Apple has just introduced its first touch MacBook Pro, just a day after announcing another model that retains the traditional screen. So far, everything seems pretty simple: we have two professional laptops and one of them allows you to touch the screen. The matter becomes more interesting when we look at their prices, because The difference exceeds 1,000 euros. And that’s where the questions anyone can ask themselves before buying one begin: what are we getting for our money, what are we paying more for, and are they really different.
Let’s get to the numbers. If we enter the Spanish Apple Store, to find the new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 without touch screen, the starting price is 2,329 euros. If we want the new Touch model, we have to pay at least 3,349 euros, i.e. 1,020 euros more. It is easy to think that this difference mainly corresponds to the screen, an innovation that the company highlighted the most in its presentation. But that’s not the only change: the input configuration also has different processors and memory amounts.
Let’s start with the classic MacBook Pro. In your starting configuration We find the M6 chip12 CPU cores dedicated to processing and another 12 GPU cores for graphics, along with 16 GB of unified memory and 1 TB of SSD storage. The screen, for its part, remains a Liquid Retina XDR with mini-LED technology, without a touch function.
What do we get if we jump?
If we jump to a new model, it’s not just the way screens are used that will change. For 3,349 euros, its basic configuration includes an M5 Pro with a 15-core CPU and a 16-core GPU, with 24 GB of unified memory, compared to the conventional M6’s 16 GB; Storage is still 1TB. The other big innovation is the PROLED XDR panel, which combines OLED with multi-touch interaction. And even though the M6 is a newer generation, results released by Geekbench for Mac minis with those processors put the M5 Pro ahead in the multi-core and graphics tests, while the M6 gets a better single-core score. How these differences translate to the new laptop remains to be seen.
But there is an interesting detail as we continue to explore the Apple catalog. Available alongside the conventional MacBook Pro M5 ProThe same processor that we find in the input touch. If we choose a configuration with identical CPU, GPU, memory and storage, the first costs 2,949 euros and the second costs 3,349 euros. We are talking about a 400 euro difference between two computers that share a good part of their main components. Of course, the extra money doesn’t just buy the ability to touch the screen, because there are panel and design changes.
|
Conventional MacBook Pro |
MacBook Pro Touch |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Starting price |
2,329 euros |
3,349 euros |
|
processor |
M6 |
M5 Pro |
|
Unified memory |
16 GB |
24GB |
|
screen |
Liquid Retina XDR, mini-LED |
Touch PROLED XDR, OLED |
|
Camera area |
groove |
Dynamic Island |
|
Apple logo |
no light |
enlightened |
|
weight |
1.55 kg |
1.38 kg |
|
connection |
Thunderbolt 4, up to 2 external monitors |
Thunderbolt 5, up to 3 external monitors |
|
Autonomy in streaming video |
up to 24 hours |
Up to 22 hours |
In the table above you can see the comparison of the input configuration of both the devices.
The differences don’t end at processor or memory. When we open the computers, we see that the conventional model retains the notch, while the new one incorporates a dynamic island from which we can consult information and use touch controls. Its OLED screen allows for deeper blacks and offers, greater contrast and maximum HDR brightness, according to Apple.
The device also weighs less, though there are other changes: the basic M6 has Thunderbolt 4 and supports two external monitors, compared to three for the touch screen with Thunderbolt 5, a feature the M5 Pro also offers in common. Curiously, the cheaper M6 has an advantage in the official autonomy figures: Apple declares up to 24 hours of video streaming compared to 22 hours for the touch screen with the M5 Pro.
In the end, paying more doesn’t mean getting a MacBook Pro that’s better in all respects. There is a 1,020 euro difference between the entry models and this is not only explained by the screen. If you’re thinking about buying your next Apple professional laptop, the question is pretty simple: Is it worth paying more for the touch screen and the rest of the new features, or are you satisfied with the conventional model? The difference is in the table. Now it’s your turn to decide.
Picture | apple
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