Operating time macbook pro 13. Ports and communications

Apple updates its MacBook laptops every year, and sometimes more often. And this year was no exception. The Cupertino company updated Pro, and not only the hardware was updated. In this review, we'll look at what's new in the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display this year.

Compared to the 2014 model, the changes are not so noticeable, and you shouldn’t think that Apple is doing something completely new with each of its devices. But, for example, when compared with the 2012-2013 models, the differences are noticeable, primarily in terms of performance. The new model is much better than them.

Appearance

Externally, the laptop looks exactly the same as all MacBooks Pro Retina(abbreviated rMBP) since 2013, and its dimensions are the same.

The computer has become only 1% heavier, most likely due to larger battery(more on this below). Of course it seems heavy compared to MacBook Air, and even more so with the new 12-inch MacBook, but it is still quite light and thin. I can say from myself that if you carry it with you all day in a bag or backpack, your back begins to feel it. But at the same time, the mobility indicator remains excellent. The laptop is 18 mm thick and weighs only 1.6 kg. The build quality is as good as its predecessors. The body is one-piece, made of aluminum.

The Retina display also remained unchanged, but nothing needs to be changed here. It's good, and the resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 pixels with a density of 227 ppi will be relevant for many years to come. Color reproduction is very accurate, brightness and viewing angles are also top-notch. Of course, now Retina displays are experiencing more competition from Windows laptops, but still they are superior to many of them, albeit to a lesser extent. And it’s worth remembering that they were created 2.5 years ago.

The keyboard hasn't changed either, and it still remains a great keyboard, I would even say the best, for typing on a laptop.

The laptop has the same set of ports, including: two USB 3.0, two Thunderbolt, one HDMI, a headphone jack, an SD slot and a MagSafe 2 charging port. Here Apple decided not to experiment with the new USB Type-C interface.

Touchpad

And here Touchpad The laptop is new. It's called Force Touch and it offers a completely new mechanism. Now the touchpad does not physically move, but reacts to pressing force. That is, now you can’t click on the trackpad, but you just need to press harder on it. For convenience, Apple has made haptic feedback, that is, it feels like when you press on the panel, it moves. Moreover, the feeling is very believable.

Due to the fact that this trackpad is motionless, it is thinner, and this in turn allowed the use of a more capacious battery in the laptop.

Mac OS X also provides special commands depending on the force and time of pressing. Normal clicks are interpreted as a single click, everything is as usual. But if you press harder on the panel, the system classifies it as a Force Click. And you configure it for a specific action, for example, you can display various information in this way, or replace multi-touch movements.

But the main advantage of this system is that you can now click anywhere on the trackpad, and not just at its bottom. It's very convenient and you quickly get used to it.

Iron. Performance

During testing, I had an entry-level model, based on an Intel Core i5 processor of the Broadwell generation, with a frequency of 2.7-3.1 GHz. But, nevertheless, the laptop worked quickly and smoothly. Applications launched at lightning speed, and even in Photoshop everything worked almost instantly. Like last year's entry-level model, our sample had 8GB random access memory, but thanks to an SSD with a PCIe interface, the laptop’s operating speed has increased.

The BlackMagic Disk Speed ​​Test showed SSD write speeds of over 625 MB/s and 1,150 MB/s read.

The Geekbench 3 performance test showed almost the same results as last year's model (slightly faster when using multiple cores, slightly slower when using one). This is because the amount of RAM is the same and the processor speeds are similar, but this test does not take into account the speed of the SSD drive. Although it gives a good increase in speed for this system, and this is noticeable.

Compared to the new super-thin 12-inch MacBook or MacBook Air, the processor in the Pro is more than twice as fast. Simply, the Broadwell Core M in the 12-inch laptop, and the slower Core i5 in the Air, cannot compare with this Broadwell Core i5. But there are still modifications with a faster Core i5.

Apple says it has managed to extend battery life in the updated MacBook Pro Retina (10 hours of web browsing versus 9 hours for the 2014 version). And I can confidently say that this statement is justified. In the test with watching streaming video (minimum background applications, 75% brightness) the charge level dropped by 9% in one hour. By comparison, in the same test, the Surface Pro 3 spent 15%. So for such a powerful laptop, the updated MacBook shows excellent battery life.

In normal use the battery also surprised me. Under my normal operating mode, when I browse a lot of pages on the Internet and type texts, and also watch videos, and all this with screen brightness of 60-90%, the battery lasted for 7-8 hours. Again, great!

If you're looking to buy a new MacBook, it's become more difficult to choose from a configuration perspective as the number of options has become smaller. Now you can't get a MacBook Pro with a regular display, which was lighter, thinner and cheaper. All MacBook Pros now come with Retina display, so they became more expensive. Although if you need a thinner and lighter solution, then there is the new 12-inch MacBook, or Air.

In other words, here you need to choose what is more important, performance or mobility. The new MacBook has much weaker hardware than the MacBook Pro, but the latter is inferior in portability (it's 37% thicker and 71% heavier) and in that the entry-level model has 128GB of memory versus 256GB in the new 12-inch MacBook . On the other hand, the MacBook Pro 2015 has much better hardware, full set ports, bigger screen(23%) and longer battery life.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display can be purchased at a price of 99,990 rubles for the version with 128 GB of memory. By paying an additional 16 thousand, you get a version with 256 GB and, finally, for 138,990 rubles you get a faster Core i5 and 512 GB of memory.

Finally

I would call the updated MacBook Pro best laptop, which you can purchase, unless of course you are short on funds. It combines light weight, excellent (best) display, excellent performance and just high quality product. And its dimensions remain very compact in comparison with many Windows laptops. In general, if you have money, this is what you need!

