MacBook Pro 2020: Apple officially launches new 13-inch laptop

The MacBook Pro 2020 has arrived and it brings some much-demanded features, but also some that have been missed. While it may not be everything fans wanted, it might still be a worthwhile upgrade for some or a key first Mac purchase.

If you are an ardent opposer of the butterfly keyboard, you’ll be happy to know that Apple has heeded those concerns with the new 13-inch Pro and added the new Magic Keyboard – ridding Apple’s laptops of the much-maligned keys around five years after their inception.

A somewhat expected feature that the new MacBook Pro did miss out on was a new display. Rumours swirled about the device getting slimmed down bezels, like the MacBook Pro 16, which would afford a 14-inch panel in the same 13-inch form-factor. However, that wasn’t to be. Less popular rumours about the display being of the new MiniLED variety also proved false. It now looks like we may have to wait until a MacBook Pro 2021 for a more substantial update.

Also notable by their absence is Intel’s latest 10th Gen processors on the base models of the new MacBook Pro. You’ll have to stump up £1799 for a version with the 10th Gen chips, while the £1299 model sticks with the 8th Gen processors present on the previous iteration.

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MacBook Pro 2020 release date – When will it launch?

The 13-inch MacBook Pro is available to buy right now from the online Apple store.

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MacBook Pro 2020 price – How much will it cost?

The 13-inch MacBook Pro 2020 has a £1299 starting price, featuring Intel’s 1.4GHz 8th Generation i5 processor, 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage.

To buy a configuration with Intel’s new 2GHz 10th Generation i5 processor, you’ll have to spend at least £1799. That will also bag you 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD.

If you’re thirsty for maximum power, you can buy a configuration with Intel’s 2.3GHz 10th Generation i7 processor, 32GB RAM and a 4TB SSD for an eye-watering £3599. That will be overkill for the majority of people though.

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MacBook Pro 2020 keyboard

The MacBook Pro 2020 has been updated with the Magic Keyboard, which features the new scissor mechanism for improved 1mm key travel for a more comfortable typing experienc.e

The MacBook Pro 16 saw an identical upgrade when it launched last year, so this comes as no surprise. Still, it’s great to Apple ditching the Butterfly switches, which have been heavily criticised for lacking decent key travel.

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro will also feature a Touch Bar and Touch ID, while introducing a physical Escape key too.

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MacBook Pro 2020 display

The MacBook Pro 2020 had widely been expected to see a new 14-inch screen size by slimming down the bezel. Unfortunately, this has not been the case, as Apple has stuck to the 13-inch panel instead.

Not much is new here, with Apple opting for the usual 2560 x 1600 resolution, with a claimed 500 nit brightness and wide P3 colour coverage. Apple has consistently made excellent screens for its laptops, so we expect no different here.

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MacBook Pro 2020 performance

Apple is finally equipping the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Intel’s 10th Generation processors, but there’s a big catch – the entry-level configurations are still sporting the 8th generation chips, so you’ll have to pay at least £1799 for the pleasure.

If you do stump up the cash, then the Ice Lake processor will allow you to dabble with casual gaming and video editing work without being lumbered with the weight a graphics card typically brings. On that subject, you won’t be able to fit a discrete graphics card into this laptop, with that kind of GPU grunt only available with the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

The entry-level MacBook Pro also sees 8GB RAM, but that can be upgraded up to 16GB or 32GB if you require faster speeds. Apple is also offering a lot of storage options, starting off at 256GB and climbing all the way up to an incredible 4TB if you throw enough cash Apple’s way.

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