The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Now it even has an escape button: a night with the new MacBook Pro

2019-11-13T13:40:52.727Z


Now it even has an escape key: With its new MacBook Pro, Apple wants to make everything better, the screen, the performance - and above all the keyboard. We tried it before the sales start.



To clarify the same: This is not a test report. There simply was not enough time for that. When this report is released, just about 16 hours have passed since an Apple employee in New York handed me a copy of the new 16-inch MacBook Pro for testing. This is much better than just reading data from a press release. But it is not enough for more than a first impression.

In any case, the procedure with which Apple has announced the most important upgrade of its noble notebooks for years, unusual. Instead of hosting a keynote address in Cupertino, the corporation invited some journalists and influencers to New York, where, like me, they presented the new model and handed it over for a night of testing.

So important as an iPhone, Apple is apparently not his new notebook. But just not unimportant enough to just announce it by press release. Media professionals, photographers, musicians and filmmakers, for whom the new notebook is touted, are traditionally courted by the group.

photo gallery


15 pictures

First impression: This is Apple's MacBook Pro 16 inches

That also announced in June supercomputer Mac Pro will soon be on the market, but was only mentioned in passing. It will not be launched until December as planned in autumn. By contrast, the new MacBook Pro can be ordered from today.

I typed this text on my review sample to try out what I believe to be the most important innovation, the new keyboard. Feels like the keys here much more hub than my old service MacBook. This feels softer without being wobbly. Above all, it is much quieter than the loud clacking keys of my computer, which still contains the first generation of the so-called butterfly keyboard.

As absurd as it may sound, Apple engineers have focused on the sound of the keyboard, much as some automakers have their cars engineered by sound designers. It remains to be seen how robust this construction is in everyday life. There were always problems with the previous models, because dust and grains of sand could make the keys unusable.

Matthias Kremp / Der Spiegel

That's it: The MacBook has again a physical escape key

The drive is basically Intel processors with six or eight cores. In the previous generation, there were some problems, with the heat of such chips, which throttled their performance because of too much heat just when programs demanded for extra power. Apple has mitigated this problem by software update.

But with the new model, they obviously wanted to make sure that something like that did not happen again, and reworked the cooling system for it. Larger heat sinks and improved fans should blow hot air out of the device faster. Even the arrangement of the components on the motherboard has been changed so that they are optimally circumscribed by the air flow.

In my tests, the fans actually ran almost never. In some elaborate demos that were shown to me, however, they had to blow clearly audible hot air from the devices. If you ask, the new MacBook Pro is pretty warm.

Up to eight terabytes of storage space

The graphics cards were also upgraded. They should be significantly more powerful with new graphics chips and faster memory than in previous models. As standard, four gigabytes (GB) of graphics memory are installed, for an additional charge, there are also eight gigabytes.

Matthias Kremp / Der Spiegel

Of course, games benefit from the improved graphics performance

The RAM is populated with at least 16 GB. But you can also order up to 64 GB. Only you can not retrofit memory. This also applies to the SSDs. Although they are now in the basic configuration with 512 GB and 1 terabyte (TB) twice as large as before. But those who expect to need more at some point, should immediately order a larger SSD. Retrofitting is not possible according to Apple. There are now SSDs with up to 8 TB of space on Apple's surcharge list.

More sound and more battery

The sound of the new MacBook Pro can be heard. Compared to other notebooks, including Apple, the sound is very balanced. At least you do not need external active speakers anymore, at least not on the way. The sound improvement was achieved by mounting the woofers in pairs back to back, I was told. Thus, the mechanical vibrations cancel each other, so that the housing develops less disturbing natural oscillations. The result sounds to me actually better than any other notebook that I know.

The case, which has become larger by a few millimeters in all directions because of the screen, Apple has used for larger batteries. With a capacity of 100 watt hours, they are now exactly at a limit defined by the US aviation authority FAA. If they were bigger, you should not take such a MacBook on the plane.

Apple promises, so that the MacBook Pro 16 inches will last for an hour longer without power outlet than its predecessor, so eleven hours. At least for simple tasks, such as writing this text, I consider that realistic. Comprehensive arrangements in Logic Pro X or graphically intense games like "Dirt Rally" demand much earlier for the new 96-watt power supply.

Matthias Kremp / Der Spiegel

A setup like this, with Logic Pro X, iPad Pro as an extra screen and keyboard, drains the battery very fast

Ironically, the new 16-inch screen has done little compared to its predecessor. With a magnification of 15.4 by 16 inches, the resolution moderately increased from 2880 x 1800 pixels to 3072 x 1920 pixels. The maximum brightness is still 500 nits and the color representation is the same. No question, this is an excellent display, but for such an upgrade, it could have been a bit more.

But the price has not changed: The entry-level model costs 2699 euros, so much has cost so far, the 15.4-inch MacBook Pro. In addition, memory upgrades should be cheaper than before, which is sorely needed. For storage space, Apple has traditionally demanded too high surcharges. However, exact numbers did not want to call an Apple spokesman, but from now on they should be visible in the Apple Store.

The redefinition of the notebook, which Apple fans have hoped for from a MacBook Pro with 16-inch display, has failed to do so. At first glance, the new Apple notebook is hardly distinguishable from its predecessor, the important technical innovations take place under the aluminum. Above all, the potentially much larger storage space should be able to inspire media professionals. I was particularly impressed by the new keyboard. It would be desirable if it were also incorporated into smaller and cheaper MacBooks.

Source: spiegel

All tech articles on 2019-11-13

You may like

News/Politics 2024-02-02T07:29:39.612Z
Life/Entertain 2024-02-28T16:24:39.878Z

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.