After months of rumours and speculation, the MacBook 14 has arrived with a plethora of features commensurate. The ultraportable reintroduces a number of practical ports while eliminating the innovative but impractical Touch Bar. The mini LED screen and the new, improved speaker system with spatial audio capabilities are absolutely breathtaking. The newly released macOS Monterey runs flawlessly and the laptop’s battery life exceeds 14 hours.
The true star of the show, however, is the new M1 Pro chip. The middle child of Apple’s proprietary line of chips, it outperforms some of the most powerful Intel and AMD-powered laptops. As a result of Apple’s dedication to both power and efficiency, the notebook is able to complete the most demanding tasks with barely a whisper from the fans. The laptop is nearly flawless.
[content-egg-block template=offers_logo hide=price]The most significant development is the introduction of a 14-inch MacBook Pro, which is not physically much larger than the previous 13-inch model. It is available in Silver and Space Grey. In profile, the new MacBook Pro appears somewhat retro, with its raised feet, flat sides, and nearly straight lid edges. In addition, there are now three Thunderbolt 4 ports (one less than before) that support charging, DisplayPort video, and USB4; an HDMI 2.0 video output; an SDXC card slot; and a 3.5mm audio jack.
It’s almost surprising that Apple retained the 3.5mm headphone jack, given that it’s been eliminated from iPads. It’s great to have more ports for flexibility, but HDMI 2.1 and SD Express would have been more future-proofing. Ethernet and USB Type-A dongles or a hub are still required. Now that the butterfly keyboard debacle has passed, the 2021 MacBook Pro’s keyboard is quite comfortable to use. Although slightly crisp, the key action is comfortable.
The Fn row shortcuts have been rearranged; there is no longer a shortcut for adjusting the backlight level, which is annoying, and it’s too easy to bring up the new emoji picker by accident by tapping the Fn key. The arrow keys are also somewhat crowded. However, typing is generally comfortable and even enjoyable.
The display notch is the most controversial aspect of the new 2021 MacBook Pro. Numerous laptop manufacturers have experimented with relocating or omitting webcams to make screen borders as narrow as possible, but none of these solutions have proven effective. Apple is the first company to implement a cutout at the top of the display, and this may be the best compromise. The question is, however, whether such thin borders around laptop screens are necessary.
The MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) is the best available laptop for creative professionals. The screen is the best you’ll find anywhere on a laptop, and its performance, even when on battery, is exceptional. This is not the best laptop for everyday use, but there is no better for video editors, programmers, music producers, and photographers.