Fortunately, the MacBook Pro 13 vs 15 decision is easier when you ignore most of the tech specs and focus on a few key questions. First, Apple’s new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models all come with Retina displays. All 15-inch MacBook Pro models now come with Apple’s new Touch Bar and Touch ID.
Testing conducted by Apple in April 2020 using preproduction 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-based 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with Intel Iris Plus Graphics, 32GB of RAM, and 4TB SSD, as well as shipping 2.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-based 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, 16GB of RAM, and 2TB SSD. 13 vs 15 inch MacBook Pro - Buying Advice Hey guys, I'm in a bit of a pickle deciding between the 15 and 13 inch MacBook Pro. I would be opting for either the entry level $1999 15 inch, or the $1499 13 inch model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD.
For a lot of things, a two-inch difference may not seem much, but when it comes to the MacBook Pro models, there’s more to it than just a difference in size. If you’re looking into buying a MacBook Pro but you’re not sure whether to go for the MacBook Pro 13-inch or 15-inch model, we’ve compiled an overview of the similarities and differences among the different versions and what they mean to casual users who do not speak the “techie” language to help you choose.
Contents
- Versions
- MacBook Pro 13-inch
- The $1,299.00 version
- The $1,499.00 version
- The $1,799.00 version
- The $1,999.00 version
- MacBook Pro 15-inch
- The $2,399.00 version
- The $2,799.00 version
- MacBook Pro 13-inch
- Similarities
- Retina Display
- Playback Time
- Wireless Standards
- Web Camera
- Operating System
- Built-in Apps
- Accessibility Tools
- Differences
- MacBook Pro 13-inch vs. Other MacBook Pro 13-inch
- Touch Bar
- Touch ID
- Thunderbolt Ports
- Memory storage
- Processors
- MacBook Pro 15-inch vs. Other MacBook Pro 15-inch
- Processor
- Storage
- Graphics
- MacBook Pro 13-inch vs MacBook Pro 15-inch
- GPU
- Processor
- Monitor
- Memory Card
- Configurations
- Display
- Dimensions
Versions
The MacBook Pro 13-inch model comes in four versions while the MacBook Pro 15-inch model comes in two. Each version differs slightly from the others in certain aspects despite bearing the same name, but you can differentiate one from the other with one look by referring to their price tags.
- MacBook Pro 13-inch
- The $1,299.00 version – The cheapest among the MacBook Pro 13-inch models and half of its two lower-end models. Often conveniently distinguished from its higher-end relatives by not having a Touch Bar.
- The $1,499.00 version – The second cheapest among the MacBook Pro 13-inch models and the other half of its two lower-end models. Also often conveniently distinguished from its higher-end relatives by not having a Touch Bar.
- The $1,799.00 version – The second of the higher-end MacBook Pro 13-inch models and the cheaper between the two. Often conveniently distinguished from its lower-end relatives by having a Touch Bar.
- The $1,999.00 version – The first of the higher-end MacBook Pro 13-inch models and the more expensive between the two. Often the model being referred to when people discuss the 13-inch version. Also distinguished from its lower-end relatives by having a Touch Bar.
- MacBook Pro 15-inch
- The $2,399.00 version – The lower-end version of the MacBook Pro 15-inch model. It also has a Touch Bar.
- The $2,799.00 version – The more expensive version between the two MacBook Pro 15-inch models and the one often being referred to when people talk about the 15-inch MacBook Pro. It also has a Touch Bar.
Similarities
Despite having six different versions split among the MacBook Pro 13-inch and 15-inch models, there are some features that are the same for each one.
- Retina Display – All MacBook Pro 13-inch and 15-inch models have retina display. If you are not familiar with the retina display yet, it is the term used by Apple to refer to monitors that have resolutions and pixel densities high enough to make it difficult for the average man to tell individual pixels apart when the monitors are being viewed from normal viewing distances — making images appear clearer and sharper on the screen.
