Who has a desktop computer these days? It has been a while since one of those – in any form – was part of my home set-up. Laptops are so powerful these days that unless you have specialist requirements, you can ditch the dust-gathering tower PC for a moe portable option.
That is especially true when you look at Apple’s MacBook Pro. The latest version of the device is powered by the M5, Apple’s updated chip that made its recent debut. It is also featured in the new iPad Pro, part of Apple’s regular update for its laptops and premium tablets.
The devices have now landed, and while a full review will follow, after a couple of days, here are some early views.
First impressions
The new MacBook Pro is exactly what you would expect. Apple hasn’t made any design changes. It sticks with the same design as last year, and comes in two colours: space black and silver. There are no quirky colours here; the MacBook Pro is serious business.
RM Block
The keyboard and trackpad are both good sizes, with the keyboard comfortable to use for long typing sessions.
You also get two decent speakers on either side of the keyboard, which are put to use almost immediately - as soon as you open the lid, it springs into life with a familiar Apple start-up tone.
Display
Apple has stuck to the script on the display. The 14-inch version of the notebook is almost all screen, save for a thin bezel and a notch for the camera.
That gives the impression of a much larger screen, and you have plenty of space for spreading out your work before you need to consider additional displays.
The version reviewed here has the nano-texture display, an optional extra for the MacBook Pro that gives the screen a matte finish. That means no reflections, no glare and fewer fingerprint-y smudges on the screen. It also adds €190 to the price.
System
The MacBook Pro is powered by the M5, a 10-core CPU, 10 Core GPU with a 16-core Neural Engine. The latter looks after AI tasks, which looks set to become increasingly important. Overall, the M5 will do everything the M4 did but faster. Go older than that and you will notice a significant difference in performance, especially when you get to the M1.
Storage starts at 512GB and can be upgraded to 4TB if you feel you need the space. Entry-level memory is 16GB of unified memory, with the option to upgrade to 32GB. As you might imagine, that means the costs creep up too; opting for the 4TB solid state drive is an extra €1,500.
Even with the standard spec, the MacBook Pro feels speedy, so unless you have significant power needs from your laptop, you won’t have to pay extra.
It is also economical on battery life, with Apple’s official specs putting it at 24 hours. In reality, it will depend on what you are using the machine for, but in general you get a couple of decent days of work done before you need to top up the power.
Connections
The MacBook Pro sticks with MagSafe for power, but you can also use USB C if you are stuck without a charger. You get three Thunderbolt ports – two on the left, one on the right – a HDMI connector, SDXC card slot and a headphone jack.
One thing to note: Apple no longer ships the charger in the box – a MagSafe cable, yes, but if you don’t already have a USB-C plug capable of charging your MacBook Pro you will need to invest in one. That adds a minimum of €65 to your final price tag - €85 if you want the higher-powered 96W charger.
If you want to put a positive spin on it, you could say that you are cutting down on unneeded electronic waste, but for the cost of the MacBook Pro, most people will expect the Apple charger in the box.
Price
The entry-level MacBook Pro will set you back €1,849 for the 14-inch version, but any changes to the basic spec can quickly add up.
