14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro: Buy now or wait?

Whilst the MacBook Air is tremendously well-known, some people want a minor bit extra. Extra functionality, a greater battery, much more ports, a larger sized screen…if you have to have a lot more, you have to have a 14- or 16-inch MacBook Professional.

Before you spend all that cash on a thing you hope to continue to keep and use for yrs, it is truly worth inquiring if this is a good time to buy. In the earth of pcs, there’s often anything improved on the way, but if it’s a ton better and it is coming soon, you might want to wait.

It is been about a 12 months because the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro was initial introduced and an update could be coming quickly. Here’s our buying guidance for the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro.

14- and 16-inch MacBook Professional: Pricing and specs

Released: October 2021

The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Professional received a substantial Apple silicon up grade at Apple’s “Unleashed” party. It starts with a new processor (the M1 Pro or M1 Max), but it is extra than just speed. It has a new display (Liquid Retina XDR), a lot more ports (3 Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, SDXC slot), a total-sized row of operate keys, and a new structure. It replaces the Intel product that was unveiled in 2019.

14-inch MacBook Professional (2021)

MSRP:

$1,999 (8-Core CPU, 14-Core GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $2,499 (10-Core CPU, 16-Main GPU, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD)

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14-inch MacBook Pro (2021)evaluate

16-inch MacBook Professional (2021)

MSRP:

$2,499 (M1 Pro 10-Core CPU, 16-Main GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $2,699 (M1 Professional 10-Main CPU, 16-Main GPU, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $3,499 (M1 Max 10-Core CPU, 32-Core GPU, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD)

The 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,999. The 16-inch MacBook Professional starts off at $2,499. There are processor, RAM, and storage alternatives that can push it over $6,000.

14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro: Why you really should invest in

The MacBook Pro is a remarkable device that checks off just about each individual box on a pro user’s wishlist. It’s fast, able, and strong, and provides Apple’s pro laptop computer into the forefront of the pack. The display screen is purpose adequate to want a person, bringing mini-LED and Promotion to a Mac for the initial time, with intense brightness (1,600-nit peak) and exceptional shade precision. Apple statements the M1 Pro chip is 70 % speedier than the M1, and the M1 Max has a GPU 4 periods far more potent than that in the M1. It also has a lot more RAM, numerous periods more memory bandwidth, and a mad-rapidly SSD.

There are also a great deal far more ports. Apple additional 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports to the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Professional, as nicely as HDMI and an SDXC card slot. There is an upgraded 1080p FaceTime camera as well, however you are going to will need to offer with a monitor notch like on the Apple iphone. But we believe that is an acceptable trade-off for so significantly power.

14- and 16-inch MacBook Professional: Why you ought to invest in

A new MacBook Professional is a large financial commitment, but if you need to have the energy it gives correct now, get 1. Just about every new Mac is generally the most effective Apple has ever created, but the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Professional is a gigantic leap both equally around the prior model and in the record of the MacBook Professional, and we feel you will be pretty pleased with your obtain.

We do recommend that you get as a great deal storage and memory as you can find the money for. The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Professional starts at 16GB of RAM and goes up to 32GB with the M1 Pro, and 64GB with the M1 Max chips. The updates are not low-priced, but they’ll be effectively worthy of the investment decision several years from now when your device is however managing as efficiently as it was when you acquired it.

If you do choose to make the investment decision proper now, never buy it directly from Apple. Third-social gathering stores this sort of as Amazon and Finest Acquire are giving the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro with steep discounts, as a great deal as $400 off the standard price tag. (The Apple store does not market clearance merchandise or offer sale charges on present-day inventory.) The catch with purchasing at just one of these product sales is that customization solutions are minimal, so for illustration, you have to settle for no matter what RAM and SSD configuration is becoming available. But if you are fine with that, you are going to save a ton of funds.

Why are third-bash stores supplying this sort of major reductions? That sales opportunities us to…

Macworld recommends: Wait

A number of reports have stated that Apple could update the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Professional in the next several weeks. The revenue at 3rd-get together suppliers are most likely thanks to Apple seeking to clear stock to make area for the new variation.

This future update will be a processor enhance to the M2 Pro and Max, the adhere to-up to the M1 Professional and Max. The performance will enhance, but in all probability not as significantly as the swap from Intel chips to the M1 series.

Considering the fact that the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro’s design and style is just a calendar year old, Apple won’t adjust it. It need to have the very same screen, ports, keyboard, and trackpad. It is all about the processor and GPU for this update.

So if you definitely want the hottest technological innovation and are ready to pay whole price, keep off on getting a new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Professional.