MacBook Pro (Intel-based)

MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)
Developer	Apple Inc.
Manufacturer	Foxconn[1] Pegatron[2]
Product family	MacBook
Type	Notebook
Release date	January 10, 2006 (2006-01-10) (Aluminium) October 18, 2008 (2008-10-18) (Unibody) June 11, 2012 (2012-06-11) (Retina) October 27, 2016 (2016-10-27) (Touch Bar)
Discontinued	November 10, 2020 (2020-11-10) (13-inch with two ports) October 18, 2021 (2021-10-18) (13-inch with four ports, 16-inch)
Operating system	macOS
CPU	Intel Core Duo, 2 Duo, i5, i7, i9
Predecessor	PowerBook G4
Successor	MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)
Related	MacBook MacBook Air iMac
Website	apple.com/macbook-pro

The Intel-based MacBook Pro is a discontinued line of Macintosh notebook computers sold by Apple Inc. from 2006 to 2021. It was the higher-end model of the MacBook family, sitting above the consumer-focused MacBook Air, and was sold with 13-inch to 17-inch screens.

The MacBook Pro line launched in 2006 as an Intel-based replacement for the PowerBook line. The first MacBook Pro used an aluminium chassis similar to the PowerBook G4, but replaced the PowerPC G4 chips with Intel Core processors, added a webcam, and introduced the MagSafe power connector. The unibody model debuted in October 2008, so-called because its case was machined from a single piece of aluminium. It had a thinner, flush display, a redesigned trackpad whose entire surface consisted of a single clickable button, and a redesigned keyboard.

The retina MacBook Pro was released in 2012: it is thinner, made solid-state drive (SSD) standard, added HDMI, and included a high-resolution Retina display. It eliminated Ethernet and FireWire ports and the optical drive. The Touch Bar MacBook Pro - so-called because of its Touch Bar strip with a Touch ID sensor - released in October 2016, adopted USB-C for all data ports and power and included a shallower "butterfly"-mechanism keyboard. A November 2019 revision to the Touch Bar MacBook Pro^[3] introduced the Magic Keyboard, which used a scissor-switch mechanism.

The Intel-based MacBook Pros was succeeded by Apple silicon MacBook Pros beginning in 2020 as part of the Mac transition to Apple silicon. On November 10, 2020, Apple discontinued the two-port 13-inch model following the release of a new model based on the Apple M1. The 16-inch and four-port 13-inch models were discontinued on October 18, 2021, following the release of 14-inch and 16-inch models based on the M1 Pro and M1 Max.

Aluminium (2006–2008)

The 15-inch and 17-inch Aluminium MacBook Pros

The original 15-inch MacBook Pro was announced on January 10, 2006, by Steve Jobs at the Macworld Conference & Expo.^[4] The 17-inch model was unveiled on April 24, 2006.^[5] The first design was largely a carryover from the PowerBook G4, but uses Intel Core CPUs instead of PowerPC G4 chips.^[6] The 15-inch MacBook Pro weighs the same as the 15-inch aluminium PowerBook G4, but is 0.1 inches (0.25 cm) deeper, 0.4 inches (1.0 cm) wider, and 0.1 inches (0.25 cm) thinner.^[7] Other changes from the PowerBook include a built-in iSight webcam and the inclusion of MagSafe, a magnetic power connector designed to detach easily when yanked. These features were later brought over to the MacBook. The optical drive was shrunk to fit into the slimmer MacBook Pro; it runs slower than the optical drive in the PowerBook G4 and cannot write to dual-layer DVDs.^[6][8]

Both the original 15- and 17-inch model MacBook Pro computers come with ExpressCard/34 slots, which replace the PC Card slots found in the PowerBook G4. Initial aluminium 15-inch models retains the two USB 2.0 ports and a FireWire 400 port but drops the FireWire 800,^[9] until it was restored in a later revision,^[10] the 17-inch models have an additional USB 2.0 port, as well as the FireWire 800 port missing from the initial 15-inch models.^[11] All models now included 802.11a/b/g.^[9][11] Later models include support for the draft 2.0 specification of 802.11n^[12] and Bluetooth 2.1.

Updates

Apple refreshed the entire MacBook Pro line on October 24, 2006, to include Intel Core 2 Duo processors which were the first 64-Bit processors in the MacBook Pro.^[10] Memory capacity was doubled for each model, up to 2 GB for the high-end 15- and 17-inch models.^[10] FireWire 800 was added to the 15-inch models and hard drive capacity was also increased.^[10]

The MacBook Pro line received a second update on June 5, 2007, with new Nvidia Geforce 8600M GT graphics processors and faster CPU options.^[13][14] LED backlighting was added to the 15-inch model's screen, and its weight was reduced from 5.6 pounds (2.5 kg) to 5.4 pounds (2.4 kg).^[14] Furthermore, the speed of the front-side bus was increased from 667 to 800 MHz. The EFI also was 64-bit for the first time as well.

