Notebookcheck Logo

Apple MacBook Pro 13 (Mid 2017, i5, without Touch Bar) Review

Annoying fan. The MacBook Pro 13 without Touch Bar gets the Kaby Lake update as well. Thanks to the lower price, longer battery runtimes, and function keys, the entry-level model could potentially be the better choice for many users. However, you also get a slightly less powerful processor as well as an annoying fan.

For the original German review, see here.

Apple updated the "smaller" MacBook Pro 13 without Touch Bar with Intel's current Kaby Lake processors from Intel. Today we have a look at the entry-level model, which is cheaper than before. It now starts at $1299, but with a smaller 128 GB SSD. The upgrade to the 256 GB drive is $200, so the price tag is similar to the previous model. You should check other shops to save some money.

It looks like the Touch Bar above the keyboard is the only difference between the two 13-inch models when you have them next to each other. A look on the inside, however, reveals two completely different notebooks. The MacBook with the function keys is shipped with slightly weaker processors and a less powerful cooling solution. Apple also implements a bigger battery. Our review shows why the "small" model might actually be the better choice for some users.

MacBook Pro 13 without Touch Bar MacBook Pro 13 with Touch Bar
Processor Core i5 2.3 GHz (Kaby Lake, 15 W)
Core i7 2.5 GHz (Kaby Lake, 15 W)
Core i5 3.1 GHz (Kaby Lake, 28 W)
Core i5 3.3 GHz (Kaby Lake, 28 W)
Core i7 3.5 GHz (Kaby Lake, 28 W)
GPU Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650
RAM 8 GB LPDDR3-2133
16 GB LPDDR3-2133
8 GB LPDDR3-2133
16 GB LPDDR3-2133
SSD 128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB
Display 13.3-inch IPS 2560x1600 pixels 13.3-inch IPS 2560x1600 pixels
Ports 2x Thunderbolt 3 with USB-C
3.5 mm headset
4x Thunderbolt 3 with USB-C
3.5 mm headset
Price from $1299 from $1799

The case and the port selection did not change compared to the previous model, so we will not cover all the review sections once again. Please see our review of the MacBook Pro 13 2016 for the corresponding information; the following pictures were taken from this article as well. We also reviewed the other 2017 MacBooks:

Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017 (MacBook Pro 13 2017 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-7360U 2 x 2.3 - 3.6 GHz, Kaby Lake
Graphics adapter
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Core: 950 MHz, Memory: 1066 MHz
Memory
8 GB 
, LPDDR3-2133, Dual-Channel
Display
13.30 inch 16:10, 2560 x 1600 pixel 227 PPI, APPA033, IPS, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH
Storage
Apple SSD AP0128, 128 GB 
Soundcard
Intel Kaby Lake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 2 Thunderbolt, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm Headset, Brightness Sensor
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
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
54.5 Wh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Apple macOS 10.12 Sierra
Camera
Webcam: 720p FaceTime HD
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo speakers, Keyboard: Chiclet (Butterfly v2), Keyboard Light: yes, 61-Watt USB-C-PSU, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.37 kg ( = 48.33 oz / 3.02 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
1499 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Size Comparison

349 mm / 13.7 inch 241 mm / 9.49 inch 16 mm / 0.63 inch 1.8 kg4.03 lbs323.5 mm / 12.7 inch 217.1 mm / 8.55 inch 15.95 mm / 0.628 inch 1.1 kg2.48 lbs304.1 mm / 12 inch 212.4 mm / 8.36 inch 14.9 mm / 0.587 inch 1.4 kg3.02 lbs304 mm / 12 inch 201 mm / 7.91 inch 15 mm / 0.591 inch 1.2 kg2.71 lbs304 mm / 12 inch 212 mm / 8.35 inch 15 mm / 0.591 inch 1.4 kg3.02 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017 Touchbar i5
Broadcom BCM15700A2 802.11ac
949 MBit/s +89%
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2017 (2.8 GHz, 555)
Broadcom BCM15700A2 802.11ac
845 MBit/s +68%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
674 MBit/s +34%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Klaus I211)
653 MBit/s +30%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
589 MBit/s +17%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
503 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2017 (2.8 GHz, 555)
Broadcom BCM15700A2 802.11ac
949 MBit/s +44%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017 Touchbar i5
Broadcom BCM15700A2 802.11ac
845 MBit/s +29%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Klaus I211)
682 MBit/s +4%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
657 MBit/s
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
634 MBit/s -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
517 MBit/s -21%

