Watch: Apple's 2016 13" MacBook Pro without Touch Bar vs. 2015 13" MacBook Air

AppleInsider

With the launch of its new 13-inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar, and subsequent 11-inch MacBook Air discontinuation, Apple appears to be drawing down the thin-and-light series in favor of more affordable pro laptops. To see how this plays out in real life, AppleInsider pit the new entry-level MacBook Pro against last year's 13-inch MacBook Air.

For more videos like this, subscribe to the official AppleInsider channel on YouTube.

stormgarelli

Really helpful video. Thanks.

soli

Good video. I like the attention put into the setup, recording, and editing. If I have one quibble it's to take some Q-tips dipped in rubbing alcohol over the ports to clean out the grime of the old machine before doing those close up shots. 

bb-15

The main problem with Apple's new MacBook line up is price. Maybe in a year this will change.

ireland

Few things unfair about your comparison. You compared both base models correct? They are $500 apart in price. Best to compare highest Air to base MBP, as this Air is still $200 cheaper, like you say. Also, for light web browsing Ars got 16 hours on the new MBP at 200 nits.

Here's my 2.2 Ghz MBA:

That's a 3% multi-core difference, not 20%.

edited November 2016

ireland

bb-15 said:

The main problem with Apple's new MacBook line up is price. Maybe in a year this will change.

Like it changed on the new MB, not.

ireland

Soli said:

If I have one quibble it's to take some Q-tips dipped in rubbing alcohol over the ports to clean out the grime of the old machine before doing those close up shots. 

The issue here is with MagSafe the paint gets worn/stripped over time, so that's not dirt.

redgeminipa

ireland said:

Soli said:

If I have one quibble it's to take some Q-tips dipped in rubbing alcohol over the ports to clean out the grime of the old machine before doing those close up shots. 

The issue here is with MagSafe the paint gets worn/stripped over time, so that's not dirt.

We're talking about a MacBook, not some cheap HP, Dell, Lenovo knockoff. MacBooks aren't painted. Other than very minor scuffs in the aluminum, that's dirt, not chipped paint.

spheric

The plastic inside the MagSafe port does scuff.

ireland

redgeminipa said:

ireland said:

Soli said:

If I have one quibble it's to take some Q-tips dipped in rubbing alcohol over the ports to clean out the grime of the old machine before doing those close up shots. 

The issue here is with MagSafe the paint gets worn/stripped over time, so that's not dirt.

We're talking about a MacBook, not some cheap HP, Dell, Lenovo knockoff. MacBooks aren't painted. Other than very minor scuffs in the aluminum, that's dirt, not chipped paint.

I've owned three MacBook Airs since the second gen and can state for a fact that the anodisation in the MagSafe port wears away over time and gives a worn appearance.

edited November 2016

ireland

spheric said:

The plastic inside the MagSafe port does scuff.

You have the pins, the plastic bit and the rest is the stainless metal charger end rubbing and hitting off the anodised metal each time you plug in. It absolutely does scuff over time. Source: I've owned three MacBook Airs. Perhaps you've never own one long enough or you've a magic MBA. Anodised metal wears and scuffs, these ports are no exception. The initial MS port may have had a plastic insert but that hasn't been the case for a number of years. And I really look after my stuff. Magnets and metal-on-metal.

edited November 2016

macxpress

bb-15 said:

The main problem with Apple's new MacBook line up is price. Maybe in a year this will change.

Apple's lineup has pretty much stayed the same in price for years (within a couple hundred dollars). You aren't going to see a cheap Mac. As much as people complain about the price it sure isn't stopping people from pre-ordering them. I don't think $200 price difference is really hurting sales any. There's a LOT of technology packed into this tiny package...technology isn't cheap! Bottomline...don't hold your breath for prices to fall anytime soon! If anything will fall, it will be the price of the 12" Retina MacBook, but not by much.

edited November 2016

spheric

ireland said:

spheric said:

The plastic inside the MagSafe port does scuff.

You have the pins, the plastic bit and the rest is the stainless metal charger end rubbing and hitting off the anodised metal each time you plug in. It absolutely does scuff over time. Source: I've owned three MacBook Airs. Perhaps you've never own one long enough or you've a magic MBA. Anodised metal wears and scuffs, these ports are no exception. The initial MS port may have had a plastic insert but that hasn't been the case for a number of years. And I really look after my stuff. Magnets and metal-on-metal.

Yep.

bobolicious

ireland said:

Few things unfair about your comparison. You compared both base models correct? They are $500 apart in price. Best to compare highest Air to base MBP, as this Air is still $200 cheaper, like you say. Also, for light web browsing Ars got 16 hours on the new MBP at 200 nits.

Here's my 2.2 Ghz MBA:

That's a 3% multi-core difference, not 20%.

I still find it odd it was the 11 air that was discontinued, as it seems less of a duplication as a 'most portable' with legacy ports...

