Mac · Retina & Beyond · 2016
MacBook Pro (Touch Bar, 2016)
A divisive redesign: a slim, all-USB-C body with a touch-strip "Touch Bar" replacing the function keys and the unloved butterfly keyboard. Pros grumbled about dongles for years.
MacBook Pro (Touch Bar, 2016): key facts
When was the MacBook Pro (Touch Bar, 2016) released?
The MacBook Pro (Touch Bar, 2016) was released in October 2016. Apple discontinued it in 2019.
How much did the MacBook Pro (Touch Bar, 2016) cost?
The MacBook Pro (Touch Bar, 2016) launched at $1,799 in 2016 — about $2,357 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What are the MacBook Pro (Touch Bar, 2016)’s specs?
The MacBook Pro (Touch Bar, 2016) used a Intel Core i5/i7 running at 2.90 GHz, with 8 GB of memory and 256 GB of storage. It ran macOS 10.12 Sierra.
Why does the MacBook Pro (Touch Bar, 2016) matter?
Introduced the Touch Bar, Touch ID on Mac, and went all-in on USB-C.
Full specifications
| CPU | Intel Core i5/i7 · 2.90 GHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 4 |
| Memory (RAM) | 8 GB (up to 16 GB) |
| Storage | 256 GB |
| Display | 13" or 15" Retina, up to 2880×1800 |
| GPU | Intel Iris / AMD Radeon Pro |
| Ports | 4× Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) |
| Weight | 1.83 kg |
| Dimensions | Thin unibody |
| Operating system | macOS 10.12 Sierra |
| Released | October 2016 |
| Discontinued | 2019 |
| Launch price | $1,799 |
How the MacBook Pro (Touch Bar, 2016) compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 2.0× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 2.90 GHz, the clock is roughly 1.1× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro — and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
This held about 65,500 modern phone photos — a respectable library even today.
Launched at $1,799 in 2016 — about $2,357 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Cross-architecture speed figures are clock-only and approximate; inflation figures use US CPI.
Did you know?
The Touch Bar quietly disappeared a few years later — few mourned it.
Related Mac models
Open the MacBook Pro (Touch Bar, 2016) in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-06-25