Apple’s refreshed MacBook Pros haven’t even arrived in stores yet, but we already have an idea of what to expect from next year’s models.
The biggest rumored change is the addition of 32GB of RAM, which would be a welcome move—the just-announced Pros top out at 16GB. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a reputation for accurate Apple product predictions, says more RAM depends on Intel, because Apple is waiting for Canonnlake processors.
Apple has taken some heat for its decision to top out at 16GB of RAM, which isn’t all that much for such an expensive, professional-grade laptop. But Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of marketing, said 32GB wouldn’t be power-efficient enough for a laptop, meaning it would gobble up tons of battery life.
“To put more than 16GB of fast RAM into a notebook design at this time would require a memory system that consumes much more power and wouldn’t be efficient enough for a notebook,” Schiller wrote in a reply to a MacRumors reader.
If Intel’s Cannonlake processors, which promise to offer low-power RAM, debut in the latter half of 2017 as expected, then a more powerful Pro could be on the horizon as soon as next fall without sacrificing battery life. If Intel doesn’t come through in time, Apple will upgrade the Pro with Intel’s Coffee Lake processor and keep the 16GB max RAM, Kuo says.
Another welcome change: a price drop! That wouldn’t be a surprising move, given that the Touch Bar-equipped Pro will be a year old next fall. Potential upgraders who are sitting out this round to see how the Touch Bar performs and to evaluate the USB-C market might make the leap once the new Pros come down from their $1,799 starting price.
What changes would Apple have to make to the new Pros to convince you they’re worth buying? Share your thoughts in the comments.