_posts/2016-12-20-my-brief-review-of-the-2016-macbook-pro-with-touch-bar.markdown
---
title: My Brief Review of the 2016 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar
date: 2016-12-20 15:19:00 -06:00
tags:
- MacBook Pro
- brief review
- review
custom_type: post
subtitle: Earlier this year, Apple updated its MacBook Pro. Here are my thoughts on
the new computer
review:
type: product
rating: 4.5
---
<figure class="extendout">
<img src="{{ site.url }}/uploads/2016/12/macbook-pro-2016.jpg" alt="Taking a good picture of this laptop is hard">
<figcaption>Taking a good picture of this laptop is hard</figcaption>
</figure>
For the first time since 2010, I went out and bought a brand new computer. I chose the 15-inch Space Gray, 2.7 GHz Intel Core i7 MacBook Pro with 512GB SSD and 16 GB of RAM. [Setting up the new machine was easy because I've automated the heck out of it](/2016/12/speeding-up-your-new-mac-setup/). Here are my brief thoughts on the laptop:
- The addition of Touch ID is way nicer than I initially thought it would be. Unfortunately, Touch ID doesn't work for everything. This could be because developers haven't had time to completely add support for it.
- I miss the Apple logo that lights up. I finally have an awesome sticker to put there, but now I can't use it.
- Space gray is awesome. If Apple ever makes a matte black MacBook Pro, I will sign away my first-born.
- The trackpad feels big. [Katie Floyd talked about having to contort her arm so that she doesn't accidentally click it](https://www.relay.fm/mpu/353), and I can relate a bit. I don't hate it, but the palm rejection needs to be better.
- I didn't know the Touch ID sensor is also the power button.
- The keyboard is better than the first-gen butterfly switches. Yes, there isn't much travel, but I don't mind it. I prefer a mechanical keyboard, but I don't hate using it when I'm just using the laptop on the couch (which is quite often).
- Calling the Touch Bar a gimmick is ignorant. At the moment, there aren't many things I wouldn't be able to do with a keyboard shortcut. As usual, I think we'll see third-party developers imagine new ways of using it that'll become more valuable to power users. For now, the actions in the Touch Bar are insanely useful to new Mac users.
- The display is significantly brighter. I had my previous MacBook at full brightness, the current one is only at about seventy-five percent. It's beautiful.
- I think USB-C is great. I was able to easily hook up to my Thunderbolt Display [via adapter](http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMEL2AM/A/thunderbolt-3-usb-c-to-thunderbolt-2-adapter?fnode=85), and have access to all the other peripherals I needed. Very soon, we'll all be using USB-C stuff anyway.
- I did have to buy an extra power adapter so that I could have one at my desk, and another for on the go. Having a display that also charges the laptop is a luxury I'd gotten used to. That cost me \$125 USD. Ridiculous.
There is plenty more to say about this machine, but overall, I love it. After working with this machine for about three weeks, I'm excited about the possibilities and the future of the MacBook Pro.