The 16-inch MacBook Pro is perhaps the biggest upgrade to a high-end laptop Apple has had in years.It features a new keyboard, better graphics cards, a redesigned cooling system, and a sleeker, more modern look.Irresistible, don't you think?And if you are thinking of buying one, here you will find the necessary information to determine which configuration is the one that will best suit your needs.MacBook Pro 16 is designed for professional users with demanding workloads, and that's reflected in the processor options it offers.The base model comes with a 2.6GHz six-core Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost up to 4.5GHz.If you go for the high-end MacBook Pro 16, you'll default to a 2.3GHz 8-core Intel Core i9 processor with 4.8GHz Turbo Boost. Both models can be upgraded to a 2.4GHz 8-core Intel Core i9 with a Turbo Boost of 5.0 GHz. No matter which you choose, all the chips are 9th generation models.This isn't the first time you've been able to get an Intel i9 processor in a MacBook Pro. Before it morphed into the 16-inch version you see now, the MacBook Pro 15 could be upgraded to have an i9 chip.However, for protection, the computer automatically slowed down due to insufficient cooling system, which means you paid a lot of money for mediocre performance.Fortunately, all that has changed thanks to the redesigned cooling system in the MacBook Pro 16. Apple says it has a 35% larger heatsink and has increased airflow by 28%, which translates to less performance. inhibitedThat means the i9 is now a great option.If you're looking at the MacBook Pro 16 first, an i7 processor might not be enough for you, so we'd recommend moving up to the 2.3GHz i9 model.However – unless you really need it – it might not be worth going for the larger configuration with the 2.4GHz i9 processor.It only offers 0.1 GHz more base throughput and 0.2 GHz more Turbo Boost power, but it costs you $200 more.We consider this to be too much money for what you get.Note that opting for the "mid-range" processor option (if a mid-range i9 can ever be considered) means some other components get upgraded as well: in return, you get a better graphics card and double the storage of the base model, all for a $400 price increase.We'll get into these components shortly, but considering the prices Apple typically charges to upgrade components, $400 isn't bad at all.Memory has always been one of the most expensive components to upgrade in Apple computers, and the MacBook Pro 16 is no different.Each model starts with 16GB of 2666MHz DDR4 RAM, which can be upgraded to 32GB for $400 or up to 64GB for $800.These days, if you're doing serious work, 16GB is the minimum RAM you're likely to need, so it's a good thing the MacBook Pro 16 starts with that instead of the base 13-inch MacBook Pro's 8GB. ».But what if you need more than that?Is it worth paying Apple's astronomical prices?Unfortunately, this is an area where you don't have many options.As iFixit found out when they did a 16-inch MacBook Pro teardown, Apple has soldered the RAM to the laptop.That means that once you've bought it, it's almost impossible to upgrade the RAM.You are stuck with whatever choice you make in the buying process.You'll need to think hard about how much memory you need.Does your current computer have 16 GB and you are constantly on the limit?Is your workload likely to increase soon and you need more RAM?These are questions to ask yourself before deciding how much memory to buy.Most people are unlikely to need 64GB of RAM, so having to shell out $800 is a rare occurrence.But whatever you choose, make sure it's the right amount for you.If you decide to go with the 2.3GHz Core i9 processor, you'll automatically get up to 1TB of SSD storage;if not, the MacBook Pro 16 starts with a 512GB SSD.In any case, both are much more spacious than the 128 or 256GB SSDs that the 13-inch MacBook Pro models start with, which is, of course, welcome.The price to upgrade the storage of the MacBook Pro 16 varies depending on the model you choose.Starting with the 2.6GHz i7 model, you can upgrade to a 1TB SSD for $200, 2TB for $600, 4TB for $1,200, or a whopping 8TB for a whopping $2,400.Prices on the i9 model, interestingly enough, are slightly cheaper.You'll pay $400 to go up to 2TB, while the 4TB SSD is $1,000 and the 8TB monster is $2,200.These prices may seem quite expensive for their respective capabilities, but it should be noted that Apple uses some of the fastest SSDs on the market.These aren't standard SATA drives that hit a paltry 500 MBps: Apple claims its drives can hit 3.2 GBps.While you're paying more for storage than other brand laptops, you know you're getting a blazingly fast drive to make up for it.So which capacity should you choose?That really depends on your job.If you want to use the MacBook Pro 16 for photo editing or video production, you'll likely need more storage space than someone using it for web development, for example.Another key consideration is where you will be using the laptop.If you'll only be using it at home or in an office, you'll be better off using a dedicated file server or a large external hard drive, which will be much more affordable than Apple's larger storage options.If, on the other hand, you regularly need to take your laptop out, having plenty of internal storage will be preferable.The final note is that you can also download many of your files to iCloud using your Mac's Optimize Storage setting, which stores files in the cloud and allows you to re-download them whenever you need them.If you can't afford Apple's larger SSDs in the MacBook Pro 16, an iCloud storage plan and Optimize Storage might help.Unlike its 13-inch sibling, the MacBook Pro 16 has discrete graphics card options, making it a better option if you want to play games, play videos, or run any other graphics-intensive task.The entry-level MacBook Pro 16 has an AMD Radeon Pro 5300M video card with 4GB of video memory, while it can be upgraded to an AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 4GB of RAM (the default on the MacBook Pro 16 high-end), or an AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 8GB of RAM.If your work is more processor-centric and you don't need a beefy graphics card, the 5300M should be right for you.And if you decide to go for the 2.3GHz i9 model with the 1TB SSD, you'll get the 5500M with 4GB of RAM included anyway.If you can afford it (and if you need to), we'd recommend upgrading to the 5500M 8GB card, as it's only $100 more than the 5500M 4GB.That's not a bad upgrade price to get double the video memory, which will come in handy in games that use a lot of large textures, for example.Regardless of what you buy, don't expect it to be a killer gaming laptop.Some configurations for the MacBook Pro 16 are relatively easy to do, while others are highly dependent on your circumstances.However, for our money, we recommend the following model.It starts with the 2.3GHz i9 processor. That will automatically get you down to a 1TB SSD and an AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 4GB of video RAM.We think you should stick with the 1TB SSD and expand with an external storage drive if you need more space.Upgrade the graphics card to the 8GB model for $100 more;doubling the video memory should go a long way.The final piece of the puzzle is memory, and this really depends on your use case.16GB should be fine unless you're doing memory-intensive work.That configuration will cost $2,899.That's a lot of money, but the MacBook Pro 16 is easily the most capable and best-performing Mac laptop you can buy right now.If you have a demanding workload, you'll be glad for the extra power under the hood.Enhance your lifestyle Product review, technology news, tools to navigate the digital world.