Apple has announced its 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro refresh with a new scissor mechanism-based Magic Keyboard, double storage capacities and performance improvements with Intel's 10th generation processors.
2020 13-inch MacBook Pro - Double Storage, Magic Keyboard and 10th Generation Intel Processors
Magic Keyboard
All new 13-inch MacBook Pro configurations now feature the new Magic Keyboard with 1mm key travel and reliable scissor mechanism-based keys, which should result in a better typing experience. The arrow keys also have the old-but-new-again inverted T arrangement, which is a lot better than the weird arrangement Apple used with Butterfly keyboards, staring in 2015. Perhaps the best part of the new keyboard is that it includes a physical Escape key that was missing from previous models.
Double Storage
The base storage for all models has also been doubled - 128GB models now ship with 256GB, while 256GB configurations now ship with 512GB of SSD storage. Although Apple has kept the base memory at 8GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory, the high-end 13-inch MacBook Pro ships with 16GB 3733MHz memory, which can also be upgraded to 32GB.
10th Generation Intel Processor
Thanks to 10th generation Intel processors and new integrated Iris Plus Graphics, Apple promises an 80% improvements in graphics-intensive tasks such as 4K video editing and gaming. You can even connect Pro Display XDR with 6K resolution to the new MacBook Pro.
Configurations
The base model, which costs $1,299, still has an old 1.4GHz quad-core 8th-generation Intel Core i5 processor. To get a MacBook Pro with the new Intel 10th generation quad-core processor, or LPDDR4 RAM you have to buy the $1,799 model. So the best new model to buy is the most expensive 13-inch model, else you miss out on the new faster internals.
Across the new 13-inch MacBook Pro line-up, here is how the upgrades are divided:
$1,299 13-inch MacBook Pro
- 1.4GHz quad-core 8th-generation Intel Core i5 processor
- 256GB SSD
- Magic Keyboard
- 8GB 2133MHz LPDD3 Memory
$1,499 13-inch MacBook Pro
- 1.4GHz quad-core 8th-generation Intel Core i5 processor
- 512GB SSD
- Magic Keyboard
- 8GB 2133MHz LPDD3 Memory
$1,799 13-inch MacBook Pro
- 2.0GHz quad-core 10th-generation Intel Core i5 processor
- 512GB SSD
- Magic Keyboard
- 16GB 3733MHz LPDDR4X memory
Apart from the internals, the new MacBooks still ship with the same displays - there is no 14.1-inch display here. Touch ID, Touch Bar, stereo speakers and battery life are the same as before.
Availability
The new 13-inch MacBook Pro is available in Space Gray and Silver colors. It is available for order now from Apple Store and will start shipping later this week. One year Apple TV+ subscription is available for free with each purchase.
Conclusion
Although not all models get faster Intel processors and memory, for some users, the new keyboard and double storage make the upgrades worth the money. Note that all 2020 MacBook Air models ship with 10th generation Intel processors, faster integrated graphics and LPDDR4X memory, starting from $999, which looks like a better deal than the base 13-inch MacBook Pro now. However, the base-model Air ships with a dual-core Intel Core i5 processor.
