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Penny pinching? Seems to me like you are the one who is doing that and not Tim as lots of folks on here for some reason expect Apple to sell things at a loss so you can gain more.

your budget is not an Apple issue. I hope the pricing is where we pay for what we want.

Not being low cost and given more just out of a perceived necessity to appease.

Really? lol, clearly you have no idea what you are talking about but sure. I must be poor! how dare I suggest Timo is penny pinching with 720 webcams or fusion drive on desktops.
 
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Woo hoo! I really hope they #ditchthetouchbar and bring back MagSafe and the additional ports. But mostly, please ditch the touch bar! I ended up returning the 16" MBP I got because of that stupid thing. While I love my 2015 MBP it's time for an upgrade and I am very excited to see these new Apples!
 
If they really ditch the touchbar, that would be a dream come true, and also instant buy for me!
 
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And the complaints about dongles is not just on Apple. Any Windows thin ultrabooks all need dongles.

This. I bought a Del XPS 12" back in 2017, and it only had USB-C ports and did not (at that time) include a USB-C to USB-A dongle.

So I bought a dongle and had no problem using USB-A devices with that XPS.

And that same dongle works great with my M1 MBP and any USB-A devices I want to use so far (Apple Superdrive, SSD in external enclosure, USB flash drives).
 
Why can’t we get the best of both worlds. Apple could bundle a MagSafe cable with a MagSafe to usb-c adapter. It get plugged into any usb-c port on the Mac. When you yank the cable the mag safe detaches leaving the little adapter in tact.
 
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I am really torn whether buy an Air now, or wait for the new pro. Not having a touchbar won't be a benefit over the Air, the expected bigger size is a minus, and I am worried over magsafe-only charging. The only port I'd need maybe an usb-a for 'emergencies', but for that have inexpensive adapters. And no word about the multiple display support in Pro, which would be the only real benefit for me. I am sick and tired of the waiting game, and this time it doesn't benefit them all: no way I would buy an intel pro now, and the Air is (probably much) cheaper than the future 14" pro. They should come clear in the March event at the latest, or risk people jumping on cheaper models.
 
1. Bringing HDMI back makes sense, but what about DisplayPort? DP-based monitors are pervasive, and the DP standard is well ahead of HDMI in its support for higher resolutions, higher refresh rates, wider color schemes, etc., and DP is natively supported by USB3 (as well as natively supported by TB3 and TB4/USB4) as DP alternate mode. DP can be adapted to HDMI with a simple passive adapter, but the opposite is not the case. You have to have an active adapter to be able to adapt HDMI to DP. So, IMHO, the DP port should be higher on the priority list than the HDMI port to appear in the MacBook Pro. If the full-size DP port is too large to fit on the side of the new MacBook Pro, then Apple should bring back the miniDP port. Fortunately, there are hundreds of millions of existing miniDP adapters that would work with new MacBook Pros if the miniDP port were to be brought back. HDMI is easily adaptable from the USB4 port by a passive adapter. So, if Apple wants to bring back the HDMI port to eliminate the need to buy and carry an HDMI dongle, there should be the same effort to eliminate DP dongles by having a DP port.


2. MagSafe. How crazy is this? Hundreds of millions of existing MagSafe adapters have been discarded because people thought they were outdated and would never be compatible with future MacBooks. And now the name MagSafe has been recycled as the iPhone wireless charging adapter. So now, after almost five years of imploring by the customers, Apple finally decides to resurrect the absolutely ingenious feature that they murdered in 2016? WTH is happening within Apple? I’m all in favor of the MagSafe power connector, but what is it now going to be called? Will it be compatible with MagSafe 2? I don’t see how they can revive this standard, since the name MagSafe means something completely different in 2021 than it meant in 2016. So, chances of it being compatible with MagSafe 2 are nil. So much for caring about the environment; the amount of electronic waste Apple created by murdering MagSafe 2 is astounding.

3. TouchBar. I was never a fan of TouchBar, but I’m an engineer, so I never had use for it. Additionally, it would also get in my way quite often, as I would accidentally touch it while touch-typing, which would result in undesired typing artifacts. However, recently I was helping my son to set up his music studio, and I realized that TouchBar is EXTREMELY important to musicians to gain quick access to various controls. I simply can’t imagine that Apple will now murder TouchBar, as it’s an ingenious feature for the musicians (and perhaps other creative professionals). So, my expectation is that there will be two versions of the MacBook Pro: with TouchBar and without TouchBar. I suspect that as soon as TouchBar becomes an option and is no longer foisted upon the customer by Apple, TouchBar will acquire more fans than it has today. Given a choice, many will actually choose TouchBar.
 
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One $25 USB-C hub will give you more single-purpose ports than any previous MacBook Pro had (with the exception of the 17" which had ExpressCard), and be roughly half the size of an iPhone (ie if you 'cut' the phone in half length-wise).

