Apple unveils new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Magic Keyboard

By Mike Wuerthele

Following a year of speculation and rumors, Apple has released a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Magic Keyboard, and up to tenth-generation Intel processors.

Apple's 13-inch MacBook Pro for 2020

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro uses Apple's refreshed Magic Keyboard that debuted on the 16-inch MacBook Pro. The Touch Bar is also used across the lineup, as it was on the previous MacBook Pro model that it replaced. As with that 16-inch MacBook Pro, the 13-inch MacBook Pro has a physical escape key.

Keyboard on the 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro, including physical escape key

The 13-inch MacBook Pro lineup now offers up to 10th-generation quad-core Intel Core processors with Turbo Boost speeds of up to 4.1GHz. Apple claims that customers upgrading from a 13-inch MacBook Pro with a dual-core processor will see up to 2.8 times faster performance.

Like with the relatively minor Mac mini refresh in March, the 13-inch MacBook Pro now comes with double the storage of the previous generation, with standard storage starting at 256GB ranging to 4TB.

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The 13-inch MacBook Pro screen is the same as the previous model, at a resolution of 2560 x 1600, at 227 pixels per inch, 500 nits brightness, with wide color support and True Tone technology. The video chipset on the eighth-generation Intel chip models are the Iris Plus Graphics 645, with the tenth-generation models utilizing the more powerful Intel Iris Plus Graphics integrated set.

The eighth-generation models support one external display at 5K running at 60Hz. or two external 4K displays at 60Hz. The new Intel Iris Plus graphics on the tenth-generation models enables users to connect to the Pro Display XDR at full 6K resolution.

As with the previous 13-inch MacBook Pro, the new 13-inch MacBook pro has two Thunderbolt 3 ports on lower-end eighth generation models, with four on the highest-end, supplemented by a single headphone jack. Wireless communications are provided by 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 5.0 across the board.

Configurations start at $1299 with an eighth-generation i5 1.4GHz quad-core processor with Turbo Boost speed up to 3.9GHz, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage, and an eighth-generation i7 model is available as well. A 2.0Ghz quad-core tenth-generation i7 model with turbo speeds up to 3.8GHz, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage retails for $1799.

A fully maxed-out configuration with a tenth-generation 2.3GHz quad-core i7 processor with turbo boost to 4.1GHz, 32GB of RAM, and 4TB of storage sells for $3599.

Orders have already started for the new model, and the earliest orders will start arriving "later this week" according to Apple. Deals are also in effect at third-party resellers, with discounts of up to $123 off, plus $70 off AppleCare. Check out the lowest 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro prices in our Price Guide.