With the late 2016 Touch Bar model, the 15.4-inch MacBook Pro has evolved into one of the most portable 15-inch laptops on the planet. What else makes it worth the $2,399 starting price -- or not? Read on.
I wasn't a big fan of big-screen laptops until I started using the Dell XPS 15 (early 2016) last year. Then it quickly began to vie with my 2-pound 12-inch Retina MacBook as my main machine. Needless to say, the two couldn't be more different but I liked the quad-core speed of the XPS 15 and its 15.6-inch 4K Ultra HD 3,840-by-2,160 display. And with a 84WHr battery, it lasts a long time between charges.
But enough about the XPS 15. The point is it primed me for Apple's newest 15-inch MacBook Pro. (Note that this isn't a comprehensive review. I plan to do that later after I spend more time with the MBP.)
What I like:
Performance: I wish smaller laptops came with quad-core processors (thermals and price usually make this prohibitive). Four is faster than two. In short, there's little that can slow down a quad-core i7, 16GB of memory, and a fast SSD. If I have 20 open Chrome tabs, a photo editor, Microsoft Office 365, and a CMS app running (among other things), nothing slows down. At least not enough for me to notice. That's not the case for mainstream laptops with a dual-core i5, 8GB RAM, and a so-so SSD. So, all that performance in the MBP 15 makes a difference and improves my workflow. And it's addictive.
That said, if you're a super speed junkie, the MBP 15 is not the fastest quad-core laptop on the planet because of Apple's bias toward thinness, as this review at MobileTechReview points out. That applies to the adoption of AMD's Polaris GPUs too (the Radeon 450, 455 and 460). Those power-efficient GPUs were chosen by Apple because they can be squeezed into the MBP 15's 15.5 mm-thin chassis.
Portability: This is really important to me (thus my partiality for the 12-inch MacBook). Right now, I don't see any high-quality 15.4-inch laptops out there that are easier to grab and go than the MacBook Pro 15 Touch Bar. It slips easily into my backpack and while the extra 2 pounds (compared to my 12-inch MacBook) is certainly noticeable, it doesn't feel like a dead weight. I've been toting the new MBP 15 around for a while now and it makes the cut as a tote-friendly laptop (I set a pretty high bar considering my benchmark is the 12-inch MacBook).
Audio: This makes the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar a keeper (for me). I tested the speakers on the 13-inch MBP Touch Bar against the 15: the 15 beats the 13 by a long shot. I'm not an audiophile but the bass and clarity made it a joy to listen to and obviate the need for external speakers.
Touch Bar: a lot of digital ink has been spilled over this feature so I won't devote much space to this. Suffice to say, it has utility (I like the Touch ID) and oodles of potential. Let me put it this way: initially I was a proponent of touch-screen Windows laptops. But I found that I never used the touch screen. However, I do use the Touch Bar -- a lot. I like the easy access at the top of the keyboard. This is a stroke of Apple genius, in my opinion. It is not a gimmick.
Keyboard: Big thumbs up. I'm probably in a smallish minority when I say I like Apple's Butterfly keyboard. I like it on the 12-inch MacBook and like it even more on the MBP 15. It feels like the MBP keys have a bit more travel than the 12-inch MacBook. And like the 12-incher, the keys are extra big, allowing me to type with a high degree of accuracy. That said, keyboards are a very subjective thing. Some will hate the Butterfly keyboard but I suspect most will acclimate to it quickly.
What I don't like:
Price: the $2,399 (that's over $2,500 with tax) starting price is a non-starter for a large segment of the laptop-buying public. They see the price and move on. They move on to 2-in-1's like the HP Spectre X360, which can be had for about half the price with robust specs, including a very-high-resolution display. I've said this before and it bears repeating: don't buy the Touch Bar MBPs unless you can find a deal. Best Buy has been selling both the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro Touch Bar at $100-$200 discounts regularly. If you can snag a $150 or $200 discount, it's worth it.
No MagSafe: I miss MagSafe! I wish Apple could come up with a USB Type C MagSafe-style connector. USB-C is not plug-in friendly.
Undecided:
Battery life: I haven't maxed out the battery life yet (and I'm usually mobile). But I have noticed that if I keep the display above 75% brightness, it can run down pretty quickly. So, if I go to a Starbucks and work for 3 hours, I typically return with about 65% left on the meter. Again, that's with the brightness turned up. I could probably get the meter closer to 80-85% remaining if I turned down the brightness. Whatever the case, large, high-resolution displays are big energy hogs. That's a given.
Conclusion:
Is it worth it? Yes, if you can get a discount (decent discounts aren't hard to find, though you have to be vigilant and have some patience). I believe Apple still makes the best laptops on the planet and the MBP 15 Touch Bar is the pinnacle of Apple's MacBook line.
Reviewed: $2,399 MacBook Pro (15.4-inch) with Touch Bar.
