No Escape key makes it a non-starter for me. A shame - I’m typing this on a Macbook Pro and I would have enjoyed upgrading. But I still use and love vi, and I need a real Escape key.
Both the ESC key and the full set of Function Keys still exist as virtual keys accessed by pressing the Function Key (hey, who'da thought that the Function Key would bring up Function Keys?) Press the Function Key and the Touch Bar turns into the full set of Function Keys with the ESC key in its normal location on the left.
It does have an escape button, on the new touch bar.
“I need a real Escape key.”
Pressing control plus “left square bracket” is also Escape. I often use that as well as control+i for Tab. It involves less hand movement. Escape in particular is quite a reach.