Skip to main content

The launch of the new MacBook Pro has been a complete disaster

Updating laptops to the newest generation of Intel processors shouldn’t be this difficult. Every year Dell, HP, and Asus handle it as a simple way to keep computers up-to-date without having to do a complete redesign every year.

Easy, right? Yet Apple has managed to completely fumble it.

No entry level update

We knew there was something fishy about this year’s MacBook Pro when we first saw the listing. While the $1,800+ models have refreshed 8th-gen CPUs, the lower-end models were conveniently left off the update. These cheaper models, ranging from $1,300 to $1,600, are stuck with the same 7th-gen Intel processors introduced over a year and half ago.

With word that Intel is about to drop 9th-gen processors next month, you can see where this is all going. The most affordable models will soon be two generations behind. It’s the MacBook Air’s problem all over again.

The most expensive models have problems

MacBook Pro 15
Malarie Gokey/Digital Trends

Despite the lack of updated entry-level options, we were happy to see Apple bring Intel’s Core i9 to the higher-end 15-inch MacBook Pros. We’ve tested these chips on other laptops and witnessed the processing power firsthand.

But even here, Apple took the easy route here and hoped nobody would notice.

Within days of the first fans ordering their new MacBook Pros, reports were posted about the throttling issue with these Core i9 chips. Because the new MacBook Pros use the same chassis as before, these high-powered Core i9 chips are severely throttled, to the point where they perform worse in intensive loads than the cheaper Core i7 model. 

If you want, you can manually control the fan speed to gain some of that performance back, but since when does Apple release products that aren’t optimized? The days of “it just works” seem long gone.

The keyboard continues to haunt Apple

iFixIt

The admission that Apple severely messed up on the MacBook Pro keyboard has been slow and painful. It came to a head when the company finally announced it would provide free repairs and replacement for sticky keys in May.

In the 2018, Apple has included what it calls a “third-generation butterfly mechanism.” When first announced, we assumed Apple had fixed the problem plaguing the previous generation of keyboards, but instead, Apple was silent on the issue. The initial response from Apple was that it hadn’t made engineering tweaks to address the sticky key issue, while also not covering it under the new repair program.

It was only until iFixit revealed the silicon pad installed under each key that Apple finally reversed its previous statement and admit its new keyboard had anti-debris protection. Apple played coy to downplay the problem rather than reassure buyers that these new MacBook Pros fixed it.

All of this is strange to see happen at a company like Apple. Clarity in branding is the exact thing that allowed it to rise to such great heights in the glory days. Those days seem to be waning. Apple’s recent  missteps in messaging, product differentiation, and reliability appear to be the new normal.

Editors' Recommendations

Luke Larsen
Senior Editor, Computing
Luke Larsen is the Senior editor of computing, managing all content covering laptops, monitors, PC hardware, Macs, and more.
Exclusive: How Apple inspired creators to take a risk on its $3,500 Vision Pro
A person wearing Apple's Vision Pro headset.

Apple’s Vision Pro headset hasn’t launched yet, but already it’s become one of the most hotly debated devices on the planet. Whether you think it’s the most exciting gadget in years or a potential waste of time and money, chances are Apple has got you talking about it.

The company has a lot riding on its first new product category since the Apple Watch, but it clearly can’t succeed if developers aren’t interested in building apps for it. After all, opening the Vision Pro’s app store to the sound of crickets chirping wouldn’t leave a good impression.

Read more
Here’s how Apple could drastically cut the Vision Pro’s price
A person sits down wearing an Apple Vision Pro headset.

Apple’s Vision Pro headset made a massive splash when it was announced in June 2023, and one of the biggest talking points was its $3,499 price. Despite reports that Apple is charging buyers at or near the cost of making the device, it’s still a massive amount for most people to shell out on a headset.

There could be some future relief though, as Apple is reportedly searching for ways to bring the price down, whether that’s a “Vision Pro 2” headset or a lower-cost version that omits a few of the more expensive features.

Read more
Apple’s Vision Pro headset may try to alter your emotions during movies
The Apple Vision Pro reveals the wearer's eyes on a front-facing display.

The Vision Pro headset is totally new territory for Apple, so it’s no surprise that the company has been dreaming up some unusual ideas for how it will work. But new information has come to light that seems pretty out there even by the Vision Pro’s standards.

That’s because the headset might be able to gauge your mood and physiological state, then change what you see in order to create a specific emotional reaction. In other words, if it detects you’re getting too stressed out by whatever is on the screen, it might automatically change your content to something more palatable. That sounds a lot like another idea Apple had that would send you on a mood-altering trip while wearing the Vision Pro.

Read more