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MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) vs MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)

MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)1MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)2

Quick look

Quick look: MacBook Pro against MacBook
FigureMacBook Pro1MacBook2
Price£1,7493launch price£1,0494launch price
ChipCore i52.9GHz dual-core IntelCore m31.1GHz dual-core Intel
CPU2-coreCPU2-coreCPU
Memory8GBmemory, base8GBmemory, base
Storage256GBstorage, base256GBstorage, base
Battery lifeUp to10 hrsvideo playback, claimedUp to11 hrsvideo playback, claimed
Released27 October 20165Announced, no on-sale date given20 April 20164ReleasedIn Apple Stores; available online from 19 April 2016.
Security updates16 September 20246Security updates ended16 September 20246Security updates ended
Price
The MacBook Pro is £1,749 at launch, per Apple Newsroom (UK); the MacBook is £1,049 at launch, per Apple Newsroom (UK).

True to scale

MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) · 304.1 × 212.4 mm footprintMacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016) · 280.5 × 196.5 mm footprint

Footprints from above, from Apple’s published dimensions, drawn to one scale and superposed. Corner rounding is our drawing convention, not a measurement.

Specifications

Each figure is from the source marked by its Mac’s name unless it carries its own small number, which links to where that figure was read.

Body

Body: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) against Apple MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)
SpecificationMacBook Pro1MacBook2
Dimensions14.9 x 304.1 x 212.4 mm3.5–13.1 x 280.5 x 196.5 mm
Weight1.37 kg0.92 kg
ColoursSilver, Space GrayRose Gold, Space Gray, Gold, Silver
PortsFour Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, 3.5 mm headphone jackUSB-C port, 3.5 mm headphone jack
Thunderbolt ports4No Thunderbolt ports.7
Thunderbolt versionThunderbolt 3Not available8
USB-A portsNo USB-A ports.9No USB-A ports.7
HDMINo HDMI port.10No HDMI port.11
SD card slotNo SD card slot.10No SD card slot.11
Headphone jackYesYes
MagSafeNo MagSafe port.9No MagSafe port.11
KeyboardFull-size backlit keyboard with Touch Bar with integrated Touch ID sensorFull-size keyboard with LED-backlit keys
Touch IDYesNo Touch ID.11
Touch BarYesNot available12

Display

Display: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) against Apple MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)
SpecificationMacBook Pro1MacBook2
Display size13.3 in12 in
Resolution2560 x 16002304 x 1440
Pixel density227 ppi226 ppi
Display typeRetina displayRetina display
Brightness500 nitsNot available13
Wide colour (P3)YesNot available13

Chip and memory

Chip and memory: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) against Apple MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)
SpecificationMacBook Pro1MacBook2
Chip2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i51.1GHz dual-core Intel Core m3
Apple siliconIntel processor, not Apple silicon.9Intel processor, not Apple silicon.7
CPU cores22
GraphicsIntel Iris Graphics 550Intel HD Graphics 515
Chip options2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz; configurable to 3.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz, or 3.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core m3; 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core m5; 1.3GHz dual-core Intel Core m7
Memory (base)8GB8GB
Memory (maximum)16GB8GB
Memory options8GB or 16GB8GB
Memory upgradeable by userNo, as Apple documents14No, as Apple documents14
Storage (base)256GB256GB
Storage (maximum)1TB512GB
Storage options256GB, 512GB or 1TB256GB or 512GB

Battery and power

Battery and power: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) against Apple MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)
SpecificationMacBook Pro1MacBook2
Battery capacity49.2 Wh41.4 Wh
Rated charge cycles1,000 cycles151,000 cycles15
Video playback (claimed)10 h11 h
Wireless web (claimed)10 h10 h
Included power adapter61 W29 W
Fast chargingNo fast charging.10No fast charging.11

Connectivity

Connectivity: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) against Apple MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)
SpecificationMacBook Pro1MacBook2
Wi-Fi802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible802.11ac Wi-Fi
Bluetooth4.24.0
EthernetNo Ethernet port.10No Ethernet port.11
External displays (base)21