- Playback Time – All MacBook Pro models offer up to 10 hours of video playback time. For the average Mac user, this should be enough to last a regular eight-hour work or school day, especially if you would only be doing tasks that are not particularly power-consuming such as casual web browsing or document processing (This was based on Apple’s iTunes movie playback test. Results may vary depending on individual user’s computer use).
- Wireless Standards – All MacBook Pro 13-inch and 15-inch models come in the same upgraded wireless standards — Wi-fi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.2 — allowing for faster wireless connection speeds and wider signal range compared to older MacBooks that use earlier versions.
- Web Camera – For active FaceTime users, web cam display is also the same for all MacBook Pro 13-inch and 15-inch models, with each one equipped with a 720p
FaceTime HD camera.
- Operating System – All six versions run on macOS Sierra by default.
- Built-in Apps – All six versions come packaged with popular apps such as iPhotos, iMovie, GarageBand, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Siri, Safari, and a couple of others.
- Accessibility Tools – All six versions also offer key accessibility tools such as VoiceOver, Zoom, Increase Contrast, Reduce Motion, Siri and Dictation, Switch Control, Closed Captions, and Text to Speech.
Differences
Now that we’ve found out the similarities across the different MacBook Pro 13-inch and 15-inch models, let’s take a look at what sets them apart. Below is a quick snapshot of each version’s technical specifications and how they compare with the others.
Imovie templates free mac. MacBook Pro 13-inch vs. Other MacBook Pro 13-inch
While they carry the same name, the four versions of the MacBook Pro 13-inch have some slight differences from one another.
- Touch Bar – Probably most known for granting Mac users quick access to a range of commonly used emoji during the early days of the marketing campaign built around it, the Touch Bar is actually a multi-functional virtual keyboard that lets Mac users customize the keys that appear on the place traditionally designated for the function keys.
Depending on what app you are using, Touch Bar options can let you do anything from sending mails, displaying favorite tools, manipulating system controls, managing your iTunes playlist, or activating Siri among other things.
The Touch Bar feature is only available on the higher-end versions of the MacBook Pro 13-inch model. How to play sims 4 on macbook pro.
- Touch ID – The Touch ID, on the other hand, works both as a quick access tool for turning on your computer and for verifying your identity when you are logging in to your computer account or when you are trying to make purchases via iTunes or Apple Pay.
Like the Touch Bar, the Touch ID feature is only available on the higher-end versions of the MacBook Pro 13-inch model.
- Thunderbolt Ports – Aside from the exclusion of the Touch Bar and the Touch ID from its list of features, the two lower-end MacBook Pro 13-inch models also offer only two Thunderbolt 3 ports compared to the four that the two higher-end MacBook Pro 13-inch models do.
- 4. Memory storage – Memory also differs from one version to another. The highest-end among the four (the $1,999.00 version) offers a base SSD storage of 512 GB, the mid-range versions (the $1,499.00 and $1,799.00 versions) 256 GB, and the model at the lowest end (the $1,299.00 version), 128 GB.
- 5. Processors – Lastly, the two lower-end MacBook Pro 13-inch models run on a 2.3GHz dual-core 7th-generation Intel Core i5 processor. In comparison, the two higher-end versions run on 3.1GHz dual-core 7th-generation Intel Core i5.
MacBook Pro 15-inch vs the Other MacBook Pro 15-inch
As with the case with the MacBook 13-inch models, there are slight differences between the two 15-inch MacBook Pros despite having the same name.
These differences include:
- Processor – The more expensive between the two 15-inch MacBook Pro models, the $2,799.00 version, runs on a 2.9GHz quad-core 7th-generation Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost of up to 3.9GHz.
The less expensive one, the $2,399.00 version, on the other hand, runs on a 2.8GHz quad-core 7th-generation Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost of up to 3.8GHz.
- Storage – For storage, the higher-end MacBook Pro 15-inch model comes with a 512GB SSD storage while the lower-end version comes with 256GB.
