Items tagged with MacBook Pro
Apple may be ready to add a "free" performance boost to its MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops in a future software update according to references found in beta macOS Catalina code. The latest build of the macOS Catalina 10.15.3 beta makes reference to what Apple calls "Pro Mode", and it will apparently be user-configurable. According to 9to5 Mac, the new strings related to Pro Mode can be traced directly to macOS' power management system. With the new strings, Apple provides the following warning for those that attempt to enable Pro Mode: "Apps may run faster, but battery life may decrease and fan noise may increase." There are also options to keep the fans running at a higher RPM until the...
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Late in 2019, Apple released its [mostly] new flagship MacBook Pro laptop with a larger 16-inch display, 100 WHr battery, and most importantly a new scissor-style keyboard to replace the hated and trouble-prone butterfly keys. It's a given that the more robust scissor key mechanism will arrive on Apple's smaller MacBooks in the future, and we could be looking at signs of the first of these products today. Thanks to some sleuthing by MacRumors, the company found his Apple product identifier in the European Economic Commission (EEC) database: A2289. A2289 is simply described as a "portable personal computer brand Apple" that is running macOS 10.15. Given that the 16-inch MacBook...
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If your 2019 model MacBook Pro (13-inch, two Thunderbolt 3 ports) is shutting down when there seems to be plenty of battery life left, you might have received a dud. You are certainly not alone. Several MacBook Pro owners have taken to support forums to complain of that very issue, and Apple has responded by posting a new support document acknowledging the issue. According to the support document, the shutdown bug is limited to just the 2019 MacBook Pro. It apparently affects two of the four available SKUs, including the one with a 1.4GHz quad-core processor and 128GB of storage ($1,299), and the one that pairs a 1.4GHz quad-core processor with 256GB of storage ($1,499). The two higher end SKUs...
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The hits just keep coming for Apple and its butterfly keyboard design that debuted back with the 2015 MacBook. A U.S. District judge nixed Apple's request to have a class action lawsuit brought against it over keyboard issues dismissed. As we have discussed on numerous occasions, the keyboards have been plagued with reliability issues, including keys that become stuck or fail completely after regular use. In some cases, a single speck of dust is enough to "kill" a key, resulting in an expensive keyboard replacement. Over the years, Apple has made refinements to the keyboard -- including the use of a silicone membrane to prevent debris from entering the key mechanism...
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Just last month, Apple out of the blue launched its 16-inch MacBook Pro flagship laptop, which includes a higher resolution display, a better keyboard, and a larger battery. However, a new research note from popular Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that another big update for the laptop is coming next year. Apple is said to be moving from a traditional LCD panel to Mini-LED technology, which is something that we've heard rumored for years now. However, Kuo says that the switch will happen by late 2020. The new Mini-LED displays will allegedly "significantly improve productivity and the entertainment experience", which doesn't really give us much to go on. However, a MacBook Pro with...
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Apple answered its numerous critics earlier this month when it released the all-new 16-inch MacBook Pro, which most notably ditched the incredibly problematic (and loathed) butterfly key switches in favor of the tried and true scissor mechanism. The move back to the scissor switches -- which had been employed in MacBooks prior to 2016 -- has resulted in a slightly thicker chassis, but the reliability and key "feel" improvements are more than worth it. In what should be a surprise to no one, reports are now indicating that an all-new 13-inch MacBook Pro will be arriving during the first half of 2020 with the same “Magic Keyboard” outfitted with scissor key switches. This...
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Apple has just launched a brand-new MacBook Pro, and as we've been reporting for months, it has a larger 16-inch display. But perhaps the biggest update to this new MacBook Pro is the addition of a new keyboard mechanism that finally rids us of the dreaded butterfly key switches that have annoyed customers for the past four years. Not surprising given the flowery language that often comes out of Cupertino, Apple calls it the "Magic Keyboard". Instead of a butterfly mechanism, Apple has gone back to a scissor switch (like all previous MacBook Pros prior to the 2015 MacBook redesign). The new keys offer 1mm of travel and are supposedly more stable during furious typing sessions....
