MacBook Pro

MacBook Pro

MacBook Pro (14 in (360 mm), 2025) in space black.
Developer	Apple Inc.
Manufacturer	Apple Inc.
Product family	MacBook
Type	Laptop
CPU	Intel Core Duo, Intel Core 2 Duo, Intel Core i5, Intel Core i7, Intel Core i9, Apple M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, M2 Pro, M2 Max, M3, M3 Pro, M3 Max, M4 Pro, M4 Max, M5
Memory	Up to 128 GB memory
Storage	Between 8 GB and 16 TB (2 TB for Windows) (MacBook Pro 2012 and older only using SATA) Between 8 GB and 4 TB (Retina models released in 2012 and early 2013 using mSATA or NGFF) Between 128 GB and 16 TB (Late 2013 and newer using NVMe) Models with an optical drive can have dual-SSDs using an adapter, doubling the max storage in this list
Display	13-inch, 14‑inch, 15-inch, 16‑inch or 17-inch display
Predecessor	PowerBook G4

MacBook Pro is a line of laptop computers made by Apple Inc.. It is one of the company's MacBook computers. It is more powerful than the MacBook Air. People use it for work, school, and other jobs that need a fast computer.

Apple showed the first MacBook Pro on January 10, 2006. It replaced the PowerBook G4. It was the first Apple laptop with an Intel chip.

In 2020, Apple started using its own chips in the MacBook Pro. Apple calls these chips Apple silicon. They made the laptops faster and helped the battery last longer.

As of 2026, the MacBook Pro comes in 14-inch and 16-inch models.

History

First years (2006–2008)

Apple showed the first MacBook Pro on January 10, 2006, at the Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco. It replaced the PowerBook G4, which Apple had sold since 2001.

The first MacBook Pro looked much like the PowerBook G4. It had an aluminum case and a widescreen display. Inside, however, it was very different. It used an Intel Core Duo chip instead of a PowerPC chip. This made it one of the first Mac computers to use Intel hardware.

The new laptop also had a built-in iSight camera for video calls. It used a magnetic charger called MagSafe. If someone pulled on the charging cable, it could come off without pulling the laptop to the floor.

Later in 2006, Apple updated the MacBook Pro with Intel Core 2 Duo chips. These chips were faster and could run 64-bit software.

Many reviewers liked the first MacBook Pro. They said it was fast, well made, and had a bright screen.

Unibody models (2008–2012)

In October 2008, Apple gave the MacBook Pro a new design.

The new case was cut from one block of aluminum. Apple called this a unibody design. The case was stronger than before and had fewer parts.

Apple also added a glass trackpad. The trackpad could understand finger movements like pinching, scrolling, and turning. These movements are called gestures.

In 2009, Apple changed the battery. It was built into the laptop instead of being easy to remove. Apple said the new battery lasted longer than the older one.

In 2011, Apple added Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt is a port that can send data very quickly. It can also connect displays and other devices through one cable.

By this time, the MacBook Pro was popular with students, programmers, photographers, musicians, and video editors.

Retina display (2012–2015)

Apple announced a new MacBook Pro at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2012.

The biggest change was the Retina display. It had many more pixels than older MacBook Pro screens. This made words, photos, and videos look sharper.

The new model was thinner and lighter than the older one. Apple removed the DVD drive to make more space inside the computer. It also used solid-state storage instead of a hard disk drive. This helped the computer start faster and open files more quickly.

Some people did not like that the memory and storage were harder or impossible to upgrade. Earlier MacBook Pro models were easier to repair.

Even so, the Retina MacBook Pro received many good reviews. Reviewers praised its display, speed, and battery life.

Touch Bar models (2016–2020)

Apple showed a new MacBook Pro on October 27, 2016.

The new model was thinner and lighter than the one before it. It had a larger trackpad and a brighter Retina display.

One of the biggest changes was the Touch Bar. It was a small touch screen above the keyboard. It replaced the row of function keys on many models. The buttons on the Touch Bar changed depending on the app that was open. For example, it could show volume controls, emoji, or tools for editing photos.

Some people liked the Touch Bar because it could change for different apps. Other people did not like it. They said normal keys were easier to use because they could be felt without looking down.

Apple also changed the ports on the MacBook Pro. It removed USB-A, HDMI, the SD card slot, and the MagSafe charging connector. Instead, the laptop used only USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3.

Many users had to buy adapters to use older devices. This change received mixed reviews.