- Graphics – Both 15-inch MacBook Pro models come with an integrated Intel HD Graphics 530 and a dedicated Radeon Pro graphics card. The higher-end version, however, offers the Radeon Pro 455 version in place of the lower-end version’s Radeon Pro 450.
MacBook Pro 13-inch vs MacBook Pro 15-inch
As you would probably expect by now, there are some important differences between the MacBook Pro 13-inch and 15-inch models. Below are some of the most important and how they can affect your experience as a computer user.
- GPU – GPUs or Graphics Processing Units are responsible for handling any computer operations that involve graphics of some sort, like loading pictures or playing videos. There are two types of GPUs: integrated GPUs and discrete GPUs (also known as dedicated graphics cards).
Integrated GPUs don’t have a memory of their own and rely on your computer’s RAM to perform assigned tasks. Discrete GPUs, on the other hand, have their own memory and can work independently without interfering with other computer applications.
Because of this, computers equipped with dedicated GPUs can perform more graphic intensive tasks like running high-quality video games, streaming high-definition movies, or using professional image or video editing programs compared to computers equipped with integrated GPUs. Also, because discrete GPUs don’t eat up your computer’s RAM the way integrated GPUs do, it’s easier to run multiple programs at the same time without causing noticeable slowdowns.
https://free-3d-building-plan-software.peatix.com. If you are an avid gamer who intends to run a lot of high-quality games or a design professional who will be working with image processing programs on a regular basis, you might want to go for either of the two MacBook Pro 15-inch models which both have dedicated GPUs aside from the default integrated one. If not, the MacBook Pro 13-inch models’ integrated GPUs should be enough to meet your basic needs.
- Processor
The MacBook Pro 15-inch models are a bit way ahead of the lower-end MacBook Pro 13-inch models, so for convenience’s sake, we will mostly be comparing the 15-inch models with the higher-end versions of the MacBook Pro 13-inch models.
Both MacBook Pro 13-inch models run on a 3.1GHz dual-core 7th-generation Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost of up to 3.5GHz while the MacBook Pro 15-inch models run on a 2.8GHz quad-core 7th-generation Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost of up to 3.8GHz and 2.9GHz quad-core 7th-generation Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost up of to 3.9GHz.
At first glance, the MacBook Pro 13-inch model’s 3.1GHz may look higher than the MacBook Pro 15-inch model’s 2.8 and 2.9 GHz’s, but if you’ll take a closer look, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is a dual-core model powered by Intel’s i5 processor while the 15-inch MacBook Pro is a quad-core model powered by the i7.
If you’re not familiar with cores, they are independent processing units that receive and carry out a computer user’s commands. The more cores a computer processor has, the faster that it will be able to read data and carry out instructions (like open a program or save some files, for example) because the burden of the workload will be spread out.
This means that while 2.8 GHz is lower than 3.1 GHz, four of the former running at the same time is still essentially more powerful than two of the latter running simultaneously.
Add to that the higher Turbo Boost which allows the computer to work beyond its normal limits and you can see a noticeable difference. Flexisign 8.1 software, free download.
Also being a newer technology than i5, i7 has some features that make it slightly faster and more efficient in running tasks than its older relative.
- Monitors – The average computer user live their lives only ever needing one monitor; however, there are some users who may prefer or need to hook up an extra monitor or two to their laptops for an optimum viewing experience. If you have hobbies or jobs that require multiple monitors, the MacBook Pro 15-inch models might be your best bet as it will allow you to use up to four monitors with your laptop. If you don’t need that many and you’re looking for a cheaper option, you can also go for the higher-end versions of the 13-inch MacBook Pro models which both allow the connection of up to two monitors.
- Memory Card – Your MacBook’s memory card determines how much RAM your computer will be running on. Your RAM, in turn, will determine how much temporary data your computer can store so that information that you frequently use will be retrieved and processed faster the next time that you need them. Generally speaking, the higher your computer’s RAM is, the better.
The 15-inch MacBook Pro models both offer 16GB of RAM by default while the 13-inch models offer 6GB.
