So Apple has just announced the much-anticipated new version of the MacBook Pro. The new Touch Bar was confirmed, providing a whole new level of utility for your keyboard. The ‘butterfly’ keyboard keys from the MacBook also make their way to the Pro line, meaning that this is the thinnest and lightest MacBook Pro ever.
The 13-inch model weighs just 3 pounds is a shade under 15mm thick, down from 18mm on the current model. There is also a much larger Force Touch trackpad, 50% bigger than the current trackpad on the 15-inch model.
According to Apple, the new display is 67% brighter, has a 67% better contrast ratio, and displays 25% more colors. There are new Intel processors included in each of the new models, which will boost performance and improve battery life, which Apple claims should be “up to 10 hours. ”
The entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro (minus the Touch Bar) retails from US$1,499. Models with the Touch Bar start at US$1,799, and the new 15-inch MacBook Pro costs US$2,399 and up.
Yes, it looks sexy as all hell, and it includes that fancy new Touch Bar, but what may concern photographers most is what isn’t included with the new MacBook Pro lineup. Most significantly, the SD card slot has been dropped. Instead you’ll now have four Thunderbolt 3 USB Type-C ports, any one of which can be used for charging. Speaking of which, the iconic MagSafe charger (which has saved many of us from trips and spills over charging cables) has also been removed. Thankfully we still have the 3. 5mm headphone jack, but no sign of a lightning port. This means that those who have picked up the iPhone 7 will need a special adapter to connect to the new MacBook Pro lineup, and if you’re using Apple’s EarPods you’ll also need some kind of a dongle to connect them.
The strategy of Apple seems pretty clear here – minimise the ports and make the computer as portable as possible. Unfortunately, much like the removal of the headphone jack on the iPhone 7, this impairs usability to a certain degree. If you’re a photographer who relies on SD cards and older external hard drives, you may find that your new MacBook Pro is wonderfully lighter and brighter, but you’ll also find yourself carrying around a significant number of adapters just to make it functional.
This is the new Apple, it seems. It looks and feels great, but if you want to use technology from even a few years ago, you’ll need to hope you never leave home without your adapter and SD card reader.
What do you think of the new MacBook Pro? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook.
. digitalrev.com2016-10-28 03:00