On November 1, 2007, Apple added the option of a 2.6 GHz Santa Rosa platform Core 2 Duo CPU as well as reconfigured hard drive options.^[14] The keyboard also received several changes to closely mirror the one which shipped with the iMac, by adding the same keyboard shortcuts to control multimedia, and removing the embedded numeric keypad and the Apple logo from the command keys.

On February 26, 2008, the MacBook Pro line was updated once more.^[15][16] LED backlighting was added as an option for the 17-inch model.^[15] Processors were updated to "Penryn" cores, which are built on the 45 nm process (65 nm "Merom" cores were previously used), and hard drive and memory capacities were increased.^[15] Multi-touch capabilities, first introduced with the MacBook Air earlier that year, were brought over to the trackpad.^[15]

The original case design was discontinued on October 14, 2008, for the 15-inch,^[17] and January 6, 2009, for the 17-inch.^[18]

Reception

Some reviewers applauded the original MacBook Pro for its doubling or tripling the speed of the PowerBook G4 in some areas.^[6] For example, the 3D rendering program Cinema 4D XL was 3.3 times as fast (2.3 times faster),^[6] and its boot-up time was more than twice as quick.^[7] The MacBook Pro generally outperformed the PowerBook G4 in performance analyzer utility tests XBench and Cinebench.^[7] Reviewers lauded the screen's maximum brightness, 67% brighter than the PowerBook G4; the excellent horizontal viewing angles; the matte options; and the bright, crisp, and true colors.^[8] Although the screen offered fewer vertical pixels (1440 × 900 in the MacBook Pro instead of 1440 × 960 in the PowerBook), one reviewer called the screen "nothing less than stellar".^[7] Reviewers praised the new MagSafe power adapter,^[6] although one reviewer said it disconnected too easily in some instances.^[7] They also praised the backlit keyboard, large trackpad, and virtually silent operation of the machine.^[6][8] The new notebook also offered better wireless performance.

One reviewer criticized the decision to underclock the ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics card by about 30% its original speed.^[8] The notebook was also noted for running hot.^[6][8] Users complained that upgrading system memory was harder than in older Apple notebooks.^[7] Since the dimensions for the 15-inch MacBook Pro were tweaked slightly from the 15-inch PowerBook G4, older accessories such as notebook sleeves did not work with the new models.^[7] Some users noted a slight flickering when the screen was on lower brightness settings.^[7] Apple increased the battery capacity by 10 Wh, going from 50 in the PowerBook G4 to 60,^[7] but the more powerful Core Duo CPU required more power.^[7] Battery life therefore remained about the same as in previous models, at three-plus hours.^[7]

2007–2008 model GPU problems

Models of the MacBook Pro built from 2007 to early 2008 (15") / late 2008 (17") using the Nvidia 8600M GT chip reportedly exhibited failures in which the GPU die would detach from the chip carrier, the chip would detach from the logic board.^{[19][unreliable source?]} The issue has been mitigated by some users by keeping the notebook cooler by means of less intensive use or alternative fan settings.^{[citation needed]} Apple initially ignored reports, before admitting to the fault and replacing logic boards free of charge for up to 4 years after the purchase date.^[20] NVIDIA also confirmed the issue, and previously manufactured replacement GPUs, which some users have replaced themselves.^[21]

Technical specifications

According to Apple, all of these models are obsolete.^[a][22]

Unibody (2008–2012)

On October 14, 2008, in a press event at company headquarters, Apple officials announced a new 15-inch MacBook Pro featuring a "precision aluminum unibody enclosure" and tapered sides similar to those of the MacBook Air.^[34][35] Designers shifted all of the MacBook Pro's ports to the left side of the case, and moved the optical disc drive slot from the front to the right side, similar to the MacBook. The new MacBook Pro computers had two video cards that the user could switch between: the Nvidia GeForce 9600M GT with either 256 or 512 MB^[36] of dedicated memory and a GeForce 9400M with 256 MB of shared system memory.^[34] Although the FireWire 400 port was removed, the FireWire 800 port remained. The DVI port was replaced with a Mini DisplayPort receptacle.^[34] The original unibody MacBook Pro came with a user-removable battery; Apple claimed five hours of use,^[34] with one reviewer reporting results closer to four hours on a continuous video battery stress test.^[37] Apple said that the battery would hold 80% of its charge after 300 recharges.^[38]