• Retina display
• 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2560-by-1600 native resolution at 227 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
• Supported scaled resolutions:
  • 1680 by 1050
  • 1440 by 900
  • 1024 by 640
• 300 nits brightness
• Standard color gamut (sRGB)
• 900:1 contrast ratio

Processor

• 2.7GHz - 128GB
  
  
• 2.7GHz - 256GB
  2.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz) with 3MB shared L3 cache
  Configurable to 2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz) with 3MB shared L3 cache or 3.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 (Turbo Boost up to 3.4GHz) with 4MB shared L3 cache.
• 2.9GHz
  2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz) with 3MB shared L3 cache
  Configurable to 3.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 (Turbo Boost up to 3.4GHz) with 4MB shared L3 cache.

Memory

• 8GB of 1866MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
  Configurable to 16GB.

Storage 1

• 2.7GHz - 128GB
  128GB PCIe-based flash storage
• 2.7GHz - 256GB
  256GB PCIe-based flash storage
• 2.9GHz
  512GB PCIe-based flash storage
  Configurable to 1TB flash storage.

Size and Weight

• Height: 0.71 inch (1.8 cm)
• Width: 12.35 inches (31.4 cm)
• Depth: 8.62 inches (21.9 cm)
• Weight: 3.48 pounds (1.58 kg) 2

Graphics and Video Support

• Intel Iris Graphics 6100
• Dual display and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 3840 by 2160 pixels on up to two external displays, both at millions of colors.
• Thunderbolt digital video output
  • Native Mini DisplayPort output
  • DVI, VGA, dual-link DVI, and HDMI output supported using Mini DisplayPort adapters (sold separately)
• HDMI video output
  • Support for 1080p resolution at up to 60Hz
  • Support for 3840-by-2160 resolution at 30Hz
  • Support for 4096-by-2160 resolution at 24Hz

Camera

• 720p FaceTime HD camera

Connections and Expansion

• MagSafe 2 power port
• Two Thunderbolt 2 ports (up to 20 Gbps)
• Two USB 3 ports (up to 5 Gbps)
• HDMI port
• 3.5mm headphone jack
• SDXC card slot
• Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter (sold separately)
• Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter (sold separately)

Wireless

• WiFi
  802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
• Bluetooth
  Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology

Audio

• Stereo speakers
• Dual microphones
• 3.5mm headphone jack
  • Support for Apple iPhone headset with remote and microphone
  • Support for audio line out (digital/analog)

Keyboard and Trackpad

• Full-size backlit keyboard with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys (inverted “T” arrangement) with ambient light sensor
• Force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and pressure-sensing capabilities; enables Force clicks, accelerators, pressure-sensitive drawing, and Multi-Touch gestures

Battery and Power 3

• Up to 10 hours wireless web
• Up to 12 hours iTunes movie playback
• Up to 30 days of standby time
• Built-in 74.9-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery
• 60W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter with cable management system; MagSafe 2 power port

Electrical and Operating Requirements

• Line voltage: 100V to 240V AC
• Frequency: 50Hz to 60Hz
• Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C)
• Storage temperature: -13° to 113° F (-25° to 45° C)
• Relative humidity: 0% to 90% noncondensing
• Operating altitude: tested up to 10,000 feet
• Maximum storage altitude: 15,000 feet
• Maximum shipping altitude: 35,000 feet

Operating System

macOS Sierra
macOS is the operating system that powers everything you do on a Mac. macOS Sierra introduces Siri to Mac 4 — along with new ways to enjoy your photos, shop more securely online, and work more seamlessly between devices.
Learn more

Accessibility

Accessibility features help people with disabilities get the most out of their new MacBook Pro. With built-in support for vision, hearing, physical and motor skills, and learning and literacy, you can create and do amazing things.
Learn more

Features include:

• VoiceOver
• Increase Contrast
• Reduce Motion
• Siri and Dictation
• Switch Control
• Closed Captions
• Text to Speech

Built-in Apps 5

• Photos
• iMovie
• GarageBand
• Pages
• Numbers
• Keynote
• Safari
• FaceTime
• Messages
• Notes
• Calendar
• Contacts
• Reminders
• Photo Booth
• Preview
• iTunes
• iBooks
• App Store
• Time Machine

Limited Warranty and Service

• Up to 3.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.4GHz, with 4MB shared L3 cache
• 16GB of 1866MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
• Up to 1TB PCIe-based onboard SSD 1

MacBook Pro and the Environment

Apple takes a complete product life cycle approach to determining our environmental impact. Learn more

MacBook Pro is designed with the following features to reduce its environmental impact:

• Mercury-free LED-backlit display
• Arsenic-free display glass
• BFR-free
• PVC-free 6
• Beryllium-free
• Highly recyclable aluminum enclosure
• Meets ENERGY STAR 6.1 requirements
• Rated EPEAT Gold 7

Apple and the Environment
Learn more about Apple's dedication to reducing the environmental impact of our products and process. Or read our Product Environmental Reports for detailed information on the environmental performance of every Apple product.

Recycling
Apple takes a holistic view of materials management and waste minimization. Learn more about how to recycle your Mac.

Acoustic Performance

Declared noise emission values ​​in accordance with ECMA-109

1. L W A,m is the mean A-weighted sound power level, rounded to the nearest 0.05 B.
2. L p A,m is the mean A-weighted sound pressure level measured at the operator position (rounded to the nearest 0.5 dB).
3. 1 B (bel) = 10 dB (decibel)
4. Kv is the statistical adder for computing upper-limit of A-weighted sound power level.
5. The quantity, L W A,c (formerly called L W Ad) may be computed from the sum of L W A,m and Kv.
6. The Wireless web test browses 25 popular websites.
7. Configuration tested: 2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB memory, 512GB storage, Intel Iris Graphics 6100.

Accessories

Mac Software

• Final Cut Pro X
• Logic Pro X

Displays and Adapters

• Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter
• Apple Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter
• Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter
• MagSafe to MagSafe 2 Converter

AirPort and Wireless

• AirPort Express
• AirPort Extreme
• AirPort Time Capsule

Other Accessories

• Apple USB SuperDrive
• Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter
• Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter
• 60W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter
• AppleCare Protection Plan

1. 1GB = 1 billion bytes and 1TB = 1 trillion bytes; actual formatted capacity less.
2. Weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process.
3. Testing conducted by Apple in April 2015 using preproduction 2.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-based 15-inch MacBook Pro systems with 256GB of flash storage and 16GB of RAM. Testing conducted by Apple in February 2015 using preproduction 2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i5-based 13-inch MacBook Pro units (wireless web test and HD movie playback test) and preproduction 2.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5-based 13-inch MacBook Pro units (standby test). The wireless web test measures battery life by wirelessly browsing 25 popular websites with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%. The HD movie playback test measures battery life by playing back HD 1080p content with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%. The standby test measures battery life by allowing a system, connected to a wireless network and signed in to an iCloud account, to enter standby mode with Safari and Mail applications launched and all system settings left at default. Battery life varies by use and configuration. See www.apple.com/batteries for more information.
4. Siri may not be available in all languages ​​or in all areas, and features may vary by area.
5. iMovie, GarageBand, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote are available on the Mac App Store. Downloading apps requires an Apple ID and a device that is compatible with the OS version required for each app.
6. PVC-free AC power cord available in all regions except India and South Korea.
7. MacBook Pro achieved a Gold rating from EPEAT in the U.S. and Canada.

In addition to the new Broadwell processors, the MacBook Pro 13 Retina 2015 was equipped with a Force Touch trackpad. But there are no fundamental changes in this device. At the same time, other developers are not sleeping, and the Apple laptop of this line can no longer be called a leader. Only if it is quite good and comfortable for daily use.

So, today's review is about the Apple MacBook Pro 13. But there's not much to talk about. Among the significant changes, we can note the replacement of 22-nanometer Haswell processors with 14-element Broadwell ones. According to the developers, the drive is now 100% faster, and the simple trackpad has been replaced by Force Touch.

The cost of the device remained prohibitive. For a variation with 8 GB of RAM and a 128 GB SSD you will have to pay at least 85,000 rubles. Cooler versions cost 2 times more. Despite this negative factor, the number of buyers of the product is not decreasing. But is it worth the money? Our review will show.

The body of this Apple laptop model is its pride. The company did not invent anything new, so it is impossible to visually distinguish this product from representatives of the previous line. Only if it’s due to slightly faded aluminum or a worn display.

Although the “appearance” of MacBooks has not changed for years, many users liked it. After purchase, you do not need to deal with the new arrangement of keys or sockets. And the silver color with Apple symbols is still a sign of status.

Apple laptops are not suitable for everyone, and the point is not so much high cost. Until recently, MacBooks were leaders among other similar devices in all respects. But today almost everyone major manufacturer offers in return its own, no less good product. However, each of them can have significant shortcomings, and MacBooks have practically none.

The Apple MacBook Pro laptop, as our review shows, is lightweight and miniature. Its weight is just over 1.5 kg. The item is comfortable to pick up and drag from place to place. The hinges hold any angle of the display well, but opening is possible with one hand. The recess provided for this purpose is ideal for this. By all criteria, the product is perfect.

However, the MacBook 13 Early 2015 also has disadvantages. So, upgrades are completely excluded. The processor was soldered to the motherboard, and this became commonplace even for full-screen devices. But chips with wiring on the RAM board are already out of the ordinary...

If you need to expand the memory, you will have to replace the entire motherboard. The SSD and wireless module are not attached to anything, but due to the unusual holes it is impossible to find an alternative to them at retail.

The batteries, which occupy most of the space in the “filling”, are glued tightly. Without special tools, replacing batteries is impossible. Some experts, however, managed to perform this operation.

By the way, in the Air line of laptops the battery is secured with screws.

The matrix and glass display coating are fused together, so if something breaks, everything will have to be replaced completely. And this will cost the user quite a lot. It’s better to immediately purchase a case for the MacBook Pro 13 with Retina to minimize the appearance of screen cracks.

Interfaces

For the 13-inch version there are enough of these:

• two USB 3.0;
• HDMI – video output;
• SD card reader;
• audio jack;
• two Thunderbolt 2.

All these sockets are located on the sides of the device, but there would be enough space for a couple more USB ports. Why are they missing? The fact is that the front of the device is occupied by a battery, and there was no space for other sockets. Although the available ports are enough for the average user to perform simple tasks. In difficult situations, you will have to buy a USB branch.

What brings real disappointment is the lack of a transition element on Ethernet. Despite fast Wi-Fi, wired networks are sometimes needed.

Communications

It is known that the Apple company supplies devices with elite modules wireless communication from Broadcom. According to their characteristics, they are the best on the market.

The unusual socket used to connect the module to the motherboard will not allow the owner of the device to carry out repairs independently in the event of a breakdown. However, in a repair shop everything will not cost too much, since the motherboard will not have to be replaced.

In addition to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 is also present. MacBook owners do not express any dissatisfaction with their work. As before, there is no 3G and 4G/LTE.

Speakers

For the MacBook 2015 MF840, the installed stereo speakers produce quite loud and deep sounds. But again, the bass is not enough.

Even a cheap external audio element on the level of the Logitech X-230 is capable of taking sound to a different level. But watching a movie or listening to music tracks on an Apple laptop is possible without it. Yes, and during Skype calls you don’t have to use headphones.

Input elements

The keyboard is a copy of the one that was in the previous line of MacBooks, so it’s not worth talking about it in detail. The Force Touch trackpad is a completely different matter. In terms of size, it is completely indistinguishable from the clickpad of previous Apple laptops. And it even comes with a similar coating. It’s not for nothing that Apple fans speak enthusiastically about it, everything is really at the highest level.

The work algorithm, however, began to differ. A simple clickpad is a touch-sensitive panel supported by hidden buttons on one side and a loop on the other. Their main advantage over touchpads is the work area expanded due to some elements. But as you move to the top, you need to apply more force to press, and the stroke shortens. Even clickpads are subject to this, although to a lesser extent than on devices from other companies. It's not hard to imagine why Apple needed the new Force Touch trackpad. Namely, to ensure force and stroke regardless of the placement of fingers on the sensor surface. How does this work?

