Apple2021 MacBook Pro (16.2-inch, M1 Pro chip with 10‑core CPU and 16‑core GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) - Space Gray

I tend to use my laptops a LOT, and I could probably be more gentle with them, so I tend to wear them out before they would otherwise need replacement... Leading to this being my 4th MacBook Pro. (It would be helpful if Apple could make better keyboards, but that's outside what I can control.) My last one, a mid-2019 model, had the Touch Bar (which I hated) but the "improved" keyboard which worked well until it began failing one key at a time. I was finally driven to replace it when other problems began to occur.This "new" MacBook Pro is, so far, a definite improvement on its last 2 predecessors.-- KEYBOARD: It took a day or two for me to get used to the feel of the keyboard, but now I'm actually able to touch-type more easily than in the past and it's quiet enough for me to not bother anyone sitting on either side while I work. (It's also very nice to have all the keys work!) The fact that the Touch Bar has been replaced with "old fashioned" function keys is, for me, a major plus because I tended to accidentally activate commands on the Touch Bar when my fingers got too close (maybe I carry too strong an electrical charge?) without my being aware I might be touching it, so having actual physical keys that only react when I actually press them is wonderful. I miss the ability to easily adjust keyboard brightness on the keyboard (it was actually through the Touch Bar), but that's easily taken care of via the Menu Bar.-- SCREEN: The black "notch" at the top of the screen still looks a little odd, but does not affect me or my work negatively in any way; the narrow black bezel around the screen is especially welcome when watching movies or scrolling through social media in bed. Image resolution is very good and brightness is easily adjustable.-- PORTS/CONNECTIVITY: I'm a little torn about the change (from the mid-2019 model) in ports; I frequently find myself wishing I still had 2 USB-C ports on *both* sides but absolutely love the return of the original MagSafe power port (the damage protection of which I've accidentally availed myself of a couple of times already). As far as WiFi is concerned, I've had zero problems to date while connecting to devices in multiple locations.-- FORM FACTOR: After all these years I don't know why I'm always surprised at how hefty this laptop is, but the balance is good enough that it's not noticeable when resting on my knees in a doctor's waiting room. Also, although the edge of the body still seem sharp, this one doesn't seem as prone to leaving painful creases in my wrists & hands as the previous one did.-- OVERALL: I've been living inside the Mac ecosystem a long time; my first desktop unit was an SE30 and my first laptop a 1998 PowerBook G3, so I have a *lot* of Macs to compare this one to... and so far it's sitting very close to the top of my list. My only real argument is with the current version of MacOS, but that's a totally different can of worms. I know there are newer models of the MacBook Pro on the market, but (especially when looking at price) this is one I hope to be using through (at least) the 2020s.

It needs to be about $1000 cheaper, especially if you don't get the pro max. It feels crazy to spend 3 grand on a laptop with no offboard 3d video card. However, once you get past the price, this is hands down the best laptop I've ever owned.It almost breaks the laws of physics we've gotten used to with portable devices. You can have battery life, or you can have speed, but you can't have both. Well you get both. This thing will happily do the most intensive rendering, gaming, whatever, on battery power and not bat an eyelash.I don't even recharge it daily or even bi daily. I charge it a few times a week....It's THAT good at running on battery. If you're not using it, it can go weeks in sleep mode and still wake up with lots of battery left.The display is amazing and there is little to no halo. If you took a photo of the screen and processed the image to make it brighter, sure you'd probably find a little blooming against black backgrounds, but in front of it, your eyes only see very bright highlights, and inky blacks.The sound is amazing. It isn't just a full sound, it's pretty flat and accurate sound considering it's a laptop. I often don't even reach for my headphones because there is nothing at all offensive about the built in speakers.It is a little chonky and on the heavy side compared to the Macbook Air I'm used to, but still very portable and a solid build.Gaming. It can do it. I don't know what gaming on Mac's is like with a Radeon card, but the apple silicon is more than capable of running games like Kerbal Space Program and Heroes of The Storm at 60+FPS and that is good enough for me.The on board storage is BLAZING fast, like >2000MB/s fast. If you have the space, this is a video editing power house between the fast on board storage, and ultra fast RAM speed.

I was able to clear up the mousepad clicks by turning OFF 3 finger clicks. MAKE SURE YOU DO.After just enabling 1 and 2 finger clicks, the larger touchpad works GREAT!I could easily spend $4K on a PC, but the Macbooks are SO MUCH NICER for daily usage. I did buy a cheapUSB-C 3.2 hub, and then I really only need 1 USB-C plug (90 degree angle, very sharp and clean).This machine is so much nicer to work with, considering it never gets HOT, the fan never goes ON, I'm in heaven and become suddenly religious! ;-)Much like other reviewers, I just want to cry, with 10 hours of battery life on 1 charge. It never gets over 72 degrees. I can walk all over the house with a 16" screen, no problemo, my 15 macbook was the machine that made me an Apple devotee, but always upgrading it, 2TB SSD, external drives, new battery, newer USB ports, better touchpad, newer generations, I have 4 macbooks now, need to sell the oldest 2, the previous first one got donated to the church for music and media transmission.This mac was almost perfect out of the box, the screen is so vibrant, you can not believe. Worth buying a new one, test it like crazy and make sure it's a good one, or send it back and get another!I have iphone 7s, 11s, ipad, 15" macbooks and this 16", I love apple products and spend very little on them compared to Android and PC machines, since mostly I pick up used Apple products, and this is the first time I purchased new for a macbook in my whole life. Well worth it!