Display

The basic features of the 13.3-inch display did not change. The native resolution is still 2560x1600 pixels, which results in very sharp contents. macOS in particular scales perfectly and you can always enjoy crisp texts and images. Our test models of the current MacBook Pro 13 (with/without Touch Bar) either used the panel APPA033 or APPA034, but there are no major differences between the screens. Our test model today was shipped with the APPA033. It manages a high luminance of 564 cd/m² on average. The black value suffers a bit, but 0.45 cd/m² is still okay and results in a contrast ratio of more than 1300:1.

539
cd/m²
567
cd/m²
560
cd/m²
561
cd/m²
588
cd/m²
563
cd/m²
566
cd/m²
560
cd/m²
547
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
APPA033 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 588 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 561.2 cd/m² Minimum: 4.8 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 92 %
Center on Battery: 588 cd/m²
Contrast: 1307:1 (Black: 0.45 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.7 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 1.9 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
99.94% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
77.92% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
87.1% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.2% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.33
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
APPA033, , 2560x1600, 13.30
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016
APPA034, , 2560x1600, 13.30
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017 Touchbar i5
APPA034, , 2560x1600, 13.30
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
B140HAN03_1, , 1920x1080, 14.00
Razer Blade Stealth QHD i7-7500U
Sharp SHP142F (LQ125T1JW02), , 2560x1440, 12.50
Dell XPS 13 9360 QHD+ i7
Sharp SHP144A, , 3200x1800, 13.30
Display
-1%
-1%
-26%
-18%
-25%
Display P3 Coverage
99.2
97.1
-2%
98.6
-1%
61.6
-38%
68.7
-31%
62.8
-37%
sRGB Coverage
99.9
99.8
0%
100
0%
87.6
-12%
95.8
-4%
89.4
-11%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
87.1
86.7
0%
86.5
-1%
62.6
-28%
69.9
-20%
64.6
-26%
Response Times
-45%
-15%
-9%
-1%
-2%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
42.8 ?(22.4, 20.4)
47.2 ?(21.6, 25.6)
-10%
48 ?(23.6, 24.4)
-12%
48 ?(22, 26)
-12%
37 ?(19, 18)
14%
43.6 ?(13.6, 30)
-2%
Response Time Black / White *
28.8 ?(14.8, 14)
51.6 ?(8.4, 43.2)
-79%
33.6 ?(16.4, 17.2)
-17%
30.4 ?(18.8, 11.6)
-6%
33.4 ?(13.2, 20.2)
-16%
29.2 ?(9.2, 20)
-1%
PWM Frequency
119000 ?(80)
200 ?(30)
Screen
-3%
15%
-42%
-48%
-43%
Brightness middle
588
600
2%
551
-6%
278
-53%
402
-32%
396.2
-33%
Brightness
561
564
1%
514
-8%
271
-52%
382
-32%
357
-36%
Brightness Distribution
92
89
-3%
88
-4%
91
-1%
88
-4%
84
-9%
Black Level *
0.45
0.57
-27%
0.48
-7%
0.16
64%
0.45
-0%
0.266
41%
Contrast
1307
1053
-19%
1148
-12%
1738
33%
893
-32%
1489
14%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
1.7
1.5
12%
0.8
53%
4.5
-165%
3.6
-112%
3.9
-129%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
3.5
2.9
17%
1.4
60%
8.4
-140%
7.5
-114%
7.58
-117%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.9
2
-5%
1
47%
3.2
-68%
4.3
-126%
4.16
-119%
Gamma
2.33 94%
2.27 97%
2.16 102%
2.02 109%
2.1 105%
2.31 95%
CCT
6738 96%
6855 95%
6672 97%
7042 92%
6572 99%
6514 100%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
77.92
77
-1%
57
-27%
62.3
-20%
57.5
-26%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
99.94
92
-8%
87.5
-12%
95.7
-4%
88.7
-11%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-16% / -8%
-0% / 7%
-26% / -34%
-22% / -36%
-23% / -33%

