Beyond the processor upgrades, the 2018 MacBook Pro lineup has lots of little upgrades.
First, the obvious stuff: the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar gets Intel quad-core processors for the first time and the 15-inch MacBook Pro gets hexa-core (six) for the first time. Both use Intel’s latest Coffee Lake silicon, as explained in more detail here.
Lesser-known new features/upgrades:
Intel 655 graphics: The MacBook’s 655 graphics boasts twice the eDRAM on 13-inch Touch Bar model: now with 128 MB eDRAM vs. 64 MB on last year’s model (and current lower-end non-Touch-Bar MBP 13s). This is fast DRAM integrated onto the processor die and can boost performance on certain graphics tasks. Also slightly higher maximum clock speed. More on Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655 from Notebook Check.
Upgraded Radeon Pro graphics: On the MacBook Pro 15, new Radeon Pro 550X or 560X (both new) with 4GB of GDDR5 memory. Higher frequencies equals better performance.
DDR4 memory — a first: the 15-inch MacBook Pro gets DDR4 (2400MHz) memory for the first time. This gets you better speeds “when working with large files, or running multiple pro apps or virtual machines,” according to Apple.
Up to 32GB memory — another first: the 15‑inch MacBook Pro can for the first time be configured with up to 32GB of memory.
Faster SSDs: ”Read and write speeds are in line with the best SSDs available today,” says MobileTechReview’s Lisa Gade.
Up to 2TB SSD or 4TB SSD: 2TB option beats the top-end 1TB config on last year’s MBP 13 model. The 4TB option on the MBP 15 is a first too (and adds an astounding $3,400 to the price).
Apple T2 processor: 2nd gen Apple chip on Touch Bar models. This handles secure boot and encrypted storage capabilities, according to Apple. It also controls the FaceTime camera and consolidates a system management controller, audio controller, and SSD controller into one chip. And the Apple T2 chip powers Hey Siri for the MacBook Pro. You can see where this may be going: more and more features handled by proprietary Apple chips.
Hey Siri: speaking of Hey Siri and the T2 chip, this is available for the first time on a MacBook.
Bigger Batteries: 58 watt-hour battery on MBP 13 compared to 49.2 watt-hour battery on last year’s model. The MBP 15 gets 83.6 watt-hour battery compared to 76 watt hours on last year’s MBP 15. The larger batteries are necessary to offset more power-hungry features — particularly on the MBP 15 (such as DDR4 memory). So, don’t expect a big increase in battery life.
Bluetooth 5.0: first time for a MacBook to support this standard.
Improved Butterfly keyboard: Apple’s Butterfly-mechanism keyboard is a sore point for some users (though not for me). The newest Butterfly keyboards are quieter due to a “thin rubberized layer under its keycaps,” according to iFixit.
True Tone display: This is new to the MacBook. The white balance automatically adjusts to match the color temperature of ambient light — “for a more natural viewing experience,” says Apple.
Better speakers: MacBook Pro speakers take “listening to new levels with wide dynamic range and more bass for maximum boom. And the speakers are connected directly to system power, enabling greater peak amplification,” Apple says.
