Apple MacBook Pro 16 inch: Review, price and specification – Laptop

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Apple is changing its range with this new MacBook Pro. Replacing the 15-inch model, this model wants to be the ultimate laptop brand, both in terms of finish and power. Intended primarily for creative looking for quality and a particular software ecosystem, it seeks to seduce with its screen size unprecedented, its chassis worked and its high-end Intel – choose between a Core i7 and two Core i9, all of 9th generation, all in the category "H", high performance.

The size is not the only novelty of this MacBook Pro 16. Apple for example listened to the remarks on the famous butterfly keyboard by replacing it with a keyboard called "Magic Keyboard". Likewise, the audio part has been revised, since the computer now offers six speakers instead of four. Innovations that seem minor at first glance, but that greatly enhance the experience and reflect the attention to detail from Apple.

But is the MacBook Pro 16 free of any complaints? This is what we will check immediately.

The MacBook have accustomed us to a flawless level of finish. The MacBook Pro 16 is no exception. It always presents a sober frame in gray anodized aluminum. We are on familiar ground, the only big novelty being the format. If it's slightly larger than the 15-inch model, it's a few millimeters. The screen actually occupies 86% of the facade and therefore allows thinner edges, which does not make it much more massive than its predecessor, which had a ratio screen / facade of 77%.

The MacBook Pro 16 has a second screen: the Touch Bar. This Oled screen located between the keyboard and the main screen is a line of extra and dynamic keys. If it is used to manage the brightness or sound on the desktop, it also adapts to the application used, displaying, for example, the navigation bar on Safari or the reading bar on Netflix. The use of the Touch Bar does not change with this new model. Yet the functionality knows some changes. Thus, the Esc key is no longer integrated on the screen, becoming a separate mechanical key. Same thing for the Touch ID (fingerprint sensor). It always works to perfection, either to unlock its session or to make purchases on the Internet via Apple Pay. The webcam, well present, does not unlock the session, as it may be the case on some high-end Windows PC.

To return to the Touch Bar, it is designed to work in conjunction with the operating system of the MacBook Pro 16, we are obviously talking about macOS. The product is, like all those of Apple, powered by the latest version of macOS, namely Catalina which brings some novelties. One can mention Sidecar, which can turn an iPad Pro into a second screen.

Apple has learned from its keyboard errors. The butterfly keyboard of the MacBook Pro has run a lot of ink because of its unreliability, a simple grain of dust can interfere with its operation. The MacBook Pro 16 integrates, for the first time, its successor, namely the Magic Keyboard. This is a variation of the iMac keyboard adapted to the laptop. The race is certainly longer than on the butterfly keyboard (which slightly thickens the chassis) and the striking gives a different sensation. It remains very pleasant despite a race always short which may disconcert some. The trackpad, always so big, is also an example to follow, so much is it pleasant and effective.

It is a habit now at the manufacturer: the connection is limited to the bare minimum. The MacBook Pro 16 has only four USB 3.1 Type-C ports compatible with Thunderbolt 3 on its slots. Add to that a headset port, but nothing more. A simple connection totally assumed by Apple. To connect a USB Type-A device, connect an external display or enjoy an Ethernet jack, the user will have no choice but to go through adapters.

The 16-inch MacBook Pro can not be disassembled. It is possible to remove the screws under the chassis with a Phillips screwdriver, however the cover can not be safely removed because it is glued to the other part of the computer. Disassembling it totally would not further advance the user anyway. iFixit, who risked doing the operation, indicates indeed that it is not possible to change the parts, that it is the RAM or the storage. It will not be possible to change the configuration of the MacBook Pro 16.

Our Review product hosts the most powerful processor in the range. With an Intel Core i9-9980HK in a 16mm chassis, the management of the heater is not easy – the chip is still indicated for a thermal envelope of 45 W. The Cupertino brand does not work miracles. Thus, when it is used (when a game is launched for example) the processor rises to 86 ° C. The chassis heats logically, but its temperature of 46 ° C above the Touch Bar remains acceptable. Regarding the management of fans, Apple had to make a sacrifice, since we measured the noise at 47 dB. That's a lot, and it could embarrass the user's entourage. On the other hand, the MacBook remains quiet in office use, the fans barely hear (37 dB).

The particularity of this new MacBook Pro is obviously its screen. This is indeed the first Apple computer to have a slab of 16 inches, and this size is very rare on the market. IPS, the Retina display on the MacBook adopts a definition of 3,072 x 1,920 px and a refresh rate of 60 Hz.

Let's evacuate immediately the biggest defect of this screen: the remanence. Measured at 30 ms by us, it is very high as often with the IPS slabs. In fact, this means that "fuzzy trails" will interfere with the most sensitive users during movement on the slab – during the viewing of a movie, for example. Annoying, especially since the screen is exemplary apart from this detail. The contrast here is 1313: 1, which is very good for a laptop. The respect of colors, essential for photo editing, is at the rendezvous with an average E delta of 1.1. All the colors displayed are therefore faithful.

The high brightness of 424 cd / m² is combined with a slab certainly brilliant, but not prone to reflections with a reflectance of 27%. Therefore, a computer ideal for working outdoors. Finally, we must focus on the dynamic temperature, a feature called True Tone by Apple. The temperature adapts to the surrounding light, the screen becoming colder in case of lack of light, and vice versa. A technology that works perfectly and avoids visual fatigue in case of prolonged use. It is possible to disable the True Tone, but it is irrelevant. In this case, the display will show a fixed temperature of 7,085 K and will therefore move slightly blue when a blank page is displayed.

The Review version of our 16-inch MacBook Pro is equipped with an Intel Core i9-9980HK processor with 8 cores, 16 threads and etched in 14 nm. Its turbo frequency is high, amounting to 5 GHz. This is the highest-end chip in the Intel catalog at the moment, which suggests one of the best results of our panel, at least in theory. It is accompanied by 32 GB of dual channel RAM and a 2 TB SSD. To conduct our tests, we installed Windows 10 on the machine. The idea is simple: to be able to use the entirety of our software of tests, not all declined in versions macOS. It is not excluded that some additional refinements on the processor management may be present in macOS, but these results are already a good indicator of the capabilities of the machine.

The Intel Core i9-9980HK does not disappoint, as it delivers the best results from our Review panel with an index of 103, leaving all other PCs in the rearview mirror. Such power logically causes heat at the processor. We have seen previously (cf Construction) that its average temperature was 86 ° C at work. In fact, it oscillates between 80 ° C and 92 ° C, without ever stabilizing, the processor drawing a lot of energy with his 8 hearts. To control this heat, Apple had to play with the frequency of the processor, which, instead of stalling on a specific rhythm, makes the yo-yo between 2.5 GHz and 3.8 GHz. The cooling system must evacuate the heat, which causes the very strong breath noted above. This reflects the complexity of managing such a processor in such a thin chassis.

The MacBook Pro 16 is equipped with an AMD Radeon Pro 5500M graphics card, modest in theory. Again, for the sake of compatibility, we performed our tests on Windows 10, installed via Bootcamp.

During our Review protocols, the graphics card delivered correct results with games in 1080p and the graphics set to the maximum. The Radeon Pro 5500 M has reached the index of 70 on our scale of values, which places it between Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 and a GTX 1660. Its frequency is correct with an average measured at 1 144 MHz (and stable!). It is thus possible to play fluently, without reaching the 60 i / s, to gourmet games on Windows. The finding is the same on macOS, Mac compatible games are at the same level. The addition of a dedicated graphics card within this machine is not intended for any gaming activity, at least initially. Indeed, if Apple offers a dedicated GPU, it is primarily to accelerate some tasks for which the graphics chip can be used. This is particularly the case of video editing or encoding applications, 3D modeling, any software that can be used by creatives.

The 16-inch format does not seem conducive to ultraportability. However, Apple wanted to gain as much weight and finesse as possible for this model. Displaying only 2 kg on the scale and being 16 mm thick, it is easily transported, provided you have a proper backpack. The charger, barely bigger than that of a smartphone, is also lightweight with its 372 g. But it will not be necessary to win everywhere, as the autonomy of the computer is excellent.

It is rare that a computer exceeds the 10 hours of autonomy during a Review, but even more to see one almost reach 15 hours. During our usual macOS protocol (Netflix on Safari, brightness set at 200 cd / m2 and headphones plugged in), the 16-inch MacBook Pro shut down after 14 hours 43 minutes. This is the highest score in the history of digital. Needless to say, it will be possible to hold a full day with your MacBook Pro 16 without worrying about charging. Apple remains faithful to its reputation by offering a computer ultra-enduring since it must be remembered that the previous regulators of our record were practically all MacBook Pro. For example, the best PC on this segment is 11:10 minutes in our Review. This is the HP Elitebook x360 G6.

The 16-inch format allowed Apple to add two additional speakers compared to the 15-inch model, bringing their total number to six. The manufacturer manages a tour com force by delivering a good audio part of a good portable speaker in such a small chassis. Powerful, balanced with a bass presence higher than most PCs on the market and bringing a perfect stereo, the sound of the MacBook Pro 16 is a real pleasure for the ears. Excellence supported by the fact that the speakers are placed on the front, on both sides of the keyboard.

The headphone jack is also exemplary. We would have liked a better separation stereo, but we chipotons, Apple having done a good job once again.

Strong points

• Flawless chassis with a Touch Bar always effective.

• Screen well calibrated and very bright.

• Excellent autonomy. Nearly 15 hours is a record!

• Exemplary audio part.

Weak points

• High remanence of the slab.

Conclusion

Apple has treated all the keys to its MacBook Pro. Difficult to find real flaws in this computer, as the mark of Cupertino has worked its every detail, be it the screen, the keyboard, the Touch Bar or autonomy. Ultra-high end par excellence, the 16-inch MacBook Pro is an example to follow on this segment. 

• Construction

• Screen

• performances

• Games

• Mobility / Autonomy

• audio

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