sure I ’d find it more useful . When it comes to the Touch Bar , as the locution goes , your mileage may variegate .
Speed improvements
To guess the speed of the new 2.9GHz 15 - inch MacBook Pro , we ran a set of benchmarks test . Our result show a significant boost over its predecessor . The 2.9GHz MacBook Pro we quiz had a neckcloth configuration : 16 GB of 2133MHz LPDDR3 retentivity , a 512 GB SSD , integrated Intel HD Graphics 630 , and discrete Radeon Pro 560 with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory .
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InGeekbench4.1 , the 2.9GHz MacBook Pro posted a score of 4739 in the single - core 64 - bite CPU test , which is 16 percent faster than the 4101 mark by the 2016 2.7GHz 15 - column inch MacBook Pro , the model that the new MacBook Pro replaces .
In Geekbench ’s multi - core 64 - bit mainframe test , the 2.9GHz MacBook Pro also see a speed addition . Its score of 15731 is 19 percent faster than the 13193 score by its forerunner .
We also ran a pair of graphics benchmarks to test the speed of the discrete graphics card . In the Geekbench 4 OpenCL test , the 4 GB Radeon Pro 560 in the new 2.9GHz MacBook Pro put up a grudge similar to the 2 GB Radeon Pro 450 in the 2016 2.6GHz 15 - inch MacBook Pro .
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The art carrying into action dispute is more apparent in theCinebenchOpenGL test . The 2.9GHz MacBook Pro scored 87.1 frames per second , a 14 percent boost over the 2.6GHz 15 - in MacBook Pro from last yr .
In ourreview of the MacBook Pro last year , we said that the MacBook Pro , even with 16 GB of retention , is in all probability degenerate enough for most video editors . But even if you ’re still not convinced , there ’s another factor you should study : macOS High Sierra .
Kaby Lake and macOS High Sierra
Kaby Lake sport engineering that can enhance video performance — specifically , 4 K video . Intel mix into the processor support for encoding and decoding 10 - bit 4 thou HEVC and 4 K VP9 video recording . Not only will this serve performance for 4 K television , it can help save on battery life . ( For more information on this , I highly commend indication , “ 10 key things to know about Intel ’s Kaby Lake CPUs ” and “ Intel Kaby Lake Review ” from our sister publication , PCWorld . )
During the WWDC 2017 tonic , Apple announced that macOS High Sierra and its suite of Pro Tools apps will have HEVC accompaniment .
The proper software drivers are required to take reward of this technology , and it reckon like they will be in the next version of the Mac operating system , macOS High Sierra . One of the key feature in High Sierra that is being touted by Apple is documentation for the 4 K HEVC codec . During the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference tonic , Apple said that ironware quickening for HEVC video will be available in “ the young Macs . ”
This is unquestionably something to keep an eye on . We ’ll be follow the developing of macOS High Sierra intimately , and we ’ll be quick with the TV benchmarks once the HEVC financial backing is ready to be put to the test .
Bottom line
So , you ’re in the market for a top - of - the - line laptop . Should you grease one’s palms the $ 2,799 , 2.9GHz 15 - inch MacBook Pro ? If you ’re a general user who use the cyberspace always , utilise Apple apps like Photos , iMovie , iTunes , Pages , and the like , you ’ll get that the 2.9GHz MacBook Pro is sure a luxurious laptop to have . you’re able to likely save a few dollars and get the other 15 - inch MacBook Pro configuration for $ 2,399 . But if you insist on the best , you ’ll be very happy .
If you ’re a pro drug user , you ca n’t be blamed for being disappointed in the 16 GB computer storage limitation . But the upcoming 10 - bit 4 super acid HVEC support in macOS High Sierra and the potential drop for hardware quickening using Kaby Lake ’s built - in HVEC support makes for a very enticing combining . The 2.9GHz 15 - inch MacBook Pro becomes a very attractive investment , even if you recently bought a premature - contemporaries MacBook Pro .