Design

The unibody-construction MacBook Pro largely follows the styling of the original aluminium iMac and the MacBook Air. The unibody Macbook Pro body is milled from a single block of aluminum and is much stronger than its predecessor.^[34] The screen is high-gloss, covered by an edge-to-edge reflective glass finish, while an anti-glare matte option is available in the 15- and 17-inch models in which the glass panel is removed.^[39] The entire trackpad is usable and acts as a clickable button.^[39] The trackpad is also larger than that of the aluminium models, giving more room for scrolling and multi-touch gestures.^[39] When the line was updated in April 2010, inertial scrolling was added, making the scrolling experience much like that of the iPhone and iPad.^[40][41][42] The keys, which are still backlit, are now identical to those of Apple's now-standard sunken keyboard with separated black keys.^[40] The physical screen release latch from the aluminium models is replaced with a magnetic one.

Updates

During the MacWorld Expo keynote on January 6, 2009, Phil Schiller announced a 17-inch MacBook Pro with unibody construction. This version diverged from its 15-inch sibling with an anti-glare "matte" screen option (with the glossy finish standard) and a non user-removable lithium polymer battery.^[43] Instead of traditional round cells inside the casing, the lithium-ion polymer batteries are shaped and fitted into each notebook to maximally utilize space. The computer has adaptive charging, which uses a chip to optimize the charge flow to reduce wear and tear, and extends the battery's overall life.^[43] Battery life for the 17-inch version is quoted at eight hours, with 80 percent of this charge remaining after 1,000 charge-discharge cycles.^[43]

At Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 8, 2009, it was announced that the 13-inch unibody MacBook would be upgraded and re-branded as a MacBook Pro,^[44] leaving only the white polycarbonate MacBook in the MacBook line.^[45] It was also announced that the entire MacBook Pro line would use the non-user-removable battery first introduced in the 17-inch MacBook Pro.^[46] The updated MacBook Pro 13- and the 15-inch would each have up to a claimed 7 hours of battery life, while the 17-inch would keep its 8-hour capacity.^[44][46] Some sources even reported up to eight hours of battery life for the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro computers during casual use,^[47] while others reported around six hours.^[39] Like the 17-inch MacBook Pro, Apple claims that they will last around 1,000 charging cycles while still containing 80% of their capacity.^[48] Graphics card options stayed the same from the previous release, although the 13-inch^[49] and the base model 15-inch, came with only the GeForce 9400M GPU.^[50] The screens were also improved, gaining a claimed 60 percent greater color gamut.^[49][50] All of these mid-2009 models also included a FireWire 800 port and all except the 17-inch models would receive an SD card slot.^[35] The 17-inch model would retain its ExpressCard/34 slot.^[46] For the 13-inch MacBook Pro, the Kensington lock slot was moved to the right side of the chassis.^[51] In August 2009, Apple extended the "matte" anti-glare display option to the 15-inch MacBook Pro.^[52]

On April 13, 2010,^[53] Intel Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs were introduced in the 15- and 17-inch models, while the 13-inch retained the Core 2 Duo with a speed increase.^[53] The power brick was redesigned^[40] and a high-resolution display (of 1680 × 1050) was announced as an option for the 15-inch models.^[41] The 13-inch gained an integrated Nvidia GeForce 320M graphics processing unit (GPU) with 256 MB of shared memory, while the 15- and 17-inch models were upgraded to the GeForce GT 330M, with either 256 or 512 MB of dedicated memory.^[53] The 15- and 17-inch models also have an integrated Intel GPU that is built into the Core i5 and i7 processors.^[53] The 15-inch model also gained 0.1 pounds (0.045 kg).^[41] Save for a third USB 2.0 slot, all the ports on the 17-inch MacBook Pro are the same in type and number as on the 15-inch version.^[54] All models come with 4 GB of system memory that is upgradeable to 8 GB.^[53] Battery life was also extended further in this update, to an estimated 10 hours for the 13-inch and 8–9 hours on the 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pro computers.^[53] This was achieved through both greater power efficiency and adding more battery capacity.^[53] One reviewer reported about 6 hours of battery life through a continuous video battery stress test in the 15-inch^[42] and another, who called the battery life "unbeatable", reported nearer to 8 in the 13-inch through their "highly demanding battery drain test".^[40]

