The recently announced and introduced MacBook Pros are going to be the first major update to Apple's high-end laptop line in a very long time, and the hidden anticipation had fans, enthusiasts, and the Apple faithful imagining the impossible that might be incorporated in the upcoming laptop.
MacBook of the Future
A lot of fans hope that the new MacBooks should fully embrace the future with as many USB C and Thunderbolt 3 ports as Apple can fit in. But of course, it should also contain a legacy USB and an SD Card reader if the laptop is going to be considered as 'pro.' The unit should also have the latest desktop-level graphics cards so that real pros can actually do some real work, with a 32GB RAM minimum, and an overall thin, portable design.
Expectation vs. Reality
Instead, fans received what they should've expected. A thin and sturdy design that will be powerful enough for most people, with an excellent battery life, as well as a Retina screen. All the favorite ports are gone and removed. Though transition periods are never fun for most, the new MacBook Pro might be an innovation that people might come to get used to in the future. But for now, people are a bit disappointed yet happy with what the projected MacBook Pro has become.
The Touch Bar
Probably the main highlight of the new MacBook Pro is the Touch Bar. It's basically an Apple Watch - which is the very same tiny processor + OLED display - that has been flattened out and stretched across the top of the keyboard. And similar to the Apple Watch during the introduction, it's really hard to distinguish exactly where it is going to fit into your life, how well it will be appreciated by third-party app-makers, and even what tasks are specifically suited for this new component.
Some issue with the Touch Bar
To put it simply, the Touch Bar was similar to a mixed bag. The tiny representation of the project timeline was very innovative and sleek, but overall not really that practical. The more useful ones were the commands that were normally hidden a few keys deep. So now, instead of hitting control-shift-command-something, you just have to tap this little button instead. Pretty simple and direct, but since most people are not used to it, it would still be a bit confusing. So overall, the Touch Bar is great, but not necessarily worth it.
The Touch ID Feature
But probably the most likable feature of the MacBook Pro simply the use of the Touch ID to log in to the device, as well as authenticate when asked for an Admin password. Like Touch ID on the iPhone before it, it's really hard to imagine using a computer without features of a fingerprint reader once you've gotten pretty used to it. Only a few Windows laptops fully support fingerprint or facial recognition unlocking as well, through Windows Hello - so it's really great to finally have this feature on a Mac.
