At its “October 27 Mac event” in Cupertino today, Apple announced its 2016 MacBook Pro lineup (read our hands-on). There are three models to choose from, and it’s not a very easy decision to make.
Preorders begin today, and the devices will begin shipping in a few weeks. Before you decide whether you want function keys or the Touch Bar, and assuming you don’t want to take advantage of Microsoft’s offer, there are a few important tradeoffs you should know about. The tables below compare the two 13-inch base models and options for the 15-inch base model, so you can get a proper understanding of the difference before you start customizing and making upgrades.
| 13-inch | 13-inch with Touch Bar | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,499 | $1,799/$1,999 |
| Storage | 256GB | 256GB/512GB |
| Display | 13.3-inch, 2560×1600, 227 ppi | 13.3-inch, 2560×1600, 227 ppi |
| CPU | 2.0GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 | 2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Graphics 540 | Intel Iris Graphics 550 |
| Sensors | Ambient light | Ambient light, Touch ID |
| Keyboard | 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys | 64 (U.S.) or 65 (ISO) keys |
| Trackpad | Force Touch, gesture support | Force Touch, gesture support |
| Camera | 720p FaceTime HD camera | 720p FaceTime HD camera |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n | 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n |
| Bluetooth | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Ports | Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) | Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) |
| Audio | Two microphones, headphone jack | Three microphones, headphone jack |
| Battery | 54.5-watt-hour lithium-polymer | 49.2-watt-hour lithium-polymer |
| Height | 0.59 inch (1.49 cm) | 0.59 inch (1.49 cm) |
| Width | 11.97 inches (30.41 cm) | 11.97 inches (30.41 cm) |
| Depth | 8.36 inches (21.24 cm) | 8.36 inches (21.24 cm) |
| Weight | 3.02 pounds (1.37 kg) | 3.02 pounds (1.37 kg) |
| Colors | Silver, Space Gray | Silver, Space Gray |
In short, if you pay the extra $300 to go with the Touch Bar instead of function keys, you’ll get slightly better graphics, a fingerprint sensor, two more Thunderbolt ports, one more microphone, and a smaller battery in return. And, of course, the Touch Bar version can be upgraded more — not just with a bigger SSD, but also with a more powerful processor (3.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 or 3.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i7).
If you want the 15-inch model, the Touch Bar is mandatory. There’s simply no other option.
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| 15-inch with Touch Bar | |
|---|---|
| Price | $2,399/$2,799 |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB |
| Display | 15.4-inch, 2880×1800, 220 ppi |
| CPU | 2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7/2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Graphics | Radeon Pro 450/Radeon Pro 455 |
| Sensors | Ambient light, Touch ID |
| Keyboard | 64 (U.S.) or 65 (ISO) keys |
| Trackpad | Force Touch, gesture support |
| Camera | 720p FaceTime HD camera |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n |
| Bluetooth | 4.2 |
| Ports | Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) |
| Audio | Three microphones, headphone jack |
| Battery | 76.0-watt-hour lithium-polymer |
| Height | 0.61 inch (1.55 cm) |
| Width | 13.75 inches (34.93 cm) |
| Depth | 9.48 inches (24.07 cm) |
| Weight | 4.02 pounds (1.83 kg) |
| Colors | Silver, Space Gray |
For the 15-inch model, you can pay an extra $400 to get a bigger hard drive, more powerful processor, and better graphics. That’s arguably an easier decision to make.
