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Touch Bar MacBook Pro Q&A
Update Published August 17, 2019
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What are all the differences between the 13-Inch and 15-Inch "Mid-2017" MacBook Pro models? Which is best for me?
Please note that all 13-Inch and 15-Inch "Mid-2017" MacBook Pro models have been discontinued. This Q&A is up-to-date and can be helpful to anyone considering one of these notebooks on the used market.
There are four standard configurations of the "Mid-2017" MacBook Pro models -- the MacBook Pro "Core i5" 2.3 13", "Core i5" 3.1 13" Touch Bar, "Core i7" 2.8 15" Touch Bar, and "Core i7" 2.9 15" Touch Bar.
There also are four custom processor configurations -- the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.5 13", "Core i5" 3.3 13" Touch Bar, "Core i7" 3.5 13" Touch Bar, and "Core i7" 3.1 15" Touch Bar -- which EveryMac.com has documented as their own models for reader convenience.
Although it should be obvious that some of these models have "Touch Bar" support and others do not, there are several other differences that likely are more important, but less obvious. Accordingly, a detailed comparison can be quite helpful to help you determine which MacBook Pro is best for you.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (Touch Bar MacBook Pro Models)
External Differences
The 13-Inch and 15-Inch "Mid-2017" MacBook Pro notebooks use a similar and effectively "sealed" thin aluminum and glass design that does not taper from back to front, but that rather is uniformly thick.
The 13-Inch models are 0.59 of an inch thick and weigh 3.02 pounds (1.37 kg) whereas the 15-Inch models are 0.61 of an inch thick and weigh 4.02 pounds (1.83 kg). Both sizes are available in either a silver colored aluminum or a darker "Space Gray" colored aluminum housing. They are not available in gold or other colors.
Both sizes have a high-resolution LED-backlit, P3 color gamut, widescreen "Retina" display, but the physical dimensions and resolutions are different. The 13-Inch models have a 13.3" widescreen 2560x1600 (227 ppi, 500 nits) display and the 15-Inch models have a 15.4" widescreen 2880x1800 (220 ppi, 500 nits) display.
Each model from both sizes has integrated stereo speakers, a 720p FaceTime HD webcam, a thin "second generation butterfly mechanism" keyboard design with limited travel when you press down on the keys, and large "Force Touch" trackpads.
However, the entry-level 13-Inch models without a Touch Bar (A1708) have two microphones and traditional function keys. The higher-end 13-Inch and 15-Inch "Touch Bar" models (A1706 and A1707, respectively) have three microphones and an integrated "Touch Bar" that replaces the traditional function keys (and the escape key) with a touch-sensitive control that adapts for different applications and provides Touch ID login and Apple Pay support.
Connectivity Differences
All "Mid-2017" MacBook Pro models have limited connectivity. However, each has a "traditional" 3.5 mm headphone jack that does not support optical audio and Thunderbolt 3 ports. Note that these Thunderbolt 3 ports are size compatible with USB-C and support USB-C devices accordingly.
There are significant differences between the Thunderbolt 3 ports on each series, though. The "non-Touch Bar" models (A1708) have two Thunderbolt 3 ports. The higher-end 13-Inch "Touch Bar" models (A1706) have four Thunderbolt 3 ports, but the two ports on the right side of the notebook operate at reduced speed. Finally, the 15-Inch "Touch Bar" models (A1707) have four full speed Thunderbolt 3 ports.
All of these notebooks provide USB 3.1 Generation 2 (up to 10 Gbps) performance when connected to a USB-C device. They also all have Bluetooth 4.2 and 802.11ac Wi-Fi.
Identification Differences
The "Mid-2017" MacBook Pro models share Model Numbers with their predecessors. Entry-level 13-Inch "non-Touch Bar" models are A1708, the higher-end 13-Inch "Touch Bar" models are A1706, and the 15-Inch "Touch Bar" models are A1707.
Consequently, Model Identifiers, in software, and EMC Numbers, externally, are better for unique identification.
Just as the site has done for more than two decades, EveryMac.com has diligently hand documented these details for your convenience:
"Mid-2017" MacBook Pro |
Model ID |
EMC |
13-Inch |
||
13-Inch (Touch Bar) |
||
15-Inch (Touch Bar) |
Additionally, EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Lookup feature additionally can uniquely identify each one of the Touch Bar MacBook Pro models by their serial numbers, which are listed in software as well as on the bottom of the system.
Internal Differences
The "Mid-2017" MacBook Pro models essentially are designed to be sealed and disposable. However, there is one significant internal difference between the entry-level 13-Inch "non-Touch Bar" and other models, though:
"Mid-2017" MacBook Pro |
13" No Touch Bar |
13" Touch Bar |
15" Touch Bar |
Processor Cores |
2 |
2 |
4 |
Graphics Processors |
Integrated |
Integrated |
Integrated & Dedicated |
Ext. Display Support |
4096x2304 x2 |
4096x2304 x2 |
4096x2304 x4 |
Soldered RAM (LPDDR3) |
2133 MHz |
2133 MHz |
2133 MHz |
SSD Storage |
Removable |
Soldered |
Soldered |
Battery Watt Hours |
54.5 W h |
49.2 W h |
76.0 W h |
Battery Design |
Glued |
Glued |
Glued |
Surprisingly, the entry-level 13-Inch models have a removable SSD storage module. It also has a higher capacity battery relative to its size. The higher-end 13-Inch models have slightly faster dual core processors, but also have a soldered SSD and a lower capacity battery. Finally, the 15-Inch models have much faster quad core processors and dual graphics processors, but soldered SSDs. All models use a "tiered" battery design that is glued in place and that essentially cannot be replaced by an individual.
