The reason a touch screen isn't necessary is because OS X 10.9 Mavericks and apps written for OS X aren't optimized for touch screens. This is not the case on the MacBook Pro 13-inch (2013) and its Mac brethren. Much has been written about touch screens and why Windows 8 and 8.1 really need one to be useful.

Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. The backlit chiclet style keyboard is comfortable to use, as is the wide multi-touch trackpad. It sits squarely between the ultra-thin consumer grade (but battery life monster) Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (Mid 2013) ( at Amazon) (Opens in a new window) at $1,099, and the monster performance Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (2013) ( at Amazon) (Opens in a new window) professional desktop replacement at $1,999. The chassis is still mostly milled aluminum, with the familiar Apple matte silver finish. Not earth-shattering by any means, but the anything that makes an ultraportable notebook more portable is welcome in our eyes.

The aluminum and glass system has become a smidge lighter as well, down to 3.37 pounds from 3.57 pounds. However, if you actually pull out a set of calipers, you'll see that the 0.71 by 12.35 by 8.62 inch (HWD) system has become thinner by 0.04 inches (vs. On first glance, the MacBook Pro 13-inch (2013) looks identical to the previous version, the Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (Retina Display) ( at Amazon) (Opens in a new window) ($1,999). It's $500 less expensive than last year's model, yet more than earns its title as our latest Editors' Choice for high end ultraportable laptops. If you're okay with switching to or using a Mac, it's one of the better choices in this price range. The MacBook Pro 13-inch ( at Amazon) (Opens in a new window) is a prime competitor to the high-end ultrabooks that come with Windows 8/8.1 and have higher than 1080p HD resolution screens. The Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (2013) uses Intel's Haswell-based Core i5 processor to give power users a system that can last almost 12 hours under continuous use, weighs just over three pounds, and still process graphics and scientific tasks quickly.

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