Apple recently revealed their biggest update to the MacBook Pro
in over a decade. And in this video, I’ll explain what’s new.
Starting with the display. The previous MacBook Pro came in two sizes: 13.3 inches, and 16 inches.
But the new model features 14.2 inch and 16.2 inch displays. Which are not only larger,
but also illuminated by mini-LEDs, similar to Apple’s $5,000 Pro Display XDR.
Achieving a one-million to one contrast ratio. Up from the previous generations
one-thousand to one ratio. That means your photos and movies will have much more contrast.
Achieving an appearance similar to an OLED iPhone, rather than a muddy LED MacBook Air. This new
technology also allows for higher brightness. Increasing from 500 nits to one thousand.
But there’s even more to love about this display. Because for the first time ever,
Apple has equip a Mac with Promotion technology. Doubling the display’s refresh rate from 60Hz to
120Hz. Which means animations and scrolling on the MacBook Pro will be twice as smooth.
But what might be most impressive of all, is that Apple was able to squeeze all of this new
technology into a display chassis just as thin as the 13.3-inch MacBook Air.
And when it comes to the overall footprint, the 14.2-inch Pro is only about a third of
an inch wider and deeper than the Air. Thanks to a 60% decrease in overall bezel thickness.
Which brings us to the most controversial aspect of the M1 MacBook Pro, and that is its notch. Just
like with the iPhone X, the notch is a divisive design element. But that doesn’t change the fact
that its necessary. In order to have a 1080p FaceTime camera with double the resolution,
a wider aperture, and a larger image sensor than the previous generation,
a notch had to be included to house all of the components. And its implementation on the MacBook
Pro is actually quite clever. Apple managed to reduce the bezels enough to create space for the
menu bar on either side of the notch, so that it doesn’t obstruct any useable display space.
And because the useable display area still has a 16 by 9 aspect ratio,
you’re actually recovering screen space that the menu bar used to take up. Not to mention
the notch disappears when apps enter screen mode and while watching videos or movies.
On the bottom half, Apple has abandoned quite a few signature design trends of the MacBook Pro.
Instead of being thinner and lighter than the last generation,
these M1 models are slightly thicker and heavier. But what’s even more surprising is that Apple
didn’t try hiding the extra thickness with a sleek tapered design like previous MacBooks.
Instead, they opted for a boxier design that looks similar to a 2006 model. And
while Apple has been removing ports from their notebooks for over a decade, this M1 MacBook Pro
reintroduces an HDMI port, SD card slot, and even MagSafe. Which features a thinner profile
and woven fabric cable to prevent splitting and fraying. Now you can still charge over the
three included USB-C ports like previous models, but MagSafe offers a fast-charging capability.
Powering the MacBook Pro battery from zero to fifty-percent in just thirty minutes.
Something else Apple abandoned is the Touch Bar.
Which has been replaced by a traditional row of function keys. Now before the Touch Bar,
these keys were narrow to accommodate the product’s smaller chassis. But thanks to the M1
MacBook Pro’s slightly larger footprint, there’s enough space to make the function keys full-size.
Allowing for a more comfortable typing experience, especially if you use the escape key often.
The keyboard itself is completely black,
in an effort to make the keys blend seamlessly into the enclosure,
while also drawing attention to the backlit keys instead of the aluminum border between them.
There’s also a new six-speaker system that goes half an octave deeper than before,
while delivering 80% more bass. It’s also capable of spacial audio,
which makes it really feel like there are speakers on your right and left,
in addition to in front of you. Resulting in an audio experience I’ve never heard from a notebook.
The microphones have also been updated to a three mic array that feature a sixty percent lower noise
floor and directional beamforming, so your voice can be isolated from any ambient noise.
Now, let’s talk about what’s inside. The M1 Pro and M1 Max are the latest
Apple-designed chips that deliver high performance with low power consumption.
Featuring two to four times speedups compared to the 16 inch Intel MacBook Pro. All while
staying cooler and quieter than before, thanks to less heat being generated and
a new thermal system that moves fifty percent more air even at low fan speeds.
The 14 and 16-inch M1 MacBook Pros come in space gray or silver, and start at $2,000.
This is Greg with Apple Explained, thanks for watching till the end,
and I’ll see you in the next video.