When Is Apple Going To Upgrade MacBook Pro?

Apple has not had a major update to their MacBook Pro in years, and people are wondering what is going on. Digitimes has some information on “MacBooks,” but people are not sure if they are specifically talking about the MacBook Pro.

“Makers in the supply chain are expected to start producing new 12- and 13.3-inch MacBooks at the end of the first quarter or in early second quarter, and 15-inch models in the third quarter, said the sources.”

Digitimes adds that Apple shipped 5.312 million MacBook products in the fourth quarter of 2015, sliding seven percent from the previous quarter and four percent from a year earlier. Some say it’s because Windows 10 laptops are starting to take over. Microsoft has been especially successful with both the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book, although there have been a lot of consumer complaints about these products.

Apple could have never expected that Dell would come up with a machine that is just as robust as any MacBook, even the MacBook Pro. The Dell XPS 13 has been the most critically lauded laptop of the past year. TechRadar gives the latest XPS 13 model five stars, and calls it a revolution in laptop design.

“Packing a high-resolution screen and serious processing power, there’s more to the Dell XPS 13 than being a surprisingly small ultrabook,” writes Juan Martinez and Kevin Lee.

The review, like many others, is especially impressed that Dell was able to fit a 13.3-inch display on a laptop usually reserved for screens that are about 11.9-inches. The device has definitely stolen the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro Retina’s thunder. Dell also has an answer for the 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina — the Dell XPS 15.

The XPS 15 has a 15-inch screen that fits in a laptop usually reserved for 14-inch screens. It has a 4K screen, and has received great reviews. IT Pro gave the device four stars.

“There’s no doubting that the Dell XPS 15 is a powerful laptop, making it a stylish and light alternative to plainer, chunkier workstation-class laptops. Its somewhat flawed keyboard and relatively short battery life count against it though.”

As Inquisitr noted in a recent review, the keyboard can be somewhat problematic. Such small keys with not much travel could easily be excused in the 13-inch XPS version, but the 15-inch XPS is bigger and has a lot more room. In any case, the keyboard is still usable, and the XPS 15 is still a great laptop.

In order for Apple to catch up, the next MacBook Pro will definitely have an Intel Skylake processor, which, even though it is more powerful than previous Intel processors, produces better battery life. The “Retina” screens on both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros also need upgrades, as they are behind the times. Some speculate that both versions will receive at least a 4K screen.

If Apple wants to compete with Microsoft’s 13.5-inch Surface Book, it will need to add a version of its 13-inch Pro that has a discreet GPU, not just an Intel graphics chip. Apple does offer a version of its 15-inch Pro that has a discrete AMD Radeon chip.

Many would love for Apple to offer touchscreens on their new MacBook Pros, but that doesn’t seem likely, as Apple has indicated several times they are not interested in doing this — their touchpad provides all the experience your fingers need. However, given how well Windows 10 touchscreen laptops are selling, Apple may soon change their mind. Touchscreen or not, let’s hope the new MacBook Pros come out soon.

[Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images]