* ... smaller is better

Our display measurements with the X-Rite i1Pro 2 spectrophotometer and the professional software CalMAN already determines low deviations compared to the P3 reference out of the box. The average DeltaE-2000 values are within the target range (smaller 3), only some shades of blue surpass 3.

CalMAN Grayscale pre-calibration (target color space P3)
CalMAN Grayscale pre-calibration (target color space P3)
CalMAN ColorChecker pre-calibration (target color space P3)
CalMAN ColorChecker pre-calibration (target color space P3)
DeltaE deviations after calibration
DeltaE deviations after calibration

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
28.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14.8 ms rise
↘ 14 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 72 % 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
42.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22.4 ms rise
↘ 20.4 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. » 66 % 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 not detected

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.

Performance

Apple ships the "small" MacBook Pro 13 with 15-watt processor (dual-core) from Intel. The specialty feature is the more powerful Iris Plus Graphics 640 graphics card with dedicated eDRAM cache, so the performance is better compared to regular ULV-iGPUs like the Intel HD Graphics 620, for example. Dedicated GPUs are not available. Apple only uses fast PCIe-SSD storage, so the subjective performance impression is very good. The MacBook Pro 13 can handle many workloads as long as they are not too demanding. Everyday tasks like web browsing, mails, light picture editing and the like are no problem though.

LatencyMon with Wi-Fi connection and YouTube video
LatencyMon with Wi-Fi connection and YouTube video

Processor

The Kaby Lake processor from the entry-level model has the designation Core i5-7360U and the base frequency for the two cores is 2.3 GHz, but the maximum Turbo Boost is 3.6 GHz for both cores. However, this speed can only be maintained for a couple of seconds. Apple removes the usual TDP limitation at 15 watts, but the two CPU cores quickly reach core temperatures of more than 90 °C, so they have to reduce the clocks.

Intel XTU
Intel XTU
Intel XTU Advanced
Intel XTU Advanced
Thermal throttling at almost 100 °C
Thermal throttling at almost 100 °C
Intel XTU Benchmark
Intel XTU Benchmark

The CPU performance is a bit better than the regular Core i7-7500U, which can be found in many high-end Ultrabooks. The optional Core i7-7660U we reviewed in the current Microsoft Surface Book, is up to 13% faster in optimal conditions (CB R15 Multi), but the MacBook Pro 13 will probably not be able to maintain this performance for long periods. The difference compared to the more expensive Touch Bar model is very small at just 6%; here we can see the effect of the better cooling performance.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Core i7-7660U
163 Points +12%
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2017 (2.8 GHz, 555)
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
159.9 Points +10%
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2017 (2.8 GHz, 555)
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
156 Points +8%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Core i7-7560U
153 Points +6%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Core i5-7360U
145 Points
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Core i5-7360U
140 Points -3%
Dell Latitude 5580
Intel Core i5-7300U
142 Points -2%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017 Touchbar i5
Intel Core i5-7267U
141 Points -3%
Razer Blade Stealth QHD i7-7500U
Intel Core i7-7500U
139 Points -4%
Asus Zenbook UX3430UQ-GV012T
Intel Core i7-7500U
135 Points -7%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016
Intel Core i5-6360U
126 Points -13%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016
Intel Core i5-6360U
124 Points -14%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel Core i5-7200U
126 Points -13%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2017 (2.8 GHz, 555)
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
732 (729min - 733max) Points +102%
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2017 (2.8 GHz, 555)
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
727 (704.77min - 731.97max) Points +101%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Core i7-7660U
410 (335.35min - 409.45max) Points +13%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017 Touchbar i5
Intel Core i5-7267U
383 (377min - 385max) Points +6%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Core i5-7360U
362 Points
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Core i5-7360U
346 Points -4%
Razer Blade Stealth QHD i7-7500U
Intel Core i7-7500U
348 Points -4%
Asus Zenbook UX3430UQ-GV012T
Intel Core i7-7500U
346 Points -4%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Core i7-7560U
336 Points -7%
Dell Latitude 5580
Intel Core i5-7300U
328 Points -9%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel Core i5-7200U
321 Points -11%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016
Intel Core i5-6360U
309 Points -15%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016
Intel Core i5-6360U
309 Points -15%
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
10506
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
12293
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
5787
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
46.1 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
3.9 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.7 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.3 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
41.32 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
362 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
145 Points
Help
0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350360370Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit

The cooling solution of the MacBook Pro 13 is challenged by the high clocks of the Kaby Lake processor. Sustained workloads simulated by a Cinebench R15 Multi loop results in a performance drop. It is rather small after 2 runs in macOS, but the Windows (Bootcamp) performance drops quicker. The optional Core i7 with a 400 MHz higher Turbo, which creates even more heat, does not make a whole lot of sense here.

The performance is not reduced on battery power. More information about the Core i5-7360U is available in our Tech section.

System Performance

The handling is extremely smooth and responsive, which is not surprising thanks to the fast SSD and the powerful processor. Applications are launched almost instantly, and the situation is also very good when you use Windows via BootCamp. There have been significant improvements in this regard over the last couple of years, and it is no problem to use the MacBook with the operating system from Redmond.

PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
4095 Points +1%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
4057 (4055min - 4059max) Points
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2017 (2.8 GHz, 555)
Radeon Pro 555, i7-7700HQ, Apple SSD SM0256L
4054 Points 0%
Asus Zenbook UX3430UQ-GV012T
GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
3913 Points -4%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
3902 Points -4%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017 Touchbar i5
Iris Plus Graphics 650, i5-7267U, Apple SSD AP0256
3829 Points -6%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Toshiba THNSF5256GPUK
3824 Points -6%
Razer Blade Stealth QHD i7-7500U
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZVLV256
3362 Points -17%
Dell Latitude 5580
HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U, Toshiba MQ01ACF050
3300 Points -19%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016
Iris Graphics 540, 6360U, Apple SSD AP0256
3280 Points -19%
Dell XPS 13 9360 QHD+ i7
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPUK
2855 Points -30%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
4890 Points +10%
Asus Zenbook UX3430UQ-GV012T
GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
4812 Points +8%
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2017 (2.8 GHz, 555)
Radeon Pro 555, i7-7700HQ, Apple SSD SM0256L
4648 Points +4%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Toshiba THNSF5256GPUK
4602 Points +3%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
4461 (4448min - 4484max) Points
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
4431 Points -1%
Dell XPS 13 9360 QHD+ i7
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPUK
4176 Points -6%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017 Touchbar i5
Iris Plus Graphics 650, i5-7267U, Apple SSD AP0256
4081 Points -9%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016
Iris Graphics 540, 6360U, Apple SSD AP0256
3853 Points -14%
PCMark 10 - Score
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2017 (2.8 GHz, 555)
Radeon Pro 555, i7-7700HQ, Apple SSD SM0256L
4122 Points +7%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
3909 Points +2%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i5-7360U, Apple SSD AP0128
3840 (3824min - 3845max) Points
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017 Touchbar i5
Iris Plus Graphics 650, i5-7267U, Apple SSD AP0256
3427 Points -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Toshiba THNSF5256GPUK
3214 Points -16%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4057 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
5544 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4461 points
PCMark 10 Score
3840 points
Help

Storage Devices

AS SSD (Bootcamp)
AS SSD (Bootcamp)

Our test model is equipped with the small 128 GB SSD. It is still attached via PCIe and manages high sequential read results, but it falls behind in terms of write performance. However, this is no problem in practice. The small capacity is probably the biggest issue. 128 GB are not much in times of 4K videos and complex applications, especially if you plan to install Windows via Bootcamp.

