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Source: Bryan M. Wolfe / iMore
Note: This post has been updated to reflect the arrival of the 2022 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air (2022).
In 2016, Apple introduced a radically redesigned MacBook Pro that featured a butterfly keyboard and OLED Touch Bar. It also shipped with only USB-C ports for the first time. Unfortunately, that year's model, and those through 2020, also saw the removal of the iconic MagSafe charging port and backlit Apple logo. Though it remained the choice for many buyers by default, the fourth-generation MacBook Pro wasn't always well received.
Five years later, Apple finally listened to users and announced a MacBook Pro that looks and feels like ... a MacBook Pro. The 2021 14-inch MacBook Pro and second-generation 16-inch MacBook Pro are gems that reintroduce familiar favorites while embracing new technology. The result is a solid machine that's the best Mac to date of the Apple silicon era. Is it for you? That largely depends on your needs and pocketbook size.
Bottom line: Familiar, yet oh-so new, the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro checks most of the boxes. Unfortunately, it's not a cheap buy, although discounts are finally showing up.
Apple offers two pre-configured 14-inch MacBook Pro models and three 16-inch models. These laptops are available at Apple and third-party retailers like Best Buy and Amazon. However, you'll need to order your computer through the Apple website if you want a custom-built version. Unfortunately, even months after they launched, both MacBook Pro models are difficult to purchase due to ongoing supply issues, with ship dates for some configurations exceeding six weeks in some cases.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,999. You're correct if that number sounds even higher than usual for the MacBook Pro. The recently introduced 2022 13-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,299. That $700 difference can't be overlooked, although there are clear differences between the 13-inch and 14-inch models for most people will make buying the larger one worth it.
Months after the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro arrived, some discounted prices are now showing up at third-party retailers such as Best Buy and Amazon. However, when they do pop up, these discounts aren't around for long.
You get 16GB of unified memory and 512GB of SSD storage on the cheapest 14- and 16-inch models. Both include the M1 Pro system-on-a-chip (SoC). Doubling the memory and storage on the 14-inch model increases the price to $2,599, while the same jump on the 16-inch model will cost $3,099. If you want the least expensive M1 Max version, you'll pay $3,099 and $3,499 for the 14-inch and 16-inch versions, respectively.
What's the most you can spend on the 16-inch model? One with an Apple M1 Max chip with a 10-core CPU, 32-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine, 64GB unified memory, and 8TB SSD storage will set you back $6,099.
Source: iMore (13-inch vs. 14-inch MacBook Pro)
For months, we've heard Apple was finally going to move beyond the 13-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. The 14-inch version, officially measuring 14.2-inches, provides an excellent middle ground, although it's a shame the company didn't reconsider and offer a 15-inch like it did in the past.
Some reviewers have argued there's not much of an overall size difference between the 13-inch and 14-inch models. This is true only with the height, which is 0.61-inches on both models. Beyond this, there's no denying the 14-inch model provides a much larger screen area than the smaller model. There's also the weight difference. You can feel the 1/2 pound difference between the models, although the increased depth and width are less noticeable.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro measures 12.31 x 8.71 x 0.61 inches compared to the 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.61 inches found on the 13-inch model. The 2021 16-inch model is 14.01 x 9.77 x 0.66 inches.
Once you move beyond size and weight, the 2021 MacBook Pros are noted for having slimmer bezels. It's a considerable improvement and (finally) allows the product lineup to match the look found on competitor products.
The slimmer bezel has led to a somewhat controversial change. For the first time, the MacBook Pro has a notch like the modern iPhone series before it. Naturally, not every would-be buyer will accept the MacBook Pro notch. And yet, during my initial testing, it didn't bother me. After months of daily use, I still feel the same way. This feeling has to do with how macOS Monterey and MacOS Ventura handle it. Many apps (but not all) adapt to the notch to make it less noticeable. Better still, a free third-party solution, TopNotch, hides it completely.
My favorite returning port is MagSafe. Like previous iterations, MagSafe has been designed so that a charging cable can pull away safely when it's accidentally tugged too hard.
