I found the strip most helpful when it came to editing photos and videos, as it makes it easier to compare edited and unedited versions of photos as well as scrub through footage. Outside developers can incorporate the Touch Bar into their apps as well you’ll find it used by Photoshop, Microsoft Office, 1Password and Pixelmator to start. Most of Apple’s default apps already make good use of the Touch Bar, including Messages, Calendar, iTunes and more. In Apple’s mail app, a trash can icon helps speedily delete unwated emails, while the “Move to” key helps you quickly sort messages into various folders. When browsing in Safari, for example, the center portion of the strip will display your currently open tabs, making it easy to jump between them. Put simply, it’s a tiny touchscreen whose buttons change as you hop around different apps. The Touch Bar, the standout feature on the new MacBook Pro, is a classic Apple flourish: It’s not, strickly speaking, a must-have, but it’s pleasant to use nontheless. Here’s a closer look at what it’s been like to use Apple’s new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. The Touch Bar is a nice addition, but it’s not enough to warrant upgrading if your current laptop is only a couple of years old or newer. There are well-built Windows laptops out there with just as much power - and full-blown touchscreens - that cost considerably less. The new MacBook Pros’ high price make them tough to recommend unless you’re a professional who might view a new computer as an investment. But it’s not as radical a change as including a full-blown touchscreen, which Apple has yet to do despite the prevalence of touchscreen laptops on the market. It’s a welcome upgrade along with the new Pro’s upgraded keyboard, snappier performance and other enhancements. The Touch Bar’s big trick is its ability to change functionality based on the software you’re using - it will show media controls in iTunes and editing buttons in Photoshop, for instance. Apple also offers a 15-inch model starting at $2,399 that includes a faster processor, boosted graphics, more memory, and a larger trackpad.Īs the laptop’s name implies, the most significant upgrade is the addition of a thin horizontal touchscreen called the Touch Bar, which sits just above the keyboard, where the function keys once resided. It begins shipping this month starting at $1,799 for the entry level 13-inch version. I’ve been using Apple’s MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, for the past week.

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