Apple’s newest version of the MacBook Pro brought with it a serious redesign of the conventional keyboard, as well as performance improvements and an up to 17 percent thinner frame in comparison to its predecessors. Three different models were debuted at the company’s October 27th event: a 13-inch version with the Touch Bar, a 15-inch version with the Touch Bar and a 13-inch version with standard, physical function keys.
MobileSyrup‘s Patrick O’Rourke got a chance to go hands on with the new laptop and snap some pictures of the long-awaited new Pros.
Here’s our first look.
The MacBook Pro 2016 marks the first redesign for the MacBook Pro line since 2012, and what many would consider the first major update to a Mac since 2015.
The key differentiator between this MacBook Pro and its predecessor is its OLED Touch Bar, which replaces conventional function keys. The Touch Bar’s functionality also change depending on the program that’s open and running in the laptop.
The new MacBook’s new Force Touch trackpad is significantly larger than current Mac trackpads and enables Force clicks, accelerators, pressure-sensitive drawing and Multi-Touch gestures.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro with physical function keys stocks a 2.0GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, while the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar stocks a 2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 and the 15-inch MacBook Pro can carry either a 2.6GHz or 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro with physical function keys has 8GB of 1866MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the TouchBar has 8GB of 2133MHz LPPDR3 onboard memory and the 15-inch MacBook Pro has 16GB of 2133MHz LPPDR3 onboard memory.
One of the features of the new Touch Bar is a Touch ID sensor that allows users to sign in, and use Apple Pay, with their fingerprint.
The laptop comes in two different colour options: Silver and Space Gray.
Another handy element of the Touch ID sensor: for laptops with multiple users, the accounts can be easily and immediately switched with just the authentication of a finger print.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro 1.37 kg (about 3 pounds), while the 15-inch laptop comes in at 1.83 kg (about 4 pounds).
The 13-inch MacBook Pro models have a 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit IPS display with 2560 x 1600 pixel native resolution at 227 ppi and the 15-inch MacBook Pro has a 15.4-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit IPS display with 2880 x 1800 pixel at 220 ppi.
The 13-inch MacBook Pros are 14.9mm thin, while the 15-inch MacBook Pro is 15.5mm thin.
The display is 67 percent brighter on the 2016 MacBook Pro than its predecessor.
The new laptops boast up to 130 percent faster graphics thanks to new graphics cards. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with physical touch buttons features the Intel Iris Graphics 540 GPU, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar features the Intel Iris Graphics 550 GPU and the 15-inch MacBook Pro comes with a Radeon Pro 450 or 455 GPU. 
The 13-inch MacBook Pro with physical buttons comes with two Thunderbolt ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack, and the two other MacBook versions come with four Thunderbolt ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Photography by Patrick O’Rourke.
Related: Canadian pricing and availability for the new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro laptops
