Check out the differences (and similarities) between 16 and 15 inch MacBooks Pro

The new 16-inch MacBook Pro is already with us with its “new-old” keyboard and some other news. Now, it’s time to do our good old comparison article and put Apple’s most expensive new laptop face to face with its direct predecessor: the (dead) 15-inch MacBook Pro.

Therefore, let us go through the main differences – and similarities – between them.

Larger screen and body

Comparison between 15 and 16 inch MacBooks Pro

The first difference is in the device name itself: the new MacBook Pro has a slightly larger screen than its predecessor – strictly speaking, 0.6 inch bigger, since the old model had a 15.4 inch panel.

The increase in size also gave a leap in resolution, which is now 3072 Ă— 1920 pixels (against 2880 Ă— 1800 pixels previously), and at the rate of pixels per inch (226 against 220). Otherwise, the panels are the same: LCD, wide color tone (P3), True Tone technology and 500 nits maximum brightness.

The computer’s body has also increased – although less than you’d expect, as the screen now has thinner edges. The increment is less than 1cm in width and depth, 0.7mm in thickness and just under 200g in weight. Check it out:

  • 16-inch MacBook Pro: 35.79 Ă— 24.59 Ă— 1.62cm; 2.0kg
  • 15-inch MacBook Pro: 34.93 Ă— 24.07 Ă— 1.55cm; 1.83kg

For a more visual comparison, the YouTuber iJustine has already tried to put the two models side by side – check out the video below, after four minutes.

New keyboard

The new MacBook Pro, as you may have heard out there, has a new keyboard type – which, in fact, is not that new.

16-inch MacBook Pro

This is nothing new for anyone who followed the MacMagazine in the last few months, but still here’s a little recap: starting on the (now-finished) 12-inch MacBook, Apple replaced its traditional keyboards with the so-called scissor mechanism, by different models, with the so-called butterfly mechanism. If you’ve touched a recent MacBook, you know the difference: these keyboards are much thinner and flatter, with keys that “travel” a lot less and have a different, drier feel.

There are those who like it and those who hate the novelty, but the fact is that the butterfly keyboards have not lived a very peaceful life: in addition to the mixed reception, they have faced several reliability problems over the last few years involving the entry of dust and keys that crash or register double rings. Apple improved the mechanism over time and created an exchange program for all MacBooks with this type of keyboard, but dissatisfaction continued.

So the new MacBook Pro back to the old scissor mechanism – although not exactly the way older notebooks do. The keys here are still thinner and tactile, but travel more when pressed and are quieter. Apple also believes that it has solved the reliability problems of the components, since the new computer does not enter the exchange program mentioned in the previous paragraph. And, according to Apple, you can repair keys individually on the machine without having to change the top case MacBook Pro (Rafa, this is for you!).

16-inch MacBook Pro keyboard

Another notable difference in the new MacBook Pro is the around the Esc key – in the old models with Touch Bar, the key had been replaced by a virtual button, which seriously disliked advanced users. Now, the key is back, to the left of the bar; on the other side, the Touch ID button is now separated from the Touch Bar (just like on recent MacBooks Air).

Finally, we have here the return to old layout on arrow keys – now, they all have the same height, as in the old models. On butterfly keyboards, the side keys were larger, “filling” the empty space but creating problems of tactility.

Processors unchanged

Although the 16 ″ MacBook Pro represents a completely new generation for Apple’s professional computers, there are not many differences here in terms of processing power, as we have seen in this article.

Both options for sale feature the same Intel chips as the previous generation – a Core i7 six-core and 2.6GHz or a Core i9 eight-core and 2.3GHz. It is also possible to configure the machines with a more advanced eight-core i9 chip, with 2.4GHz – exactly as before.

New temperature control architecture

Although the processors themselves have not changed, Apple has created a new temperature control architecture for the 16 ″ MacBook Pro.

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According to the company, the new machine has larger fans, which also have new blades / blades extended to improve air circulation (28% higher) and dissipate heat more efficiently (35% higher).

This, of course, makes the notebook cool more efficiently. And the gain in cooling capacity makes the 16 ″ MacBook Pro deliver up to 12W more constant maximum power – that is, goodbye thermal throttling?

More RAM

At least, it is possible to configure the new MacBooks Pro with up to 64GB of RAM, double the maximum that was previously possible. The problem is that you will need to pay an extra R $ 6,400 for that.

More SSD

Similarly, Apple now also offers twice as much storage space. If before the two models of 15 ″ came with options of 256GB and 512GB, now the 16 ″ models come with 512GB and 1TB respectively.

What’s more, you can now customize the machine with up to an incredible 8TB! The price, although quite salty (+ R $ 17,600), fell a lot for this type of customization – we are talking about a 50% cut!

Larger battery and more powerful charger

The new MacBook Pro has a 100Wh battery – the maximum allowed by TSA and other regulatory agencies to board an aircraft cabin. Previously, the component had 83.6Wh.

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As a result, the computer’s longevity estimate has also taken a leap: Apple says the new Mac can survive until 11 hours in wireless navigation away from the outlet; previously, it was 10 am.

The plug adapter for the new computer has also improved: it now has 96W of power, compared to the 87W of the previous model. The single version of the component is already on sale at the Brazilian Apple Online Store, for R $ 550 (or $ 80 in the US).

Identical connectors

16-inch MacBook Pro connectors

Nothing new here: the 16-inch MacBook Pro has the same features four Thunderbolt 3 ports (USB-C), two on each side, which can be used for charging, data transfer and audio / video. We also have – fortunately – a 3.5mm audio output.

Enhanced sound

Here is an area where Apple really put a lot of effort: audio, both input and output. For starters, the new MacBook Pro supports Dolby Atmos, with up to 128 simultaneous tracks – the sound is reproduced in the computer’s new speaker system, with six components capable, according to Apple, of filling a room with sound.

Microphones have also gained improvements: there are now three, with (again, according to Apple) studio quality and directional spatial filtering. Those who make the most basic use of these components will certainly be able to dispense with external microphones here.

Otherwise, all the same

The other aspects of the new MacBook Pro are the same as those of its predecessor. Some of them are noteworthy: the new computer still supports only the Wi-Fi 5 standard, better known as 802.11ac (unlike the new iPhones, which already come with the ability to connect to Wi-Fi 6 networks).

The FaceTime camera is also the same crap as before, capable of capturing images and videos from 720p, as well as the T2 security chip.

Bonus: AR viewer

As Apple has done with some recent releases, a viewer has been made available on its website AIR so you can “place” the new MacBook Pro on your desk and get an idea of ​​its size and features.

Demonstration of the 16-inch MacBook Pro on AR

Just access this page on your recent iPhone or iPad, scroll down and tap on the option “See MacBook Pro in Augmented Reality”.

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So, did you enjoy it?

via AppleInsider, 9to5Mac