With the new MacBook Pro, all four Thunderbolt 3 ports offer the full bandwidth of up to 40 gigabits per second. Thus, all Thunderbolt 3 ports offer the full performance of the interface. This is made possible by the new generation of processors in Mac Book computers with touch bar. Apple also discusses another detail in the technical documentation that is important to many users.
Compared to the US blog MacRumors, Apple confirms a technical detail concerning the Thunderbolt 3 connections. Accordingly, all four Thunderbolt 3 ports are designed as high-speed interfaces with the full bandwidth of up to 40 gigabits per second. This means external graphics cards can be operated without restrictions on the “smaller” 13-inch MacBook Pro with touch bar.
The improvement is made possible by the new processors from Intel. In its eighth generation, the Core i5 and Core i7, which Apple integrates into the 13-inch MacBook Pro, have 16 PCI Express connections. This provides the required bandwidth for high-speed Thunderbolt-3.
In 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro 13-inch devices, only the two left Thunderbolt 3 ports are configured as high-speed interfaces because the sixth and seventh-generation Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7 CPUs can only operate up to 12 PCI Express lanes. MacBook Pro 15-inch with touch bar does not have this limitation.
In addition, Apple discusses another detail in the technical documentation that is important to many. The new silicone membrane under the keys of MacBook Pro 2018, MacGeneration can quote support instructions that the membrane is designed to protect the flat keyboard on MacBook Pro from dirt. Apple does not emphasize this feature itself, because then one admits an error in previous model series. Apple advertises the new keyboard as “quieter”.