Apple announces the 16-inch MacBook Pro with a brand-new keyboard

Digital Trends ^ | November 13, 2019 5:41AM PST | By Alex Blake

[Bob434]

Yeah i don’t liek the terms either- which is one reason i won’t use windows 10- sticking with windows 7 (Which isn’t much better in their terms admittedly)- and going to using a sandbox to keep the system secure-

I have windows programs I use- like photoshop, which i’ve already paid an arm and leg for- and steam app etc- that i keep the windows for- (I dual boot- linux is my main os- windows 7 secondary one, only when i need to use photoshop or want to play a game) I’ve tried using wine to use windows apps on linux- but wine isn’t that great- programs work kinda wonky if at all- so i stick with windows- but now mostly only use linux- as i don’t do much on computers these days really- just basic online stuff, email, sometimes photoshop games etc- so my needs aren’t that great for computing-

Windows sucks in regards to their terms- i agree- I did mostly transition away from it- but there are things you can do to use older versions and still be safe online, like using sandbox- or virtual machine- and using the older versions gives you a lot of control over it unlike windows 10 where they phone home without your consent- (I suppose 7 does to to a certain degree- but my aren’t they disappointed when all they see for my online activity is Free Republic lol)

[Bob434]

[[only thing I hate about Apple is the constant updates. I really wish they would get on a monthly update schedule instead of pushing updates every week. Drives me insane.]]

One question- can you set it to manual update like you can in windows 7? That way you coudl put off for a few weeks- you’d just have to remember to update-

[mass55th]

Thanks for posting this article. I’ve had a 15 inch MacBook Pro since early 2011. Were later models without esc keys? I also read that later models stopped having the chime upon start-up. Mine stopped after the last software update 10.13.6. The sound works perfectly on it other than that, even without my USB speakers, so the chime isn’t missed.

I got an Apple Card a while back, and am keeping it for when, and if I need to get a new laptop sometime before I die. The 16 inch comes with 16 gigabyte, which is more than I’ve ever had on any of my Apple computers over the years.

[Dr. Sivana]

IBM's Thinkpad Butterfly keyboard was thought to be pretty cool!

[AnotherUnixGeek]

It's kind of amazing how many thing Apple did to mess up the excellent MacBook Pro in recent years - replacing the excellent keyboard with something a lot worse, removing ports, adding the ridiculous virtual button bar and getting rid of the handy magnetic power connector. At least they're walking back the keyboard change, finally.

I'm still hanging on to an old and outdated MacBook Pro as one of my work laptops because I can't stand the new ones. Maybe I can finally replace it.

[mass55th]

My early 2011 15-inch MacBook Pro has that same type of adapter...and it’s definitely been a plus.

[Dr. Sivana]

Who? Who but Apple fanbois will pay this price?

Actually, a lot of people who live off of their laptops like Apple's hardware and run Windows off their laptops. These are NOT MacOS fanbois. Spending $2,500+ for excellent tools might not be a big deal. It is not hard too find similarly priced Windows laptops if you look at business/gamer class.

[matt04]

They got rid of all all in the name of seeing how thin they can make them. I would gladly have a extra 1/4” of thickness of to save replacing screens, hinges, etc, as it lands on the floor.

[mass55th]

When Apple notifies you that there is a security, or software update, you have the option to do it then, or have it remind you later that day, or the next day. Then you have the option to just keep telling it to remind you the next day until your are ready to do it. I've always waited to update software because you never know if there is an unknown issue with it. So I wait to make sure the update won't screw up my laptop. As a hobby, my oldest son creates mods for video games, and then uploads them to a site for people to download and use them in their games. He also creates game videos, and uploads them to his YouTube channel. I can't tell you how many times he's started the uploads, only to come home, or woken up the next morning to find that because of an automatic Microsoft update, the mod or video upload was never completed.

My MacBook Pro is from early 2011, and the updates take a while to complete on it because its so old. But it still works. For the longest time I wouldn't update the operating system because it was a pain in the arse, and my laptop was working fine. But then a year or two ago, I started losing space on my hard drive without any reason. So I bit the bullet, and let the system update the os, and it took care of the problem. By not updating as I should have, it was as if my laptop was fighting with itself to perform, and after I updated it, I could have kicked myself for not having done it sooner.

[Swordmaker]

Who? Who but Apple fanbois will pay this price? And before I get flamed, just know I am an Apple fanboi. I like Apple. But this is exhorbitant.

Not really. This is a professional Workstation grade laptop, not intended for just surfing the web.

