Apple MacBook Pro 16 16.2" Laptop (2021)
Keywords: applearmflagshipfull-array-ledlaptopmacbook-promacosmini-ledredesignsocthunderbolt-4wifi-6
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Product Overview
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is the long-awaited redesign of Apple's flagship laptop. Now powered by a proprietary M1 Pro or M1 Max SoC based on the ARM architecture, it brings a number of exciting upgrades.
The most obvious change is the display. The new Liquid Retina XDR panels are now surrounded by much reduced bezels. Perhaps as a homage to its popular smartphones, Apple has decided to include a "camera cutout" top center of the display. In real-world use, this is less of a nuisance as the new Liquid Retina XDR display is taller than the 16:10 displays found in earlier MacBook Pros: Applications incompatible with the cutout can simple use the lower, 16:10 display area, while compatible applications gain more display area.
Much like the "million-dollar" Apple XDR display, the new Liquid Retina XDR panel is backlit with mini LEDs. It is able to reproduce rich color gamut with high color accuracy, and is exceptionally bright for an IPS display. Full-size HDMI, SD card reader, and a redesigned MagSafe 3 power connection have likewise made their return.
Like the MacBook Pro 14 unveiled at the same time, the MBP 16 (2021) is also pwoered by Apple's home-grown M1 Pro and M1 Max SoCs. Up to 64GB of high-bandwidth memory and up to 8TB of storage are supported, too.
The difference, however, is the the MacBook Pro 16 comes with a 140W USB-C charger and a whopping 100Wh battery, the highest allowed to be carried on a plane.
Also worth mentioning are the use of six speakers around the laptop to provide an authentic 3D soundstage, something that Apple has been reluctant to do before. There is also a FHD webcam with large aperture that gives video call a quality bump.
With this redesign, the MBP 16 is finally competitive to Windows-based mobile workstations in terms of raw power. Hopefully, software support will follow.
Ratings
What we found**
Pros
- Gorgeous 16-inch XDR display
- Powerful M1 Pro & Max SoCs
- More input/output ports than its predecessor
- Fantastic battery life
- Comfortable keyboard
Cons
- Nothing in particular
What external reviewers found***
External score 87% (not directly comparable across industries)
Pros
- Great display
- Beautiful 16-inch display
- Good battery life
Cons
- Expensive to upgrade
- Not as powerful as the M1 Pro or M1 Max
- No USB Type-C ports
- No Thunderbolt 3
Price Comparison
Specifications
| M1 Max | M1 Pro | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Connectivity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 4 / USB 4 + 1x 3.5mm headphone jack + 1x HDMI + 1x SD card reader | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wireless Connectivity | WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Construction | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Battery | Capacity | 100 Wh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Camera | Front | FHD (1080p) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colors | Silver, Space Gray | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Form Factor | Clamshell laptop computer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Microphone | Studio-quality three-mic array with directional beamforming | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Speakers | Six speakers with force-cancelling woofers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dimensions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Size | Depth | 9.77 inches (24.81 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Size | Height | 0.66 inch (1.68 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Size | Width | 14.01 inches (35.57 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 4.8 pounds (2.2 kg) | 4.7 pounds (2.1 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Display | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brightness | 1000 nits max, 1600 nits peak | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Contrast Ratio | 1,000,000:1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Display Backlight | Full-Array LED (Mini LED) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Display Color Depth | 10 bit (1.07B colors) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Display Diagonal | 16.2 inch | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Display Type | IPS, Liquid Retina XDR | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gamut | 100% DCI-P3, True Tone technology | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pixel Density | 254 ppi | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Refresh Rate | 120 Hz | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Function | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chipset | Apple M1 Pro SoC, or M1 Max | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fast Charging | Yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Graphics | 16-core, 24-core, or 32-core GPU | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Keyboard Backlight | Yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating System | macOS Monterey | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating Temperature | 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Processor | 10-core CPU with 8 performance cores and 2 efficiency cores | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Security | Touch ID sensor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sensor | Ambient Light Sensor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Touchpad | Force Touch trackpad | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Video Codecs | Hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Performance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Battery Life | Up to 11 hours wireless web / Up to 17 hours Apple TV app movie playback | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Memory | Capacity | 16, 32, or 64 GB | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Memory | Type | 200GB/s memory bandwidth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Power Supply | 140 W, with USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Storage | 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB SSD | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Production | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability | 2021-10-26 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Debut | 2021-10-18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Launch Comparison
Clear List
External Reviews
notebookcheck[1]
Reviewer score 92%The MacBook Pro 16 2021 with the fastest version of the M1 Max processor including 32 GPU cores does not only convince with its performance, but mainly the low temperatures. The powerful cooling solution and the efficient chip design definitely pay off here, because the temperatures are completely uncritical even under maximum load. And you can even use the maximum performance on battery power, which is unheard of in this performance range so far. The optional performance mode on the other hand results in slightly louder fans and lower surface temperatures.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Powerful CPU and GPU cores
- High-quality case
- Very good battery life
- Fast Wi-Fi
Cons
- No USB Type-C ports
- No Thunderbolt 3
notebookcheck[2]
Reviewer score 92%The new MacBook Pro 16 leaves a slightly better overall impression compared to the smaller 14-inch model. The bulkier chassis design is not quite as noticeable. The cooling solution is also quieter and you will hardly hear more than a quiet murmur with most tasks. The new Liquid Retina XDR display with the Mini-LED technology is not perfect, but the picture quality is amazing, especially with HDR contents.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- High performance
- High-quality case
- Good battery life
- Good speakers
Cons
- High PWM flickering
- No USB-C ports
- No Thunderbolt 3
pcmag[3]
Reviewer score 84%The 16-inch MacBook Pro has a 20-hour battery life. It doesn't offer a ton of extra computing performance in CPU-intensive workloads. If you know you can take advantage of the M1 Max's specialized capabilities, you can configure a 14-inch laptop with the upgrade too.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Gorgeous 16-inch display
- Sleek, lightweight design
- Comfortable keyboard and touchpad
- Excellent battery life
Cons
- Not as powerful as the M1 Pro or M1 Max
tomsguide[4]
Reviewer score 89%The MacBook Pro 2021 (16-inch) is an across-the-board improvement over its predecessor. With its remarkable battery life, outstanding speed, smartly redesigned chassis and big, beautiful screen, this is a versatile pro laptop that will serve you equally well in work or play. configuring it with one of Apple’s brawny new M1 Max chips will guarantee you some of the best performance you can buy in a MacBook.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Outstanding battery life
- Beautiful 16-inch display
- Long-lasting M1 Max chip
Cons
- No Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 4 ports
- No Thunderbolt 3 ports
tomshardware[5]
Reviewer score 83%The 16-inch MacBook Pro is designed to be what it says on the tin: a professional machine for creatives, developers or others. It also is cool and quiet, has a beautiful display and brings back crucial ports that Apple should never have ditched in the first place. This is still a pretty computer, but it's chunky in this case.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Beautiful 16-inch display
- Powerful CPU and GPU
- Great display
Cons
- Expensive to upgrade
- No Thunderbolt 3
User Reviews
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References
- ^ Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Max Laptop Review: Full Performance without Throttling. [notebookcheck]. https://www.notebookcheck.net/Apple-MacBook-Pro-16-2021-M1-Max-Laptop-Review-Full-Performance-without-Throttling.581437.0.html. 2021-11-25. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
- ^ Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro in Review - The best Multimedia Laptop for Content Creators?. [notebookcheck]. https://www.notebookcheck.net/Apple-MacBook-Pro-16-2021-M1-Pro-in-Review-The-best-Multimedia-Laptop-for-Content-Creators.579013.0.html. 2021-11-13. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
- ^ Apple MacBook Pro 16-Inch (2021, M1 Max) Review. [pcmag]. https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/apple-macbook-pro-16-inch-2021-m1-max. 2021-10-25. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
- ^ MacBook Pro 2021 (16-inch) review. [tomsguide]. https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/macbook-pro-2021-16-inch-review. 2021-12-10. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021) Review: M1 Max Shows Real Power. [tomshardware]. https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/macbook-pro-16-inch-2021. 2021-12-13. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
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These key takeaways ("pros" and "cons") and summaries are identified from third-party reviews. They may differ from the original texts.
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