Every 15-inch MacBook Pro laptop includes an AMD GPU, while the 13-inch models make do with Intel's built-in graphics. The integrated graphics chip goes from the Intel HD 530 to the HD 630 (part of that jump to the Kaby Lake platform), and the discrete graphics go from AMD Radeon Pro 450 and 455 parts to - you guessed it - Radeon Pro 555 and 560 options. The 2017 Pro also gets an updated set of graphics hardware options. Of course, Intel is already starting to talk about 8th-gen Core chips now, so it's best not to obsess too much on the exact CPU model in any laptop you buy - there's always something new coming. The MacBook Pro models that we reviewed late last year had older 6th-gen Intel chips (although they were certainly fast enough for almost any tasks as is).

What is new is a move to current 7th-generation Intel Core i-series CPUs, sometimes referred to by the code name Kaby Lake. The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar for 2017 keeps the same design as last year. So, unless you're in a hurry to upgrade, you may want to hold off buying this model until we find out what its future is. We hope to see revamps to the MacBook line in October 2018 as part of Apple's annual hardware follow-up to its WWDC software announcements. While it's not the speediest in its class, it's still solid on multicore processor tests and its battery life is still one of the best of the 15-inch laptops we've subsequently tested.

On the other hand, the MacBook Pro's performance has stood the test of time. Plus there are quite a few comparable clamshell models at the same or better prices, such as the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga and the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1. Plus, the competitive landscape has really changed over the past couple of years, as tons of innovation by manufacturers for Windows models have since become mainstream: The MacBook Pro is up against more flexible models with detachable keyboards and 360-degree displays that flip around for both clamshell and tablet operation, all of which have touchscreens and stylus support.

15 2017 macbook pro gpu review