Apple SSD AP0128
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 3121 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 733 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 538 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 416.5 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1807 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 722 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 22.9 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 16.02 MB/s

GPU Performance

The biggest difference between the processor in the MacBook Pro 13 compared to the standard ULV chips (Dell XPS 13 or ThinkPad X1 Carbon) is the integrated graphics adapter. The Iris Plus Graphics 640 is equipped with 64 MB eDRAM cache and is about 40-50% faster than the "normal" HD Graphics 620 in the synthetic 3DMarks. the Plus Graphics 650 in the more expensive TouchBar-Modell can reach higher clocks and is another 10-15% faster depending on the test. The graphics performance is not reduced on battery power. More technical information about the Iris Plus Graphics 640 is available on our dedicated page.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017 Touchbar i5
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650, Intel Core i5-7267U
2762 (2743min - 2780max) Points +16%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i7-7660U
2493 Points +5%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016
Intel Iris Graphics 540, Intel Core i5-6360U
2401 Points +1%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i5-7360U
2379 (2355min - 2425max) Points
Asus Zenbook UX3430UQ-GV012T
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, Intel Core i7-7500U
2197 Points -8%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i7-7560U
2124 Points -11%
Razer Blade Stealth QHD i7-7500U
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-7500U
1631 Points -31%
Dell XPS 13 9360 QHD+ i7
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-7500U
1610 Points -32%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
1555 Points -35%
Dell Latitude 5580
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7300U
1440 Points -39%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017 Touchbar i5
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650, Intel Core i5-7267U
13153 Points +14%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i5-7360U
11495 (10969min - 11750max) Points
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i7-7660U
11264 Points -2%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i7-7560U
11232 Points -2%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016
Intel Iris Graphics 540, Intel Core i5-6360U
11123 Points -3%
Asus Zenbook UX3430UQ-GV012T
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, Intel Core i7-7500U
8492 Points -26%
Razer Blade Stealth QHD i7-7500U
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-7500U
8289 Points -28%
Dell XPS 13 9360 QHD+ i7
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-7500U
7896 Points -31%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
7725 Points -33%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017 Touchbar i5
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650, Intel Core i5-7267U
1698 Points +10%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i5-7360U
1541 (1484min - 1547max) Points
Asus Zenbook UX3430UQ-GV012T
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, Intel Core i7-7500U
1540 Points 0%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016
Intel Iris Graphics 540, Intel Core i5-6360U
1448 Points -6%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i7-7660U
1418 Points -8%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, Intel Core i7-7560U
1369 Points -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
1037 Points -33%
Razer Blade Stealth QHD i7-7500U
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-7500U
991 Points -36%
Dell XPS 13 9360 QHD+ i7
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-7500U
941 Points -39%
3DMark 11 Performance
2564 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
8102 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1425 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
634 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
543 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Gaming is not completely off the table with the Iris Plus Graphics 640, but you should focus on less demanding titles like Overwatch or Rocket League, which will run smoothly at medium settings. This is also the case for older titles like the first Tomb Raider or Bioshock Infinite from 2013. You will eventually have to reduce the settings and resolution to play more challenging titles at more than 30 FPS.

