Articles about MacBook Pro

If you have a 13-inch MacBook Pro without a Touch Bar, you could be eligible for a free battery replacement. Apple has discovered that a "limited number" of laptops have a problem that causes the battery to expand.

The company has launched a free battery replacement program, and anyone who bought their MacBook Pro between October 2016 and October 2017 is invited to submit their machine's serial number to see if they qualify.

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Apple's macOS is a great operating system. Not only is it stable and beautifully designed, but it is very secure too. Well, usually it is. Unless you live under a rock, you definitely heard about the macOS High Sierra security bug that made the news over the last couple of days. In case you somehow are unaware, the bug essentially made it so anyone could log into any Mac running the latest version of the operating system.

Luckily, Apple has already patched the bug, and some people -- like me -- have forgiven the company. Understandably, not everyone will be as forgiving as me. Undoubtedly, there are Mac users that are ready to jump ship as a result of the embarrassing bug. While that is probably an overreaction, if you are set on trying an alternative operating system, you should not go with Windows 10. Instead, you should embrace Linux. In fact, rather serendipitously, a Linux distribution with a UI reminiscent of macOS gets a new version today. Called "deepin," version 15.5 of the distro is now ready to download.

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While the MacBook Pro doesn’t have a dedicated video port, that really doesn’t matter. Thanks to its versatile USB-C ports, any port can output video with the correct cable or dongle. In other words, a USB-C to HDMI, VGA, or DisplayPort cable can allow you to easily connect a computer to a monitor or television.

Most USB-C to DisplayPort cables claim 4K support at the most, but there is a new cable that takes things up a notch. You see, a new product from a company called "Moshi" can apparently do 5K at 60Hz. The company claims this is the first-ever USB-C cable to be certified by VESA for that resolution. It can even do 4:4:4 chroma subsampling. While it is designed for MacBook and MacBook Pro, it should work fine with Windows and Linux computers too.

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When I bought my MacBook Pro last year, I knew I would end up buying some dongles. Since the laptop only has USB-C ports, I would need adapters to complete some tasks. If I want to use a traditional USB-A flash drive, for instance, I need a dongle. What if I need to plug into Ethernet? Yep, another dongle.

Truth be told, I very rarely connect to Ethernet or access flash drives these days, so those dongles are almost never needed. With that said, there is one big limitation of my MacBook Pro that impacts me regularly -- lack of video out. For this, I need to use a USB-C adapter (or a docking station). I've learned that not all of these dongles are created equally, however. While many can do 4K, they often max out at 30Hz. Thankfully, I found a really great USB-C to HDMI 2.0 adapter from a company called ACCELL that can do 4K @ 60Hz.

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I recently reviewed the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock for Apple MacBook Pro and came away very impressed. This device essentially converts your Apple laptop into a desktop with great results. The problem? It needs to be plugged into a wall for power, and it is not intended to be taken on the go.

Today, OWC announces a product that is meant to be taken with you in your laptop bag. Called "USB-C Travel Dock," it features many of the ports you may need, such as HDMI, USB Type-A, and an SD card reader. It even has a USB-C port for power pass-through, so if you only have one such port, you can charge your laptop while using it too. Best of all, it is quite affordable.

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USB-C devices are coming thick and fast lately -- it feels like it is raining dongles and docks! While Apple's MacBook computers aren't the only devices with such ports, they certainly accelerated the popularity. Of course, there are both Windows and Linux machines with USB-C too.

StarTech manufactures many USB-C devices, and now it is releasing three new docking stations. Why three? Well, they offer different features and come in at different price points. Heck, one model even has an integrated 2.5-inch drive bay for an HDD or SSD! All three docking stations can charge/power a laptop too, with a max output of 60W.

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When I decided to buy my first-ever Mac last year, I was beyond excited. Unfortunately, I hit a quick roadblock. You see, I spend half of my time using laptops as makeshift desktop computers; when I am home, I prefer to use a large monitor, keyboard, and mouse. For the best experience, I would need some sort of dock, and Apple just doesn't make one.

Luckily, Apple's wise use of Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C meant it would be easy to obtain a docking solution. I quickly learned, however, that many solutions on the market were terrible. USB-C based solutions caused the most issues, such as various sleep/wake errors and disconnecting USB storage drives. Even some Thunderbolt 3-based products had similar issues. Thankfully, I finally found a quality TB3 dock. Made by OWC, it features 13 "ports," allowing you to convert a MacBook Pro into a legitimate desktop alternative.

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Xiaomi last year decided to take on Apple in the laptop market, introducing the Notebook Air as a rival to the MacBook and MacBook Air. And today, Xiaomi announces its answer to the 15-inch MacBook Pro as well: the new Mi Notebook Pro.

Xiaomi has applied its usual recipe for the Mi Notebook Pro, creating an alternative to the 15-inch MacBook Pro that is significantly less expensive but still really well equipped for this segment. So, what does it have to offer?