While the device is turned on, the trackpad cannot be pressed. The fact is that it is not produced at all, everything is simulated by magnets. The recoil is quite plausible, almost indistinguishable from pressing a clickpad. Tactile feedback works on the same principle when typing text on virtual keyboards. And a number of iPad owners type faster on it than without it.

Special sensors analyze the power of pressing and recognize either a simple click or pressing with force, depending on the software that activates various options. Let’s say that such a click on the text in the browser causes a page preview window to pop up. And in the maps application you can mark any point with a pin. All these are small things, but very necessary, making working on MacBooks comfortable. On the Apple resource on the Internet you can find a list of all compatible software and other details on this issue.

Display

At the time of the release of the MF839ru model with a Retina display, there was no equal to this device. And almost every product review on popular resources spoke about this. But in reality, such a display is not anything special, it is just an IPS matrix - a high-resolution part. No super technologies were used in its development. So competitors didn't have to work hard to replicate something similar. However, Apple was able to achieve a unique effect - to convince consumers that a display with 227 ppi clarity is something that they don’t mind paying extra for. After this, other companies began to actively produce devices with QHD elements, impressed by the success of Apple.

But even today, the Apple company is in the lead thanks to a proven combination of matrix parameters and good scaling. The main problem with laptops running Windows operating systems is small text and icons. Scaling makes some applications difficult to display. You can often observe how text does not fit within the boundaries designated for it and unclear section icons. There is no such thing in MacBook operating systems. The scaling of all applications is excellent. And third-party software developers have long adapted their products for displays with increased clarity.

The display brightness at its maximum value is 342 cd/m², which is a good indicator even for a glossy finish. According to some studies, the brightness of the left third of the display is significantly lower than in the center and right. But these are the results of measurements with special instruments; this is not noticeable to the ordinary eye. Edge flare, which is typical for many displays, was not detected here. There are also no bright spots or the low-brightness strobe effect that some displays have.

Despite the gloss, the MacBook display of the line in question allows for much less glare than expected. And this is thanks to the anti-glare coating. In non-standard lighting, it can be difficult to distinguish a MacBook screen from a matte one, but the picture remains as typical of gloss – bright and juicy. As a reminder, matte displays sometimes look grainy and too flat.

It was recently discovered that the anti-reflective coating wears off over time. This can be detected by ugly spots in the center and along the edges. Owners of thousands of devices discovered this problem, so it received wide publicity. However, the company said it was only a cosmetic issue and offered to repair it at a cost of $800. The price is very high even taking into account the impossibility of separately replacing glass without a matrix. It was already said above that these two elements are tightly connected to each other.

What factors lead to wear of the coating remains unknown. But most likely these are contacts with the front part. It’s not for nothing that stains appear mainly at the edges. And they become noticeable after 2 years of using the device, and with extremely careful handling.

In any case, the described flaw does not fit in any way with what Apple says about the durability of its products. Since the display of the “fresh” MBPR 13 model is exactly the same as the previous one, after a couple of years of use the same stains may appear on it.

Let us remind you that MacBook models of 2011 often broke due to poor soldering of the graphic element to the motherboard. However, one could not hope for free repairs...

Performance

Let's finish the review with the most important thing - performance assessment. Almost all 13-inch ultrabooks are equipped with 15-watt processors. They are economical, but they do not work very quickly. 47 Watt chips are much more powerful, but they also take up much more energy. The Apple company took a compromise path, choosing 28-watt elements. They provide an excellent balance between performance and energy consumption. Except Apple. Other companies hardly buy them. The exception is Asus for one of its products.

As for the configuration, more often the user chooses the most affordable one, namely, with 8 GB of RAM and a 128 GB SSD. In addition to the processor, you can shell out extra money for more RAM or an SSD.

Conclusion

The MacBook Pro Retina 13 is far superior to its predecessor - and that's an undeniable fact. Performance parameters have increased. A new trackpad has been added, the SSD has become faster. But you will have to pay a hefty sum for it.

If you want to save money, it’s better to pay attention to the models of the last 2 years. Their displays are no worse. And the cost today is 30 percent cheaper. Most users will not notice any differences in the performance and speed of operation of the SSD. And the new trackpad is not at all as unique as the advertising shouts about it. Just a nice little thing - nothing more.

If performance plays a huge role for you, then it is better to pay attention to the 15-inch model. The processors have 4 cores, and the most expensive variation also has discrete graphics. Against the backdrop of the rising ruble exchange rate, prices for these models are likely to decrease, so it’s worth waiting a little.

And for completely unpretentious buyers, good ultrabooks from Asus and Dell are quite suitable. They provide the same 8-9 hours of operation without additional recharging.

At the end of 2013 I was at a presentation new MacBook Pro, and only pumped up willpower kept me from rushing to the Apple Store the next morning and buying this miracle of technology. A real miracle, I'm not kidding. After the first generation MacBook Pro 13 with Retina display, in which graphics system worked literally to the limit, Apple put it in new model processors of the Intel Haswell family, and life improved dramatically. The main difference between the mobile version of Haswell was the thoroughly improved graphics core Iris Graphics 5100, for which the resolution of 2560x1600 became quite comfortable. The 2.5 times increase in productivity came in very handy.

But, of course, I fell in love with more than just the improved graphics. It’s just that before this, any 13-inch ultrabook immediately revealed some pronounced compromises. In some places there were not enough ports, in others there was not enough battery life, in others the keyboard turned out to be unsuitable for serious work. Sometimes lightweight structures turned out to be too flimsy and/or instantly lost their presentation due to the fragility of the materials. At that time I had already tried a lot of them. And all the time I had to come to terms with something. It seemed that it was simply impossible to do without compromises with such dimensions.

