Apple unleashes two new MacBook Pro models with notched display and beefed up M1 Pro, Max chips
Apple has unleashed two new MacBook Pro models—14- and 16-inch versions—which the company says are more souped-up than ever thanks to the new M1 Pro and M1 Max chipsets.
Game-changing design
The displays on these models are completely redesigned: for the first time in an Apple laptop, the screen has a notch. This and the slimmed-down bezels provide users with bigger screen real estate so they have more space for their tasks on the laptop. In addition, the menu bar will wrap around the 1080p FaceTime HD camera, similar to how the iPhone's status bar icons are found beside the notch.
This Liquid Retina XDR display also touts 120Hz refresh rates for a more fluid visual experience. To complement the immersive viewing screen, this laptop packs a new six-speaker sound system capable of Spatial Audio.
Its other major new changes lie in the ports and keyboard. Firstly, the Touch Bar has been ditched for physical buttons to bring back the familiar, tactile feel of mechanical keys. Next, the new MacBooks get wider connectivity options with three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port, an improved headphone jack, and MagSafe Charging.
Yup, MagSafe makes a return to the MacBook Pro and it's said to be able to charge the device faster now, too. Getting it up to 50% will take about 30 minutes.
And in terms of battery life, Apple says the new models will last up to seven hours longer than the previous M1 laptop. The 14-inch can deliver 17 hours of video playback while the 16-inch can last up to 21 hours of video playback.
Made for on-the-go workhorses
With the beefed-up performance capabilities brought by the M1 Pro and M1 Max chipsets, the new MacBook Pro models are shaping up to be a powerful workhorse for on-the-go creators. The new chips boast 10-core CPUs which Apple is saying is twice as powerful as last year's already impressive M1 chip.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,999 while the 16-inch version starts at $2,499. They're a bit pricier than last year's 13-inch model, which had a launch price of $1,299, but it's understandable with the spec improvements and new features.
The 14-inch model starts at P116,990 while the 16-inch model starts at P146,990.
Apple has also announced that macOS Monterey will be available on Oct. 25.