Though some might not like the look, the notch has many more positives than negatives. The menu bar is higher on the screen because of the reduced bezels, giving apps more room below. And thanks to design trickery, the notch goes away whenever you view a full-screen video or use full-screen mode.
What's most concerning about the notch isn't the look but whether it's even necessary. Unfortunately, the two reasons for having the notch on the iPhone, Face ID, and the TrueDepth camera, aren't present here. Regardless, we still get a better camera system with a 1080p resolution and a larger sensor (see below).
Apple finally put the unloved Touch Bar out of its misery by excluding it from the 2021 MacBook Pro. Instead, full-size physical function keys that include keyboard shortcuts have replaced the OLED strip on the top row of the keyboard. To the right, you'll still find a Touch ID button. It's much bigger than those on previous models. The Touch ID is black with no backlighting, which tends to be frustrating at night in a dark room. It also serves as a power button.
Beyond the function key row and redesigned Touch ID, the rest of the MacBook Pro's Magic keyboard is similar to those found on more recent models. These keyboards finally did away with the controversial butterfly mechanism and now use a scissor-switch arrangement. The resulting input feels solid and natural, as it should be on a laptop. The Force Touch trackpad also remains the same and works as expected.
You might have heard the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro have multiple ports! The two models include three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, which you can use for charging, a DisplayPort, and Thunderbolt 4 (up to 40Gb/s). There's also an HDMI port and SDXC card slot. Best of all, the laptops have a MagSafe 3 port for charging purposes. And yes, Apple has kept the 3.5mm headphone jack, which is now on the laptop's left side.
My favorite returning port is MagSafe. Like previous iterations, MagSafe has been designed so that a charging cable can pull away safely when it's accidentally tugged too hard. It's a feature unique to MacBook Pro, and one Apple should have never removed (MagSafe also includes the familiar charging indicator light!).
Source: Bryan M. Wolfe / iMore
Including these ports, seven in all is only significant because Apple decided to remove most of them a half-decade ago. Now that they're back, we can finally ditch one of the best USB-C hubs or other dongles and feel once again like we're using a pro device.
Apple hasn't gone completely Back to the Future on us as a backlit Apple logo remains MIA. However, the logo is more prominent. And, in an attractive design move, the words MacBook Pro are now embedded on the bottom of the device.
Now would have been the perfect time for Apple to introduce a third color choice on the MacBook Pro. Unfortunately, it did not. You can still only purchase the product in silver and space gray, regardless of the size.
For months, the Apple rumor mill suggested the 2021 MacBook Pro would receive either an "M1X" or "M2" SoC. In reality, the company announced two new Apple silicon products, the M1 Pro and M1 Max.
The first Apple silicon, the M1, announced in 2020, was already an impressive piece of hardware and lives on in the 13-inch MacBook Pro and other devices. The M1 Pro and M1 Max each build off the M1 to make a great product even better.
The M1 Pro, which is in my 14-inch MacBook Pro review unit, has a dual-chip architecture that will support up to 32GB of unified memory and a bandwidth of 200GB/s. This is three times the bandwidth found on the M1. In addition, the M1 Pro offers up to a 10-core CPU with eight performance cores and two efficiency cores, up to a 16-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. The M1 Max also includes a 10-core CPU. However, you also get up to 32-core GPU, 64GB of unified memory, and 400GB/s memory bandwidth.
The translation? The M1 Pro and M1 Max are blazing fast and, in many respects, too powerful for most Pro customers. And yet, it's still great to see Apple push things to these levels for those who need these types of resources on a Mac laptop.
The Apple M1 Pro and M1 Max are why things run so smoothly and snappy on the 2021 MacBook Pro. And yet, the look of everything pops even further thanks to the Liquid Retina XDR display.
With ProMotion technology for adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz, the 2021 MacBook Pro never takes a breath when doing basic tasks. When web browsing, for example, scrolling up and down a page is fast and smooth. This seamless movement is duplicated in word processing and spreadsheet apps and when watching videos on iTunes, Apple TV+, and YouTube.