Butterfly keyboard

The 2016 MacBook Pro used Apple's butterfly keyboard. Apple said the new keyboard took up less space inside the laptop and gave the keys a more even feel.

After the laptops were released, many users reported problems with the keyboard. Dust or small pieces of dirt could stop some keys from working. Some keys typed the same letter more than once. Others stopped working at all.

In 2018, Apple started a repair program for some MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models with butterfly keyboards.

The butterfly keyboard became one of the most criticized parts of the MacBook Pro.

16-inch model

In November 2019, Apple showed a new 16-inch MacBook Pro.

The new model no longer used the butterfly keyboard. Instead, it used a new keyboard called the Magic Keyboard. Reviewers said it was more comfortable to type on and more reliable.

The 16-inch model also had better speakers, a larger battery, and improved cooling. It was the last major MacBook Pro model to be designed only for Intel chips.

Apple silicon

In 2020, Apple said that future Mac computers would use chips made by Apple instead of Intel chips. Apple calls these chips Apple silicon.

Later that year, Apple announced a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 chip. It looked much like the older model, but it was faster and the battery lasted much longer.

In 2021, Apple changed the MacBook Pro again. It made new 14-inch and 16-inch models. Apple brought back the MagSafe charger, the HDMI port, and the SD card slot. It also stopped using the Touch Bar. The new models had normal function keys again.

Apple also made new chips called M1 Pro and M1 Max. These chips were made for people who needed more speed.

Apple updated the MacBook Pro again in 2022, 2023, and 2024 with the M2, M3, and M4 chips. Each new chip was faster than the one before it.

By the middle of the 2020s, Apple no longer sold MacBook Pro models with Intel chips.

Hardware

The MacBook Pro has changed many times since 2006. New models are faster than older ones. They also have better screens, speakers, cameras, and batteries.

Screen

The first MacBook Pro models used LCD screens.

In 2012, Apple started using Retina displays. These screens have more pixels than older screens. This makes words and pictures look sharper.

In 2021, Apple started using Liquid Retina XDR displays in the 14-inch and 16-inch models. They can become brighter than older screens. They also support ProMotion, which can make moving pictures and scrolling look smoother.

Chips

From 2006 to 2020, the MacBook Pro used Intel chips.

In 2020, Apple started using Apple silicon chips instead.

Apple has since released the M1, M2, M3, and M4 chip families. Each new family is faster than the one before it.

Memory and storage

Early MacBook Pro models let people replace the memory and storage.

Later models changed this. The memory became part of the main board. The storage also became harder to replace. This made the laptops thinner, but it also made repairs and upgrades more difficult.

Ports

The ports on the MacBook Pro have changed over time.

Older models had USB ports, FireWire, Ethernet, and later Thunderbolt.

In 2016, Apple removed many older ports. The MacBook Pro used only USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3.

Some people liked the change. Other people did not because they had to use adapters for older devices.

In 2021, Apple brought back MagSafe, an HDMI port, and an SD card slot.

Keyboard

The first MacBook Pro models used a scissor-switch keyboard.

In 2016, Apple changed to the butterfly keyboard. Many users reported problems with it. Some keys stopped working or typed letters more than once.

Apple later started a free repair program for some models.

In 2019, Apple stopped using the butterfly keyboard. It went back to a scissor-switch design called the Magic Keyboard.

Battery

Battery life has improved with each new MacBook Pro.

The biggest change came in 2020 when Apple started using Apple silicon chips. These chips used less power than many Intel chips. Because of this, many MacBook Pro models could run for much longer on one charge.

Legacy

The MacBook Pro has been one of Apple's best-known computers since it came out in 2006.

It is used by many people around the world. Some people use it at school. Others use it for work. It is also popular with programmers, photographers, musicians, filmmakers, and other people who need a fast laptop.

Over the years, the MacBook Pro has introduced many new features to Mac laptops. These include the MagSafe charger, the Retina display, the Force Touch trackpad, and Apple silicon chips. Some of these features later came to other Mac computers.

Not every change was popular. The butterfly keyboard and the Touch Bar received mixed reviews. Apple later stopped using both. It also brought back MagSafe charging, the HDMI port, the SD card slot, and the function keys in 2021.

The move to Apple silicon in 2020 was one of the biggest changes in the history of the MacBook Pro. The new chips made the laptops faster while using less power. Many reviews praised the longer battery life and better performance.

As of 2026, the MacBook Pro is still Apple's most powerful laptop line.