Apple…DO BETTER!
The long awaited update to the Macbook Pro 13″ has finally come…and it’s boring. Those looking to see what Apple did to the 15″, happen to the 13″, will be disappointed. What we got instead was a very minor incremental update to Apple’s most popular Pro lineup. The main changes being the CPU, now utilizing Intel’s 10th gen quad-core processors and new Iris Plus graphics (which seem to provide a good jump in internal graphics power, but not nearly enough to match that of a discrete GPU). And also implementing the new / old keyboard design found on the newest 16″ model. That’s pretty much it. The display is exactly the same. While already a great display, it would be nice to see more attention on implementing HDR compliant screens, something laptop manufactures seem to ignore for sheer resolution. You can however now connect this laptop to the Apple Pro XDR display, for the 3 people who own that monitor.
I would’ve also liked to see a discrete GPU option. Allowing a GPU would certainly open up the entire Macbook Pro line up to so much more versatility. I love my 16″, but I would happily sacrifice some performance for the form factor of the 13″. Unfortunately, I will not sacrifice graphics power – so having a GPU option in the 13″ would be perfect for me (and I’m sure many others). Overall, there’s stiff competition from Windows at the 13″ price range. Dell’s latest XPS 13 is cheaper & Razer’s newest Stealth comes in at $1800, but equips a 10th gen i7 (over the 13″ 10th gen i5), as well as an Nvidia GTX 1650 ti. Apple needs to step up its game in its most popular model, in order to keep people from exploring other, more valuable options.