Hosted by site sponsor WebMate.
Touch Bar MacBook Pro Q&A
Revision Published November 20, 2019
All Mac Q&As >> Touch Bar MacBook Pro Q&A (Home)
To be notified of new Q&As, sign up for EveryMac.com's bimonthly email list.
How fast are the "2019" MacBook Pro models compared to one another? How fast are they compared to the models replaced?
Please note that all 13-Inch and 15-Inch "2019" MacBook Pro models have been discontinued. However, this Q&A is up-to-date and can be helpful to anyone considering one of these models on the used market.
In the company press release for the initial "2019" MacBook Pro models, Apple boasts that the line includes the "first 8-core MacBook Pro" and is "the fastest Mac notebook ever."
Specifically, the company states that:
MacBook Pro now delivers two times faster performance than a quad-core MacBook Pro and 40 percent more performance than a 6-core MacBook Pro, making it the fastest Mac notebook ever.
For the lower-end "2019, 2 TB 3" MacBook Pro models unveiled on July 9, 2019, Apple's press release is more modest, merely promising "up to two times faster performance" than the much older "Mid-2017" models without a Touch Bar.
With emphasis on speed and detailed performance claims, it should not be a surprise that the initial "2019" MacBook Pro models are faster than the models that they replaced. For the lower-end models, it is a safe bet that they are slower than the 2018 and 2019 models alike.
However, independent benchmarks and analysis can be helpful for additional usage scenarios as well as greater objectivity than any corporate sales pitch.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (Touch Bar MacBook Pro)
General Performance Overview
For a general overview of overall performance between the "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 entry-level 15-Inch model -- the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.6 15" Touch/2019 -- is 10% faster in single core tasks and 32% faster in multicore tasks than the standard 13-Inch model -- the MacBook "Core i5" 2.4 13" Touch/2019. Of course, this 15-Inch model not only has a faster processor type and higher clockspeed, but also has six cores instead of just four, so the more significant difference in multicore performance should not be unexpected.
In turn, the standard high-end 15-Inch model -- the MacBook Pro "Core i9" 2.3 15" Touch/2019 -- is only 2% faster in single core tasks but 21% faster in multicore tasks than the entry-level 15-Inch model -- the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.6 15" Touch/2019. Although it has a faster processor type, the standard high-end 15-Inch model actually has a slower clockspeed, which partially explains the mediocre performance increase in single core tasks. However, it has eight cores instead of just six, so the multicore performance boost is more substantial.
Custom Processor Value Evaluation
The 15-Inch "2019" MacBook Pro custom processor configuration represents a better value than the 13-Inch custom processor options.
Specifically, the initial build-to-order 13-Inch model -- the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.8 13" Touch/2019 -- is 8% faster in single core tasks and 4% faster in multicore tasks than the standard 13-Inch model. Because it costs roughly 15% or so more, it is not a great value, but it remains worth considering for someone who wants the fastest 13-Inch MacBook Pro they can get to save time. Time is money, after all.
The build-to-order option for the lower-end "2019, 2 Thunderbolt 3" 13-Inch model -- the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 1.7 13" Touch/2019 2 TB 3 -- is not a particularly good value, either. It is 12% faster in single-core tasks and 3% faster in multicore tasks, but costs 20% to 23% more. However, it might be worthwhile for someone who doesn't need four Thunderbolt 3 ports and primarily uses their notebook for single-core tasks. It costs the same as the originally entry-level, now mid-range MacBook "Core i5" 2.4 13" Touch/2019, but is 8% faster in single core tasks (and 2% slower in multicore tasks).
The build-to-order 15-Inch model -- the MacBook Pro "Core i9" 2.4 15" Touch/2019 -- is around 3% faster in single core tasks and 6% faster in multicore tasks than the standard high-end 15-Inch model. It costs around 7% more, so it represents a solid value.
2019 Performance Comparison to Replaced 2018 MacBook Pro
The Geekbench 4.0 benchmark shows that the initial "2019" MacBook Pro models are faster across the board compared to the "Mid-2018" models replaced, but the most notable performance increase is toward the high-end in multicore tasks:
| Mid-2018 MBP | 2019 MBP | Percent Faster |
| "Core i5" 2.3 13" Touch | "Core i5" 2.4 13" Touch | 8%-9% |
| "Core i7" 2.7 13" Touch | "Core i7" 2.8 13" Touch | 3%-6% |
| "Core i7" 2.2 15" Touch | "Core i7" 2.6 15" Touch | 8%-12% |
| "Core i7" 2.6 15" Touch | "Core i9" 2.3 15" Touch | 8%-34% |
| "Core i9" 2.9 15" Touch | "Core i9" 2.4 15" Touch | 5%-35% |
The Geekbench 4.0 benchmark doesn't show a performance increase that is quite as substantial as Apple's claim, but the performance increase is significant, especially for the "2019" MacBook Pro models equipped with eight-core processors compared to their predecessors with only six cores.
Lower-End "2 TB 3" 2019 Performance Compared to 2017-2019
The Geekbench 4.0 benchmark shows why Apple's marking machine decided to compare the lower-end "2019, 2 TB 3" 13-Inch MacBook Pro models, which have four processor cores, to the "Mid-2017" 13-Inch MacBook Pro models, which only have two:
| Mid-2017 MBP | 2019 2 TB 3 MBP | Percent Faster |
| "Core i5" 2.3 13" | "Core i5" 1.4 13" Touch | 8%-84% |
| "Core i7" 2.5 13" | "Core i7" 1.7 13" Touch | 9%-79% |
The Geekbench 4.0 benchmark doesn't demonstrate "twice as fast" performance, but the increase in multicore tasks is massive, nevertheless.
Compared to the 13-Inch models from the "Mid-2018" series, the newer models are practically the same speed:
| Mid-2018 MBP | 2019 2 TB 3 MBP | Percent Faster |
| "Core i5" 2.3 13" Touch | "Core i5" 1.4 13" Touch | 3%-4% |
| "Core i7" 2.7 13" Touch | "Core i7" 1.7 13" Touch | 0%-2% |
Finally, compared to the initial "2019" 13-Inch MacBook Pro models, the entry-level "2019, 2 TB 3" line is modestly slower:
| 2019 MBP | 2019 2 TB 3 MBP | Percent Slower |
| "Core i5" 2.4 13" Touch | "Core i5" 1.4 13" Touch | 3%-5% |
| "Core i7" 2.8 13" Touch | "Core i7" 1.7 13" Touch | 0.5%-6% |
Of course, compared to the initial "2019" 13-Inch MacBook Pro models, these lower-end models have a starting price that is a whopping US$500 less. A US$500 savings for a 6% or less reduction in speed likely is well worth it for those who do not need four Thunderbolt 3 ports.
Other Benchmarks & Real-World Test Results
Geekbench benchmarks provide a solid overview of overall performance, but other benchmarks and real-world tests also can be useful for perspective for the initial "2019" MacBook Pro models.
In a series of tests, BareFeats put the "second fastest" 2019 MacBook Pro -- the MacBook Pro "Core i9" 2.3 15" Touch/2019 -- through its paces compared to the two fastest "Mid-2018" MacBook Pro models -- the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.6 15" Touch Bar and "Core i9" 2.9 15" Touch -- and concluded that the 2019 model is "clearly faster than the two top 2018 models." The site also determined that the 2019 MacBook Pro does not exhibit thermal throttling that drops the speed of the processor below that of the rated clockspeed.
To demonstrate the maximum performance difference between the "2019" MacBook Pro models, AppleInsider compared the entry-level 13-Inch option -- the MacBook "Core i5" 2.4 13" Touch/2019 -- and the fastest custom-configured 15-Inch MacBook Pro -- MacBook Pro "Core i9" 2.4 15" Touch/2019 -- and reported:
After running the test repeatedly, we averaged a score of 3096 on [the high-end 15-inch model] in Cinebench R20 -- well above the 2019 13-inch MacBook Pro with 2.4 GHz i5 processor we benchmarked that earned a 1779.
In other words, Cinebench R20 shows a whopping 74% performance difference between the entry-level 13-Inch and top-of-the-top 15-Inch MacBook Pro models.
Finally, in a pair of reviews for the 13-Inch and 15-Inch models, LaptopMag tested video editing for an example of real-world performance and found:
In our video-editing test, in which we transcode a 4K video file to 1080p, the MacBook Pro [13-Inch took 14 minutes and 20 seconds]. . .[whereas the 15-Inch] MacBook Pro turned in a short time of 8 minutes and 10 seconds.
It is clear that the "2019" MacBook Pro models provide a substantial boost in performance compared to their predecessors, particularly for tasks that can take full advantage of models with more processor cores.
Performance Summary
Ultimately, the "2019" MacBook Pro models provide a welcomed speed boost compared to the "Mid-2018" MacBook Pro, particularly the high-end 15-Inch models in multicore tasks with eight cores, but the real-world performance increase is much more modest for single core tasks.
Permalink | Report an Error/Typo | Sign Up for Site Update Notices
<< Touch Bar MacBook Pro Q&A (Main) | All Mac Q&As
Established in 1996, EveryMac.com has been created by experts with decades of experience with Apple hardware. EveryMac.com includes, and always has included, original research incorporating detailed, hands-on inspection of packaging, computers, and devices as well as extensive real-world use. All information is provided in good faith, but no website or person is perfect. Accordingly, EveryMac.com is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind whatsoever. EveryMac.com, and the authors thereof, shall not be held responsible or liable, under any circumstances, for any damages resulting from the use or inability to use the information within. For complete disclaimer and copyright information please read and understand the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy before using EveryMac.com. Copying, scraping, or use of any content without expressed permission is not allowed, although links to any page are welcomed and appreciated.