Back in May 2019 Apple updated the MacBook Pro, or at least the company updated the 15in models with new generation processors, and tweaked the existing processors in the two Touch Bar-equipped 13in models. The entry-level MacBook Pro models were left untouched though. In fact, those two entry-level MacBook Pro models hadn’t been updated since 2017… Until 9 July 2019 that is.
On 9 July 2019 Apple unveiled two new MacBook Pro models (while at the same time dropping the price of the MacBook Air and discontinuing the MacBook). These new models replace the previous entry-level models, but where the older models lacked the Touch Bar, they now feature one.
The new models also offer 1.4GHz quad-core processors, up from the 2.3GHz dual core model sold previously.
The bad news is that while updating the range Apple has put prices up in the UK. We have more pricing information below, but essentially, each model now costs £50 more, with the top-of-the-range 15in model now costing an extra £100.
These new MacBook Pro models join the other new models introduced in May 2019. The 13in models updated earlier in the year also offer 8th-gen processors, while the 15in models offer newer 9th-gen Intel chips with up to 8 cores.
In this article we round up all the details of all the new MacBook Pros. You can order them now! You’ll find their tech specs and their prices in the UK and US. We have a review of the 2019 15in MacBook Pro here and we should be getting reviews of the new 13in models soon.
If you’d like to know more about the last generation, read our 13in MacBook Pro (2018) review and 15in MacBook Pro (2018) review. We also have advice about which Mac laptop to buy right now. And find out how the 13in and 15in MacBook Pros compare here.
We expect Apple to update the 13in MacBook Pro in the first half of 2020. Read about the new MacBook Pro here.
Release date: When did the 2019 MacBook Pros go on sale?
All the 2019 MacBook Pro models are on sale now. You can order the new MacBook Pro right away direct from Apple. On 9 July the UK store was showing a delivery date of 11 July for the new models, but check the store to see if it’s the same for you.
However, before you order: There are rumours about a new 16in MacBook Pro that might launch later in 2020, read more here: 16in MacBook Pro.
Price and availability: How much do the 2019 MacBooks cost?
The new 13in MacBook Pro now starts at £1,299/$1,299 – that’s the same price as it was previously, but crucially the newer model is significantly better than its predecessor: a leap from an older dual-core processor to a quad-core offering, and the addition of the Touch Bar.
Here’s the full set of prices, but bear in mind that further build-to-order options are available on top.
One unfortunate change is that the UK prices have increased slightly as of July 2019, likely due to currency fluctuations. Previous pricing was £1,249, £1,449, £1,749, £1,949, £2,349, £2,699
- MacBook Pro (13in, July 2019) with 1.4GHz quad-core 8th-gen i5, 128GB SSD: £1,299/$1,299
- MacBook Pro (13in, July 2019) with 1.4GHz quad-core 8th-gen i5, 256GB SSD: £1,499/$1,499
- MacBook Pro (13in, May 2019) with 2.4GHz quad-core 8th-gen i5, 256GB SSD: £1,799/$1,799
- MacBook Pro (13in, May 2019) with 2.4GHz quad-core 8th-gen i5, 512GB SSD: £1,999/$1,999
- MacBook Pro (15in, May 2019) with 2.6GHz 6-core 9th-gen i7, 256GB SSD: £2,399/$2,399
- MacBook Pro (15in, May 2019) with 2.3GHz 8-core 9th-gen i9, 512GB SSD: £2,799/$2,799
These are the prices if you order direct from Apple. You might be able to get a discount if you check out our roundup of the best MacBook Pro deals.
Design
Apple is though to be planning to launch a bigger MacBook Pro in a 16in screen size, but there’s no sign of it yet. Apple’s MacBook Pro laptops for 2019 have the same design as the previous generation.
Tech specs: What’s different about the 2019 MacBook Pros?
The main differences between the 2019 and 2018 MacBook Pros lie in the processors, which now extend to Intel’s 8th and 9th generation of chips and offer up to 8 cores for the first time.
The entry-level models have seen a significant leap from 7th-gen dual-core to 8th-gen quad-core processors.
The 9th-gen chips, which are only available with the 15in Pro, are based on the ‘Coffee Lake Refresh’ architecture, and fabricated on a 14nm process. They’re targeted fairly squarely at professional content creators and gamers. More information on the 9th-gen processors here.
Here are the tech specs of the new MacBook Pro models, divided into the 13in and 15in lines.
MacBook Pro 13in tech specs
July updates:
- 1.4GHz quad-core 8th-gen Intel Core i5 processor (configurable up to 1.7GHz quad-core 8th-gen i7)
- Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
- 8GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory (configurable up to 16GB)
- 128GB or 256GB SSD (configurable up to 2TB SSD)
- 13.3in (2560×1600 at 227ppi) Retina display with True Tone
- Touch Bar and Touch ID
- Two Thunderbolt 3 ports
May updates:
- 2.4GHz quad-core 8th-gen Intel Core i5 processor (configurable up to 2.8GHz quad-core 8th-gen i7)
- Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655
- 8GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory (configurable up to 16GB)
- 256GB SSD (configurable up to 2TB SSD)
- 13.3in (2560×1600 at 227ppi) Retina display with True Tone
- Touch Bar and Touch ID
- Four Thunderbolt 3 ports
MacBook Pro 15in tech specs
- 2.6GHz 6-core 9th-gen Intel Core i7 processor, or 2.3GHz 8-core 9th-gen i9 (configurable up to 2.4GHz 8-core 9th-gen i9)
- Radeon Pro 555X with 4GB memory (configurable up to Radeon Pro 560X or Radeon Pro Vega 16 or Radeon Pro Vega 20)
- 16GB 2400MHz DDR4 memory (configurable up to 32GB)
- 256GB SSD (configurable up to 4TB)
- 15.4in (2880×1800 at 220ppi) Retina display with True Tone
- Touch Bar and Touch ID
- Four Thunderbolt 3 ports
Author: David Price, Editor
David has loved the iPhone since covering the original 2007 launch; later his obsession expanded to include iPad and Apple Watch. He offers advice to owners (and prospective owners) of these devices.