Apple last updated the design of the MacBook Pro in 2016. Last year, the company did ditch the 15” MacBook Pro in favour of a larger 16” MacBook Pro with smaller bezels and thicker body for better airflow to keep the machine cool. However, the 13” MacBook Pro has largely remained the same which is not bad but it will be good to have smaller bezels though.
The major problem with both 13” MacBook Pro and 16” MacBook Pro is the TouchBar. Apple introduced the thin strip of touch input display atop the keyboard by removing the function keys. Majority of the people do not like the TouchBar as it seldom improves a user’s workflow.
TouchBar is not “pro” for most
Most professional users like to make keyboard actions while looking at the screen. Whereas the TouchBar requires users to look below and touch the variable display for a specific action such as adjusting volume, adjusting brightness, and many other such actions.
Over the years, a lot of MacBook Pro with TouchBar users have reported issues such as the TouchBar freezing and hanging. It’s an imperfect part of the MacBook Pro which is largely disliked by the majority. There are few users that really find the TouchBar to be useful but Apple should focus on the majority rather than looking at the minority.
The TouchBar does not come cheap either – reports from 2019 suggested that replacing the TouchBar could cost anywhere between $249 and $800. However, Apple did make some changes late last year with the 16” MacBook Pro and 13” MacBook Pro by splitting the TouchID button from the TouchBar and also resurrected the “Esc” button.
It would be much more appropriate for Apple to ditch the TouchBar and instead offer an optional touchscreen Mac instead. However, some reports suggest that the company is working on bringing an improved TouchBar with haptic feedback to make using it more enjoyable.
