Apple’s first Arm-based 13-inch MacBook Pro is here with an M1 chip

Apple announced its first MacBook Pro laptop that will run on an Apple-designed processor at its “One More Thing” event, ushering in a new era of Mac computers.

It’s not just that Apple makes an Arm-based Mac – it’s that Apple specifically makes an Arm-based MacBook Pro, products it has put forward as the centerpiece of its lineup for creative professionals. and techniques.

The new MacBook Pro comes in a 13-inch size and starts at $ 1,299, and replaces the previous entry-level MacBook Pro (the top-of-the-line model, with four Thunderbolt ports, will still be sold as usual. ) The new MacBook Pro will feature Apple’s new M1 processor, which the company claims has the “world’s fastest processor core”, fastest integrated graphics, and big gains in power and performance compared to the Intel chips it had previously used. It will also launch with macOS 11 Big Sur, which Apple says was specifically designed to take advantage of the new hardware.

Apple claims the performance of the new 13-inch MacBook Pro is 2.8 times faster, with graphics up to five times faster than the previous generation. And unlike the new MacBook Air, it still has an active cooling fan system. There’s still a touch bar, as well as two Thunderbolt 4 ports (located on the left side of the laptop.)

Battery life is also taking a big leap – up to 17 hours of web browsing and 20 hours of video playback. Apple says it’s 10 hours longer than before and the longest battery life on a Mac ever.

The configuration options are 8GB or 16GB RAM, as well as 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB SSD options. (Apple will only offer one M1 processor option, however.)

This is a big step forward, not only for Apple’s internal chips, but for Arm-based laptops in general, which have largely been relegated to form factors and ultralight devices like the Lenovo Flex 5G, the Samsung Galaxy Book S or Surface Pro. X. No one has made an Arm-based laptop that promises the kind of performance Apple claims the new MacBook Pros can deliver.

Apple has been preparing for this since it first announced it would be switching to its own chips, with the company already showing off apps like Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom running on Apple chips in June. (Although it will clearly take a while to roll them out: Lightroom won’t be available on Apple silicon until next month, and other key apps, like Photoshop, won’t launch until 2021.) And of course, the clean one Apple pro Higher level applications, like Final Cut Pro or Logic, have also already been fully ported to work on Apple Silicon Macs.

Apple’s new silicone MacBook Pro will not only run these business apps: it will also offer compatibility with the huge library of existing iOS and iPad apps, thanks to the shared chipset, which could significantly expand app options. available to users. during launch.

The company has also been designing its own processors for almost a decade, reverting to its A4 chipset from the original iPad and iPhone 4. And while Apple’s A-series chips did that get more powerful over time (upgradable to products like the A12Z, which powers the iPad Pro, and which Apple will have you believe offers laptop-like performance.) and Apple used its own chips in recent Macs, like the T2 security chip or the reused Apple Watch processor that powers the MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar.

But today’s release marks a huge change, one that will see those same iPhone and iPad chips – or at least, chips built on the same architectural foundation – make their way to macOS computers.

And the fact that the company feels confident enough in its estimate of Arm-based chips to come up with a machine designed for professional work (at least in name) is significant to see. That said, Apple has misjudged the needs of business devices in the past, with the company’s much-criticized 2015 Mac Pro in particular coming out as a huge dud – it’s entirely possible that the new MacBook Pro will suffer the same fate.

The new MacBook Pros aren’t the only new Macs running on Apple silicon – the company also announced a new 13-inch MacBook Air and a new Mac mini, both of which also run on an M1 chip.

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro will start at $ 1,299, with pre-orders starting today before the November 17 launch.

In development … we are adding more to this article, but you can follow our Apple “One More Thing” Live Blog to receive news even faster.