Of course, a MacBook Pro is expected to do much more than basic computing. These machines are most often used for photography, video, or other professional-grade creative work. From Cinema 4D to Final Cut Pro to Adobe Photoshop, there was nothing my entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro couldn't handle, proving that real creative experts will also have no problems, especially with even better specs. The laptop also exceeds when performing music-related tasks with apps like Logic Pro.
Source: Bryan M. Wolfe / iMore
The Apple M1 Pro and M1 Max are why things run so smoothly and snappy on the 2021 MacBook Pro. And yet, the look of everything pops even further thanks to the Liquid Retina XDR display. The display is gorgeous, with the 3024-by-1964 native resolution at 254 pixels per inch on the 14-inch model and the 3456-by-2234 native resolution at 254 pixels per inch on the 16-inch version. And thanks to the up to 1000 nits sustained (full-screen) brightness and 1600 nits peak brightness, the display is impressive no matter the time of day.
Most rate the strength of a laptop battery by how long it works between charges. Another variant is determining how big a performance hit there is when moving between A/C to battery power. Apple silicon has positively affected both of these measurements on this year's MacBook Pro, although it's more noticeable on the larger of the two models.
The 16-inch MacBook Pro offers 21 hours of battery life compared to the paltry 11 hours between charges on the Intel-based 2019 model. By contrast, the 14-inch version offers 17 hours of video playback versus the 13-inch MacBook Pro's 20 hours.
Seventeen hours is nothing to sneeze at, especially considering the final Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Pro only offered 10 hours between charges. And yet, it's somewhat a surprise the bigger version provides better battery life.
No worries, however. Remember the MagSafe 3? It provides fast charging, where 30 minutes is all you need to gain 50% of battery life. To achieve this, owners of the base 14-inch model will need to purchase a 96W-or-higher charger, which is $20 more than the 67W USB-C Power Adapter that comes with this variant. (It's $79 when purchased separately.) The 16-inch model comes with a 140W USB-C Power Adapter.
As with all laptops, these numbers are only estimates and might not get matched in real-world environments. I didn't specifically clock battery life on my 14-inch unit. However, I did recognize it wasn't that often when charging was necessary. And even then, the charging time was minimal.
And that performance hit between A/C and battery power? It was non-existent, which is remarkable and something Apple should tout more often.
Video calls are no longer something exclusive to business meetings. Apple understands this, so it added the consumer-geared SharePlay feature on FaceTime. On the hardware side, it is also making moves. For the first time, the MacBook Pro has a 1080p webcam after being stuck with 720p for many years. In addition, the camera is extra special since it uses a wider aperture that lets in more light. There's also a large image sensor that delivers better performance than previously.
The speakers provide 80% more bass, featuring force-canceling woofers, while the high-performance tweeters offer more precise, fuller vocals.
Apple has also added three studio-quality mics that pick up more sounds. The three-mic array uses directional beamforming, making your voice clearer and louder. The 2021 MacBook Pro also includes a six-speaker sound system. The speakers provide 80% more bass, featuring force-canceling woofers, while the high-performance tweeters offer more precise, fuller vocals. The impressive sounds are most noticeable when using spatial audio, something Apple's been pushing hard across many devices and headphones.
All these changes are welcome, especially regarding the webcam and mic. Because headphones are often necessary for many situations, manufacturers and users often see laptop speakers as an afterthought. So Apple's decision to push the speakers on these MacBook Pros to new levels is respectable. However, it's not a reason to select one laptop over another.
While testing the MacBook Pro, I jotted down a few points that didn't fall into the other sections but are still important. Among these:
No doubt, a lot will be written about whether the steep price difference between the 2021 14-inch and 2022 13-inch MacBook Pro is justified. For many, the answer might be a resounding no. However, the well-received 13-inch MacBook Pro still has a lot going for it, starting with its all-new M2 SoC, which continues to do circles around most Intel-based chips. It would be best if you also considered the 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro, which remains on the market at some retailers, often on sale.
