Apple has discontinued the 15-inch MacBook Pro after launching today a new MacBook Pro model with a 16-inch display, a redesigned scissor switch keyboard and updated internals.
As of this morning, the 15-inch MacBook Pro could no longer be found on the Apple Online Store. Some retail Apple stores and authorized resellers may still have these in stock, however. Don’t worry, Apple isn’t on a mission to sell you a pricier notebook because the former 15-incher started at $2,399 in the United States, just like the new 16-inch model does.
The baseline $2,399 16-inch MacBook Pro features a 2.6GHz 6-core CPU from Intel and 512GB of flash storage. The pricier $2,799 configuration swaps the 6-core chip for a 2.3GHz 8-core processor whilst upgrading the SSD to 1TB. Both configurations are outfitted with AMD Radeon Pro 5500M graphics with 4GB of GDDR6 memory and 16GB 2666MHz DDR4 memory.
Like its predecessor, the new MacBook Pro can be configured with faster CPUs and GPUs, as well as with more storage and memory: up to 64GB RAM and up to whopping 8TB of flash storage. By the way, this is the first time any Mac notebook’s offered 64 gigabytes of RAM. Additionally, the 8TB SSD option marks the largest SSD ever in a notebook, as per Apple.
As for the keyboard, this is the first Mac notebook to drop the controversial butterfly keyboard mechanism in favor of the more reliable scissor switch keys.
The 16-inch MacBook Pro features a new Magic Keyboard with a refined scissor mechanism that delivers 1mm of key travel and a stable key feel, as well as an Apple-designed rubber dome that stores more potential energy for a responsive key press. Incorporating extensive research and user studies focused on human factors and key design, the 16-inch MacBook Pro delivers a keyboard with a comfortable, satisfying and quiet typing experience.
I find it somewhat funny that Apple calls this new MacBook Pro’s keyboard “Magic Keyboard”, which is a brand name that previously used to be reserved for its standalone keyboards.
Aside from a physical Escape key, the keyboard on the new machine has an inverted-“T” arrangement for the arrow keys like all “normal” laptops, which should appease a lot of fans.
The Cupertino company also confirmed plans this morning that customers will be able to order its new Mac Pro desktop and the 32-inch Pro Display XDR in December through apple.com.
The new Mac Pro starts at $5,999 and the Pro Display XDR starts at $4,999.