MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017) vs MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)
Quick look
| Figure | MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)1 | MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,3493launch price | £2,3494launch price |
| Chip | Core i72.8GHz quad-core Intel | Core i72.6GHz quad-core Intel |
| CPU | 4-coreCPU | 4-coreCPU |
| Memory | 16GBmemory, base | 16GBmemory, base |
| Storage | 256GBstorage, base | 256GBstorage, base |
| Battery life | Up to10 hrsvideo playback, claimed | Up to10 hrsvideo playback, claimed |
| Released | 7 June 20175ReleasedIn Apple Stores; orderable online from 5 June 2017. | 27 October 20166Announced, no on-sale date given |
| Security updates | 15 September 20257Security updates ended | 16 September 20247Security updates ended |
- Price
- The MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017) is £2,349 at launch, per Apple UK Store (archived 23 June 2017); the MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016) is £2,349 at launch, per Apple Newsroom (UK).
True to scale
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
| Specification | MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)1 | MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)2 |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 15.5 x 349.3 x 240.7 mm | 15.5 x 349.3 x 240.7 mm |
| Weight | 1.83 kg | 1.83 kg |
| Colours | Silver, Space Gray | Silver, Space Gray |
| Ports | Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, 3.5 mm headphone jack | Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, 3.5 mm headphone jack |
| Thunderbolt ports | 4 | 4 |
| Thunderbolt version | Thunderbolt 3 | Thunderbolt 3 |
| USB-A ports | No USB-A ports.8 | No USB-A ports.9 |
| HDMI | No HDMI port.10 | No HDMI port.11 |
| SD card slot | No SD card slot.10 | No SD card slot.11 |
| Headphone jack | Yes | Yes |
| MagSafe | No MagSafe port.8 | No MagSafe port.9 |
| Keyboard | Full-size backlit keyboard with Touch Bar with integrated Touch ID sensor | Full-size backlit keyboard with Touch Bar with integrated Touch ID sensor |
| Touch ID | Yes | Yes |
| Touch Bar | Yes | Yes |
Display
| Specification | MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)1 | MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)2 |
|---|---|---|
| Display size | 15.4 in | 15.4 in |
| Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 2880 x 1800 |
| Pixel density | 220 ppi | 220 ppi |
| Display type | Retina display | Retina display |
| Brightness | 500 nits | 500 nits |
| Wide colour (P3) | Yes | Yes |
Chip and memory
| Specification | MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)1 | MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)2 |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | 2.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 | 2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 |
| Apple silicon | Intel processor, not Apple silicon.8 | Intel processor, not Apple silicon.9 |
| CPU cores | 4 | 4 |
| Graphics | Radeon Pro 555 with 2GB of GDDR5 memory and automatic graphics switching; Intel HD Graphics 630 | Radeon Pro 450 with 2GB of GDDR5 memory and automatic graphics switching; Intel HD Graphics 530 |
| Chip options | 2.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz; 2.9GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz; configurable to 3.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 4.1GHz | 2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz; 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz; configurable to 2.9GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz |
| Memory (base) | 16GB | 16GB |
| Memory (maximum) | 16GB | 16GB |
| Memory options | 16GB | 16GB |
| Memory upgradeable by user | No, as Apple documents12 | No, as Apple documents12 |
| Storage (base) | 256GB | 256GB |
| Storage (maximum) | 2TB | 2TB |
| Storage options | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB |
Battery and power
| Specification | MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)1 | MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)2 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 76 Wh | 76 Wh |
| Rated charge cycles | 1,000 cycles13 | 1,000 cycles13 |
| Video playback (claimed) | 10 h | 10 h |
| Wireless web (claimed) | 10 h | 10 h |
| Included power adapter | 87 W | 87 W |
| Fast charging | No fast charging.14 | No fast charging.15 |
Connectivity
| Specification | MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)1 | MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)2 |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible | 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible |
| Bluetooth | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Ethernet | No Ethernet port.10 | No Ethernet port.11 |
| External displays (base) | 4 | 4 |
Camera and audio
| Specification | MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)1 | MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)2 |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | 720p FaceTime HD camera | 720p FaceTime HD camera |
| Speakers | Stereo speakers with high dynamic range | Stereo speakers with high dynamic range |
| Microphones | Three microphones | Three microphones |
Platform
| Specification | MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)1 | MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)2 |
|---|---|---|
| Shipped with | Not available16 | macOS Sierra6 |
| Newest macOS | macOS Ventura17 | macOS Monterey17 |
| Model identifier | MacBookPro14,317 | MacBookPro13,317 |
| Model year | 2017 | 2016 |
Sources
Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017) - Technical Specifications ·
↩Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016) - Technical Specifications ·
↩- ↩
Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple Unveils Groundbreaking New MacBook Pro ·
↩- ↩
Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple Unveils Groundbreaking New MacBook Pro ·
↩endoflife.date — Apple macOS ·
↩MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017): No USB-A ports. No MagSafe port. Intel processor, not Apple silicon.
↩MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016): No USB-A ports. No MagSafe port. Intel processor, not Apple silicon.
↩MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017): No HDMI port. No SD card slot. No Ethernet port.
↩MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016): No HDMI port. No SD card slot. No Ethernet port.
↩Apple Support (UK) — MacBook Pro: how to remove or install memory ·
↩Apple Support (UK) — Determine battery cycle count for Mac laptops ·
↩MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017): No fast charging.
↩MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016): No fast charging.
↩Not published by Apple.
↩Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Pro model ·
↩Geekbench Browser (Primate Labs) ·
↩
Not published by Apple
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017). 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 (15-inch, 2017) - Technical Specifications; Apple Newsroom (UK) — iMac receives major update featuring more powerful graphics, faster processors, Thunderbolt 3 and brighter displays; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Pro model, read 9 Oct 2026.
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016). 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 (15-inch, 2016) - Technical Specifications; Apple Newsroom (UK) — Apple Unveils Groundbreaking New MacBook Pro; Apple Support (UK) — Identify your MacBook Pro model, 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 (15-inch, 2017)? · Should I upgrade my MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)?
Other comparisons
The pairs a buyer of either Mac would also weigh. Any two Macs in the catalogue can be compared from the chooser.