The MacBook Pro 2020 (13-inch) starts at $1,299, but this entry-level model comes with a nasty surprise: last year's processor. In addition, the $1,499 13-inch MacBook Pro also contains leftovers.

Unfortunately, the 10th generation Intel CPU is only available to those who add $500 and purchase the 13-inch MacBook Pro for $1,799 or more. Moreover, at this price, they will only get the Core i5 chip, not the Core i7. Apple also now offers faster RAM in the new MacBook Pro, but even that is limited to more expensive configurations. [If you want the most future-proof MacBook Pro 2020 possible, here's what you need to know.

I started looking up reviews of the 2019 MacBook Pro to confirm my suspicions, but those reviews listed the same clock speed and CPU generation as the entry-level model Apple sells, namely a "1.4GHz 8th generation Core i5 processor."

In other words, the "1.4GHz 8th generation Core i5 processor

In other words, Apple's press release advertises that "the 13-inch MacBook Pro lineup offers up to 10th generation quad-core Intel Core processors with Turbo Boost speeds up to 4.1 GHz," which reads with emphasis on "up to I bought a MacBook Pro last year. And anyone who bought a MacBook Pro last year. If you don't want to spend more money, there won't be much difference in performance.

Because of the wide variety of Intel processors, and because Apple typically does not reveal exact CPU model numbers, it is difficult to say how much of a performance difference there is between the 8th and 10th generation quad-core processors. However, it is not necessary to understand that.

For $1,299 for a new MacBook Pro, you should be able to get the latest processors. For example, the latest Dell XPS 13 features a 10th generation quad-core Core i5 chip, the Intel Core i5-1035G1. The Dell XPS 13 starts at $1,207 but does not have Intel UHD graphics. To get Intel Iris Plus graphics, you need another $250, which comes with an Intel Core i7 CPU.

As my 8-year-old MacBook Pro proves, Apple laptops last a long time and do not require annual updates. However, anyone looking to invest in a long-lasting MacBook Pro should not assume that the entry-level model is equipped with today's processors.

You may have heard this before. Apple also makes you pay more for faster memory. The entry-level MacBook Pro comes with 8GB of 2133MHz LPDDR3 RAM, which is slower than the 3733MHz LPDDR4X memory in the $1,799 model.

Again, Dell defaults to the latest components, as the XPS 13 comes with 8GB of 3733MHz RAM. Here's a little value matchup: if you customize both the 13-inch MacBook Pro and the XPS 13 with a 10th-generation Intel Core i5 CPU, 16GB of 3733MHz LPDDR4X RAM, and a 512GB SSD, the XPS 13 costs just $1,322, which is $1, more than $400 less than the $799 MacBook Pro.

However, the new MacBook Pro does not disappoint, as it offers two important qualities. First, the controversial too-shallow butterfly keyboard has been eliminated. The Magic Keyboard, first used on last winter's 16-inch MacBook Pro and this year's MacBook Air 2020, is finally available on the 13-inch MacBook Pro.

This upgrade is something you will notice right away and appreciate every day. We find the new scissor-switch keyboard to be comfortable, responsive, and free of annoying errors.

Apple also gave the MacBook Pro one of the most valuable decisions from the MacBook Air 2020: SSD storage in the 13-inch MacBook has been changed from 128GB to 256GB. With these decisions, I had hoped that Apple would not make me pay more for an entry-level MacBook Pro with the right processor.

So I will not be buying an entry-level MacBook Pro 2020 (13"). Nevertheless, the $1,799 version of this MacBook Pro has been upgraded to a 512GB SSD and has two additional Thunderbolt 3 ports, although the price increase leaves something to be desired. This allows charging from either the left or right side of the notebook (some say it should be charged from the right side to avoid performance issues).

Is the entry-level MacBook Pro worth buying for everyone? A MacBook Air with a 10th generation Core i5 is more powerful than a MacBook Pro with a dual-core processor; even if you step up to the quad-core 10th generation Core i5 in the MacBook Air, it is still more powerful than the quad-core 10th generation Core i5 in the MacBook Pro. Y-series CPUs are less powerful than the 8th generation U-series processors found in the MacBook Pro, even when you step up to the quad-core 10th generation Core i5 found in the MacBook Air.

Nevertheless, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro is a welcome update, especially for those like me who skipped the entire generation of butterfly-switch MacBooks and have been waiting for the moves Apple has made over the past few months. I just hope no one is fooled by the specs of the $1,299 model into believing it has the latest and greatest components.