[Obsidian Dragon]

To the OP and others interesting in getting a new MBP for Protools, please note that currently, none of the 13" MBP's have a QUAD core i7. In general they come with an DUAL core i5. You can get one configured from the factory with a DUAL core i7 (notice not a QUAD core i7).

Having said that, the consensus among all the experienced folks here is that the QUAD core i7 is the best for Protools (along with 16 GB of RAM). Therefore the only new MBP's that meet this criteria are the 15" MBP's. Protools has always needed intensive hardware to perform well. It is a part of the investment required. I don't want to sound snobbish, but if you want to use Protools, please don't skimp and get lesser hardware such as an i5 or 8GB of RAM. Even the DUAL core i7 is less than optimal. If you can't afford it now, I suggest waiting until you can, rather than buying something you regret because it is not up to the task. Each person's needs are different and therefore some may get by with an i5 processor or maybe a DUAL core i7 will be enough for some, but currently the sweet spot is a QUAD core i7 with 16 GB or ram (the maximum configured in any current MBP). Be warned that you cannot upgrade it as both the RAM and the SSD are soldered on to the motherboard, so buy what you need up front.

The caveat is that now Apple only ships all of their new machines with High Sierra. Some folks have it working successfully with Protools 12 but, as of this writing, it has not been officially certified yet. If you purchase the MBP at another retailer (Best Buy, etc.) you might still get a unit with Sierra (not High Sierra) and that is certified for PT12.

Keep in mind there are some 2016 model that looks exactly like the 2017 models (including function key and touch bar models). The difference is the 2016 models have the older 6th generation "Sky Lake" processor from Intel, while the 2017 models come with the newer 7th generation "Kaby Lake" processor. It is just a minor bump in speed but there are significant power efficiencies and better discrete graphic processors in the 2017 15" MBP models. You may save a couple hundred dollars ($100-$300) by getting the 2016 models but keep in mind the differences mentioned above.

I hope that helps clear things ups for people interested in purchasing the latest model (or almost latest model) MBP.