Yes, the 2018Â MacBook Pro is here.
On Thursday, Apple updated its MacBook Pro lineup to allow users to order up to six-core processors and 32GB of RAM. It is also now offering a True Tone display on some models and a new quieter third-generation keyboard.Â
According to Apple, the six-core processor on the 15-inch MacBook Pro model offers up to 70 percent faster performance. It notes the new models can compile code faster and run multiple virtual machines and test environments easier than before.
As Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, explains:
The latest generation MacBook Pro is the fastest and most powerful notebook we’ve ever made. Now with 8th-generation 6-core processors, up to 32GB of system memory, up to 4TB of super fast SSD storage, new True Tone technology in its Retina display and Touch Bar, the Apple T2 chip for enhanced security and a third-generation quieter keyboard packed into its thin and light aluminum design with all-day battery life, it’s the best notebook for pro users.
Here are highlights about both the newly revised 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models:
15-inch
- 6-core Intel Core i7 and Core i9 processors up to 2.9 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 4.8 GHz
- Up to 32GB of DDR4 memory
- Powerful Radeon Pro discrete graphics with 4GB of video memory in every configuration
- Up to 4TB of SSD storage
- True Tone display technology
- Apple T2 Chip
- Touch Bar and Touch ID
13-inch
- Quad-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processors up to 2.7 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 4.5 GHz and double the eDRAM
- Intel Iris Plus integrated graphics 655 with 128MB of eDRAM
- Up to 2TB of SSD storage
- True Tone display technology
- Apple T2 Chip
- Touch Bar and Touch ID
Today’s MacBook Pro refresh comes one day after renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple would be refreshing the MacBook Pro lineup this fall with processor updates. Apple’s move suggests this is the only 2018 MacBook Pro update we can expect.
Although Apple mentions “a third-generation quieter keyboard” it remains to be seen whether this is an improvement over the current “butterfly switch” keyboard found on the MacBook Pro and MacBook. That keyboard is currently at the center of a class action lawsuit and Apple repair program.
You can order a new MacBook Pro via the Apple website.