[REVIEW] 16-inch MacBook Pro (2021): back to the good old days

The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro are proof that everything was better in the past. The two laptops take us to the glory days of Apple laptops. Laptops that turn the entire market upside down with today’s technology. The MacBook Pro is back for the Pros and the good old days are back.

After a test period of two full weeks, Mark explains in this review what the strengths of the new MacBook Pro are and in which areas the laptop still falls short.

MacBook Pro (2021): Our prayers have been heard

Man, we had to wait so long for this MacBook Pro. In the past few years, I got the strong impression that the glory days of Apple laptops were behind us. The arrival of the M1 MacBook Pro brought relief. But the fact remained that the biggest drawbacks of the current-gen MacBooks still remained.

The laptops have been through a lot. It doesn’t matter whether we’re talking about the fragile display, creaky keyboards or the introduction of the Touch Bar, the MacBook Pro was no longer the premium product it once was. Something we really can’t say about the M1 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro. Even if it already is, because the name sounds so imposing.

Which model have I tested?

There are many different MacBook models for sale in the Apple Store. This also applies to the new series that Apple introduced during the Unleashed event. In this article you can read which models are for sale.

I have logically tested one myself and personally think it is important that you know which model this review is based on. My M1 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro has the following specifications:

• Display: 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display (3456 x 2234 Pixels | 254ppi)
• chip: Apple M1 Pro
• CPU: 10-core CPU (8 performance and 2 efficiency)
• GPU: 16-core
• Neural Engine: 16-core
• Memory bandwidth: 200GB/s
• Random access memory: 32GB
• Storage capacity: 1TB
• Price configuration: €3439

Do I feel like a binkie with 32GB of RAM in my backpack? Oh, sure!

MacBook Pro (2021): back to the good old days

With the Macbook Pro (2021) we go back to the good old days. The time when Apple put efficiency above a sleek design and therefore also the time when USB Hubs were not an issue. Although that is not quite the case now. Where your MacBook Pro has an HDMI cable, an SD card slot and three USB-C ports, it is not possible to directly plug a USB-A device into your laptop. So in some cases you still need a Hub, but in general you are fine.

There are, however, a few things you should keep in mind. For example, the HDMI connection is an HDMI 2.0 port and not a 2.1 port. A 4K resolution with 60 fps is therefore achievable, but you cannot get the best of the best with this Pro model. This also applies to the SD card slot. For example, it supports XDXC, but not UHS III. I must also honestly say that I think it is a missed opportunity that there is nowhere to be seen an Ethernet connection. As with the current iMac, this connection could have been in the adapter, for example.

What the MacBook Pro (2021) does have is High Impendance support. This is incorporated in the 3.5mm headphone jack. This functionality is especially nice for the audiophiles among us, because it means that there is no longer any need for an amplifier or special adapter for professional headphones.

An excellent keyboard

Apple admitted last year that the butterfly keyboard may not have been as successful as the company first made it out to be. The M1 MacBook Pro and Air were equipped with a keyboard with a scissor mechanism. A great success that will be taken even further this year.

The MacBook Pro (2021) has said goodbye to the Touch Bar. From now on it is possible to make full use of the function keys, without a lot of hassle beforehand. Although it is of course a pity that the Touch Bar never really reached its full potential.

We cannot say that about this keyboard, because it is really divine to type on this device. The keyboard is well lit and the travel is just right in my opinion. In addition, there is also a new Touch ID button on the MacBook Pro (2021). This one is a bit firmer and I personally like that.

A screen that you tell yourself to

The new MacBook Pro (2021) also features a new display. It is a 10-bit mini-LED display of 16-inch (in my case) with HDR and Promotion. This combination provides a razor-sharp, clear image and I can really enjoy it. Editing videos, photos or watching movies or series: it’s really nice on this screen.

That screen is therefore also equipped with ProMotion technology. This is the same technology that Apple uses for the iPhone and iPad. It ensures that the screen is refreshed faster, so that everything seems to go a lot smoother. Personally, I’m a big fan of the technology on the iPhone and iPad, but I don’t notice much of it on the 16-inch MacBook Pro (2021). It can be seen that the technology is being applied, but the benefits are less noticeable than with the previously mentioned devices.

Is that notch really that bad?

The notch is striking though. When you see the laptop for the first time, the notch in the screen will immediately stand out. But while there’s a lot of commentary online about that notch, I must honestly say that it didn’t disturb me for a second. Does the software respond well to it? No, definitely not. But it does result in much smaller screen edges and in contrast to the previous models, that is really a gain. In addition, just like with the iPhone, you get used to it incredibly quickly.

The only thing I really regret about the notch of the MacBook Pro (2021) is the lack of Face ID. Where Apple itself has in mind that consumers will mainly use Touch ID more, I believe that Face ID would really be an added value. Now the webcam, the LED system, the Ambient Light sensor and White Balance sensor ensure that the notch is already quite full. But I still hope Apple could do something about that in the future.

MacBook Pro (2021): incredibly fast, powerful and much more

It feels a bit needless to say that the M1 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro (2021) is unbelievably fast. But hey, that’s kind of the thing about this laptop. Professionals will, without a doubt, be able to get on well with this device. The laptop is not only faster than you could have imagined, but you might also have dared to dream.

To give you a good impression of how fast the MacBook Pro (2021) actually is, I list a few examples:

• Code | It is possible to run 8 Testing Scripts simultaneously on the laptop. For example, the 16-inch MacBook Pro model with an Intel chip can only run three at a time
• 3D designs | In Cinema 4D, a project with 4,300,000 polygons is perfectly editable. From Flat Shades to Realtime Shadows: everything is directly editable without any problems
• 3D spaceship | In Octane X it is possible to edit a project with no less than 136 million polygons. The project in question was 35GB in size and almost impossible to open with previous laptops. I was able to edit and view this project without any problems.
• Music | The professional who wants to use his MacBook Pro (2021) for music projects is in the right place. On my model there is a project ready in Logic Pro with no less than 1500 different tracks. Also here I experience little to no problems
• Videos | The last example focuses on video, as many professionals will use this laptop for that. An 8K project with HDR is child’s play for the laptop. I even opened a project using a project where 7 images were in view at the same time. These played without any problems and were adaptable without any problems.

Like I said, the MacBook Pro (2021) models with the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips are absolute beasts.

The battery it deserves

A laptop with such performance also deserves an impressive battery. Fortunately, the MacBook Pro (2021) got it. I’ve tested the laptop extensively to use its full potential, but editing 8K videos or creating 3D animations isn’t something I do every day for work.

That is why I can only properly indicate what this 16-inch MacBook Pro (2021) has to offer me. On a daily basis I regularly edit images, do research, make (video) calls a lot, watch content and mainly write texts. With these activities I was able to do an average of one and a half working days with a full charge. An extremely impressive result that ensures that I can do my work anytime and anywhere.

If the battery does need to be charged, that is actually the case. The 140W charger that came with my laptop makes it possible to half charge the laptop within 30 minutes. Enough to get through almost the entire working day, so. Ideal!

MacBook Pro (2021): finally back for the Pros

The MacBook Pro (2021) is significantly more expensive than its 13-inch predecessor. That’s a bitter pill for some people, but realize that we’re dealing with an absolute Pro model here. That may take some getting used to after the past few years, but this is easily the most powerful laptop you can get on the market.

The MacBook Pro (2021) is an absurd laptop that only the real professionals can use to their full potential. And even then you’re a very big boy if you even get the fan on. It’s starting to look a bit like licking the butt, but I just can’t get around it. The new MacBook Pro is finally back for the Pros, taking us back to the glory days of Apple laptops.