- Configurations – Not everyone needs (or can afford) top-of-the-line products. Some users are more than happy with laptops with the most basic features as long as they can do the job that they were meant to; however, there are also some who would be happy to spend a few more dollars for a feature that they frequently use to make the most of them. The good news is when you buy a MacBook Pro from the Apple store, you can customize your order to have certain parts upgraded while keeping the rest the way they are.
Among the parts that you can upgrade in the MacBook Pro models are the processors, the storage, the memory card, (applicable to all MacBook Pro 13-inch models) and the GPU (applicable only to the lower-end MacBook Pro 15-inch model).
- Display – If you just need a handy and durable laptop for processing documents, playing a few low-resolution games, or just casually browsing the web, the display would probably not be of particular concern to you; however if you’re constantly working with images and would like the best possible screen display that you can get, the MacBook Pro 15-inch models come in slightly higher display specifications than the 13-inch MacBook Pro models at 2880-by-1800 native resolution at 220 pixels per inch compared to the latter’s 2560-by-1600 native resolution at 227 pixels per inch.
- Dimensions – Also not a particular concern if what you are after for in a MacBook are performance and durability, but if you prefer your laptop as portable as possible, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is slightly thinner, narrower, and lighter than its 15-inch counterparts.
Summary
If you are on a limited budget and have no particular need for a faster processor, a dedicated graphics card, or multiple monitors, the lower-end MacBook Pro 13-inch models should be enough to meet your needs, or you can just upgrade a part or two that you will be using the most for an extra two hundred dollars or so.
If you would be doing a lot of multitasking and running a lot of graphic-intensive programs, though, the 15-inch MacBook Pro with its quad-core i7 processor, dedicated graphics card, larger storage, and ability to work with multiple monitors might suit your needs better.
Should you need further details on each version’s technical specifications, please get in touch with the Apple’s official customer support site or your favorite Apple retailer so that they can provide you with inside advice.
Choosing an Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display laptop — and/or a MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and Touch ID — can be a nerve-wracking decision, but it doesn’t have to be once you understand the core elements that really matter.
To start, the MacBook Pro 13 and 15-inch with Retina Display MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and Touch ID are oxymorons: They are advanced marvels of engineering that are hobbled by non-upgradable memory and mostly non-upgradable storage capacities. The very things that make them awesome — like super-fast flash-based storage — also hold them back. You must choose wisely.
Fortunately, the MacBook Pro 13 vs 15 decision is easier when you ignore most of the tech specs and focus on a few key questions.
First, Apple’s new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models all come with Retina displays. All 15-inch MacBook Pro models now come with Apple’s new Touch Bar and Touch ID. The Touch Bar replaces the old top line of function keys in older MacBooks and most PC laptops. The Touch ID is a fingerprint recognition button for login and ID-related activities like downloading movies from iTunes or buying things online with Apple Pay.
Most 13-inch MacBook Pro models have the new Touch Bar and Touch ID, which Apple identifies as “Touch Bar with integrated Touch ID sensor” but Apple also offers a 13-inch MacBook Pro option without a Touch Bar or sensor. This 13-inch MacBook Pro without the Touch Bar and sensor, by the way, is actually the best MacBook Pro for most people — so let’s get this topic out of the way right now.
Alert: B&H has a crazy good deal on an Apple 15.4″ MacBook Pro with 256GB of storage — save a whopping $800 on Black Friday only! This level of savings is rare.
Is the new MacBook Pro Touch Bar with Touch ID sensor worth it?
Short answer: No. The long answer: It’s mostly only important for specialized professional-grade applications for people who really want to use the Touch Bar. For instance, some high-end graphics applications will use the Touch Bar to offer color or graphic design controls. Because all this is software-based, application developers might build useful features into the Touch Bar to make their applications more powerful or user-friendly.
Maybe.
