Apple began 2019 with two models of the MacBook Pro within its broader MacBook lineup, and also ended 2019 with two models of the MacBook Pro. But the two models that began the year are not the same two models that ended the year. The MacBook Pro began 2019 with 13-inch and 15-inch models, and saw refreshes in May and July. Apple then introduced a 16-inch MacBook Pro in November and closed out the year with a 13-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro.
MacBook Pro: Models, colors, display and size
In total there were three models (sizes) of the MacBook Pro in 2019, however, only two models remain available from Apple so for the purpose of this article — we’ll be highlighting the 13-inch and 16-inch models. Both size options are available in either Space Gray or Silver.
The smaller of the two models sports a 13.3-inch display with a max resolution of 2560 x 1600, and the larger of the two models has a 16-inch display with a max resolution of 3072 x 1920. Both the 13-inch and 16-inch models have an LED-backlit display with IPS technology, wide color (P3), True Tone technology, and a 500 nits brightness.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro measures in at 11.97 (W), by 8.36 (D), by 0.59 (H) inches, and has a weight of 3.02 pounds. The 16-inch MacBook Pro measures in at 14.09 (W), by 9.68 (D), by 0.64 (H) inches, and weighs in at 4.3 pounds.
MacBook Pro: Specs
We are looking at two models of the MacBook Pro, and while there are some similarities in features across both models — there are some clear differences in terms of the hardware specs and what you can do in terms of upgrades.
MacBook Pro 13-inch
- 13.3-inch display (2560 x 1600)
- Intel Core i5 processor (quad-core 1.4GHz or 2.4GHz), or Intel Core i7 processor (quad-core 1.7GHz or 2.8GHz)
- 8GB or 16GB of RAM
- 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
- Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
- Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports (Higher spec’d model has four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
- Touch Bar with integrated Touch ID
- WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n
- Bluetooth 5.0
- 720p FaceTime HD camera
- Stereo speakers with high dynamic range
- Three microphones
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- Battery life up to 10 hours
- 61W USB-C power adapter
MacBook Pro 16-inch
- 16-inch display (3072 x 1920)
- Intel Core i7 processor (6-core 2.6GHz), or Intel Core i9 processor (8-core 2.3GHz or 2.4GHz)
- 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of RAM
- 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB or 8TB
- Intel UHD Graphics 630
- Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports
- Touch Bar and Touch ID sensor
- WiFi 802.11 ac
- Bluetooth 5.0
- 720p FaceTime HD camera
- High-fidelity six-speaker system with force-canelling woofers
- Studio-quality three mic-array
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- Battery life up to 11 hours
- 96W USB-C power adapter
MacBook Pro: Features
Despite some obvious differences in specs between the two models — there are some similarities. For example, the 13-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro each have an LED-backlit display with IPS technology, wide color (P3), True Tone technology, and a 500 nits brightness. They also each have SSD storage, Thunderbolt 3, and an Apple T2 security chip.
- Apple T2 Security Chip: Apple has dubbed this the “next generation of security” and said it was “designed to make everything you do even more secure.” This chip includes a Secure Enclave coprocessor to power Touch ID. It is also the foundation for the secure boot and encrypted storage capabilities, as well as consolidates several discrete controllers (system management, audio, SSD) into one.
- SSD storage: Up to 2TB on the 13-inch model, and up to 8GB on the 16-inch model. Both models offer sequential read speeds up to 3.2GB/s.
- Thunderbolt 3: Thunderbolt 3 is referred to as a universal port. Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) allows for charging, data transfer (up to 40Gb/s) and video output. The 13-inch MacBook Pro has two or four Thunderbolt 3 ports depending on the model and allows users to connect up to two 4k displays or a single 5k display. The 16-inch MacBook Pro has four Thunderbolt 3 ports and supports up to two 6k displays.
Other highlights include the Touch Bar and Touch ID. The Touch Bar serves as a replacement for the hardware function keys and offers the ability to manage system controls such as volume, and brightness. The Touch Bar is also able to change based on what you are doing. Both sizes of the MacBook Pro also feature Touch ID, though the setup is slightly different on each model. The Touch ID is integrated with the Touch Bar on the 13-inch model, and separated from the Touch Bar on the 16-inch model.
We’ve highlighted some of the shared key features of the models, however, aside from the obvious difference in size — there is another item that differs between the models. This other item is the keyboard. The 2019 13-inch model of the MacBook Pro still has the older style butterfly mechanism keyboard, whereas Apple rolled out the 16-inch model with the new Magic Keyboard.
The keyboard on both models is full-sized with an ambient light sensor. The keyboard on the 13-inch model is a 64-key setup, with the keyboard on the 16-inch model being a 65-key setup. The 16-inch model has a dedicated escape key and an inverted T set of arrow keys.
MacBook Pro: 2019 vs 2018 model years
Perhaps the main difference between the 2018 and 2019 models of the MacBook Pro lineup was the addition of the 16-inch model and the departure of the 15-inch model. The 16-inch model replaced the 15-inch model as of November 2019, however, there was a mid-year version of the 13-inch and 15-inch models in 2018 and 2019.
Year over year, 2018 to 2019, the specs for the 13-inch MacBook Pro remained largely the same, aside from a little bump in processing power. One key difference was that 2018 only saw a refresh on the model with four Thunderbolt 3 ports. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with two Thunderbolt 3 ports was refreshed in mid-2019, and before that, back in mid-2017. This two Thunderbolt 3 port (2019) model has a less powerful processor, 1.4 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 Coffee Lake, instead of the 2.4 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 Coffee Lake found on the four Thunderbolt 3 port (2019) model.
Similar to the 13-inch model, year over year, 2018 to 2019, the specs for the 15-inch MacBook Pro remained largely the same aside from a bit of a bump in the processor speed.
Bottom line here, if you are shopping for a MacBook Pro (13 or 15-inch) — you may want to consider looking for a 2018 model, as opposed to a 2019 model. The specs for both years are pretty close, which means the performance should be close, and also that you will likely spend less of your hard-earned money.
MacBook Pro: Pricing
Retail pricing for the 13-inch MacBook Pro begins at $1299, and the retail pricing for the 16-inch MacBook Pro begins at $2399. Of course, depending on the upgrades you select, those prices will climb.
MacBook Pro 13-inch
Apple offers four base configurations for the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro, with options to upgrade items such as the processor, RAM, and storage.
- $1299 – 1.4GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB SSD storage
- $1499 – 1.4GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD storage
- $1799 – 2.4GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD storage
- $1999 – 2.4GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, 512GB SSD storage
MacBook Pro 16-inch
Apple has two base model configurations for the 16-inch MacBook Pro. And, similar to the 13-inch model — there are options to upgrade the processor, RAM, and storage.
- $2399 – 2.6GHz 6-core Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD storage
- $2799 – 2.3GHz 8-core Intel Core i9 processor, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD storage
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The smaller 13.3-inch model seems to be the winner in terms of portability. It also helps that the price is much lower on the 13.3-inch model. However, if you are looking for a desktop-class machine — the 16-inch model may be for you.
But regardless of the model you are looking for — there is a potential to save hundreds of dollars by shopping for a newish MacBook Pro here on Swappa, where you’ll find numerous listings for the 13-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
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