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Thanks to the MacBook Pro, the popularity of Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C docks and dongles has exploded. If you have accessories that use USB Type-A, for instance, they simply won't work with Apple's latest laptop without the use of an adapter. Heck, the machine does not even feature a standard video-out port, so an HDMI, VGA, or DisplayPort dongle must be utilized.

If you use your MacBook Pro as a makeshift desktop with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, investing in a dock or docking station would be a wise move. Today, a new such product from a company called "LandingZone" caught my attention. While I am not familiar with the company, the docking station is quite intriguing. It is one of the most complete MacBook Pro dock solutions I have seen, featuring many useful connection options and the ability to charge the laptop, of course. It is designed as a traditional docking station too, where Apple's laptop actually locks into the product as opposed to being more of a hub.

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The MacBook Pro is a wonderful laptop. It offers excellent performance, a sleek design, and one of the best keyboards on the market. There really isn't much to complain about, other than a lack of ports. You see, Apple went all-in with USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports on its new laptop, meaning some users would need to rely on dongles for connecting legacy devices.

There are countless dongles, adapters, and docking stations on the market nowadays, all looking to provide a fix for this port pain-point. Today, a new such product from a company named "Seesaw" becomes available for pre-order on Kickstarter. The "DockCase," as it is called, intrigued me because of its unique design. You see, it is a protective leather sleeve for the MacBook Pro with a USB-C docking station built in. It sounds weird, I know, but it actually makes a lot of sense.

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When you buy a laptop nowadays, it is becoming much more common for it to only have USB-C ports. While you can thank Apple for leading the way with its MacBook line of laptops, plenty of Windows PC manufacturers are following suit. This is wise, as it future-proofs your computer while giving the ability to connect to legacy devices (if needed) with low-cost dongles. Microsoft has infamously omitted USB Type-C from its Surface devices, which may cause pain to consumers in the future.

If you have already invested in one of these USB-C-only machines, there are two dongles that are definitely worth buying to keep in your bag -- USB-C to HDMI and USB-C to USB-A. Some users may need an Ethernet adapter too. Satechi has two new USB-C to HDMI options -- an adapter (dongle) and a cable. Both appear very well made and are quite affordable. Best of all, not only do the products offer 4K output, but at the much desired 60Hz. Despite being sold in color options that match Apple's laptops, the adapters will work fine with both Windows and Linux too.

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When Apple unveiled the newest MacBook Pro laptops in October of 2016, some people were upset that they didn't come with 7th-generation Intel Kaby Lake processors. Instead, the company opted for the 6th-gen chips. One big issue with this is that the memory was limited to DDR3 rather than the newest DDR4. Despite these shortcomings, the machines sold well -- they were hard to come by for quite some time after launch.

Today, Apple finally refreshes the MacBook Pro machines with the latest such Intel processors. But that is not all. In addition to the Pro laptop, the company is delivering Kaby Lake to the newest MacBook (non-pro) and iMac computers too. Surprisingly, the MacBook Air gets a little speed bump to 1.8GHz.

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USB Type-C dongles are a dime a dozen nowadays. Thanks to Apple MacBook laptops that only leverage USB-C, many manufacturers quickly jumped on the bandwagon, producing many adapters, dongles, and other accessories.

As the owner of a 2016 MacBook Pro, I am very familiar with dongles -- I own several. While you might think they are all the same, you'd be mistaken. Not only are they of varying quality, but the features are not the same either. Case in point, the Startech USB-C to HDMI and VGA presentation adapters. They may look like your typical HDMI and VGA dongles, but they have a special feature.

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The MacBook Pro only has USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 for connecting devices. For many, this is not a problem. After all, with wireless accessories, it is quite possible that a user might never need to connect anything by wire -- other than the charger, of course.

With that said, some users absolutely need to connect legacy devices, such as USB Type-A hard drives, mice, keyboards, and more. Heck, they may even need to connect to a monitor or Ethernet. Luckily, Thunderbolt 3 makes this a breeze, as single-cable docking solutions can bring all of the needed ports and more. Best of all, they can charge the computer too. Today, Elgato announces that its Thunderbolt 3 Dock will be available for purchase on June 6. While it looks amazing, it is certainly not an inexpensive affair.

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The MacBook Pro is a wonderful laptop, but its lack of ports is a hardship for some. While you can leverage dongles and adapters, that is hardly elegant. Luckily, since Apple's laptop supports Thunderbolt 3, a compatible single-cable dock can transform it into a quality desktop experience.

Today, LaCie announces an absolutely genius such solution, called "2big Dock." This Neil Poulton-designed docking station offers DisplayPort for connecting a monitor (resolutions up to 4K UHD), plus the ability to charge the laptop using the same cable used for connectivity. It also has a USB Type-A port, Type-C port, plus full-sized SD and Compact Flash slots. The real magic is that it also doubles as a storage drive, offering large capacities of 12TB, 16TB or 20TB!

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