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It looks as though the 2019 iPhones will get plenty of company on stage at Apple's fall keynote address. In addition to three "iPhone 11" models, Apple is also rumored to debut updated iPad Pro tablets and potentially an Apple Watch Series 5. But we're now learning that Apple could potentially reveal the widely rumored 16-inch MacBook Pro at the same event instead of at a separate October event. This latest declaration comes from DigiTimes, which claims the 16-inch MacBook Pro will have much smaller bezels than its 15-inch MacBook Pro counterpart. Those thinner bezels will reportedly allow the new notebook to feature similar case dimensions to the existing 15-inch MacBook Pro....
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Apple is widely rumored to launch a new 16-inch MacBook Pro later this year. It will serve as the flagship of Apple's professional notebook lineup and will likely start at around the $3,000 price point compared to a $2,399 for the 15-inch MacBook Pro. Now, the ever-reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is indicating that the new 16-inch MacBook Pro will adopt a scissor mechanism for the keyboard to replace the oft-maligned butterfly design employed on the current MacBook Air and MacBook Pro families. Not only is the new keyboard mechanism expected to provide longer key travel (something that has been missing from Apple's keyboard once it first shifted to the butterfly mechanism in the...
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Earlier this week, Apple announced a number of updates to its MacBook family including a new entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro, a slightly revised MacBook Air, and the axing of the 12-inch MacBook. Today, the teardown experts over at iFixit got their hands on the new base 13-inch MacBook Pro and were able to confirm a number of changes that set the device apart from its predecessor. Externally, the biggest change is the arrival of the Touch Bar, which means that the entire MacBook Pro family now includes the touch-sensitive OLED panel. Internally, the Touch Bar is driven by the T2 security chip. Apple also increased the size of the battery ever so slightly, rising from 54.5 WHr on...
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After letting its entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro languish for the past two years without any major updates, Apple is finally "making it rain". Just in time for Back to School season, the base 13-inch MacBook Pro is gaining a number of features previously reserved for its more expensive siblings. Standard equipment now includes a True Tone display, the T2 security chip and the Touch Bar (which includes Touch ID). The last addition might be sad news for those Apple fans that hate the Touch Bar (admittedly, it's more of a gimmick than actually being useful) and love the traditional function keys on the top row. Apple has also updated the internal hardware, as the previous "old hat" 7th generation...
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Rumors were swirling in February of this year from noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that Apple would be launching a new display this year along with a new 16-inch MacBook Pro. The display launch happened, but the 16-inch MacBook Pro was absent from the event that did bring some updated Macs. A new rumor is going around that Apple is launching a 16-inch MacBook Pro this year, and this new information is based on an industry report from IHS Market. The report claims that Apple will launch a 16-inch MacBook Pro that has a screen resolution of 3072 x 1920, up from the 2880 x 1800 resolution screen offered in the 15-inch MacBook. The same updated keyboard and newer 9th gen Intel processors are expected...
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Recalls due to battery issues are nothing new in the laptop world. Bad batteries have overheated and caused fires multiple times over the years in different notebook brands, as well as cellphones of course. This week, Apple issued a recall on certain MacBook Pro laptops due to a fire risk associated with the battery. The machines were specific versions of the 15-inch MacBook Pro from the mid-2015 era. The company notes on its support site that, "Apple has determined that, in a limited number of older generation 15-inch MacBook Pro units, the battery may overheat and pose a fire safety risk." Apple is taking the fire risk seriously and is advising anyone who owns a machine covered by the...
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Owners of previous-generation 15-inch MacBook Pros may have cause for concern. Apple has recalled some older models of the machine due to potential battery fire risks. Consumers will be able to get their battery replaced for free, however. The batteries in the affected Macbook Pros may overheat and create a fire hazard. The machines were sold between September 2015 and November 2017 and users will need to check their device's serial number to determine whether or not their machine is eligible for a battery replacement. The affected model is the “MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015)”. If the device is eligible, Apple suggests that users stop using the device immediately....
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