And suddenly the new MacBook Pro 13 Retina. Where absolutely everything was in place. Both performance and robust housing, and the most comfortable backlit keyboard (at that time this was not yet a widespread feature), and a battery with a guaranteed 7 hours of operation (or even more), and ports for every taste, including a slowly disappearing card reader. Well, an absolutely breathtaking ultra-clear screen with applications adapted for it. The latter, by the way, is very important: similar Retina screens in Windows ultrabooks began to appear immediately, but full use High definition only started with Windows 10.

But buying Apple equipment in London, where the European presentation took place, is quite an expensive story. That's why I waited until Hong Kong. The prices there are excellent, and it is still very profitable to go there for an iPhone/iPad/MacBook (especially if someone kindly paid for the ticket).

So, almost two years have passed since June 2014. During this time, in terms of functionality and performance, the laptop has not become outdated at all. The only thing that caused slight envy to the owners of newer versions was the increased battery life. It has officially grown to 10 hours in web surfing mode, and according to real tests the increase was even more sensitive – by two hours. It’s not that I don’t have enough energy reserves in my device, but, from experience, a battery is never too capacious. The bigger, the better.

Well, in general, I decided to sell my MacBook and buy a new one. Which one I doubted for a long time. There was a sight. It’s really tempting to get a completely real laptop, which is no different in size from an iPad (by the way, I’ll write about a new one soon iPad Pro, which is the same size as Air 2, but Pro). And in the States, Best Buy had a wonderful sale - they knocked off as much as $300, and the MacBook in the configuration I needed cost only $1,000 excluding taxes.

But once again I held it in my hands, tapped the keys and finally realized that it was not mine. Too much of a compromise. No connectors, no traditional keyboard. Well, that is, of course, you can use it. Not even without pleasure. But for my mode, the MacBook Pro works much better. So in the end I bought exactly the same configuration (8/256), only early 2015.

To be honest, I didn’t expect anything other than increased battery life. No, seriously. Processor Core The fifth generation i5 (which is Broadwell) from Haswell has advanced little in terms of performance. I had an idea to take a configuration with Core i7, but the official Apple online store sells only standard configurations, and I decided not to bother with the search. The graphics core is a little better, but just a little. Wi-Fi speed the same, but there’s nowhere to speed it up yet. I didn’t expect any special miracles from Force Touch technology, thanks to which you can turn on, for example, quick viewing with one strong press on the touchpad. My time, of course, is incredibly expensive, but for now I can afford to spend an extra fraction of a second clicking with two fingers.

In general, the purchase was planned and even somewhat boring. The courier arrives, you wave your card...

However, Apple did not disappoint! At first she cheered me up. When it was all over, I suddenly discovered that the new MacBook was simply radically faster than the old one. That is, the old one was flying. And this one... I don’t even know what word to choose. Includes the second space one, probably. The casket opens simply: the new generation MacBook Pro has new SSDs. The old ones had a read speed of “only” 700 MB/s, while these ones had 1.2 GB/s. The recording speed also increased by a third - from the same 700 megabytes to a gigabyte. Everything in the complex changes itself user experience. Application launch speed is comparable to iPad Air 2/Pro – you just click on the icon and everything opens right away. Even such a rather large program like Photoshop starts from scratch in a couple of seconds.

And it turns out a cool thing: powerful laptop, which lasts as long as an iPad and runs as fast as an iPad. But at the same time it’s not at all like an iPad in terms of performance and capabilities. Nice? That's not the right word.

Another off-topic is not directly related to the new MacBook, but it turned out to be important for me personally. I've been using it on OS X since the beginning office suite Microsoft, fortunately, the Office 365 license does not limit the choice of platform. Apple's free package is also not bad, especially when we're talking about about creating simple texts or not too sophisticated presentations. But when you want to do something really cool, you have to turn on Office, no options. Well, again, there are compatibility problems: there are Lately It has become an order of magnitude less, but they do happen.

Until recently, Office on OS X was very different from its counterpart on Windows. And, it’s a shame to say, it didn’t even support Retina. But now it has been radically updated, its functionality has been upgraded, and it has been made more similar to its Windows counterpart. And now it’s a pleasure to use. The result is an excellent Office with a human face.

I can't afford to be monogamous in a technical matter. Therefore, I use a MacBook Pro every other day, and my second machine is an HP Specter x360 running Windows 8.1. In terms of hardware, by the way, they are complete twins with the current MacBook Pro, only the SSD is not as fast. And the working time is not 10 hours, but 6-7.

In general, it should be noted that iron is really getting better day by day, and when it comes to choice, one’s eyes simply run wild. So let's drink to our incomes getting better just as quickly.

I'm very pleased with the new MacBook Pro. For all the money.

First acquaintance with Force Touch technology

At the event on March 9, Apple introduced the MacBook laptop with an ultra-thin body and Retina display that amazed everyone. Among the most interesting features of the new product was Force Touch technology, which can significantly change the scenarios for using the trackpad on laptops. However, Force Touch has appeared not only in the new 12-inch MacBook, but also in the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina. Since the 12-inch MacBook is not yet available, we decided to test the updated MacBook Pro Retina and, firstly, get acquainted with Force Touch, and secondly, evaluate the performance increase compared to earlier models.

Since the design and screen of the new MacBook Pro remain unchanged from previous versions, we won't talk about that and get straight to describing Force Touch and testing its performance.

New trackpad with Force Touch

So, Force Touch is a technology that allows the laptop trackpad to recognize the depth of pressure. In the case of the standard MacBook Pro trackpad, we have a short click, similar to a left-click, a long click (that is, a click and hold), which works like a click right click mouse, as well as touch and gestures. Touching with one finger is a left click of the mouse, touching with two fingers at the same time is a right click of the mouse. Plus, clicking and holding and simultaneously moving your finger along the surface of the touchpad allows you to select text or some area.

