The 15-inch MacBook Pro is Apple’s largest and most potent laptop till date. One good thing about this laptop that is lacking in its smaller 13-inch sibling is the improved battery life (especially when you consider the larger screen size).
While Apple is yet to announce this year’s edition of the MacBook Pro, we decided to look at last year’s version and how exciting it was, and still is.
Design
Design-wise, nothing much has really changed since the last MacBook Pro. Much like 2016’s iteration, last year’s MacBook Pro retains the metal-clad body – made mostly of aluminum. In addition, there is still the Touch Bar that was first introduced in 2016.
Typical of Apple’s devices is the aesthetically pleasing build of this laptop. Despite the power that it packs, it is still very thin and light, leaving little to ask for. Almost everything on this laptop is praise-worthy. For starters, the keyboard is really flat, the touchpad screams “Premium”, and the screen is just something else.
Display
Next on is the display. As with every other Apple device with a display, the 2017 MacBook Pro has a crisp and bright Retina display; the 2880 x 1800 pixels display is just wonderful. And as stated previously, the screen size is 15-inches (diagonally).
Keyboard and Force Touch Trackpad
Improvements have been made on both the trackpad and the keyboard. The keyboard is really flat but still robust and responsive for good typing.
The touchpad area has been increased and is still as accurate as ever – if not better. It has great response and wonderful support for multi-finger gesture control.
Touch Bar and Touch ID
The same Touch Bar found on the 13-inch model is present on this larger one. Through this Touch Bar, users can quickly control the screen brightness as well as volume level of the MacBook Pro.
The Touch ID on the other hand, is a biometric solution for securely using the MacBook. While this has been present on the iPhones for long, this is only the second year of its introduction on Apple’s laptops.
Performance
Apple’s high-end laptops always come with the best in terms of processors. To attest to this fact, a seventh generation Intel CPU is used; a Core i7-7820HQ that is clocked at 2.9GHz. This processor is paired with either an Intel HD Graphics 630 or AMD’s Radeon Pro 560 GPU (with 4GB of VRAM). In contrast, the 13-inch version shipped with a Core i5 CPU and has only one option for a GPU – an integrated Intel GPU.
A 16GB DDR3 RAM clocked at 2133MHz is also on board as well as a 512GB SSD. This is an improvement over the 8GB RAM that we saw in the 13-inch MacBook Pro. Coming to the software, Apple’s proprietary macOS is pre-installed with the revision being 10.12.5 codenamed Sierra.
Battery Life
Moving on, the battery on this 15-inch version of the MacBook Pro is inspiring as it has been greatly improved. Apple claims that the 76Whr Li-Po battery can last for up to 10 hours maximum.
Connectivity Options
Just like the 13-inch version of this laptop, there are only USB type-C ports on this laptop. While this is great given the fact that we’re moving towards that line; it is somehow limiting as you’d need an adapter for connecting non-compatible USB type-C devices.
Nonetheless, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity are still included for wireless connections.
Pricing and Availability
Starting at $2400, the standard 256GB model can be yours while the more spacious 512GB model goes for $2800. Whichever variant you decide to choose, you can get them both online and offline.
Specs at a Glance
| Screen Size | 15-inches |
| Maximum Screen Resolution | 2880 x 1800 pixels |
| RAM | 16GB DDR3 |
| Internal Storage | 256GB SSD/512GB SSSD |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-7820HQ |
| Operating System | macOS 10.12.5 High Sierra |
| Dimensions | 349.3 x 240.7 x 15.5 |
| Weight | 1.83 kg |
Conclusion
With one of the thinnest and lightest builds ever, this laptop is the best MacBook that has ever been released by Apple and is job-ready for professionals seeking for that powerful laptop. However, you are limited to Apple’s in-house macOS and the huge price that comes with every of their device.
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