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Touch Bar MacBook Pro Q&A
Published November 25, 2019
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How fast are the MacBook Pro 16-Inch "2019" models compared to one another? How fast are they compared to the models replaced?
In the corporate press release for the 16-Inch "2019" MacBook Pro, Apple headlines that the notebook provides "up to 80 percent faster performance."
In the body of the press release, the company details that:
Customers who choose the standard configuration will see 2.1 times faster graphics performance than the previous standard configuration. Those who opt for the highest-end graphics options will see up to 80 percent faster performance than the previous high-end configuration.
It is worth noting that these performance claims are regarding graphics performance rather than overall performance.
For overall performance -- in addition to objective evaluation of graphics performance -- independent benchmarks and analysis can be quite helpful.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (16" MacBook Pro)
General Performance Overview
For a general overview of overall performance between the 16-Inch "2019" MacBook Pro and earlier models, EveryMac.com's own Ultimate Mac Comparison makes it quick to compare side-by-side Geekbench benchmark averages with all other G3 and later Macs for thousands of possible performance comparisons.
For example, compared to one another, Geekbench 4.0 shows that the high-end standard configuration of the 16" MacBook Pro -- the MacBook Pro "Core i9" 2.3 16" 2019 (Scissor) -- is a mere 2% faster in single core tasks but a more significant 19% faster in multicore tasks than the entry-level 16" MacBook Pro -- the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.6 16" 2019 (Scissor).
Because the entry-level model has a faster clockspeed, it shouldn't be too surprising that it holds its own in single-core tasks, but because the higher-end model has eight cores instead of six, it trounces the entry-level offering in multicore tasks.
Custom Processor Value Evaluation
As a straight up value-for-money calculation, the configure-to-order faster processor option for the 16-Inch "2019" MacBook Pro models -- the MacBook Pro "Core i9" 2.4 16" 2019 (Scissor) -- is a decent value, albeit not a spectacular one.
Specifically, upgrading the standard MacBook Pro "Core i9" 2.3 16" 2019 (Scissor) from a 2.3 GHz Core i9 (I9-9880H) processor to a 2.4 GHz Core i9 (I9-9980HK) processor costs an extra US$200, or an increase of 7% of the purchase price. This investment gets you an extra 3% performance in single-core tasks and an extra 5% performance in multicore tasks.
Of course, this is a modest performance boost, but for someone who wants the fastest Mac notebook possible, it very well may be money well spent.
2019 16" Performance Comparison to Replaced 15" MacBook Pro
Compared to their immediate 15" predecessors, the 2019 16" MacBook Pro models have the same processors and architecture and provide essentially the same overall performance.
Compared to the much less expensive 2019 13" MacBook Pro models still sold as new at the time the 16" MacBook Pro models were introduced, the larger models are significantly faster in multicore tasks, but far less so in single-core ones:
| 2019 13" MBP | 2019 16" MBP | Percent Faster (Single Core) |
Percent Faster (Multicore) |
| "Core i5" 2.4 13" | "Core i7" 2.6 16" | 8% | 33% |
| "Core i7" 2.8 13" | "Core i9" 2.3 16" | 1% | 53% |
Of course, the newer 16" MacBook Pro models also provide a larger display in addition to a significantly better keyboard and audio capabilities, but it is worth noting that for users who do not use high-end software that can fully take advantage of multiple cores, the 13" MacBook Pro certainly can fulfill their needs at a much lower price point.
Other Benchmarks & Real-World Test Results
Geekbench benchmarks provide a solid evaluation of overall performance, but other benchmarks and real-world tests also can be useful, especially to confirm Apple's claims of an "up to 80 percent" boost in graphics performance for the 16" MacBook Pro.
In an in-depth review, the always excellent ArsTechnica put the 16" MacBook Pro through its paces and determined:
In terms of graphics performance, we're looking at as much as a 64% increase in performance over the similarly priced 2018 MacBook Pro from just a year ago -- that machine had the fastest available GPU at the time, and this one smokes it. There's even a marked improvement over the Vega 20 GPU, which was the top configuration for the 2019 15-inch MacBook Pro until this machine launched.
For a configure-to-order 16" MacBook Pro with the 2.4 GHz processor (up from 2.3 GHz), 32 GB of RAM (up from 16 GB), and an AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 8 GB of GDDR6 video memory (up from 4 GB), BareFeats found a real-world performance boost of "6% to 14%" in tests mostly evaluating Adobe apps.
It is clear that the 16" MacBook Pro models provide a substantial boost in graphics performance over their predecessors when using apps that can take full advantage of the graphics processor.
Performance Summary
Ultimately, the "2019" 16-Inch MacBook Pro models provide a welcomed boost in graphics performance compared to the 15-Inch models they replaced, but overall performance basically is the same.
Of course, the bigger display in a similar-sized housing and the much better keyboard are valuable improvements that may be at least as important to you as performance.
Site sponsor Adorama has new MacBook Pro Touch Bar models with free shipping throughout the US.
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