From what I’ve personally experienced and have been hearing, the Touch Bar isn’t a very natural bar to use — heck, the whole point of the keyboard is to not look at it while I look at the app I’m using. That said, it does do some interesting things. For instance, it adds some controls to video playback that are nice, making it easy to skip forward or back. It offers a bunch of emojis if you’re into emojis. And it does some typing predictions — like on your iPhone’s Messages app — that you can use. If you have an injury or disability, this last feature might be the most useful thing in the Touch Bar. As for other controls, I lost the ability to hit one physical old-school key to turn the volume up or down. Now I have to touch the Volume button to reveal a slider. The Touch Bar created an extra step for something I use every day.
As for the Touch ID, most people seem to like it, and it has worked great for me. It’s fast and rarely fails to read my finger prints.
So the big question is, if you’re considering a 13-inch MacBook Pro, is the Touch Bar worth $300?
Sure, there are very minor differences in processor speed, built-in graphics, and two-vs-four USB-C ports between the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and the one without it. The most important difference is the Touch Bar, and in my opinion it’s not worth a $300 price premium. In fact, after using my 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar for several months, if I could have saved $300 off the price of my 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina and Touch Bar, I would have ditched the Touch Bar and spent the savings on other Apple gear in a heartbeat.
MacBook Pro 13 or 15?
All that said, the new MacBook Pros are high-end devices that come with high-end price tags. The biggest potential buying issue is storage. The base models all come with 256GB of built-in, non-upgradable storage. Is this enough for you? That’s your primary question with these new models. If you’re the kind of person who wants to backup your 128GB iPhone to your MacBook Pro, as well as have a photo library of photos and videos — not to mention back up more than one iPhone in your household — 256GB just might not be enough to do this easily.
Your next major decision factor is price. How much are you willing to spend?
If your budget matches your storage needs in a new MacBook Pro, you’re going to be happy. If your budget isn’t quite there, your best option might be to go with the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar because it may be possible to use a third-party to upgrade the SSD drive sometime in the future to give you more storage — maybe. The new 15-inchers are pretty much impossible to upgrade.
But even so there is a wrinkle: OWC, which is a third-party manufacturer of Mac upgrades, has invented the OWC DEC, which is a base that you can attach to the bottom of your svelte 2016 MacBook Pro to give you an additional attached storage option. That isn’t slated to arrive until late 2017 though. Sean price mic tyson deluxe edition free. Still, it’s a great idea and could give you some storage breathing room if you’re budget is tight right now.
If you don’t care about the new Touch Bar, you might be able to find a better deal on a previous generation MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro.
13 vs 15 MacBook Pro Value: Is price a factor?
If you’re in a budget-sensitive situation, we can stop this conversation right now: Choose the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro and change your usage habits to match your budget. How? When you need more storage than the 256GB, get a Thunderbolt or USB 3.0 external hard drive to hold your extra media files (like movies) or start using high-capacity USB thumb drives.
https://vdwfsk.over-blog.com/2020/11/things-3-3-7.html. Instead of letting your Photos library explode with photos, get ruthless and only pack around the photos you really love on your Mac. And, when you plan on sitting at a desk and working long hours, invest in an eternal monitor. I have a 15-inch MacBook Pro and I still find myself using my 24-inch Dell monitor for much of my workday.
The point is, if you can learn to store large files externally, a 13-inch MacBook Pro will serve you well for years to come, especially if you’re a home user or a student.
Conversely, if price is not a problem, stop worrying and buy the MacBook Pro 15 with 512 GB of storage and the better graphics processor. Your experience will be so good, most every other laptop screen will make you feel like there’s sand in your eyes.
Do you need a big screen?
Which MacBook Pro? The 13.3 inch or 15.4 inch, and how much flash storage? The 13-inch is best for most people, the 15-inch best for heavy workloads. Take action: check models and prices at Amazon.
The new Retina displays on the MacBook Pro 13 and MacBook Pro 15 are slightly different, and the way the resolution of a Retina display is utilized means that the actual pixels (tiny dots of light) packed onto the screen don’t map to workable space like they used to years ago — especially when you’re working with image files. Both displays look fantastically crisp, bright, and vivid. https://macbook-air-2019-camera.peatix.com. The 15.4-inch screen simply has more available real estate to work with, and that’s the key: Do you need all you can get?
