Apple’s recent revamp of its MacBook lineup makes it a lot easier to understand the target audiences for Apple’s laptops. And with the release of the new 13-inch 1.4GHz Core i5 MacBook Pro, Apple also made it easier to pick a 13-inch model.
It’s easier now because you don’t have to decide if you’re willing to sacrifice any features when picking an entry-level model over the higher-end ones. Before the newly-updated base model was released, there was a division within the four 13-inch models. Apple offered two entry-level models without the Touch Bar, and two high-end models with it. (The entry-level models were missing some other features, as well, but the main missing feature was the Touch Bar). So when it came down to picking a 13-inch MacBook Pro, you had to consider whether you were willing to give up some features for the lower price.
The Touch Bar-less models are no more—they now have the Touch Bar and those other missing features at the same prices as before. Now, it basically comes down to processor speed, storage capacity, and price.
Apple last updated the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro in 2017. If you have an older MacBook and have been holding out on an upgrade because you’ve been waiting to see what Apple does with these models, you won’t be disappointed—unless you really don’t care for the Touch Bar. The new 13-inch 1.4GHz Core i5 MacBook Pro offers an attractive performance boost over its predecessor, especially with software that takes advantage of multiple processor cores. Combine the performance and the new features, and you have a laptop that now feels like a true member of the MacBook Pro family.
Introducing the Touch Bar
Apple introduced the world to the Touch Bar in the 2016 MacBook Pro, but left it off the two most affordable 13-inch models. In case you’re not familiar with the Touch Bar, it’s a strip of touchscreen that replaces the top row of Function keys you find on a typical keyboard.
Introducing the Touch Bar
Apple introduced the world to the Touch Bar in the 2016 MacBook Pro, but left it off the two most affordable 13-inch models. In case you’re not familiar with the Touch Bar, it’s a strip of touchscreen that replaces the top row of Function keys you find on a typical keyboard.
One of differences between Apple’s two laptop lines: the MacBook Pro (left) has the Touch Bar, while the MacBook Air (right) has Function keys.
I don’t find the Touch Bar to be the UI innovation it’s touted to be. But perhaps the opposite is true for you; maybe you love it, or if you haven’t used the Touch Bar before, will discover that your love it.
Touch ID and T2
Besides the Touch Bar, the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro now has Touch ID, a fingerprint sensor located on the right end of the Touch Bar. It was already available on the other MacBook Pro models, even the MacBook Air.
If you’ve used Touch ID on the iPhone or iPad, then you’ll be right at home with Touch ID on the Mac. You can use it whenever you need to enter a password, like when you’re logging back into your Mac after putting it to sleep, when you’re shopping online, or when you Mac asks you to authorize a change. (When you first log into your Mac after turning it on, you’re required to type in your password. After that, you can use Touch ID for the rest of that use cycle, until you shut down your Mac.)
When Touch ID first became available on the Mac, I didn’t think much of it. I use a password manager and quickly access it though a menu bar icon. Most of the time, this is a fast, easy way to access and enter passwords when needed. But the more I used Touch ID on the Mac, the more I have come to appreciate it. For example, when logging into a website, clicking on the username box triggers a pop-up that shows the recorded user names that are logged into Keychain. If there’s a fingerprint icon, you can use Touch ID. Press the Touch ID button, and you’re in. It’s a more efficient way than using my password manager—it’s only saving a few seconds, sure, but it’s very satisfying.
Touch ID makes it much easier to log into places where a password is required.
Touch ID is managed by the T2 coprocessor, which provides a secure enclave for your fingerprint data, and also handles several other security features. The T2 handles disk encryption, and support’s Apple’s Secure Boot feature, which checks to make sure you are running a legitimate, trusted Mac or Microsoft Windows operating system. The T2 also handles the image processing of the MacBook Pro’s built-in FaceTime HD camera, which is still at a disappointing 720p resolution.
Keyboard and Thunderbolt 3
The new MacBook Pro sports the third-generation butterfly-switch keyboard that’s found in the other MacBook Pros and the MacBook Air. This version of the keyboard has a silicone membrane to help keep dust out and to help dampen the sound the keys make as you type.
The third-generation version is an improvement, as least when it comes to noise suppression. It’s not as loud as the previous keyboard—but it’s still very loud, which tells you the previous keyboard was really loud. I never had mechanical problems with the previous keyboard, so I can’t definitively say that the third-generation is better in this regard. But there have been numerous reports of keyboard problems, and while Apple has said that a vast majority of its customers enjoy the butterfly keyboard, the company does have a Keyboard Service Program that will replace the keyboard for free if a laptop is eligible. (Yes, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro is included in the eligibility list.)
My main problem with the keyboard (besides the noise) is that it’s uncomfortable to type on. There’s not enough key travel for my liking and it feels like I’m banging my fingers on a hard table. Sometimes my knuckles are a little sore after extended use. There’s something about the key spacing that doesn’t work for me, either. I make more typos using this keyboard than I do with other keyboards.
Rumors have been floating around that Apple may be developing a new scissor-switch keyboard for MacBooks in the near future. So if you want to take a wait-and-see approach towards a new laptop with a keyboard change, you’ll have to wait a while.
https://www.macworld.com/article/3409150/2019-13-inch-core-i5-macbook-pro-review.html