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How fast is the new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar?

Published Nov 17th, 2016 2:42PM EST
MacBook Pro 2016 vs. 2015
Image: Apple

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It’s finally here! The 2016 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar has begun shipping, and many early adopters received their preordered units earlier this week. The new laptop and its Touch Bar keyboard have already been thoroughly probed and reviewed — here’s a roundup of reviews. Those deep dives were all great, but the following video review explains exactly how fast the new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar really is, looking both at benchmark results and at performance when handling real-life tasks.

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Jonathan Morrison took the mid-range 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar for a spin (16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD, and AMD Radeon 455 GPU) and he was impressed with the results. The laptop apparently does not significantly outperform its predecessor (a 15-inch MacBook Pro with 16GB of RAM) in some benchmark tests. But in regular tasks that involve heavy lifting, the brand new MacBook Pro did everything much faster than Apple’s previous version.

What’s clear from this review is that the MacBook Pro will save heavy users a lot of time while completing day to day tasks. Whether it’s transferring large files, or using professional-grade apps like Handbrake Pro, Adobe Premiere, or Final Cut, the new MacBook Pro is much faster than the 2015 version.

Recent reports have also shown that the 2016 MacBook Pro outperforms its biggest rival, the Surface Book 2016, when it comes to handling pro tasks.

Morrison’s review also addresses the Touch Bar, audio performance and the ports, explaining the good, the bad and ugly when it comes to the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. Check out the full video review below.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.