Apple launches 13

Apple launched a new version of its 13-inch MacBook Pro with an upgraded keyboard, processor, and storage.

The new laptop has a 1.4GHz, quad-core, 8th generation Intel Core i5 processor, which can be upgraded to a 2.0GHz, quad-core, 10th generation Intel Core i5 processor.

It starts with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. There's also a version with 16GB or 32GB of RAM, and up to 4TB of SSD storage.

Perhaps the most important new feature is the Magic Keyboard, which replaces the old unreliable butterfly keyboard. Its layout is also different than before, with a physical Escape key and inverse T-shaped arrow keys.

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The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Magic Keyboard follows the launch of the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the new keyboard, which has replaced the 15-inch MacBook Pro in the company's lineup. Despite rumors that the 13-inch MacBook Pro will be similarly replaced by a larger, 14-inch variant, this hasn't happened — at least not yet.

The three available configurations start at $1,299, $1,499, and $1,799, respectively. Education customers can get the new 13-inch MacBook Pro starting at $1,199.

SEE ALSO: Apple's Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro is now available to order

With this launch, Apple has improved the 13-inch MacBook Pro's value by quite a bit. It now starts with 256GB as opposed to 128GB of storage, the keyboard is better, and upgrading from 8GB to 16GB of RAM costs $100, which is half the amount it did before (interestingly, it still costs $200 to upgrade from 8GB to 16GB of RAM on the MacBook Air).

However, it's probably the $1,799 version that will appeal to professionals the most. It has four (instead of two) Thunderbolt ports, a faster, newer processor, and more storage. There's also a catch when it comes to RAM: The two starting configurations come with 2,133MHz LPDDR3 memory, and only the priciest configuration has the considerably faster, 3,733MHz LPDDR4X memory.

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro is available for order today over at Apple's website. It will come to Apple stores and Apple Authorized Resellers later this week, which is also when the first orders will ship.