I just went to Dell.com and configured their closest laptop to match the Apple MacBook Pro announced with a matching Intel i7 processor, near matching AMD graphics (only 4GB of Graphics RAM instead of the 6GBs in the Apple), matching screen resolution, 512GB SSD, 16GB of RAM, fingerprint security, etc, and it came to a $500 higher $2866 price, compared to the $2399 of the Apple MacBook Pro 16”. . .

That Dell price was with a supposed $1233 discount. So, no, it’s not an exorbitant price for the purpose it is designed and offered to the people it is intended.

[dragnet2]

Starting at $2,399 ?

Good grief....After tax about $2,600...Gak~

[irishjuggler]

I’m with you guys. I love the mag-safe adapter. I’m sticking with my 2015 MacBook Pro until it stops working. Actually owned the 2018 model for a few months but hated it so much I sold it.

[Swordmaker]

[[only thing I hate about Apple is the constant updates. I really wish they would get on a monthly update schedule instead of pushing updates every week. Drives me insane.]]

One question- can you set it to manual update like you can in windows 7? That way you coudl put off for a few weeks- you’d just have to remember to update-

Weekly updates is an exaggeration. The updates are actually few and far between. There are more updates for iOS than for macOS, and for BOTH you can update on your own schedule. You never have to accept any updates unless you want them. The only updates that are pushed out are updates to the built-in anti-malware system, but you can also turn that off, if you want, but it is not advisable.

[qwerty1234]

>>Not really. This is a professional Workstation grade laptop, not intended for just surfing the web.

Good point, when it says ‘starting at $2399’, that means for this new - and very powerful - model. There are certainly cheaper/less powerful Macs to be had, and the quality is there as well.

Each of my kids laptops was closer to $1000 - still more than the $400 dell craptops, but worth it imo, if you can afford it.

A laptop used by an adult, and 99% of the time sitting on your desk, will probably hold up even if it is a cheap one - having teenagers shoving them in their backbacks, and being typically rough with them carting back and forth to school, and that is where the Apple products seem to really hold up better.

2 days after I bought my latest MacBook Pro (top of the line - over $4K, it fell out of my backpack directly onto a concrete sidewalk (with no protective case) - and didn’t break (or even have any visible damage other than a small scratch. Wouldn’t recommend it, but don’t think most $400 laptops would fare quite as well.

[Bob434]

thanks- windows 10 forces updates practically- hate that- windows 7 allowed you to do so manually, AND avoid known bad updates by hiding it in the update module

[Swordmaker]

I’m still using an older MacBook as well, I believe something from 2012-ish, the thing I like about that generation is they still use the MagSafe adapter. Having a easy breakaway adapter has save me a many occasions, I’m worried about the new ones taking the expensive laptop to the floor with it.

There are adaptors for USB C power connectors that are the equivalent to the Apple MagSafe. At $21 from Amazon, it’s cheap insurance which will prevent your MacBook from winding up on the floor. I have one for my 2015 MacBook. Works great.

[Swordmaker]

Thanks for posting this article. I’ve had a 15 inch MacBook Pro since early 2011. Were later models without esc keys? I also read that later models stopped having the chime upon start-up.

No, but the MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar had a touch ESC Key. . . Some people thought it would be problematic if the computer froze. Never heard of one being that frozen, though. Perhaps there were problems which the virtual escape key would not work, since Apple has gone back to having a physical ESC Key next to the Touch Bar.

[mass55th]

Thanks for the response. The only screen freeze I ever experienced on a Mac was with the old OS 8 platform.

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

You are right that you don’t have to update MacOS when the request comes in. But I can’t say “remind me next week” or “remind me next month”. The longest I can say is “remind me tomorrow”. And then I have to see that idiotic reminder 10 days in a row if I keep saying “remind me tomorrow”. If I accidentally say “try tonight” then it automatically updates.

Look, I wouldn’t care if it didn’t take a solid half hour every time MacOS updates. It it updated in the background, or if my iMac took 5 minutes to reboot, I wouldn’t care. But every time I update, it takes my iMac out of service for a solid half hour until it is finished.

During update, you have to put in your apple ID. So if I do an update during the day at work, when I come home I see a field where I have to enter my apple ID, and then it is 20 stinking more minutes from there. So I come home ready to work on the Apple, BUT NO! I have to wait 20 minutes for it to come on line every time.

Pisses me off to no end. I really hate Apple updates. Hate them.

[BereanBrain]

https://lmgtfy.com/?q=how+to+get+rid+of+mac+update+notifications&s=g