• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

AppleToolBox

Tools and Fixes for Mac, iPad, iPhone & iPod

Search posts

  • About
  • Contact

CONNECT WITH US

CATEGORIES

  • iPhone
  • iPad
  • Mac/MacBook
  • Apple Watch
  • Reviews
  • Mac
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Apple Services
  • AirPods

SITE

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Advertise

Search posts

You are here: Home / Mac / 2021 MacBook Pro Review Roundup: Apple IS Listening To Its Users

2021 MacBook Pro Review Roundup: Apple IS Listening To Its Users

By Andrew Myrick 0 comments Last updated October 26, 2021

It’s been a week since Apple introduced the 2021 MacBook Pro lineup, bringing with it pretty much all of the upgrades and features that we have been asking for. Not only do the new MacBook Pro’s include Apple’s incredible miniLED displays, but there’s so much more. Really, this new lineup of laptops is pretty much the 2021 version of the ultra-popular 2015 MacBook Pro with the return of ports like an SD card reader and HDMI port.

Related Reading

  • The 2021 iMac Review: The Future Of Computing
  • How To Buy 2021 MacBook Pro
  • Everything Announced at Apple’s October Unleashed Event
  • The MacBook Pro’s Notch Is Not A Big Deal
  • Best MacBook Pro Accessories for 2021 14-inch Model

We’re still waiting to get our hands on one of these new laptops, but Apple has sent these beasts out to a number of online publications and YouTubers. We’ve rounded up some of the first MacBook Pro reviews to hit the web, aiming to help provide a bit of a direction if you’re still on the fence

Contents

  • iMore
  • The Verge
  • SixColors
  • CNET
  • Macworld
  • Engadget
  • Tom’s Guide
  • Gizmodo
  • Rene Ritchie
  • iJustine
  • Brian Tong
  • Tyler Stalman
  • Dave2D

iMore

In some ways, the M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pros are a repudiation of the 2016 models, walking back almost all the then-future-thinking technologies the winning group at Apple hoped would make it truly next generation. But now the Butterfly keyboard is gone. The Touch Bar is gone. The all-in on USB-C and Thunderbolt is gone. And only the Force Touch trackpad remains. And that does make it as much regression as it does correction. But in this case, for everyone who loved those original MacBook Pros, it’s a massive win. A huge win. And one entirely eclipsed by what Apple’s done beyond all that.

The Verge

Inside you’ve got Apple’s new M1 Pro and M1 Max processors, which are much more powerful versions of the M1 chip that have much more serious GPU capabilities. We’re doing a lot of performance tests to see what’s what with these chips, but I can tell you right now that the 16-inch Pro with M1 Max clocked the fastest time ever in our Adobe Premiere 4K export test… by over a minute.

SixColors

It’s not cheap. No, it’s not. But that’s okay. In fact, even that fact follows from one of the most important lessons Apple has learned in the last five years: The MacBook Pro is a tool for professional users, and it needs to be built with their needs in mind.

Whether you’re a photographer, video editor, developer, podcast editor, or in any other of dozens of niches that require serious computing power, your computer has arrived. I know you may have been waiting a long time. But your wait is over.

CNET

Pros:

  • HDMI and SD card ports return
  • MagSafe power connection is back
  • Bigger, better screen with slimmer bezels
  • New great-looking 1080p webcam
  • Huge leap in graphics performance over earlier M1 systems
  • Function keys replace the Touch Bar

Cons:

  • Adds some weight, so not as portable
  • High starting price if you just want the better screen/webcam and ports
  • The screen has a notch cutout for the camera

Macworld

The new 14-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro is a truly satisfying laptop, and it can now wear the crown of the professional’s choice without hesitation.

Engadget

On the whole, these computers have practically everything we’d want in a powerful notebook. If you’re a creative professional with a large budget for a new computer, and you want something that’ll genuinely speed up your workflow, the new MacBook Pros are exactly what you need.

Tom’s Guide

We’d love to see a MacBook Pro with these ports at a more affordable price, but that’s not in the cards right now. Maybe in 2022, Apple will update that spot in its lineup. The MacBook Air 2022, for example, is expected to get MagSafe. All that said, the new 14-inch MacBook Pro is pretty much exactly the laptop that many have waited for, and even dreamed of. With a notch on top.

Gizmodo

But in addition to its power, the Pro’s incredible display, useful ports, perfect keyboard, and high-definition webcam make the new MacBook a compelling package. Yes, it’s expensive. It might be more laptop than most people need. I’m eager for these features to trickle down to the cheaper MacBooks so you don’t have to pay for more performance than you require just to get an amazing screen and the webcam we all deserve.

Rene Ritchie

iJustine

Brian Tong

Tyler Stalman

Dave2D

Andrew Myrick
Andrew Myrick

Andrew is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US.

He has written for a variety of sites over the years, including iMore, Android Central, Phandroid, and a few others. Now, he spends his days working for an HVAC company, while moonlighting as a freelance writer at night.

Related Posts:

  • Apple Card Review: Let's Compare It To The Competition
    Apple Card Review: Let's Compare It To The Competition
  • The 2021 iMac Review: The Future Of Computing
    The 2021 iMac Review: The Future Of Computing
  • New M1 iMac: Everything You Need To Know
    New M1 iMac: Everything You Need To Know
  • Everything Announced At Apple’s Spring Loaded Event
    Everything Announced At Apple’s Spring Loaded Event
  • iMac vs MacBook: How To Choose Your Next Office Upgrade
    iMac vs MacBook: How To Choose Your Next Office Upgrade
  • Everything You Need To Know About Mac Studio
    Everything You Need To Know About Mac Studio
  • Should you get the Apple Card? Here are some things to consider
    Should you get the Apple Card? Here are some things to…
  • What To Expect From The Apple October 2021 'Unleashed' Event
    What To Expect From The Apple October 2021 'Unleashed' Event
  • How To Use a Second Monitor With the Mac
    How To Use a Second Monitor With the Mac

Reader Interactions

Write a Comment Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • How to Move Facetime Call From iPhone to iPad/Mac
  • How to Lock Your Notes in Apple Notes
  • The Best iOS Apps and macOS Apps: June 2022
  • How To Delete Duplicate Photos on iPhone and iPad
  • How To Use Smart Folders in Apple Notes
  • How To Pin Safari Tabs on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Connect with us

Footer

ABOUT

  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use

DEVICES

  • iPhone
  • Mac & MacBook
  • Apple Watch
  • iPad
  • AirPods
  • Apple TV
  • iPod Touch

GUIDES

  • iOS 13 & iPadOS
  • Apple ID
  • iCloud
  • App Store
  • iTunes
  • FaceTime
  • iMessage
  • Siri
  • Books and iBooks
  • Game Center
  • AirPlay

CONNECT

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • FeedBurner
  • YouTube

© Copyright 2010-2022 AppleToolBox · All Rights Reserved

This site and its content are in no way affiliated or endorsed by Apple, Inc. · Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited