Notebookcheck Logo

Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019: Entry-Level Pro with Touch Bar in review

Now with quad-core and Touch Bar. Apple unifies the MacBook Pro 13 and equips the entry-level model with a Touch Bar as well as a fast quad-core processor. There are still big differences inside the case, which has an effect on the performance. Is the less expensive model still the better choice?

If you visit Apple's website, it looks like the manufacturer simplified the MacBook Pro 13 line-up. The old model with the physical function keys is gone, and both versions are now equipped with the Touch Bar above the keyboard as well as a quad-core processor. The only visible difference is the number of Thunderbolt 3 ports as well as the designation of the processor. On the inside, however, not much has changed, so there are still big differences between the MBP 13 with 4x Thunderbolt 3 and the MBP 13 with 2x Thunderbolt 3.

Our test unit is the SKU with the Core i5 and 256 GB SSD storage, which retails for 1749 Euros (~$1920) at Apple. However, many other shops often offer these devices from around 1500 Euros (~$1647). We want to see if the smaller MBP 13 might even be the better choice or if you should consider the premium for the MBP 13 with 4x Thunderbolt 3. We will also compare the device with the slightly lighter MacBook Air, which should fall behind especially in terms of performance. The case and the ports did not change, so we recommend our previous reviews for more information. The more expensive MBP 13 also uses the same chassis (except for two additional TB3 ports at the right side):

Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3 (MacBook Pro 13 2019 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-8257U 4 x 1.4 - 3.9 GHz, Coffee Lake-U
Memory
8 GB 
, LPDDR3-2133, Dual-Channel, soldered
Display
13.30 inch 16:10, 2560 x 1600 pixel 227 PPI, APPA03D, IPS, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel Cannon Lake-U PCH-LP Premium
Storage
Apple SSD AP0256, 256 GB 
Soundcard
Intel Cannon Lake-LP - cAVS
Connections
2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 2 Thunderbolt, 2 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm stereo, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Broadcom 802.11ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 14.9 x 304.1 x 212.4 ( = 0.59 x 11.97 x 8.36 in)
Battery
58.2 Wh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Apple macOS 10.15 Catalina
Camera
Webcam: FaceTime HD
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Butterfly v3, Keyboard Light: yes, 61-W USB-C-PSU, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.374 kg ( = 48.47 oz / 3.03 pounds), Power Supply: 275 g ( = 9.7 oz / 0.61 pounds)
Price
1749 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
90.6 %
02/2020
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3
i5-8257U, Iris Plus Graphics 645
1.4 kg14.9 mm13.30"2560x1600
90.7 %
10/2019
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
i5-8279U, Iris Plus Graphics 655
1.4 kg14.9 mm13.30"2560x1600
88.1 %
07/2017
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
i5-7360U, Iris Plus Graphics 640
1.4 kg14.9 mm13.30"2560x1600
85.6 %
01/2020
Apple Macbook Air 2019
i5-8210Y, UHD Graphics 617
1.3 kg15.6 mm13.30"2560x1600
87.7 %
02/2019
Dell XPS 13 9380 i7 4K
i7-8565U, UHD Graphics 620
1.2 kg11.6 mm13.30"3840x2160
86.3 %
10/2019
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
1.4 kg15.3 mm13.30"1920x1080
84.5 %
08/2019
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
i7-8565U, GeForce MX250
1.2 kg14.7 mm13.30"1920x1080

Case – MacBook Pro in the familiar shape

Except for the Touch Bar, the design has not changed. The only visible difference between the two 13-inch Pro models is the number of ports from now on. Inside, however, there have been minor changes compared to last year's model: The battery has a slightly higher capacity, the heat pipe of the CPU and the speakers on the other hand are a bit smaller. We will check the effects of these changes in the corresponding sections. 

The case quality is still on an excellent level and identical to the more expensive MacBook Pro 13. It is pretty easy to remove the bottom panel (at least if you have the correct Pentalobe screwdriver), but there is not much to do. You can clean the fan; all the other components are either glued into the case or soldered onto the logic board.

Source: iFixit

Size Comparison

307 mm / 12.1 inch 211.5 mm / 8.33 inch 14.7 mm / 0.579 inch 1.2 kg2.65 lbs304.6 mm / 12 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 15.3 mm / 0.602 inch 1.4 kg2.98 lbs304.1 mm / 12 inch 212.4 mm / 8.36 inch 15.6 mm / 0.614 inch 1.3 kg2.76 lbs304.1 mm / 12 inch 212.4 mm / 8.36 inch 14.9 mm / 0.587 inch 1.4 kg3.03 lbs304.1 mm / 12 inch 212.4 mm / 8.36 inch 14.9 mm / 0.587 inch 1.4 kg3.02 lbs304.1 mm / 12 inch 212.4 mm / 8.36 inch 14.9 mm / 0.587 inch 1.4 kg3.02 lbs302 mm / 11.9 inch 199 mm / 7.83 inch 11.6 mm / 0.4567 inch 1.2 kg2.7 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Subnotebook
  (606 - 1339, n=3, last 2 years)
1056 MBit/s +72%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
Broadcom 802.11ac
710 MBit/s +16%
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
623 (439min - 714max) MBit/s +1%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3
Broadcom 802.11ac
614 (311min - 623max) MBit/s
Dell XPS 13 9380 i7 4K
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1435 Wireless Network Adapter
577 MBit/s -6%
Apple Macbook Air 2019
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
544 MBit/s -11%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
503 MBit/s -18%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Subnotebook
  (623 - 1690, n=3, last 2 years)
1258 MBit/s +94%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
Broadcom 802.11ac
730 MBit/s +13%
Dell XPS 13 9380 i7 4K
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1435 Wireless Network Adapter
682 MBit/s +5%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
657 MBit/s +1%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3
Broadcom 802.11ac
648 (317min - 666max) MBit/s
Apple Macbook Air 2019
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
609 MBit/s -6%
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
534 (293min - 602max) MBit/s -18%

Input Devices – MacBook now with Touch Bar

It does not matter which model of the current MacBook Pro you get, all of them are equipped with the OLED Touch Bar above the keyboard. Depending on the application, the bar shows different information. Similar to previous years, if often depends on the software and the optimization for the Touch Bar. It can be a handy gadget in everyday situations (like switching between different Safari tabs), but sometimes it only doubles the content. It also requires one more input to change stuff like the brightness or the volume compared to the old model with dedicated function keys.

Display – MacBook with very good IPS screen

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

You don't have to worry about the display if you buy a MacBook Pro 13: The 13.3-inch IPS panel has a resolution of 2560x1600 pixels and offers excellent subjective picture quality without annoying backlight bleeding. Content is very sharp and appears very vivid. True Tone is also supported, and the brightness also adjusts to the ambient light very reliably.

The average luminance is very good at 577 nits and even surpasses our test unit of the MacBook Pro 13 with four TB3 ports. The black value (0.35) is also still okay considering the high luminance and results in an excellent contrast ratio of more than 1700:1. PWM is not used to control the brightness; we can only measure a flickering of the background illumination at a very high 116 kHz. However, this cannot be compared with traditional PWM.

562
cd/m²
574
cd/m²
554
cd/m²
591
cd/m²
603
cd/m²
568
cd/m²
580
cd/m²
588
cd/m²
576
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
APPA03D tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 603 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 577.3 cd/m² Minimum: 5.4 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 92 %
Center on Battery: 602 cd/m²
Contrast: 1723:1 (Black: 0.35 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.7 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 0.7
ΔE Greyscale 2.1 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
99.4% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
76.7% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
85.6% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.4% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
96.1% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.18
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3
APPA03D, IPS, 2560x1600, 13.30
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
APPA03E, IPS, 2560x1600, 13.30
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
APPA033, IPS, 2560x1600, 13.30
Apple Macbook Air 2019
APPA041, IPS, 2560x1600, 13.30
Dell XPS 13 9380 i7 4K
ID: AUO 282B B133ZAN Dell: 90NTH, IPS, 3840x2160, 13.30
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Sharp LQ133M1JW41, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
InfoVision M133NVF3 R2, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Display
2%
2%
-18%
-21%
-18%
-22%
Display P3 Coverage
96.1
98.7
3%
99.2
3%
67.4
-30%
64.8
-33%
66.2
-31%
64.4
-33%
sRGB Coverage
99.4
100
1%
99.9
1%
94.7
-5%
93.6
-6%
97.2
-2%
91.7
-8%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
85.6
87.7
2%
87.1
2%
69.1
-19%
65.8
-23%
67.1
-22%
65.2
-24%
Response Times
15%
17%
9%
-19%
-21%
-9%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
50.4 ?(24.4, 26)
43.2 ?(22, 21.2)
14%
42.8 ?(22.4, 20.4)
15%
42.4 ?(21.2, 21.2)
16%
64.8 ?(31.6, 33.2)
-29%
45.2 ?(22.4, 22.8)
10%
31 ?(15, 16)
38%
Response Time Black / White *
35.2 ?(19.6, 15.6)
29.6 ?(15.6, 14)
16%
28.8 ?(14.8, 14)
18%
29.6 ?(16, 13.6)
16%
38 ?(19.2, 18.8)
-8%
33.2 ?(17.6, 15.6)
6%
24 ?(14, 10)
32%
PWM Frequency
116300 ?(66)
111100 ?(66)
-4%
22730 ?(24)
-80%
4000 ?(90)
-97%
Screen
-26%
-6%
-8%
-45%
-5%
-51%
Brightness middle
603
518
-14%
588
-2%
421
-30%
428.3
-29%
422.6
-30%
768
27%
Brightness
577
480
-17%
561
-3%
393
-32%
414
-28%
404
-30%
778
35%
Brightness Distribution
92
87
-5%
92
0%
88
-4%
88
-4%
87
-5%
82
-11%
Black Level *
0.35
0.34
3%
0.45
-29%
0.34
3%
0.27
23%
0.35
-0%
0.48
-37%
Contrast
1723
1524
-12%
1307
-24%
1238
-28%
1586
-8%
1207
-30%
1600
-7%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
1.7
1.5
12%
1.7
-0%
1.5
12%
2.69
-58%
1.02
40%
3.49
-105%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
3.1
2.8
10%
3.5
-13%
3.8
-23%
6.19
-100%
3.06
1%
7.41
-139%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
0.7
2.6
-271%
2.01
-187%
0.95
-36%
2.07
-196%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.1
2
5%
1.9
10%
1.2
43%
3.7
-76%
1
52%
4.09
-95%
Gamma
2.18 101%
2.22 99%
2.33 94%
2.21 100%
2.1 105%
2.21 100%
2.54 87%
CCT
6843 95%
6898 94%
6738 96%
6694 97%
6706 97%
6502 100%
6452 101%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
76.7
78.4
2%
77.92
2%
61.3
-20%
60.4
-21%
62.1
-19%
60
-22%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
99.4
99.9
1%
99.94
1%
94.6
-5%
93.5
-6%
97.1
-2%
92
-7%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-3% / -16%
4% / -1%
-6% / -7%
-28% / -37%
-15% / -10%
-27% / -38%

* ... smaller is better

The display calibration is already very good out of the box. Our measurements with the professional CalMAN software and the X-Rite i1 Pro 2 spectrophotometer do not show a visible color cast and all the color deviations are already below the important mark of 3. It is not really necessary to calibrate the display, but we still tried it and managed to improve the results even further.

CalMAN Grayscale (target color space P3)
CalMAN Grayscale (target color space P3)
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps (target color space P3)
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps (target color space P3)
CalMAN ColorChecker (target color space P3)
CalMAN ColorChecker (target color space P3)
CalMAN Grayscale calibrated (target color space P3)
CalMAN Grayscale calibrated (target color space P3)
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps calibrated (target color space P3)
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps calibrated (target color space P3)
CalMAN ColorChecker calibrated (target color space P3)
CalMAN ColorChecker calibrated (target color space P3)
P3 color gamut (CalMAN)
P3 color gamut (CalMAN)

Apple advertises full P3 color gamut, which is supported by the CalMAN measurement (2D comparison). The smaller sRGB color gamut is also fully covered; AdobeRGB on the other hand is covered by 77%. Apple also offers a profile for sRGB. The high color-space coverage in combination with the accurate colors allows editing of pictures or videos.

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
35.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 19.6 ms rise
↘ 15.6 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 92 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
50.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 24.4 ms rise
↘ 26 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 85 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 116300 Hz ≤ 66 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 116300 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 66 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 116300 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Thanks to the IPS technology, there are no limitations in terms of viewing angles. The outdoor performance of the MacBook Pro 13 is also pretty decent, despite the glossy surface. Even direct light sources only create a comparatively small reflection. This, in combination with the high brightness, means you can also use the device very comfortably on brighter days.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles
In the sun
In the sun

Performance – Quad-core and PCIe-SSD in the MBP 13

Processor – Core i5-8257U

In theory, Apple uses 15 W processors for the less expensive MBP 13, while the MBP 13 with 4x TB3 is equipped with 28 W chips. In theory, because Apple does not limit the consumption, the cooling performance is the only limitation for the actual performance. The processor also features a faster iGPU with its own eDRAM cache, but more on that later.

This is also the case for the Core i5-8257U in our test unit, which is advertised with a comparatively low nominal clock of 1.4 GHz. However, we were positively surprised by our tests, because the power consumption is steady at 27-29 W after the initial spike to ~40 W, which is sufficient for 4x ~3.0 GHz. The more expensive MBP 13 with two fans can handle around 33 W for longer periods, so the difference is actually pretty small and not noticeable in everyday scenarios. What you can notice is the performance advantage over the Apple MacBook Air with its passively cooled processor. The predecessor from 2017 with its dual-core processor is also clearly beaten. The performance is steady on battery power.

CPU data Cinebench R15 Multi
CPU data Cinebench R15 Multi
04080120160200240280320360400440480520560600640680720Tooltip
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3 Intel Core i5-8257U, Intel Core i5-8257U: Ø634 (611.7-637.97)
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3 Intel Core i5-8279U, Intel Core i5-8279U; macOS: Ø750 (744.32-757.06)
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3 Intel Core i5-8279U, Intel Core i5-8279U; Win10: Ø741 (717.66-745.63)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Subnotebook
  (91.8 - 280, n=62, last 2 years)
234 Points +47%
Dell XPS 13 9380 i7 4K
Intel Core i7-8565U
184 Points +16%
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
Intel Core i7-8565U
172 Points +8%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
Intel Core i5-8279U
169 Points +6%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
Intel Core i5-8279U
166 Points +4%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3
Intel Core i5-8257U
159.3 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8257U
  (156 - 159.3, n=2)
157.7 Points -1%
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Intel Core i7-1065G7
149 Points -6%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Core i5-7360U
145 Points -9%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Core i5-7360U
140 Points -12%
Apple Macbook Air 2019
Intel Core i5-8210Y
127 Points -20%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Subnotebook
  (514 - 2581, n=70, last 2 years)
1705 Points +167%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
Intel Core i5-8279U
757 (744.32min - 757.06max) Points +19%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
Intel Core i5-8279U
743 (717.66min - 745.63max) Points +16%
Dell XPS 13 9380 i7 4K
Intel Core i7-8565U
735 Points +15%
Dell XPS 13 9380 i7 4K
Intel Core i7-8565U
677 Points +6%
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Intel Core i7-1065G7
676 Points +6%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3
Intel Core i5-8257U
638 (611.7min - 637.97max) Points
Average Intel Core i5-8257U
  (629 - 638, n=2)
634 Points -1%
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
Intel Core i7-8565U
517 Points -19%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Core i5-7360U
362 Points -43%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Core i5-7360U
346 Points -46%
Apple Macbook Air 2019
Intel Core i5-8210Y
254 (241.29min - 254.07max) Points -60%
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
159.3 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
638 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
78.9 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Help

System Performance – Smooth operation with PCIe-SSD

The subjective performance impression of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 is very good, even though this is hardly surprising considering the fast processor and the SSD. Inputs are executed without delays and applications launch quickly. There is also performance headroom for the next couple of years, especially in comparison to the slightly less expensive MacBook Air.

It is also no problem to run the occasional Windows application: Bootcamp worked really well in our tests and even the Touch Bar with the special functions (brightness, volume control) works as intended.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Subnotebook
  (4384 - 7428, n=56, last 2 years)
5810 Points +55%
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
4609 Points +23%
Dell XPS 13 9380 i7 4K
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4172 Points +11%
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, Toshiba KBG30ZMV512G
3882 Points +3%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
3840 (3824min - 3845max) Points +2%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
Iris Plus Graphics 655, i5-8279U, Apple SSD AP0512
3779 Points +1%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3
Iris Plus Graphics 645, i5-8257U, Apple SSD AP0256
3751 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8257U, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
 
3751 Points 0%
Apple Macbook Air 2019
UHD Graphics 617, i5-8210Y, Apple SSD AP0256
2491 Points -34%
Essentials
Average of class Subnotebook
  (8890 - 11168, n=56, last 2 years)
10202 Points +22%
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
9664 Points +16%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
Iris Plus Graphics 655, i5-8279U, Apple SSD AP0512
8595 Points +3%
Dell XPS 13 9380 i7 4K
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
8466 Points +1%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3
Iris Plus Graphics 645, i5-8257U, Apple SSD AP0256
8343 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8257U, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
 