Now Apple has decided to introduce a new type of click: let's call it a deep click (Apple itself calls it “force click”). In practice, it looks like this: you press the trackpad, hear a characteristic click, and then, without releasing your finger, press even deeper. The feeling is that the trackpad under your finger sinks a little lower, and you hear another click. You can press in any zone of the trackpad - the result will be the same.

Let's go to " System Settings" and look at the "Trackpad" item.

We immediately see two new elements: firstly, the “Strong pressure and tactile response” item at the bottom (it has a checkmark by default, which means the Force Touch function is working), and secondly, a slider under the word “Force”. With it, you can adjust how strong the force must be for the system to perceive it as a deep press.

And here we come to the first important feature of Force Touch: it is not only a hardware, but also a software function, unlike a standard click. If we turn off the MacBook Pro and simply click on the trackpad, we will feel the click and hear a characteristic sound. This will work in any programs and operating systems. Whereas deep pressing is only possible when the computer is turned on and OS X is running. Yes, yes, the technology does not work in Windows. Moreover, not only nothing happens, but you cannot hear this second click at all and feel the deepening of the trackpad.

The hardware component of Force Touch is that under the trackpad (the same as before) there are now additional sensors that recognize the force of pressure on the trackpad, as well as a mechanism that allows you to emulate a tactile response (that very click). Let us emphasize that this is precisely emulation, as evidenced by an experiment with the computer turned off.

Much more interesting is the software component, which here can be said to be two-level: firstly, the actual recognition of pressing force and generating a response when the required depth of pressing is achieved - based on user settings (see screenshot above); secondly, the reaction of the operating system and specific applications to deep pressing, its duration and strength.

This deep click can perform different tasks in different applications. For example, one of the most effective applications is previewing an address on a map. If you see an address in the text, just deep-click on the address and an Apple Maps mini-window will open, where this address will be shown on the map. Surprisingly, the system easily identifies the part of the sentence that contains the address. That is, you can deep-click on any word (no need to select the address!), and the system will correctly determine how many more words before and after it need to be captured in order to get the address.

The downside is that in Russia, for example, Apple maps are not nearly as good as, say, Yandex or Google maps. In the screenshot above you can see that houses are not shown on the map. But you cannot set Google Maps as the default mapping service.

Another example is getting information about any word on a web page or in text document(information is downloaded from Wikipedia or a dictionary). We also really liked the use of Force Touch in QuickTime: depending on how deep you press, the scrolling speed can increase or decrease.

We will not list in detail all applications where Force Touch is supported - an exhaustive list in Russian can be seen. But what I would like to talk about is the subjective impressions of using the function. They are mixed.

On the one hand, the idea is interesting, fresh, and the prospects here are very bright, especially when third-party developers add Force Touch support to their applications. Apple, for its part, has done everything necessary for this by providing access to the Force Touch API in Xcode 6.3 and OS X 10.10.3 SDK.

On the other hand, there are two problems here. The first problem: it is quite difficult to remember exactly what function a deep press performs in a particular application. Although the author of these lines is a long-time Mac user, he still has not mastered all the MacBook trackpad gestures (especially the three-finger ones). And now Apple wants to encourage him to remember a bunch more information (or rather, not just remember, but get used to using it every day).

The second problem, even more significant: sometimes on a new trackpad, out of habit, you make a deep press, although you need a normal one. We're just not used to adjusting the click force. Therefore, at first, Force Touch will most likely be annoying - for example, when for the tenth time you cannot select text because left hand Instead of just pressing and holding, it will do deep presses. But, most likely, in the future, each user will be able to find the optimal scenario for using Force Touch.

Configuration

Well, let's move on to studying the hardware of the new MacBook Pro. As follows from the information on, there are several different models of the updated (Early 2015) 13-inch Apple laptop MacBook Pro with Retina display. That's three basic versions and possible options for each of these versions. Basic configurations differ in processor model and SSD storage capacity.

We tested a junior model of the Apple MacBook Pro Retina (Early 2015) laptop with the following configuration:

Here is information about this model in the OS X operating system.

So, the basis of the 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro Retina (Early 2015) laptop is a dual-core processor (Broadwell). This processor has a nominal clock speed of 2.7 GHz, which can be boosted up to 3.1 GHz in Turbo Boost mode. Its L3 cache size is 3MB and its rated maximum power is 28W. This processor has integrated graphics Intel core Iris Graphics 6100 basic clock frequency which is 300 MHz, and the maximum (in Turbo Boost mode) is 1.05 GHz.

Note that the older basic model of the 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro Retina laptop (Early 2015) is equipped with a more productive Intel processor Core i5-5287U, and optionally laptops can be equipped with an Intel Core i7-5557U processor.

The laptop is equipped in the basic configuration with 8 GB of LPDDR3-1866 memory, which operates in dual-channel mode. But optionally you can order a configuration with 16 GB of memory.

The laptop's storage subsystem is one SSD drive APPLE SSD SM0128G (Samsung), with a capacity of 128 GB with a PCIe x2 interface. But such a drive is installed only in the younger version of the laptop. The middle and older versions are equipped with SSD drives with a capacity of 256 and 512 GB, respectively. Moreover, optionally for the older version, the capacity of the SSD drive can be 1 TB.

The communication capabilities of the laptop are determined by the presence of dual-band wireless (2.4 and 5 GHz) network adapter, which complies with IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac specifications.

It remains to add that the laptop is equipped with a built-in HD 720p webcam located above the screen, as well as a non-removable battery with a capacity of 65 Wh.

Performance testing in OS X environment

Let's see how this configuration performs in tests. We'll first test the MacBook Pro Retina in its native OS X environment, and then run a series of tests using our standard laptop methodology designed to run on Windows. The tests on Windows are more of a theoretical value, allowing us to get data that we can't get in the OS X environment and compare it to other configurations we have tested. But performance in OS X is paramount, and here we have a mini testing method in Final Cut Pro X.

