MacBook Pro

The MacBook is awesome because it has the best of the old and the new features, and comes with professional-grade Apple silicon.A very specific audience of video editors, 3D designers, and other creative professionals has been waiting for a new post-Intel, graphics-heavy Mac. Apple's two new super-powered MacBook Pro laptops are clearly aimed at that audience, with a focus on graphics capabilities. Power users now have the option of buying the expensive new product or sticking to what they are used to. Our early hands-on experience with the new product says that it is definitely worth it.

The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro is remarkably similar in design. Their component options are different, with the 16-inch being stronger. The M1 Pro and M1 Max are now available with either the M1 Pro chip or the M1 Max chip, both of which offer an improved CPU configuration. They retain the same chunky design.

The 16-inch MacBook Pro offers a desktop replacement for any professional and is worthy heir to the great 17-inch laptop. Seen in 2012. For the 14-inch MacBook Pro, you can find comparisons to its more powerful counterpart here. I break down some of the differences between them and who the audience might be.

Read our MacBook Air M1 review

Thicker and bigger

The 16-inch MacBook Pro feels noticeably heavier and slightly thicker than its older versions. It doesn't try to hide how big it actually is with design tricks like curving the edges. This angular design is perfect for any modern user. The thicker sides offer more ports, while the rubber 'feet' on the bottom add style and function. It's also a bit heavier than most, but that just adds to its retro feel.It's hard to say which topic is more important. To be certain, the new M1 Pro and M1 Max chips are what many creative pros have been waiting for. These new chips have been a long time coming and it's a relief to finally see more choice in the industry. We're really excited about the video editing possibilities this new laptop brings with its strong Intel processor and excellent AMD graphics.

Along with a starting price of $2,500 for the 16-inch model and $2,000 for the 14-inch, you'll need to make sure there is a strong business justification as well as get approval from whoever is financing the purchase.Playing the best hits

It sure looks like everything is coming back in style. I'm happy that these classic features are returning, especially the HDMI port and SD card slot which are both usefulIf you've followed the progression of Apple products over time, you know nothing is permanent when it comes to ports. Apple has never displayed an intent to remove ports in any of their previous products.

It's as if Apple designers went through all the feedback they've had for years, cherrypicked everyone's top requests and produced a product that embodies those requests. It has been reported some people wanted the mini-DisplayPort to return and DVI support, but Apple's design team would like to apologize to those people.
When the MacBook Pro released in 2006, I was one of the first people who wrote a review. The original Pro cost about the same and had 3 USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire 400 & 800 port, an ExpressCard slot, and a DVI port. It wasn't until the first Retina MacBook Pro, which I reviewed in 2012, that HDMI first made its way to a MacBook. However, it disappeared a few years after that when Apple went for USB-C on new models starting with the 12-inch MacBook. The SD card slot similarly came and went over the yearsPeople are hoping to get more of an HDMI input. It's good to be future-forward, but even today, HDMI remains useful - even if it is turning into a legacy port. That's also why we stuck with VGA ports for laptops for so long, even when they should have gone extinct. Many people have older or legacy devices, such as printers, projectors, and displays, and would like to be able to plug them in with a cable common enough that you might find one buried in the back of a drawer. In a pinch I might be able to find an HDMI cable somewhere or steal one from a game console. In contrast, USB-C dongles are less common and I'd have better luck finding a DVI-to-VGA converter.
The Touch Bar