8343 Points 0%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
7874 (7788min - 7901max) Points -6%
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, Toshiba KBG30ZMV512G
7465 Points -11%
Apple Macbook Air 2019
UHD Graphics 617, i5-8210Y, Apple SSD AP0256
5752 Points -31%
Productivity
Average of class Subnotebook
  (6213 - 10279, n=56, last 2 years)
7803 Points +63%
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
7245 Points +51%
Dell XPS 13 9380 i7 4K
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
6911 Points +44%
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, Toshiba KBG30ZMV512G
6789 Points +42%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
6720 (6704min - 6767max) Points +40%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
Iris Plus Graphics 655, i5-8279U, Apple SSD AP0512
4922 Points +3%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3
Iris Plus Graphics 645, i5-8257U, Apple SSD AP0256
4786 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8257U, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
 
4786 Points 0%
Apple Macbook Air 2019
UHD Graphics 617, i5-8210Y, Apple SSD AP0256
4458 Points -7%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Subnotebook
  (4093 - 9749, n=56, last 2 years)
6758 Points +88%
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
3796 Points +6%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
Iris Plus Graphics 655, i5-8279U, Apple SSD AP0512
3593 Points 0%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3
Iris Plus Graphics 645, i5-8257U, Apple SSD AP0256
3587 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8257U, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
 
3587 Points 0%
Dell XPS 13 9380 i7 4K
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3370 Points -6%
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, Toshiba KBG30ZMV512G
3133 Points -13%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
2907 (2884min - 2907max) Points -19%
Apple Macbook Air 2019
UHD Graphics 617, i5-8210Y, Apple SSD AP0256
1637 Points -54%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Subnotebook
  (4730 - 5285, n=3, last 2 years)
5030 Points +26%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
4057 (4055min - 4059max) Points +2%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
Iris Plus Graphics 655, i5-8279U, Apple SSD AP0512
4056 Points +2%
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
4030 Points +1%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3
Iris Plus Graphics 645, i5-8257U, Apple SSD AP0256
3986 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8257U, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
 
3986 Points 0%
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, Toshiba KBG30ZMV512G
3331 Points -16%
Dell XPS 13 9380 i7 4K
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3296 Points -17%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5173 Points +22%
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, Toshiba KBG30ZMV512G
4922 Points +16%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
Iris Plus Graphics 655, i5-8279U, Apple SSD AP0512
4537 Points +7%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
4461 (4448min - 4484max) Points +5%
Dell XPS 13 9380 i7 4K
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4304 Points +2%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3
Iris Plus Graphics 645, i5-8257U, Apple SSD AP0256
4238 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8257U, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
 
4238 Points 0%
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2972 - 5271, n=3, last 2 years)
3805 Points -10%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3986 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
5589 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4238 points
PCMark 10 Score
3751 points
Help
Apple SSD AP0256
Sequential Read: 974MB/s
Sequential Write: 1340MB/s
4K Read: 11.35MB/s
4K Write: 15.95MB/s
4K-64 Read: 643MB/s
4K-64 Write: 163MB/s
Access Time Read: 0.316ms
Access Time Write: 0.258ms
Copy ISO: 1404MB/s
Copy Program: 406.9MB/s
Copy Game: 850MB/s
Score Read: 752Points
Score Write: 313Points
Score Total: 1465Points

GPU Performance – Iris Plus 645

Contrary to the "regular" ULV processors, Apple uses chips with more powerful integrated GPUs. In this case the Iris Plus Graphics 645, which is equipped with 128 MB eDRAM cache just like the faster Iris Plus Graphics 655. The difference between the 645 and the 655 in the more expensive MBP 13 is not that big, while the standard UHD Graphics 620 is beaten by 30-40%. However, the new Ice Lake iGPUs are even noticeably faster. 

The Iris Plus Graphics 645 is very well suited for normal multimedia applications and the playback of high-resolution videos, but gaming is not its strong suit. It can only handle simpler titles, like DOTA 2 at medium details, for instance.

3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Subnotebook
  (13768 - 65911, n=40, last 2 years)
29002 Points
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, Intel Core i7-8565U
20618 Points
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), Intel Core i7-1065G7
17299 Points
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, Intel Core i5-8279U
15084 Points
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i5-7360U
11495 (10969min - 11750max) Points
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-10710U
9882 Points
Dell XPS 13 9380 i7 4K
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8565U
9582 Points
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2837 - 12349, n=59, last 2 years)
5881 Points +211%
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, Intel Core i7-8565U
2988 Points +58%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, Intel Core i5-8279U
2004 Points +6%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645, Intel Core i5-8257U
1893 Points
Average Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
 
1893 Points 0%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i5-7360U
1541 (1484min - 1547max) Points -19%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-10710U
1339 Points -29%
Apple Macbook Air 2019
Intel UHD Graphics 617, Intel Core i5-8210Y
1047 Points -45%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Subnotebook
  (811 - 4773, n=58, last 2 years)
1981 Points +260%
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, Intel Core i7-8565U
899 Points +63%
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), Intel Core i7-1065G7
792 Points +44%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, Intel Core i5-8279U
619 Points +13%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645, Intel Core i5-8257U
550 Points
Average Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
 
550 Points 0%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i5-7360U
483 (453min - 487max) Points -12%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-10710U
425 Points -23%
Apple Macbook Air 2019
Intel UHD Graphics 617, Intel Core i5-8210Y
300 Points -45%
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Subnotebook
  (2979 - 16904, n=55, last 2 years)
8016 Points +169%
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), Intel Core i7-1065G7
4252 Points +42%
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, Intel Core i7-8565U
3622 Points +21%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645, Intel Core i5-8257U
2985 Points
Average Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
 
2985 Points 0%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i5-7360U
2379 (2355min - 2425max) Points -20%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-10710U
1940 Points -35%
Dell XPS 13 9380 i7 4K
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8565U
1855 Points -38%
Apple Macbook Air 2019
Intel UHD Graphics 617, Intel Core i5-8210Y
1509 Points -49%
3DMark 11 Performance
3238 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1736 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
624 points
Help
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 104.6 60 51.6 22.1
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 76.5 57.3 29 26.9
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 37.4 26.1 22.5

Emissions

System Noise

The single fan does a pretty good job and the fan noise is similar to the old MacBook Pro 13 with function keys. The fan will slowly increase its speed under load and reaches up to 39 dB(A). At this level, you can clearly hear the fan and the frequency could be more pleasant as well. Short peak load (20-30 seconds), however, usually does not activate the fan, so the device is very often silent in everyday scenarios. The more expensive MacBook Pro 13 with two fans can get even louder. We did not notice any other electronic sounds/noises.

Noise Level

Idle
29.5 / 29.5 / 29.5 dB(A)
Load
31.1 / 39.3 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 29.5 dB(A)
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3
Iris Plus Graphics 645, i5-8257U, Apple SSD AP0256
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
Iris Plus Graphics 655, i5-8279U, Apple SSD AP0512
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
Apple Macbook Air 2019
UHD Graphics 617, i5-8210Y, Apple SSD AP0256
Dell XPS 13 9380 i7 4K
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, Toshiba KBG30ZMV512G
Noise
-1%
-2%
-2%
-4%
-3%
-2%
off / environment *
29.5
29
2%
30.2
-2%
29.5
-0%
28.4
4%
28.3
4%
30
-2%
Idle Minimum *
29.5
29
2%
30.2
-2%
29.5
-0%
29.4
-0%
28.3
4%
30
-2%
Idle Average *
29.5
29
2%
30.2
-2%
29.5
-0%
29.4
-0%
28.3
4%
30
-2%
Idle Maximum *
29.5
29
2%
30.2
-2%
29.5
-0%
29.4
-0%
28.3
4%
30
-2%
Load Average *
31.1
33.9
-9%
32.9
-6%
34
-9%
34.6
-11%
33.5
-8%
Load Maximum *
39.3
41.8
-6%
39.3
-0%
41
-4%
46.8
-19%
49.4
-26%
39.5
-1%
Witcher 3 ultra *
34.5

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Stress test
Stress test

There are no surprises when it comes to the temperatures. The metal case does get noticeably warm and you should avoid direct skin contact (on your lap, for example), but up to 45 °C is not critical by any means. We can once again see a steady power consumption of around 28 W for the processor in the stress test with Prime95 and FurMark. The GPU now also uses a part of the TDP envelope, so the CPU clock is obviously lower. Still, at 1.5-1.6 GHz, it does not drop below its nominal clock, which is not a matter of course for compact laptops. The performance is also steady after the stress test, so there should not be any limitations. The power adapter does not get too hot at 39 °C, either.

Max. Load
 39.3 °C
103 F
44.9 °C
113 F
43.1 °C
110 F
 
 39 °C
102 F
43.1 °C
110 F
40.5 °C
105 F
 
 32 °C
90 F
28.9 °C
84 F
32.1 °C
90 F
 
Maximum: 44.9 °C = 113 F
Average: 38.1 °C = 101 F
45.1 °C
113 F
44.9 °C
113 F
39.1 °C
102 F
40.8 °C
105 F
41.6 °C
107 F
37.8 °C
100 F
33.8 °C
93 F
34.5 °C
94 F
33.1 °C
92 F
Maximum: 45.1 °C = 113 F
Average: 39 °C = 102 F
Power Supply (max.)  38.6 °C = 101 F | Room Temperature 20.3 °C = 69 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 38.1 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 30.7 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 44.9 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 45.1 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.8 °C / 77 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (32.1 °C / 89.8 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (-3.8 °C / -6.9 F).
Stress test top
Stress test top
Stress test bottom
Stress test bottom

Speakers

According to our measurement results, the speakers of the "small" MacBook Pro 13 are slightly worse compared to the more expensive version with 4x Thunderbolt 3. However, you cannot really notice the difference. The result is still very good for a compact laptop and you do not really need external speakers.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2029.833.22523.824.23126.627.44026.426.55031.531.16322.526.68021.834.910024.345.212522.146.316023.251.320021.652.525021.954.331520.658.140020.761.650020.162.263018.964.580019.565.4100019.765.6125017.770.4160017.171.1200016.671.4250016.169.6315015.864.8400015.563.4500015.759.6630015.660.1800015.562.11000015.3621250015.257.41600014.947.3SPL29.579.1N1.342.9median 17.7median 62Delta2.55.629.430.829.133.624.332.430.334.625.931.92629.822.431.622.541.121.545.621.948.523.15621.559.721.964.119.467.418.869.219.367.418.166.717.471.91769.616.869.416.266.915.966.31670.115.867.715.965.315.659.715.559.115.461.614.962.81561.42979.71.247.7median 17median 65.32.44.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseApple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (79.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 10.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.6% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 30% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 65% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 19% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 77% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (79.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 12.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (13.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 19% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 77% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 11% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 85% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management – MBP 13 with plenty of stamina

Power Consumption

You once again notice the good optimization of macOS, because the maximum idle consumption is very low at 8 Watts, despite the high display brightness. The keyboard illumination on its maximum settings only increases the consumption by ~0.6 W. We see a short maximum consumption of almost 65 W, but it quickly levels off at around 42 W as soon as the TDP of the processor levels off at the aforementioned 28 W. This means the 61 W power adapter is sufficient.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.06 / 0.26 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.1 / 6.9 / 7.8 Watt
Load midlight 42 / 64.5 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3
i5-8257U, Iris Plus Graphics 645, Apple SSD AP0256, IPS, 2560x1600, 13.30
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
i5-8279U, Iris Plus Graphics 655, Apple SSD AP0512, IPS, 2560x1600, 13.30
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
i5-7360U, Iris Plus Graphics 640, Apple SSD AP0128, IPS, 2560x1600, 13.30
Dell XPS 13 9380 i7 4K
i7-8565U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS, 3840x2160, 13.30
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
i7-8565U, GeForce MX250, Toshiba KBG30ZMV512G, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Average Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
 
Average of class Subnotebook
 
Power Consumption
-8%
-5%
-37%
-45%
-32%
-4%
-40%
Idle Minimum *
2.1
2.2
-5%
3.7
-76%
5.2
-148%
5.9
-181%
3.9
-86%
2.2 ?(2.1 - 2.3, n=2)
-5%
4.9 ?(1.77 - 11.8, n=63, last 2 years)
-133%
Idle Average *
6.9
7.2
-4%
5.2
25%
8.6
-25%
8.1
-17%
7.8
-13%
7.4 ?(6.9 - 7.9, n=2)
-7%
8.4 ?(4.6 - 17.4, n=63, last 2 years)
-22%
Idle Maximum *
7.8
8.2
-5%
7.6
3%
10.5
-35%
11.2
-44%
10.8
-38%
8.2 ?(7.8 - 8.6, n=2)
-5%
10.4 ?(5.1 - 22.4, n=63, last 2 years)
-33%
Load Average *
42
54
-29%
41.6
1%
44.2
-5%
44.3
-5%
53
-26%
44 ?(42 - 46, n=2)
-5%
46.1 ?(19.1 - 83.3, n=62, last 2 years)
-10%
Load Maximum *
64.5
63.9
1%
50.5
22%
47.5
26%
50.2
22%
62.7
3%
64.3 ?(64 - 64.5, n=2)
-0%
66.2 ?(24.2 - 121.2, n=63, last 2 years)
-3%
Witcher 3 ultra *
41.9

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime

Thanks to the Touch Bar, Apple was able to increase the battery capacity from 54.5 Wh to 58.2 Wh, which is even slightly more than the more expensive MBP 13 with 58 Wh. In combination with the slightly lower consumption values, the test unit manages very long battery runtimes. Our practical WLAN test at an adjusted luminance of 150 cd/m² results in an excellent runtime of almost 13 hours. Even at the maximum luminance of almost 600 cd/m², we can still record around 7.5 hours for the MBP 13.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Safari 13.0.5)
12h 57min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness (Safari 13.0.5)
7h 25min
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3
i5-8257U, Iris Plus Graphics 645, 58.2 Wh
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 i5 4TB3
i5-8279U, Iris Plus Graphics 655, 58 Wh
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
i5-7360U, Iris Plus Graphics 640, 54.5 Wh
Apple Macbook Air 2019
i5-8210Y, UHD Graphics 617, 49.9 Wh
Dell XPS 13 9380 i7 4K
i7-8565U, UHD Graphics 620, 52 Wh
Razer Blade Stealth i7-1065G7 Iris Plus
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), 53.1 Wh
HP Envy 13-aq0003ng
i7-8565U, GeForce MX250, 53.2 Wh
Average of class Subnotebook
 
Battery Runtime
-12%
-12%
-9%
-40%
-25%
-34%
-12%
WiFi Websurfing
777
687
-12%
681
-12%
689
-11%
464
-40%
583
-25%
512
-34%
623 ?(303 - 1144, n=64, last 2 years)
-20%
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness
445
419
-6%
432 ?(196 - 640, n=47, last 2 years)
-3%

Pros

+ excellent case and workmanship
+ huge trackpad with great precision
+ in daily use, mostly very quiet and cool
+ very good display with flawless scaling
+ very good speakers
+ improved battery life
+ 2x Thunderbolt 3 with full bandwidth

Cons

- no USB-A or HDMI ports
- poor webcam
- no Wi-Fi 6
- very expensive – especially upgrade price premiums
- potential reliability problems with the keyboard
- only one-year warranty

Verdict – Cheaper is better

In review: Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2x TB3. Test model courtesy of Notebooksbilliger.
In review: Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2x TB3. Test model courtesy of Notebooksbilliger.

After our reviews of the two MacBook Pro 13 models, our verdict is pretty clear: The less expensive model is the better choice for most users. The only real drawback is the lower number of Thunderbolt 3 ports. The performance is slightly lower as well, but we are positively surprised by the smaller MBP 13 to be honest. Apple's official specs suggest a bigger gap, but the actual difference is very small and not noticeable in everyday situations.

The display is extremely good and all in all, the MacBook Pro 13 is a great overall package. The only issue is still the keyboard or the potential reliability issues, respectively. According to Apple, there have been improvements, but the bad experiences of the previous years do not paint a great picture for the Butterfly input. If you need a new subnotebook right now, you can definitely get this model, but rumors suggest that the next MBP 13 (or MBP 14) will get the new keyboard, so you might get an even better device in a couple of months from now.

The less expensive MacBook Pro 13 is the better choice in Apple's line-up. It is almost as fast as the more expensive model and much more powerful than the MacBook Air.

This leaves us with the comparison of the lightly more compact MacBook Air. The Air is a bit more affordable but still hardly a bargain for more than 1300 Euros (~$1427). The MacBook Pro 13 on the other hand is much more powerful and features an even better screen, so we clearly recommend the MacBook Pro 13. It should also perform much better in the upcoming years.

Download your licensed rating image as SVG / PNG

Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019 2TB3 - 02/04/2020 v7
Andreas Osthoff

Chassis
90 / 98 → 92%
Keyboard
85%
Pointing Device
100%
Connectivity
59 / 75 → 79%
Weight
71 / 20-75 → 92%
Battery
90%
Display
92%
Games Performance
56 / 78 → 71%
Application Performance
86 / 85 → 100%
Temperature
90%
Noise
97%
Audio
83 / 91 → 92%
Camera
50 / 85 → 59%
Average
81%
91%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

Read all 3 comments / answer
static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Apple MacBook Pro 13 2019: Entry-Level Pro with Touch Bar in review
Andreas Osthoff, 2020-02- 5 (Update: 2020-04- 7)