Apple’s new MacBook Pro lineup is now official, having been announced at its “Unleashed” event on Monday. The new professional-grade laptops introduce Apple’s latest proprietary silicon, the M1 Pro and M1 Max chipsets, as well as a design refresh, and the reintroduction of several previously staple ports and MagSafe charging.
The new MacBook Pro models are now available for preorder with the 14-inch model starting at $1,999 and the 16-inch model starting at $2,499. They will sell in silver and space gray color options and will begin shipping and be available in stores starting next Tuesday, October 25.
The new MacBook Pro models come in 14.2-inch (3024×1964 resolution) and 16.2-inch (3456×2224 resolution) options, to be exact. With thin-bezel 120Hz Liquid Retina Pro XDR displays, the rumor about their top-notch designs being similar to the iPhone turned out to be true. Both models feature 1080p resolution a FaceTime HD camera with a four-elements lens and f/4.0 aperture within their notches. Other media includes the six-speaker system, which features two tweeters and four noise-canceling woofers.
Apple also removed the Touch Bar on both models, allowing for the return of a full keyboard with a standard row of function keys, including volume, brightness, and media playback, among others. Both laptops also once again feature MagSafe 3 charging, which promises fast-charging up to 50 percent in 30 minutes. Apple is also promising 17 hours of video playback on the 14-inch model and 21 hours on the 16-inch model. Other ports returning to the MacBook Pro models include an SD card slot, an HDMI port, and three Thunderbolt 4 ports.
Hardware options for the 14-inch MacBook Pro include the M1 Pro or M1 Max chips, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to 8TB of SSD storage. Hardware options for the 16-inch MacBook Pro include the M1 Pro or M1 Max chips, 64GB of unified memory, and up to 8TB of SSD storage.
Other announcements at Apple’s Unleashed event include the introduction of its Voice Plan, in conjunction with a host of new curated playlists. Users will be able to use Siri to call up a playlist based on the mood or activity. The Voice Plan will be available for $5 per month as the new base level of Apple Music.
While the HomePod mini remains at its same $99 price point, it does get new color options, including yellow, orange, and blue, adding to the current white and space gray options.
Apple also introduced the AirPods 3 with a tipless design similar to the AirPods Pro and an IPX4 rating for both the earbuds and the charging case, wicking both sweat and water. Apple has introduced MagSafe charging support for the AirPods 3, in addition to the standard Lightning. The earbuds support up to six hours of listening time and up to 30 hours of charging time within their case. They also support Adaptive EQ and Dolby Atmos. The AirPods 3 come with a $179 price tag and are currently available for preorder. They will be available for sale Tuesday, October 26.
