MacBook Pro With Touch Bar Gets 'Improved' Keyboard, Faster Processors at a Lower Price in India

Apple has updated the MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar with faster Intel Core processors and an updated version of its “butterfly" keyboard. The Cupertino giant claims that the 2019 MacBook Pro laptops deliver two times faster performance over the existing quad-core processors-powered models and 40 percent more power than the hexa-core processor models. The 15-inch MacBook Pro gets an option of new octa-core Intel chips that is touted to make the new MacBook Pro models the "fastest Mac notebook ever". Additionally, Apple told select media outlets, the notorious "butterfly" mechanism that has been a problem for a large number of MacBook users has been tweaked specifically in the 2019 MacBook Pro models to ensure long-term reliability.

In the new Apple MacBook Pro range, the most powerful option is the 15-inch model that comes with ninth-generation Intel Core processors. The top-end variant of the 15-inch MacBook Pro is powered by an octa-core Intel Core i9 processor at a clock speed of 2.3GHz with Turbo Boost speed up to 4.8GHz. However, the 15-inch range also has the base model that starts with an hexa-core Intel Core i7 processor at 2.6GHz clock speed, Turbo Boost up to 4.5GHz. The base model comes with 256GB of SSD storage, while the top-end variant comes with 512GB of SSD storage. Both models pack 16GB of RAM.

Though Apple has always made custom configurations for its machines available via select retailers, for the first time these find a prominent place on Apple's India website, with the company saying "additional configurations available" via the "nearest reseller":

To recall, the 15-inch MacBook Pro last year had the most powerful option carrying eighth-generation, hexa-core Intel Core i7 and Core i9 processors with a maximum clock speed of up to 2.9GHz. This suggests significant performance upgrades in the new 15-inch MacBook Pro models.

Alongside the new 15-inch MacBook Pros, Apple has brought some major processor-centric changes to the 13-inch MacBook Pro models that come with a Touch Bar. The base variant in the new lineup has an eighth-generation, quad-core Intel Core i5 processor at 2.4GHz, with Turbo Boost speed up to 4.1GHz.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro last year came with up to eighth-generation, quad-core Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors with up to 2.7GHz clock speed. Moreover, the base variant of the previous 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar had dual-core processors.

Again, Apple is highlighting the availability of additional configurations:

In terms of pricing, the updated models will be available at lower prices in India. The updated 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and 15-inch MacBook Pro will be available via Apple Authorised Resellers later this week starting at prices of Rs. 1,59,900 and Rs. 1,99,900 respectively, which is respectively Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 25,000 lower than the previous generation. We will update this story with prices of all models as and when the information becomes available.

Keyboard improvements

In addition to the notable changes on the processor side, Apple has provided an improved keyboard on the 2019 MacBook Pro models. According to multiple reports, the company has confirmed that the keyboard on the new MacBook Pro lineup uses a new material to substantially reduce the issues faced by users in the past.

However, Apple hasn't defined how the new material is different from the existing one. The press release announcing the new MacBook Pro lineup also doesn't include any information pertaining to the keyboard enhancement. The company has extended its Keyboard Service Program to include the 2018 MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models as well as the new MacBook models.

In terms of similarities with the existing models, the 2019 MacBook Pro range has retained the Retina display with True Tone technology that is claimed to deliver 500 nits of peak brightness and support for the P3 wide colour gamut. There is also the Apple T2 security chip along with Touch ID support and 'Hey Siri' hotword option to activate Siri. Furthermore, the new machines run macOS Mojave out-of-the-box.

It is worth mentioning here that the latest development is limited to the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models. This means there aren't any changes for the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro that doesn't come with Touch Bar.