Before choosing, check out the differences between the 13-inch and 14-inch MacBook Pros. And if possible, visit an Apple store and look at them side by side.
If you want the 16-inch MacBook Pro, there's no competition — unless you've decided to ditch macOS for Windows 11. If that's the case, you probably stopped reading this review many lines ago.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro in my household has stood the test of time after nearly six months. Each day, it's being used for about 16 hours and I rarely have to recharge it during that time, although that depends on what I'm doing. As a long-time strong proponent of Touch Bar, I can't say the feature is missed. The more traditional keyboard gets the job done but the black keys seem to be a magnet for dirt and grime — however that says more about me than the keyboard itself.
Overall, I'm very happy with the computer and can't recommend it highly enough. If you've been holding off making a purchase, now could be the perfect time since it's often on sale at third-party retailers, especially around key holiday shopping periods. Although if you can snag one given the continued supply issues, consider yourself very lucky.
Source: Bryan M. Wolfe / iMore
The 2021 MacBook Pro is the best Mac on the market because of its impressive display, advanced internals, and other improvements. If you want the best, here it is; decide which display size is right for you.
The M1 Pro and M1 Max build upon the already impressive M1 and are more powerful than the next-generation M2 chip. If you're a professional creator, do your research and decide which SoC is for you. Then, buy the one with the most memory and storage you can afford.
Have dongles ruined your workflow? Then, get this laptop and never use a dongle again!
The 2021 MacBook Pro is an impressive beast, and both the 14-inch and 16-inch models are great additions to Apple's laptop lineup. .
At $1,999 for the least expensive 2021 MacBook Pro, these are not inexpensive machines. Luckily, short of being a creative who needs the raw power the M1 Pro and M1 Max can provide, you can spend less for a still impressive MacBook Pro.
In 2022, Apple introduced a new 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. Both feature the Apple M2 chip. So if you live in a work world that doesn't go beyond spreadsheets, Word documents, and web browsing, consider one of those machines instead.
People love colorful Apple products such as the current iPad Air, iPad mini, 24-inch iMac, and iPhone 13 show. So if you have grown tired of silver and space gray, and don't need a Pro device, consider the 2022 MacBook Air. It comes in silver, Space Gray, Midnight (blue), and Starlight.
The 14- and 16-inch models are overkill for most folks, especially when a less expensive Pro model is also available. Regardless, for the first time in many years, Apple has put the Pro back in MacBook Pro, and that's important to creatives of all types that finally have a laptop with the power to do great things.
With the arrival of the M2 chip in this year's new 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, it's likely Apple will soon refresh the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. These models will surely include "M2 Pro" and "M2 Max" chips that will score higher benchmarks than the M1 Pro and M1 Max, respectively.
If you can hold off on making a purchase, stick around until October or November to see if Apple announces new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. If they won't arrive by then, it's likely the current models won't get replaced until mid-2023 at the earliest.
The 2021 MacBook Pro lineup is an impressive beast, and the 14-inch and 16-inch models are great additions to Apple's laptop lineup. These MacBook Pro models pack a punch on multiple fronts, starting with the M1 Pro and M1 Max SoC and continuing with the Liquid Retina XDR display. And because it includes long-retired ports, including MagSafe, it feels like a MacBook Pro, as it should.
Source: iMore (13-inchvs. 14-inch MacBook Pro), iMore, and Bryan M. Wolfe / iMore
Bottom line: Professionals should open their wallets and purchase a 2021 MacBook Pro. Others might want to pause and consider the 13-inch MacBook Pro or 2022 MacBook Air.
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Bryan Wolfe (@bryanmwolfe) has written about technology for over a decade on various websites. Before this, he worked in the technology field across different industries, including healthcare and education. He currently works as iMore’s lead on all things Mac and macOS, although he also covers iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Bryan enjoys watching his favorite sports teams, traveling, and carting around his teenage daughter to her latest stage show, audition, or school event in his spare time. He also keeps busy walking his black and white cocker spaniel, Izzy, and trying new coffees and liquid grapes.