MacBook Pro 2017: 12-inch model engineered for comfort and portability on the go

With consumers holding varying opinions on the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro, the 12-inch model has somehow been pushed back a bit. Seen as the Apple laptop best for folks looking for a lightweight solution, performance and price disparity issues could stand in the way.

Like the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro 2017 models, the 12-inch variant got a bit of a speed boost with the Intel Kaby Lake chip upgrade, faster solid-state drives and a slightly bumped Intel integrated HD 615 GPU. The 12-inch MacBook Pro 2017 was put to the test, and benchmark tests returned a 26 percent increase in CPU performance and 50-percent bump compared to the 2016 model, Apple Insider reports.

With the performance of the 12-inch MacBook Pro proven as expected, the next thing that comes to mind is how long the device can last and maintain optimal performance. Worth noting is that the variant is fanless, which means heat dissipation will factor in. Hence, the need to throttle down the processor would be needed, thus resulting to lowered performance.

All that would initially seem disappointing, with most wanting sustained performance on their MacBook Pro. But as mentioned earlier, this is an ultraportable machine not made for long hauls.

Other than that, there is the same pricing point the 12-inch MacBook Pro 2017 shares with the 13-inch variant. Buyers looking for a machine that can last longer are better off getting the 13-inch MacBook Pro, assuming that storage is not a problem. The 12-inch variant comes with 256GB of SSD storage while the 13-inch offers only 128GB.

With an inch in display difference, most may eventually opt for the 13-inch MacBook Pro 2017 regardless of the decrease in storage space. With cloud storage and external hard drives available, saved files can easily be kept through other means.

The price for both the 12- and 13-in MacBook Pro 2017 is US$1,299 (AU$1,714). While it does place the former in a precarious situation, buyers looking for a smaller portable device may end up getting one over the latter.

Folks who owned a MacBook before the 2016 models released are bound to seriously consider the 2017 versions. A quick rundown of specs of the 12-inch Retina MacBook Pro include an Intel Core 3 m3 (1.2 GHz) processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage. Upgrades can be made on the chipset and RAM as preferred by potential buyers.