low med. high ultra
Tomb Raider (2013) 132.6 68.7 47.1 21.6
BioShock Infinite (2013) 68.2 45.1 38.3 12.5
Battlefield 4 (2013) 60.3 42 30.7 9.9
The Witcher 3 (2015) 21 13.4 4
Star Wars Battlefront (2015) 44.7 26.2 12.9
Rainbow Six Siege (2015) 59.2 32.9 18.7 14.2
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 25.8 19.4
Overwatch (2016) 67.3 52.9 36.5 19.5
Battlefield 1 (2016) 38.6 24.2 11.1
Titanfall 2 (2016) 42.9 31.4 22.9
For Honor (2017) 30.8 11.8
Ghost Recon Wildlands (2017) 16.6
Prey (2017) 39.9 17.9 14.8
Rocket League (2017) 101 48.2 33.6

Emissions

System Noise

One big problem of our previous test model was the rattling fan, but our current model does not have any problems so far. However, the high-pitched sound characteristic stays, which is why the fan is not very pleasant under load.

The good news is that the fan is not audible under light workloads or short peak load (up to ~30 seconds), respectively. The fan is even completely deactivated in macOS, while it is always spinning with at least 1200 rpm on Windows (Bootcamp) – independent of the power profile. However, the fan is only audible at ~2300 rpm in very quiet environments. We will have a look at some scenarios below and start with macOS. You can see that the fan quickly reaches its maximum speed of 7200 rpm when you stress the CPU in particular. The fan control is seamless, so the results are average values.

We use the Cinebench R15 Multi test running on macOS. You cannot hear the fan for the first ~30 seconds, but the speed will increase to around 6000 rpm and 35 dB(A) until the end of the run. The second run results in the maximum fan speed of 7200 rpm at 39.3 dB(A).

More GPU demanding applications like Unigine Valley take more time to activate the fan. It is basically not audible at ~30.6 dB(A) (3400-4600 rpm) in the first 5 minutes. This is followed by jumps to ~4100 rpm, ~4900 rpm, and ~5800 rpm before we reach the full 7200 rpm after a total of 16 minutes.

3DMark 06 on Windows results in 32.9 dB(A) and 5200 rpm on average. The fastest method to reach the maximum fan speed is Prime95. The situation in our stress test with the tools Prime95 and FurMark is similar to Unigine Valley. Thanks to the reduced processor clock, the temperature situation is more relaxed and we can only measure 31.5 dB(A) at first. It once again takes about ~15 minutes before the fan reaches 7200 rpm.

We cannot hear any other unpleasant noises.

Noise Level

Idle
30.2 / 30.2 / 30.2 dB(A)
Load
32.9 / 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: 30.2 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2028.428.930.326.728.52529.730.330.529.328.53127.127.63026.926.94027.226.626.125.125.75025.223.526.525.524.56325.723.624.823.924.58025.223.425.823.623.510023.622.1262222.612522.121.622.121.120.716021.221.32119.720.320021.125.721.719.519.725020.722.320.118.218.731519.722.420.317.518.940019.72623.817.21850019.825.524.916.817.66301925.223.51617.380019.224.223.916.916.9100019.324.723.516.717.3125020.526.325.617.117.6160020.926.82717.918.1200022.128.928.618.318.7250021.829.228.518.518.831502128.526.918.918.9400021.428.326.918.919.3500020.429.828.61919.3630019.328.427.519.119800018.923.122.118.618.51000018.319.519.31818.31250017.818.718.517.617.91600017.317.617.417.217.3SPL32.539.338.430.230.5N1.73.12.91.31.4median 20.4median 25.2median 23.8median 18.2median 18.7Delta1.12.830.90.8hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseApple MacBook Pro 13 2017

Temperature

Stress test Windows
Stress test Windows

The two infrared pictures of the MacBook Pro 13 illustrate the difference compared to the more expensive Touch Bar model since there is only one fan dissipating the heat from the chassis. This is noticeable under load when you use the MacBook on your lap. The aluminum chassis dissipates the heat very well, but the right side is warmer at up to 43 °C. However, there are no limitations with less demanding workloads and the case basically does not warm up at all.

The processor performance in particular is significantly reduced during our stress test with the two Windows tools Prime95 and FurMark. The consumption of the Intel Core i5-7360U is steady at 23-24 watts, but the clocks change over the course of the test. The CPU starts at 1.3-1.5 GHz, but then levels off at 1.6-1.7 GHz after some time. We were not able to determine the GPU clock running on Windows.

A 3DMark 11 test immediately after the stress test did not result in a lower score, so there should not be any limitations in practice, even running on Windows.

Max. Load
 38.9 °C
102 F
43.5 °C
110 F
42.4 °C
108 F
 
 39 °C
102 F
41.7 °C
107 F
41.5 °C
107 F
 
 30.6 °C
87 F
28.8 °C
84 F
32.7 °C
91 F
 
Maximum: 43.5 °C = 110 F
Average: 37.7 °C = 100 F
40.6 °C
105 F
38.1 °C
101 F
32.7 °C
91 F
36.8 °C
98 F
37.2 °C
99 F
33 °C
91 F
32 °C
90 F
31.8 °C
89 F
30.2 °C
86 F
Maximum: 40.6 °C = 105 F
Average: 34.7 °C = 94 F
Power Supply (max.)  46.5 °C = 116 F | Room Temperature 21.7 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 37.7 °C / 100 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 43.5 °C / 110 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 40.6 °C / 105 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.1 °C / 79 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (32.7 °C / 90.9 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (-4.4 °C / -8 F).
Heat development top (stress test)
Heat development top (stress test)
Heat development bottom (stress test)
Heat development bottom (stress test)

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The MacBook Pro 13 is a very efficient device while idling and with light workloads. The results are even reduced compared to the predecessor. You can clearly see that Apple removed the TDP limitation under load (which is particularly important when you stress the Iris GPU). 41.6 W in 3DMark 06 are much higher compared to regular ULV notebooks like the Dell XPS 13. The stress test even requires more than 50 W, but the provided 61 W power adapter is sufficient.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.16 / 0.51 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.7 / 5.2 / 7.6 Watt
Load midlight 41.6 / 50.5 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 2017
i5-7360U, Iris Plus Graphics 640, IPS, 2560x1600, 13.30
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016
6360U, Iris Graphics 540, , 2560x1600, 13.30
Dell XPS 13 9360 QHD+ i7
i7-7500U, HD Graphics 620, IPS, 3200x1800, 13.30
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017 Touchbar i5
i5-7267U, Iris Plus Graphics 650, IPS, 2560x1600, 13.30
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2017 (2.8 GHz, 555)
i7-7700HQ, Radeon Pro 555, IPS, 2880x1800, 15.40
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Power Consumption
-11%
-4%
-37%
-87%
-3%
Idle Minimum *
3.7
3
19%
6.4
-73%
2.8
24%
3.4
8%
3.8
-3%
Idle Average *
5.2
8.9
-71%
6.6
-27%
10.9
-110%
13.9
-167%
7.1
-37%
Idle Maximum *
7.6
8.9
-17%
6.8
11%
11.4
-50%
17.6
-132%
8.3
-9%
Load Average *
41.6
43.4
-4%
27.5
34%
55.4
-33%
71.1
-71%
34.2
18%
Load Maximum *
50.5
42.1
17%
32.4
36%
57.5
-14%
88.5
-75%
43.3
14%
Witcher 3 ultra *
57.9

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime

WiFi test Windows
WiFi test Windows

The 54.5 Wh lithium-polymer battery of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 is a bit bigger compared to the more expensive Touch Bar model. The battery runtime in the Wi-Fi test at an adjusted luminance of 150 nits is around 11.5 hours, which is basically identical to the previous Skylake model. This is longer than both the XPS 12 as well as the X1 Carbon. The video runtime is also at around 11.5 hours and beats the previous model, which is probably a result of optimizations.

We already saw the higher load consumption of the new Kaby Lake model compared to the Skylake MacBook. This affects the minimum runtime as well, which is just 78 minutes.

You have to expect shorter battery runtimes using Windows, where the WiFi test only runs for 7.5 hours (-4.5 hours vs. macOS). However, this is not only caused by Windows, but also missing optimization of Bootcamp drivers.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Safari 10.1.1)
11h 21min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
11h 23min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 18min
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017
i5-7360U, Iris Plus Graphics 640, 54.5 Wh
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016
6360U, Iris Graphics 540, 54 Wh
Dell XPS 13 9360 QHD+ i7
i7-7500U, HD Graphics 620, 60 Wh
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017 Touchbar i5
i5-7267U, Iris Plus Graphics 650, 49.2 Wh
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2017 (2.8 GHz, 555)
i7-7700HQ, Radeon Pro 555, 76 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017-20HR0021GE
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 57 Wh
Battery Runtime
7%
21%
-24%
-18%
7%
H.264
683
620
-9%
415
-39%
511
-25%
573
-16%
WiFi v1.3
681
686
1%
516
-24%
519
-24%
644
-5%
547
-20%
Load
78
101
29%
129
65%
70
-10%
60
-23%
122
56%
Witcher 3 ultra
87

Verdict

Pros

+ excellent chassis and build quality
+ huge trackpad – still best in class
+ silent without high workloads
+ very good speakers
+ very good display with perfect scaling (typical for macOS)
+ very long battery runtime

Cons

- connectivity issues with 2.4 GHz WLAN and USB-C devices
- high-pitched fan noise under load
- only 3 ports
- very expensive – especially the upgrades
- poor webcam
In review: Apple MacBook Pro 13 Entry (Mid 2017, without Touch Bar). Test model courtesy of Cyberport.
In review: Apple MacBook Pro 13 Entry (Mid 2017, without Touch Bar). Test model courtesy of Cyberport.

The biggest difference between the two available 13-inch MacBook Pro models from Apple is not only the Touch Bar above the keyboard, but also the cooling. The more expensive model gets a superior solution with two fans, while the cheaper test model only gets one. This is usually no problem in practice, where the fan is often deactivated anyway, but you can hear the small fan as soon as you start to stress the device. We do not like the high-pitched sound, which makes the noise more unpleasant than the numbers would suggest.

We can see a big advantage in the practical Wi-Fi as well as video test. It will easily last a full day or cover a long trip at more than 11 hours. The performance of the test model does not have to hide behind the more expensive model. If you are not looking for the latest bit of performance – although this type of notebook will probably be the wrong choice anyway – you can easily get the less expensive model without Touch Bar.

Thanks to much longer battery runtimes, the MacBook Pro 13 without Touch bar is often the better choice in practice. The only issue is the high-pitched fan noise under load. The more expensive Touch Bar model is superior in this respect.

Otherwise, not a lot has changed, but this is not a bad thing. You still get one of the best cases, which can also be said about the luminance and quality of the display (in a 16:10 aspect ratio). There is also still the issue with the limited port selection, so you will probably need adapters. The less expensive model is the better choice if you only plan on using the MacBook for daily stuff like writing mails, video streaming, web browsing, or even some light picture editing. We would only recommend an SKU with a bigger SSD.

Apple MacBook Pro 13 2017 - 09/26/2017 v6(old)
Andreas Osthoff

Chassis
93 /  98 → 95%
Keyboard
87%
Pointing Device
100%
Connectivity
43 / 80 → 54%
Weight
71 / 35-78 → 83%
Battery
93%
Display
92%
Games Performance
61 / 68 → 90%
Application Performance
88 / 87 → 100%
Temperature
91 / 91 → 100%
Noise
86%
Audio
91 / 91 → 100%
Camera
63 / 85 → 74%
Add Points
-2%
Average
76%
88%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

Read all 23 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 (Mid 2017, i5, without Touch Bar) Review
Andreas Osthoff, 2017-07-15 (Update: 2018-05-15)