Comparison Chart
The differences between the "Mid-2017" Touch Bar MacBook Pro models -- processors, storage, memory, video processors, displays, battery life, features, identifiers, and original prices -- are summarized below:
 13" Mid-2017 No Touch Bar |
 13" Mid-2017 Touch Bar |
 15" Mid-2017 Touch Bar |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Processors: | I5-7360U I7-7660U |
I5-7267U I5-7287U I7-7567U |
I7-7700HQ I7-7820HQ I7-7920HQ |
| Cores: | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Speed: | 2.3 GHz 2.5 GHz |
3.1 GHz 3.3 GHz 3.5 GHz |
2.8 GHz 2.9 GHz 3.1 GHz |
| Turbo Boost: | 3.6 GHz 4.0 GHz |
3.5 GHz 3.7 GHz 4.0 GHz |
3.8 GHz 3.9 GHz 4.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache: | 4 MB | 4 MB | 6 MB, 8 MB |
| Std. Storage: | 128, 256 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Storage Upgrade: | Removable | Soldered | Soldered |
| Std. RAM: | 8 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| Max RAM: | 16 GB† | 16 GB† | 16 GB |
| RAM Type: | 2133 MHz LPDDR3 | 2133 MHz DDR3L | 2133 MHz DDR3L |
| Video Card(s): | Iris Plus 640 |
Iris Plus 650 | HD Graphics 630 AMD Radeon Pro 555/560 |
| GDDR5: | Integrated Only | Integrated Only | 2 GB, 4 GB |
| Display: | 13.3" | 13.3" | 15.4" |
| Std. Resolution: | 2560x1600 (227 ppi) | 2560x1600 (227 ppi) | 2880x1800 (220 ppi) |
| Battery Life: | 10 Hours | 10 Hours | 10 Hours |
| Battery Design: | Glued | Glued | Glued |
| Touch Bar: | None | Yes | Yes |
| Touch ID: | None | Yes | Yes |
| Thunderbolt 3: | 2 | 2, 2* | 4 |
| Microphones: | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Height (In): | 0.59 | 0.59 | 0.61 |
| Width (In): | 11.97 | 11.97 | 13.75 |
| Depth (In): | 8.36 | 8.36 | 9.48 |
| Weight: | 3.02 lbs | 3.02 lbs | 4.02 lbs |
| Order No (US): | MPXQ2LL/A MPXR2LL/A MPXT2LL/A MPXU2LL/A |
MPXV2LL/A |
MPTR2LL/A |
| Model No: | A1708 | A1706 | A1707 |
| EMC No: | 3164 | 3163 | 3162 |
| Model ID: | MacBookPro14,1 | MacBookPro14,2 | MacBookPro14,3 |
| Orig. Price (US): | US$1299, US$1499 | US$1799, US$1999 | US$2399, US$2799 |
| Orig. Price (UK): | £1249, £1449 |
£1749, £1949 | £2349, £2699 |
| Orig. Price (CA): | C$1729, C$1979 | C$2399, C$2649 | C$3199, C$3699 |
| Orig. Price (AU): | A$1899, A$2199 | A$2699, A$2999 | A$3499, A$4099 |
† All "Mid-2017" 13-Inch MacBook Pro models could be upgraded to 16 GB of RAM, but only at the time of initial purchase. RAM cannot be upgraded after purchase in any of these models.
* The "Mid-2017" 13-Inch MacBook Pro models with a Touch Bar have four Thunderbolt 3 ports, but the two ports on the right side operate at a slower speed.
For introductory pricing in dozens of other countries, see the "Global Prices" on the specs page for each Mac as well as the "By Global Original Prices" section of EveryMac.com.
So, which is best for me?
Just compared to one another -- and not to earlier or later notebooks -- EveryMac.com originally suggested purchasing either the least expensive "Mid-2017" 13-Inch MacBook Pro without a Touch Bar or a 15-Inch MacBook Pro.
Although the small 128 GB of storage in the entry-level MacBook Pro "Core i5" 2.3 13" is a particularly miserly decision by Apple, the non-Touch Bar models are cheapest and have the best battery life as well as an SSD module that is removable and that potentially can be upgraded in the future. After the introduction of the "Mid-2018" MacBook Pro models, they also remain the only of the three that still are sold as new.
The higher-end 15-Inch MacBook Pro models -- the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.8 15" Touch Bar and "Core i7" 2.9 15" Touch Bar -- were the fastest new Mac notebooks available when first released and they have massively better performance and graphics performance compared to the 13-Inch models.
The model in the middle of the lineup -- the MacBook Pro "Core i5" 3.1 13" Touch Bar -- is compromised by inferior battery life compared to its less expensive non-Touch Bar counterparts and inferior battery life, performance, graphics performance, and Thunderbolt 3 support as well as less RAM by default compared to its much more powerful 15-Inch siblings.
Of course, for someone who wanted the fastest "Mid-2017" MacBook Pro possible, the custom configured MacBook Pro "Core i7" 3.1 15" Touch Bar was the ideal choice.
On the used market, the value proposition may have shifted somewhat, but the high-end 15-Inch "Mid-2017" MacBook Pro models -- in particular -- remain well worth consideration.
In the US, site sponsor Adorama sells new MacBook Pro models with free shipping. Other World Computing sells used and refurb MacBook Pro models at bargain prices with free shipping, as well. On the other hand, if you need to sell a MacBook Pro, A+ BBB-rated Cash for Your Mac and GoRoostr will buy your older notebook with an instant quote and prompt payment.
In the UK, site sponsor Hoxton Macs sells used MacBook Pro models with a one-year warranty and free next day delivery throughout the UK. Delivery across Europe also is available starting at just £9.99 for two-day delivery to France and Germany.
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