Many tech fans were excited when Apple released its latest line of laptops. However, the 2016 MacBook Pro laptop was recently denied a "recommended rating" from Consumer Reports.
Known for providing unbiased reviews and ratings for various products, Consumer Reports tested three of Apple's new MacBook Pro models namely the 13-inch and 15-inch units with the new Touch Bar and a 13-inch variant without the said enhancement. Purchased from retail outlets, the said laptops underwent a series of lab tests in a controlled environment
When it came to testing the laptops' battery life, each of the three units posted inconsistent results, according to a report posted on the said organization's website. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar posted battery life results that ranged from 3.75 hours to 16 hours, while the 15-inch model and 13-inch laptop without the Touch Bar registered timeframes of 8 to 18.5 hours and 4.5 to 19.5 hours, respectively.
Consumer Reports also highlighted that they usually average the results of the battery trials done on the same unit since it would typically show variances of around 5 percent. However, the time differences posted by Apple's new laptops were too wide which, when averaged, will not be reflective of what consumers may experience.
Given the test findings, the organization gave the said device it lowest battery score. When all the test results were collated, Apple's new laptops failed to meet the minimum requirements needed to nab a "recommended rating" from Consumer Reports.
The 2016 MacBook Pro is the first Apple laptop that failed to get a recommendation from the said group. When the organization contacted Apple to get their thoughts on the test results, Consumer Reports only received an email note that requested customers to get in touch with AppleCare for their questions or issues.
Meanwhile, Apple previously boasted that its new laptops can run for 10 hours on a full battery. However, many Apple users have reported low battery life concerns and that the unit's "time remaining" battery indicator posted low numbers.
An update included in the macOS Sierra 10.12.2 patch was said to have addressed the said issue by removing the "time remaining" battery indicator. Apple stated that the said detail was inaccurate but the battery percentage is reliable, according to The Loop.
The 2016 MacBook Pro was released in November. Learn more about the laptop in the clip below: