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The MacBook Pro Touch Bar debuted on October 27, 2016, reached a new 16-inch generation on November 13, 2019, and was removed from Apple’s redesigned high-end 14-inch and 16-inch models announced on October 18, 2021. Those dates explain which generation you are looking at when buying a used or refurbished MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar.
The three dates at a glance
| Date | What happened | Screen and silicon generation | Keyboard interface |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 27, 2016 | Apple introduced the first MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar. | Redesigned MacBook Pro; Intel-era hardware | Touch Bar replaced the traditional function-key row |
| November 13, 2019 | Apple introduced the 16-inch MacBook Pro generation. | 16-inch Intel-era MacBook Pro | Touch Bar, Touch ID and redesigned scissor-mechanism Magic Keyboard |
| October 18, 2021 | Apple announced redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models that removed the Touch Bar. | M1 Pro and M1 Max Apple silicon | Physical function keys, including a wider Escape key, returned |
October 27, 2016: the Touch Bar debut
Apple introduced the Touch Bar in a redesigned MacBook Pro on October 27, 2016. The strip was a Retina-quality Multi-Touch display positioned where the conventional function keys had been. It could present controls that changed with the active app instead of showing one fixed row of keys.
The 13-inch Touch Bar model started at $1,799 at launch, according to Apple’s 2016 release, and was scheduled to ship in two to three weeks. That launch price is historical; it should not be treated as the current value of a used machine.
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How to identify a 2016 Touch Bar model
- Look for a narrow, screen-like strip above the number row rather than physical F1–F12 keys.
- Check the listing’s model year and screen size, because the 2016 MacBook Pro family included configurations that did not all use the same keyboard interface.
- Confirm the processor and battery condition before buying used; these are Intel-era machines, and battery health can differ substantially between otherwise similar listings.
November 13, 2019: the 16-inch Touch Bar generation
On November 13, 2019, Apple introduced a 16-inch MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar. The launch specification also included Touch ID, a Force Touch trackpad and Apple’s T2 Security Chip.
#1 Best Overall
- SUPERCHARGED BY M2: The 13-inch MacBook Pro laptop is a portable powerhouse. Get more done faster with a next-generation 8-core CPU, up to 10-core GPU and up to 24GB of unified memory.
- UP TO 20 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE: Go all day and into the night, thanks to the power-efficient performance of the brand new Apple M2 chip. (Up to 20 hours of video playback)
- BIG, BEAUTIFUL DISPLAY: The 13.3-inch Retina display features 500 nits of brightness, P3 wide color, and support for 1 billion colors for vibrant images and incredible detail.
- SUSTAINED PERFORMANCE: Thanks to its active cooling system, the MacBook Pro can sustain pro levels of performance, so you can run CPU- and GPU-intensive tasks for hours.
- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY: The MacBook Pro features two Thunderbolt 3 ports and a headphone jack that lets you connect and power high-speed accessories.
This generation changed the physical keyboard as well. Apple described a redesigned scissor-mechanism Magic Keyboard with 1 mm of key travel. That detail helps distinguish the 16-inch 2019 design from earlier keyboard mechanisms when comparing second-hand listings.
What the 2019 date tells a buyer
- A listing advertised as a 16-inch MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar is associated with this 2019 generation, not the 2021 redesign.
- Verify that the listing includes Touch ID and the scissor-mechanism keyboard rather than relying only on a seller’s headline.
- Check the exact keyboard layout, processor configuration, storage, battery condition and included charger. Those details can vary within the same screen-size generation.
October 18, 2021: physical function keys return
On October 18, 2021, Apple announced redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models powered by the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips. Apple replaced the Touch Bar with physical function keys, including a wider Escape key.
Rank #2
- Quad-core 8th-Generation Intel Core i5 Processor
- Brilliant Retina Display with True Tone technology
- Touch Bar and Touch ID
- Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
- Ultrafast SSD
This is the key end-of-era date for the Touch Bar in Apple’s larger flagship MacBook Pro models. It does not mean every MacBook Pro sold before or after that announcement had identical hardware; it means the redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch professional models moved back to a conventional function-key row.
How the 2021 redesign changes model identification
- Physical function keys and a wider Escape key indicate the 2021 high-end redesign rather than a Touch Bar-equipped model.
- The M1 Pro and M1 Max identify Apple silicon, while the 2016 and 2019 Touch Bar generations belong to the earlier Intel era.
- Screen size alone is insufficient: a 16-inch listing can refer to the 2019 Touch Bar generation or the 2021 physical-key redesign.
Which MacBook Pro models have a Touch Bar?
The documented Touch Bar generations in this timeline are the redesigned 2016 MacBook Pro models and the 16-inch MacBook Pro introduced in 2019. The 2021 14-inch and 16-inch flagship redesigns do not have one.
Rank #3
- SUPERCHARGED BY M2: The 13-inch MacBook Pro laptop is a portable powerhouse. Get more done faster with a next-generation 8-core CPU, up to 10-core GPU and up to 24GB of unified memory.
- UP TO 20 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE: Go all day and into the night, thanks to the power-efficient performance of the brand new Apple M2 chip. (Up to 20 hours of video playback)
- BIG, BEAUTIFUL DISPLAY: The 13.3-inch Retina display features 500 nits of brightness, P3 wide color, and support for 1 billion colors for vibrant images and incredible detail.
- SUSTAINED PERFORMANCE: Thanks to its active cooling system, the MacBook Pro can sustain pro levels of performance, so you can run CPU- and GPU-intensive tasks for hours.
- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY: The MacBook Pro features two Thunderbolt 3 ports and a headphone jack that lets you connect and power high-speed accessories.
When searching second-hand inventory, the exact phrase “MacBook Pro with Touch Bar” can help, but the phrase is not enough to establish the model. Ask for the model year, screen size, processor, keyboard layout and battery condition, then compare photographs of the top row with the seller’s specifications.
How to choose between a Touch Bar model and a 2021 physical-key model
Choose a Touch Bar generation when
- You specifically need the contextual controls or prefer the Touch Bar’s compact interface.
- You are comfortable buying an Intel-era MacBook Pro and evaluating battery condition on a used or refurbished unit.
- The listing clearly identifies the 2016 or 2019 generation and supplies complete hardware details.
Choose the 2021 redesign when
- You prefer dedicated function keys and a physical Escape key.
- You want the M1 Pro or M1 Max Apple silicon generation rather than an Intel-era model.
- You are comparing a 14-inch or 16-inch flagship model and do not want a Touch Bar.
Buying checklist for used and refurbished listings
- Confirm the announcement generation: 2016 Touch Bar, 2019 16-inch Touch Bar or 2021 14-inch/16-inch physical-key redesign.
- Match the screen size to the generation; a 16-inch model may be from 2019 or 2021.
- Check whether the processor is Intel, or M1 Pro/M1 Max for the 2021 redesign.
- Inspect the keyboard photograph for a Touch Bar, physical function keys and the Escape-key design.
- Verify battery condition, storage, memory, keyboard layout and charger before paying.
- For USB-C or Thunderbolt accessories, confirm compatibility with the specific generation rather than assuming every MacBook Pro port or accessory behaves identically.
Why these dates still matter
The dates mark a change in Apple’s interface strategy: a configurable touch strip replaced physical keys in 2016, the design expanded to a 16-inch professional model in 2019, and Apple returned to dedicated keys in the 2021 flagship redesign. Using the date, screen size and processor together is the most reliable way to identify a listing and avoid confusing a 2019 16-inch Touch Bar MacBook Pro with a 2021 16-inch model that has physical function keys.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Quad-core 8th-Generation Intel Core i5 Processor
- Brilliant Retina Display with True Tone technology
- Touch Bar and Touch ID
- Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
- Ultrafast SSD
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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