Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (2017)

Stunning Retina display. Sleek design. Excellent battery life. Above-average graphics performance

Expensive compared with entry-level, non-Touch Bar model. Very shallow key travel.

Don't get me wrong: There are countless ways to use the Touch Bar (here are 15 to start with), many of which could simplify the workflows of creative professionals. But most users likely won't get an extra $500 worth of enjoyment or productivity out of...

Excellent battery life. Thin and light. Crisp Retina display. Price drop from last year's model.

Connectivity limited to two USB-C ports. Small 128GB hard drive.

If you're willing to spend a bit more than the $1,299 base price, you can outfit the MacBook Pro with a 256GB SSD for an additional $200. That add-on will make its spec sheet nearly identical to the $1,799 Touch Bar version, with the only significant...

excellent chassis and build quality ; huge trackpad – still best in class ; silent without high workloads ; very good speakers ; very good display with perfect scaling (typical for macOS) ; very long battery runtime

connectivity issues with 2.4 GHz WLAN and USB-C devices ; high-pitched fan noise under load ; only 3 ports ; very expensive – especially the upgrades ; poor webcam

The biggest difference between the two available 13-inch MacBook Pro models from Apple is not only the Touch Bar above the keyboard, but also the cooling. The more expensive model gets a superior solution with two fans, while the cheaper test model...

excellent chassis and build quality ; huge trackpad with great precision ; quiet and good cooling ; high WLAN transfer speeds ; very good display with perfect scaling ; good speakers ; good battery runtimes ; steady performance, also on battery ; 4x...

...but reduced bandwidth for the ports on the right side ; neither USB-A nor HDMI-out ; 2.4 GHz WLAN issues with attached USB-C device ; poor webcam ; very expensive – especially the upgrades

We could just repeat the verdict from last year's model at this point, because not much changed with this update. The new Kaby Lake processor is a bit faster, but the GPU performance did not change. The efficiency aspect on the other hand is...

Ultraportable, slimline design ; Weighs 1.37kg ; Bright, colourful Retina Display ; Kaby Lake processor update

Very expensive ; No discrete GPU ; USB-C connectivity only

Stronger processor ; Faster RAM ; Same excellent design

Subpar battery life ; Keyboard learning curve ; Awfully pricey for the parts

The new MacBook Pro is a marked improvement, but clinging onto previously divisive design decisions only continue to hurt it in straight comparisons. While this update certainly doesn’t disappoint, apply due diligence before clicking the ‘buy’ button.

Plenty of power and long-lasting battery life ; Gorgeous display is basically unrivalled ; Fantastic keyboard/touchpad combo

You’d better be ready to live the dongle life ; Loses cool points versus the Touch Bar model

Performance, portability and a sensible price make this the go-to MacBook Pro for anyone that isn’t tied to a desk

Compact, yet powerful ; Solid battery life ; Gorgeous screen ; Kaby Lake ; Touch Bar

Pricey ; Integrated graphics

If you already own a recent Macbook Pro model and you’re considering upgrading to this 2017 model, you really don’t need to bother. That performance upgrade is an incremental improvement that simply brings the series more up-to-date, without adding any...