Don't buy a 13-inch MacBook Pro until further notice: Here's why

Don't buy a 13-inch MacBook Pro until further notice: Here's why

The new $999 MacBook Air 2020 is not only the best MacBook for many, it's better than the $1,299 MacBook Pro 13-inch. At least until Apple makes a significant upgrade to the latter.

Here are some reasons to avoid the 13-inch MacBook Pro for now and what you can expect from the new model coming later this year.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro has more power than the MacBook Air, but there are a few key reasons to hold off on buying one.

Apple has included a more reliable and comfortable scissor-mechanism keyboard on the MacBook Air starting with the 16-inch MacBook Pro, and the difference is obvious. The keyboard has a greater range of motion, making typing more comfortable. More importantly, keys don't get stuck or accidentally pressed twice.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro, on the other hand, has an underwhelming butterfly keyboard, which Apple has found problematic. This is not your type.

Here's a completely meaningless spec difference: the 13-inch MacBook Air has a 256GB SSD; the $300 more expensive 13-inch MacBook Pro has a 128GB SSD. And to get the Air's storage, you have to pay $1,499.

In raw performance, the MacBook Pro's quad-core Core i5 chip is faster than the MacBook Air's dual-core Core i3 CPU. However, the MacBook Pro uses older 8th generation Core processors, while the Air uses the newer 10th generation Core. It is only a matter of time before Apple upgrades the 13-inch Pro to a 10th generation CPU.

The new MacBook Pro 2020 should have everything on our wish list. This includes a better scissor keyboard, a faster 10th generation Core processor, and at least 256GB of storage. But that's not all we should expect.

According to the MacBook Pro 2020 leaks we've seen, Apple may increase the screen size from 13.3 inches to 14 inches. In other words, we should get a larger screen with less bezel in the same footprint.

In addition, the new MacBook Pro could feature a new mini LED display. This according to Apple analyst Min-Chi Kuo. Advantages of the mini-LEDs include higher brightness, deeper blacks, and better contrast ratio. Basically, one can expect OLED-like performance without potential burn-in issues.

We would also like to see Apple offer four Thunderbolt 3 ports as standard equipment instead of the current two. Right now, you have to jump up to the $1,799 configuration to get this benefit.

It's odd that I would recommend the MacBook Air over the 13-inch MacBook Pro, but that's what I'm doing now, and it's the same conclusion I came to in the MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro showdown: the MacBook Pro 2020 release date has not yet been announced. No word yet on a release date for the MacBook Pro 2020, but it could be in the fourth quarter of 2020 - if Apple can resolve the coronavirus-related supply chain and manufacturing issues. Either way, it should be worth the wait.

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