At some point I'd also be curious to see a comparison between a tricked out new 15.4" MacBook Pro and a comparably priced 17.3" Razer Blade Pro: http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-systems/razer-blade-pro 'desktop replacement'...

ireland

bobolicious said:

ireland said:

Few things unfair about your comparison. You compared both base models correct? They are $500 apart in price. Best to compare highest Air to base MBP, as this Air is still $200 cheaper, like you say. Also, for light web browsing Ars got 16 hours on the new MBP at 200 nits.

Here's my 2.2 Ghz MBA:

That's a 3% multi-core difference, not 20%.

I still find it odd it was the 11 air that was discontinued, as it seems less of a duplication as a 'most portable' with legacy ports...

They want less legacy stuff around and MacBook is the most portable Mac. And they are clearly trying to push the Mac back up to a more high-end price bracket as they introduce more "pro" iPads and their price bumps up against more cost-friendly Macs. It's a business decision. And as history has indicated business comes first for Apple, product comes slightly behind. I wish it were the other way around. I blame Wall St. a lot for this. Old fashion greedy speculators influencing company behaviour.

I hope to God in the next couple of years as they inevitably kill off the MBA entirely that these current new Macs begin to move down in price. As $1,627 (yes, including tax) for the most affordable Mac—with a single port—would be a mighty strange situation.

On the plus side, and it's minor, but still, on the plus side I'm glad to see them phase-out 4 GB RAM Macs and the early stages of the culling of 128 GB SSD Macs.

edited November 2016

robertwalter

ireland said:

bb-15 said:

The main problem with Apple's new MacBook line up is price. Maybe in a year this will change.

Like it changed on the new MB, not.

Soon as the refurb sore gets some, see price drop 10-15%. 

ireland

robertwalter said:

ireland said:

bb-15 said:

The main problem with Apple's new MacBook line up is price. Maybe in a year this will change.

Like it changed on the new MB, not.

Soon as the refurb sore gets some, see price drop 10-15%. 

That's a refurbished product not a price reduction.

macpro

Excellent review but if I change out my MBP (my my alt Mac as I work on a Mac Pro)  or my wife's MBA I'd want a Touch Bar and they add a significant price increase at the moment.  I wonder how soon some third party will come out with a Touch Bar you can simply place at the top of the key board (with some sort of sucker attachment maybe?) on any modern non-Touch Bar Mac?  Given there is already a hack allowing this to be done on an iPad it is obviously doable albeit a little inconvenient not to mention expensive to fit an iPad above the  Mac keyboard lol.  

wood1208

macxpress said:

bb-15 said:

The main problem with Apple's new MacBook line up is price. Maybe in a year this will change.

Apple's lineup has pretty much stayed the same in price for years (within a couple hundred dollars). You aren't going to see a cheap Mac. As much as people complain about the price it sure isn't stopping people from pre-ordering them. I don't think $200 price difference is really hurting sales any. There's a LOT of technology packed into this tiny package...technology isn't cheap! Bottomline...don't hold your breath for prices to fall anytime soon! If anything will fall, it will be the price of the 12" Retina MacBook, but not by much.

You seem to think few hundred $ difference in price is no big deal ! Ask those parents who borrowing for their kids in college who needs Macbook Pro for education. The base 13.3" model without touch-bar must not cost over $1199. Similar logic applies to base 15" to be appropriately priced. Don;t have problem asking more for upgrade.

edited November 2016

macpro

wood1208 said:

macxpress said:

bb-15 said:

The main problem with Apple's new MacBook line up is price. Maybe in a year this will change.

Apple's lineup has pretty much stayed the same in price for years (within a couple hundred dollars). You aren't going to see a cheap Mac. As much as people complain about the price it sure isn't stopping people from pre-ordering them. I don't think $200 price difference is really hurting sales any. There's a LOT of technology packed into this tiny package...technology isn't cheap! Bottomline...don't hold your breath for prices to fall anytime soon! If anything will fall, it will be the price of the 12" Retina MacBook, but not by much.

You seem to think few hundred $ difference in price is no big deal ! Ask those parents who borrowing for their kids in college who needs Macbook Pro for education. The base 13.3" model without touch-bar must not cost over $1199. Similar logic applies to base 15" to be appropriately priced. Don;t have problem asking more for upgrade.

Doesn't Apple offer educational prices and payment plans these days?  If so it would be nice if there was a special interest free one for educational users.  Maybe they do, I don't know.

georgebmac

It seems to me that most of the advantages of the MBP over MBA are standard evolutionary stuff rather than actual improvements.  This was a great comparison.  But I'd like to see it done again once the MBA is updated to current standards.  Or rather, I would really like to see a comparison of the MacBook to the MBP -- particularly after the MacBook is updated from its essentially 2 year old hardware.