A detailed description of the methodology and test files are available at the link. Here we also provide a table with the results of the most revealing tests: stabilization and export to Compressor. For clarity, we compared them with the results of two previous 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina (all in the lower configuration) and, for contrast, with the maximum configuration of the 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina from mid-last year.

As we can see, the new MacBook Pro outperforms its immediate predecessor (also a low-end configuration) in Final Cut Pro X by 13.45%, while in operations with Compressor the gap is smaller. But still there is an increase, and this cannot be ignored. Although the 15-inch MacBook Pro is still like the moon here.

For synthetic tests, we used Geekbench 3 and GFXBench. Geekbench 3 helped us evaluate the performance of the processor and RAM.

We see a similar picture in Geekbench - with the only difference that for some reason the new product managed to lose to last year's MacBook Pro in multi-core mode.

However, we’ll talk about the computer’s operation under load and the efficiency of the cooling system, but for now let’s see how things stand with the performance of 3D graphics in games. The multi-platform benchmark GFXBench 3.0 will help us with this.

The most interesting result for us is in the top line in the “On Screen” column. Manhattan is the latest 3D scene using OpenGL 4.1, and the result it produces shows whether the Macbook Pro can handle such a scene if it is rendered at its native resolution. Answer: no, unfortunately, it won’t work. This is indicated by the number of frames per second (14.5 FPS) that are shown in the scene. The result is below comfortable. Even if this scene is displayed in Full HD resolution, the MacBook's performance will still be slightly lacking.

But, of course, the laptop handled the simpler T-Rex scene without any problems. We'll talk more about using games on the MacBook Pro below.

Windows Performance Study

Many readers have a question: how can the performance of a MacBook be compared with Windows laptops? To answer this question regarding the new MacBook Pro (Early 2015), as well as to test a number of other parameters of the MacBook (noise, memory performance, etc.), we installed the Windows 8.1 Pro (64-bit) operating system on it using a standard utility Boot Camp 5.1.5640 and used our new technique and . For Windows installations we took the official ISO image, which can be downloaded from the Microsoft website (this is important to note, since there are a huge number of different builds of the Windows 8.1 system on various resources).

We emphasize that we do not consider it correct or advisable to use Apple MacBook laptops to work with Windows applications (except for those cases when Windows is used specifically as a second OS, exclusively for working with specific applications and games that are not available on OS X). And there are quite a few arguments here - ranging from less effective use operating system Windows hardware means (we will show this below) and ending with rather painful problems associated with driver flaws. Let's list the problems we encountered.

Firstly, the driver did not install wireless adapter and after installing Windows 8.1, the laptop remains without the ability to access the Internet (of course, this only applies to Windows, not OS X). Actually, the problem that arises with Wi-Fi driver when installing Windows on a MacBook is not new. Many users are complaining about this problem. Of course, there is a solution, but it takes time. Well, no one has canceled the opportunity to purchase a Thunderbolt-Ethernet adapter and connect the laptop to the Internet with a cable. But the problem cannot be ignored either.

The second drawback is that the keyboard backlight does not work in Windows. But that's not all. The third problem: after installing Windows, there is no sound through the built-in speakers (while the sound comes through the connected headphones).

Of course, we have no doubt that the drivers will be improved, and at least the problems with speakers and Wi-Fi will be resolved. But those who buy a MacBook specifically for use with Windows (as they say, “monsieurs know a lot about perversions”) must be prepared for various surprises. However, these problems did not stop us from testing the MacBook Pro Retina. The results are in front of you.

Let's start with the iXBT Application Benchmark 2015.

So, in terms of integrated performance in Windows applications, the 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro Retina (Early 2015) laptop is 52% superior to the reference system based on the Intel Core i5-3317U processor. And in terms of performance, this laptop can be classified as a productivity solution.

For reference, we note that the Apple MacBook Pro Retina (Early 2015) laptop with an Intel Core i5-5257U processor demonstrates higher performance in Windows applications than a laptop with an Intel Core i7-5500U processor. An example would be a laptop. Dell Inspiron 15 7548 with an Intel Core i7-5500U processor, for which the integrated performance result is 140.7 points, or the Gigabyte Brix s mini-PC (GB-BXi7-5500) with the same processor, for which the result is 133.8 points.

But to the performance of laptops based on quad-core Intel Core processors fourth generation The Apple MacBook Pro Retina (Early 2015) laptop, of course, falls short. For example, a 13-inch MSI laptop The GS30 Shadow with an Intel Core i7 4870HQ processor shows a result of 212.5 points.

Now let's look at the results of testing the 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro Retina (Early 2015) laptop in games.

All gaming tests were run at 1920x1080 resolution.

So, as can be seen from the testing results, even with minimum quality settings, most modern games cannot be played comfortably in a Windows environment. That is, at a resolution of 1920x1080 with settings at minimum quality, the speed in most games is less than 40 FPS. The only exceptions are two games: GRID 2 and World of Tanks 0.9.5. Therefore, the idea of ​​installing Windows on an Apple MacBook Pro Retina (Early 2015) just to play, by and large, does not justify itself.

Interestingly, some of these games presented in the Mac App Store (Hitman: Absolution, Tomb Raider, GRID 2) ran on the MacBook Pro without any problems in the OS X environment. But Metro: 2033 Redux and Metro: LL Redux were not even installed due to the MacBook Pro configuration not meeting the minimum system requirements. The games Sleeping Dogs, Thief and World of Tanks are not presented on the Mac platform (for WoT there is a third-party client for connecting to the game server, but without optimization for the Mac platform, so, obviously, the result will not be much different from the Windows version).

In general, games in the native environment are not entirely bad, but far from ideal. The laptop is, of course, not a gaming laptop.

Work under load and in idle mode

In idle mode, as it should be, the processor frequency in the laptop is 800 MHz (naturally, we are talking about a balanced power consumption scheme), that is, to Intel technologies SpeedStep has no complaints.

