While the display remains a 13.3-inch scale as before, it's now a True Tone display. We have two 2017 models on the Pocket-lint team – one has had its keyboard replaced and the other has had several keys re-seated. The older model had problems including keys not responding, which has led to a recall for some older models.
The trackpad in the 2018 MacBook Pro is the familiar Force Touch unit, while as we mentioned the keyboard is new. It is quite a bit less clicky than the 2017 version – which will be a relief for train travellers. From our point of view the main problem has been using SD cards so we've got a Transcend USB-C card reader that also has an old-style USB-A port for good measure. It may seem like an issue, but the ThunderBolt/USB-C issue is actually future-proofing. We remember when Apple went to USB with the iMac and when it removed the optical drive: we whinged, but we adapted, as did everyone else. While you can buy these from Apple at great expense, they are available from various third-parties too. But if you're used to plugging in no end of different devices to your laptop then you'll need to invest in a bevy of dongles to solve your connection problems. The lack of standard USB connections only becomes a problem when you need to connect something – which for the most part, so goes Apple's reasoning, is that you won't. Naturally, you have to end up relying on dongles – usually some kind of USB hub – for connecting your various devices. The 13-inch models without the Touch Bar only have two ports – and by the time you're using one for power, just one additional port is not really enough at this 'Pro' end of the market. All the Touch Bar Macs have four USB-C ports, which is at least an acceptable amount. The 13-incher weighs 1.3kg – so it's certainly not in the category of super-light, like a recent 2-in-1, but you really don't notice carrying it around in a bag that much.Īnd yes, it's USB-C that rules the roost here. That sees the MacBook Pro following in the footsteps of the 2015 MacBook, which also did away with its conventional ports in favour of a single USB-C port (we've long wished it had at least one more). So there is no USB-A, SD card slot, DisplayPort, MagSafe power adapter. The chassis of the MacBook Pro is unchanged from 2017. Available in grey or the traditional silver, the latest generation design consists of a 14.9mm thick chassis that dispenses with all traditional ports – save for the 3.5mm headphone jack and USB-C for connectivity and power. Squirrel_widget_148332 Design & Connections No discrete graphics option for 13in model Lack of ports (it's USB-C only).Does this power boost make the 2018 MacBook worth its not inconsiderable asking price? The biggest upgrades really come in the internals, as both MacBook Pro sizes – the 13-inch on review here, but also the 15-inch – come equipped with Coffee Lake 8th-gen Intel Core i processors.
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So what do you get extra? Well, there's a new keyboard, plus a T2 security chip that encrypts the data on your SSD among other tasks (as first seen inside the awesome iMac Pro). The 2018 MacBook Pro modifications are definitely worth having when you consider that pricing is set at the same level as the 2017 versions.