Camera and audio

Camera and audio: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) against Apple MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)
SpecificationMacBook Pro1MacBook2
Camera720p FaceTime HD camera480p FaceTime camera
SpeakersStereo speakers with high dynamic rangeStereo speakers
MicrophonesThree microphonesDual microphones

Platform

Platform: Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) against Apple MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)
SpecificationMacBook Pro1MacBook2
Shipped withmacOS Sierra5OS X El Capitan16
Newest macOSmacOS Monterey17macOS Monterey18
Model identifierMacBookPro13,217MacBook9,118
Model year20162016

Sources

  1. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) - Technical Specifications · Default for MacBook Pro · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  2. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016) - Technical Specifications · Default for MacBook · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  3. Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple Unveils Groundbreaking New MacBook Pro · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  4. Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple Updates MacBook with Latest Processors, Longer Battery Life & New Rose Gold Finish · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  5. Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple Unveils Groundbreaking New MacBook Pro · Apple’s figure · read 2 Oct 2026

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  6. endoflife.date — Apple macOS · third-party figure · read 2 Oct 2026

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  7. MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016): No Thunderbolt ports. No USB-A ports. Intel processor, not Apple silicon. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016) - Technical Specifications. Read 15 Sep 2026

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  8. Doesn’t apply: no Thunderbolt port

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  9. MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports): No USB-A ports. No MagSafe port. Intel processor, not Apple silicon. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) - Technical Specifications. Read 15 Sep 2026

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  10. MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports): No HDMI port. No SD card slot. No fast charging. No Ethernet port. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) - Technical Specifications. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  11. MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016): No HDMI port. No SD card slot. No MagSafe port. No Touch ID. No fast charging. No Ethernet port. Checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016) - Technical Specifications. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  12. Doesn’t apply: the Touch Bar was only fitted to MacBook Pro

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  13. Not published by Apple. Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016) - Technical Specifications; Identify your MacBook Pro model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple Updates MacBook with Latest Processors, Longer Battery Life & New Rose Gold Finish. Read 9 Oct 2026

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  14. Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro: how to remove or install memory · Apple’s figure · read 18 Oct 2026

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  15. Apple Support (UK) — Determine battery cycle count for Mac laptops · Apple’s figure · read 15 Oct 2026

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  16. Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple Updates MacBook with Latest Processors, Longer Battery Life & New Rose Gold Finish · Apple’s figure · read 9 Oct 2026

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  17. Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Pro model · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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  18. Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook model · Apple’s figure · read 15 Sep 2026

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Not published by Apple

MacBook Pro. Apple doesn’t publish for this Mac: refresh rate, nano-texture option, GPU cores, storage upgradeable by user. Geekbench 7 Metal: the Mac chart has no Metal score for this Mac (chart read 10 Oct 2026). Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) - Technical Specifications; Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple Unveils Groundbreaking New MacBook Pro; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Pro model, read 9 Oct 2026.

MacBook. Apple doesn’t publish for this Mac: refresh rate, nano-texture option, GPU cores, storage upgradeable by user. Geekbench 7: the Mac chart has no entry for this Mac, so no figures are shown (chart read 10 Oct 2026). Pages checked: Apple Support (UK) — MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016) - Technical Specifications; Identify your MacBook Pro model; Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple Updates MacBook with Latest Processors, Longer Battery Life & New Rose Gold Finish, read 9 Oct 2026.

If you own one of them

Whether to move is a different question from which is better. Each Mac has a page on it: what its successor changes (the newest Mac in its line where Apple sells one, otherwise the Mac this site treats as its replacement, which can be in another line), what it fetches and whether it still gets updates. Should I upgrade my MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)? · Should I upgrade my MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)?

The pairs a buyer of either Mac would also weigh. Any two Macs in the catalogue can be compared from the chooser.