To get that screen real estate, though, requires a major price leap: $700 more if you consider the low-end and $500 more if you want to compare the mid-level MBP 13, which has 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage. Of course, the entry-level 15-inch MacBook Pro now has 16GB of memory and 256GB of storage, giving you a boost in memory, which is worth it if you get into editing a lot of video, playing intense games, or working with a lot of different apps at the same time.
Unfortunately, Apple has this whole pricing fetish that’s attached to size — bigger screens always cost more. If you’re like me, you would appreciate a mid-level MacBook Pro that has mid-level processors . . . but still has a larger screen. Sorry, with Apple, “bigger” and “better” always go hand-in-hand. Consequently, if you need more working space directly on your MacBook Pro, you must get the pricier model.
When you travel, will you need to do serious work for long hours?
Review Takeaway: The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is the best all-around MacBook for most consumers.
If you travel and work a lot, you need to consider the nature of your work: Will you lose productivity if your screen size is smaller than at your office desk? For me, writing and working simply takes longer on a smaller screen. No way around it. When I travel, I lose a bit of productivity, and for me, productivity is key. I can’t imagine going back to any screen smaller than a 15-incher.
On the other hand, if your travel requires you to pull your MacBook Pro out and use it for short bursts of activity several times a day — say, in airports and lobbies and remote offices or coffee shops, libraries, and classrooms — for things like email, word processing, and web browsing . . . the portability of the 13-inch MacBook Pro wins. Which leads to the next question.
Will you pack your MacBook Pro around a lot?
If you’re a student or a person who can’t leave home without your MacBook, go with the MBP 13 (or a MacBook Air). At 3.46 pounds, it weighs only one pound less than the 4.46 pound MBP 15, but the smaller footprint and weight will make it feel much more nimble.
Are you a pro? A movie-making enthusiast or gamer?
Macbook Pro 13 Or 15 For Programming Languages
If you’re a pro, I’m surprised you’re reading this. Buy the MBP 15 for the quad-core Intel Core i7 processor and get on with it. The MBP 13s come with dual-core Intel Core i5 processors. For intensive applications, you’ll want the MacBook Pro 15-inch models.
If you’re a video enthusiast on a budget, you can get by with the $1499 or $1799 MacBook Pro 13-inch models (usually less at B&H), but if you’re a Mac-loving user who simply has an unbearable desire to play rich, vibrant games on your Mac, go big with a stacked 15-inch MacBook Pro.
Here’s one last thought: Don’t fret so much in your decision. If you make a mistake, your MacBook Pro will hold its value well. You can sell it and only lose a small chunk of your investment. In the process, the consolation is that you will have learned something valuable about yourself — and your real MacBook Pro needs.
What about the new Force Touch trackpad on the 13-inch MacBook Pro?
Review: The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display (Mid 2015) is Apple’s most powerful notebook.
Apple recently updated the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display and 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display with slightly improved graphics, faster flash storage, and Apple’s new Force Touch trackpad. The performance boost is welcome — but not a factor compared to the 15-incher. The new trackpad, though, is a matter of personal preference. Why? It has two features that are interesting but far from necessary — vibration feedback for some types of presses and an ability to press and then press harder to trigger an action. For example, if you tap on a date in an email and then continue to press harder, you can automatically open up a calendar entry. Or if you fast forward in a movie and press harder, it will fast forward faster. Cool? Yes. Life changing? No. (Heck, I still prefer to use a Magic Mouse 2.) Bottom line? If you need a MacBook now, I recommend that you choose based on screen size and storage capacity.
Shop MacBook Pro 13 vs 15 Retina Display:
Macbook Pro 15.4 Best Price
- Get the MacBook Pro 13.3-inch, 128GB, 256GB, 512GBat Amazon . . . or at B&H
- Get the MacBook Pro 15.4-inch, 256GB, 512GB, 16GB memory at Amazon . . . or at B&H