Thunderbolt technology, Sandy Bridge dual-core Intel Core i5 and i7 (on the 13-inch model) or quad-core i7 (on the 15- and 17-inch models) processors, and a high definition FaceTime camera were added on February 24, 2011. Intel HD Graphics 3000 come integrated with the CPU, while the 15- and 17-inch models also utilize AMD Radeon HD 6490M and Radeon HD 6750M graphics cards. Later editions of these models, following the release of OS X Lion, replaced the Expose (F3) key with a Mission Control key, and the Dashboard (F4) key with a Launchpad key. The chassis bottoms are also engraved differently from the 2010 models.^[55] The Thunderbolt serial bus platform can achieve speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s,^[56] which is up to twice as fast as the USB 3.0 specification, 20 times faster than the USB 2.0 specification, and up to 12 times faster than FireWire 800.^[57] Apple says that Thunderbolt can be used to drive displays or to transfer large quantities of data in a short amount of time.^[57]

On June 11, 2012, Apple showcased its upgraded Mac notebooks, OS X Mountain Lion, and iOS 6 at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco.^[58] The new MacBook Pro models were updated with Ivy Bridge processors and USB 3.0 ports, and the default RAM on premium models was increased to 8 GB.^[59] Following this announcement, the 17-inch model was discontinued.^{[citation needed]} After a media event on October 22, 2013, Apple discontinued all unibody MacBook Pro computers except for the entry-level 2.5 GHz 13-inch model.^[60] Apple discontinued the 13-inch unibody MacBook Pro on October 27, 2016. Prior to its discontinuation it was Apple's only product to still include an optical drive and a FireWire port, and only notebook with a hard disk drive and Ethernet port.^[61]

Reception

Some reviewers praised the new notebook's performance and compact size,^[37] the quality of the screen, and sturdy unibody build,^[37] which allowed easier upgrading of internal components as compared to the original models.^[37] Some reviewers also noted that the new MacBook Pro ran more quietly and at cooler temperatures than aluminium machines.^[37] Others, however, criticized the amount of heat generated by the new design.^[62][63]

The Reviewers lamented the loss of a matte screen option for the 2008 unibody MacBook Pro, noting the reflectiveness of the screen in sunlight, even when its brightness was turned all the way up.^[37] CNET's Dan Ackerman commented of the mid-2009 models: "According to Apple, the new display offers a wider color gamut, and the screen certainly looks bright and colorful, but we wish the same matte-screen option offered on the 17-inch MacBook Pro was available across the line... While the LED screen means a thinner lid and some battery life benefits, the edge-to-edge glass covering the entire display panel grabs stray light rays with ease, making the glossy screen hard to see in some lighting conditions."^[39] By 2011, matte screens were offered for both the 15" and 17" models. Furthermore, the addition of Mini DisplayPort instead of the more popular HDMI was criticized.^[37] The relatively low number of ports and lower end technical specifications when compared to similarly priced laptops from other brands were also bemoaned.^[37]

Laptop Magazine's Michael Prospero praised the 2010 15-inch model's display, calling it "bright and crisp". He further commented, "While reflections from the glossy display weren't overwhelming, it's also nice to know there's an antiglare option—though only for the higher resolution display. Still, colors were bright, blacks were deep and dark, and viewing angles were excellent both vertically and horizontally." He also lauded the quality of the iSight webcam, the responsiveness of the trackpad, the microphone and speakers, as well as the performance of the new CPUs for the 15" model and the long battery life. Complaints included the price of the notebook, the low number of USB ports, and the lack of HDMI.^[41]

CNET praised the automatic graphics switching features of the 15- and 17-inch 2010 models as well as the graphics cards themselves. Acclaim was also given to the Core i5 and i7 CPUs, the multi-touch trackpad, and the addition of audio capabilities to the Mini DisplayPort video output.^[42] They also called for the addition of HDMI and the Blu-ray optical disc format, saying that most other computers in the MacBook Pro's price range possessed these features.^[42] CNET also criticized the option of a higher-resolution screen in the 15-inch model, saying that "the higher-resolution screen should be included by default."^[42]

Technical specifications

According to Apple, all of these models are obsolete.^[a][22]

Since the RAM and the hard drive on some generations of MacBook Pro are user-serviceable parts, there are aftermarket modifications to enhance the system with up to 16 GB DDR3-1600 RAM (although maximum capacity and frequency depend on the hardware in question), 7,200 rpm hard drives or third-party SSDs. Third-party caddies are also made, allowing the internal optical drive to be replaced with a second internal SATA 2.5-inch hard drive or solid state drive.