When the processor is loaded with the Stress CPU test (AIDA64 utility Extreme Edition- system stability test), which uses integer calculations, the processor frequency is 3.1 GHz. The processor temperature in this loading mode increases to 93°C, that is, it actually reaches its maximum value.

When the processor is loaded with the Stress FPU test, which uses floating point calculations and heats up the processor to a greater extent, the core temperature reaches a critical threshold and throttling mode begins. At the same time, the processor frequency is reduced to 2.7 GHz, and the temperature of the processor cores stabilizes at around 99 °C.

In the mode of simultaneous loading of both the processor cores (Stress FPU) and the graphics core (Stress GPU), the processor cores operate at a frequency of 2.3 GHz and a throttling mode is also observed. The temperature of the processor cores is close to critical and is 95-97 °C

In general, it must be stated that the cooling system in a laptop is using Windows doesn't work very correctly. Of course, the laptop is very quiet, but in this case it is more of a minus than a plus. When the processor is loaded, its temperature always reaches a critical value. Moreover, it’s not just about the cooling system. In a good way, when the processor temperature reaches a critical value, its clock frequency should decrease. In the case of the MacBook Pro Retina, it is reduced, but not enough. There is a strong suspicion that Turbo Boost mode does not work quite correctly in WIndows. For example, it is not very clear why in the Stress CPU test the processor core frequency is 3.1 GHz? After all, this is the maximum frequency for the Turbo Boost mode, which is achieved if only one processor core is loaded and the conditions for temperature, current and power consumption are not exceeded. But in our case, both processor cores are loaded.

In a word, all this is strange. And if such a laptop is used daily to work with resource-intensive applications that heavily load the processor, then it is unlikely to last long. But let us emphasize once again that we are talking only about the operating room. Windows system. And perhaps the fact that in Windows processor works in critical conditions, will make users wonder if it’s worth it.

Memory subsystem and drive performance

According to the AIDA64 Cache & Memory Benchmark utility, the memory write speed is 29203 MB/s, and the read speed is 23804 MB/s. For DDR3-1866 memory (peak throughput in dual-channel mode 29856 MB/s) these are quite typical figures.

As already noted, the data storage subsystem in the 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro Retina laptop (Early 2015) is an SSD drive with a PCI Express x2 interface (in our case, APPLE SSD SM0128G).

The ATTO Disk Benchmark utility determines the maximum sequential read speed at 1400 MB/s, and the sequential write speed at about 670 MB/s. It should be noted that this is a very good result for an SSD drive.

The CrystalDiskMark and AS SSD utilities give approximately the same result for maximum sequential read and write speeds, which is consistent with the results of the ATTO Disk Benchmark utility.

We also present the results of testing the SSD drive using the HD Tune Pro utility. Here the results are similar to those demonstrated by all other utilities.

Sound path

The audio subsystem of the 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro Retina (Early 2015) laptop is based on the Cirrus Logic CS4208 HDA codec. The laptop itself has two speakers, as well as a combined minijack audio jack (microphone, headphones).

To evaluate the output audio path intended for connecting headphones or external acoustics, we resorted to instrumental testing using an external sound card Creative E-MU 0204 USB and RightMark Audio Analyzer 6.3.0 utilities. Testing was carried out for stereo mode, 24-bit/44.1 kHz and, of course, with the Windows 8.1 operating system installed (similar testing under OS X is simply impossible). According to the test results, the audio path in MacBook laptop Pro Retina (Early 2015) received a "Very Good" rating. The full report with testing results in the RMAA 6.3.0 program is posted on a separate page, followed by a short report.

Battery life in OS X and Windows

Now let's see how the new product fares with battery life. In OS X, we used the movie “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” for this, purchased from the iTunes Store and downloaded to the laptop in Full HD resolution. QuickTime was used as a player. The movie played in loop, starting from 100% until the laptop was turned off. Wi-Fi did not turn off. On Windows, we used the iXBT Battery Benchmark v.1.0 script.

In addition to purely practical value, such a comparison will also allow us to draw conclusions about energy efficiency when using one or the other OS. Let us remind you that in all cases we measure battery life at a screen brightness of 100 cd/m² (this is a value that is comfortable for working indoors during the day or under standard artificial lighting). The results are below.

And here's the real sensation. The duration of movie playback in OS X exceeds a similar scenario in Windows by more than one and a half times! Yes, yes, this is not a mistake. We set the laptop to play a movie at 11:30 pm. He spun it all night and morning and only discharged at 13:21. It is clear that such a result is only possible thanks to very good optimization of the film in the iTunes Store and the most correct operation of QuickTime Player: with a film from any other source or with another player, the result will be worse (which, in particular, can be seen from the test in Windows). And still the result is amazing. Although even the battery life of this laptop in Windows can be considered a role model.

conclusions

Well, let's summarize the testing results. Apple has released an overall successful and very interesting update to its last year's model, which (like its two predecessors) is itself one of the most successful laptops on the market, combining an excellent screen, excellent design and good performance.

The 2015 model with the Intel Broadwell processor has seen a slight increase in performance (although we can't say that this increase will be much felt if you've used any other MacBook Pro Retina model - even the oldest one). We also note the excellent sound path, very fast SSD and silent operation of the laptop.

The main feature of the new product, which distinguishes it from all its predecessors, is support new technology Force Touch, which expands the capabilities of a laptop's trackpad, but is not easy to get used to. On this moment it's only available on this model and the just-launched 12-inch MacBook.

As a minus, we note very weak gaming capabilities (even from the Mac App Store, many games are not compatible with the new product, not to mention Windows games) and strange problems when using Windows. However, we have said this many times and will repeat again that buying a MacBook for use with Windows is not advisable. Install a second OS on your MacBook only when it is vital for you to run certain applications that are not available on OS X, and there are no worthy analogues. Using Windows on a MacBook as the main OS not only deprives you of this model's signature advantages (such as remarkable energy efficiency, Force Touch technology), but can also threaten the longevity of the computer, as we showed in our tests.