But guess what? If you happen to travel, and you don't use, say, HDMI very often, but you use a wired network more often, you can get one that has that instead. Or any number of other single-use ports.

The ability to have a laptop that can adapt to almost any kind of I/O in moments, is a massively under-valued proposition by the whiners.
Criticism is “whining”? Wow.
 
Regarding the case, I think it's a step back from the current casing, how do you easily pick it up if it's flat as in the picture.
The round edges on the current model is far better imho.
unfortunately, that didn't stop them scre*ing up the iPad Pro or the iPhones. The old designs were much better, IMHO. The bending iPad Pro should have learned them...
 
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I like all that rumors (maybe keep both TB and FK) but I dislike the release time, I want it earlier. Third Q is from late june to late sept, iPhone time. When do you really thing it will be release
If you are waiting for the 14” mbp maybe you will be in luck and it will be released in March or around WWDC
 
The Mac has become a long game of waiting and seeing. And considering the pie-in-the-sky "innovations" of the godawful 2016 generation are being rolled back, I wonder if the new roadmap is the result of new management by people more familiar and respectful of the Mac line and users. The previous MPBs were an insult and yes, I'm salty that we wasted so much time, effort, and money getting the right peripherals just so Apple would go "nevermind" on their whatever-vision a few years down the line.
What peripherals did you get that are suddenly this victim of Apple saying "nevermind"???
 
The wants for MBA 2021/22: M2, 14" (rounded display corners), SD Card slot, MagSafe (with charge-status light + cable management), 2 USBc, 1 USBa, headphone jack.

My 2015 MBA: i7, 13.3" (squared display corners), SD Card slot, MagSafe (with charge-status light + cable management), 2 USBa, 1 display port, headphone jack.

There's no good reason why we can't have the above ☝🏻

All MBPs should have M2X (M1X this year) and 4 USBc ports. They should get rid of the lower end MBP as it is too close in every way to the MBA. And get rid of the lower end MBP with the worse speakers too. Even now the remaining 13" Intel model has better audio setup than the 13" M1 MBP.

Similar thinking, although I have the 15" mid-2015 MBP and hanker after the 16" 2021/22 MBP.
 
Really? lol, clearly you have no idea what you are talking about but sure. I must be poor! how dare I suggest Timo is penny pinching with 720 webcams or fusion drive on desktops.
Clearly you must think I care about what you think of you if you aligned with that person. See you at the pre order 😎
 
Apple will bring back obsolete ports after years of abandonment on a journey to a wireless future? Is MacRumors now a satire site?
 
This is a straw man argument, he’s neither saying Apple needs to take a loss or that other companies charge more for less. The 16” pro has a much higher starting price than it did historically, seemingly because they decided to only offer models with dedicated graphics from 2016. As Apple Silicon integrated graphics are much better than Intel integrated graphics, Apple have the option to delete the dGPU on a future Apple Silicon model and pass that saving on to the consumer to reduce the starting price back to what it was previously.
I don’t care you guys are looking for Apple to become a cheap company like HP. I’m done speaking with you and you are blocked
 
I've also resorted to using my iPhone mounted on a tripod which in turn is mounted on my monitor stand. I tried EpocCam but wasn't really pleased with the performance, so I switched to Camo Studio. The free tier gives you stable and responsive 720p and made people genuinely impressed with my video quality.

It's nice tehre are a number of viable alternatives to the built in cmaera that provide a better abd more flexible solution.

Now, for the MacBook Air 2018 to not sound like a jet engine regardless... 😒

Yes, in this case jet engine sounds aren't the sounds of freedom...
This is like when Victoria Principal woke up and Bobby was back.
And we all get to wonder who shot the Touch Bar...
 


Apple introduced a new M1 MacBook Pro in November of 2020, but the new model didn't include any design changes. That's going to change in 2021, with rumors suggesting Apple has a major MacBook Pro design refresh in the works.


The 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models that are coming in 2021 will feature the most significant design overhaul to the MacBook Pro line that we've seen since 2016, and the updated machines will also address complaints that users have had with the MacBook Pro for years by bringing back older features that include MagSafe, more ports, and physical function keys.

The rumors in this guide have been sourced from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, both of whom often provide accurate insight into Apple's plans.

Design

Apple has both updated 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models in the works. The 14-inch model will replace the current 13.3-inch model, while the 16-inch model will replace the existing 16-inch version that's available.

Flat-2021-MacBook-Pro-Mockup-Feature-1.jpg

For the revamped 14-inch model, it's likely that the overall casing size will remain similar to the 13-inch MacBook Pro, with the increase in display size coming largely from a reduction in the top and side bezels of the machine.

13inchmacbookpro20203.jpg

The current 13-inch MacBook Pro

There may be a slight increase in physical size, however. When Apple transitioned from the 15.4-inch MacBook Pro to the 16.1-inch MacBook Pro, the physical sizing went from 13.75 x 9.48 inches to 14.09 x 9.68 inches, and we could see something similar with the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

16inchmacbookpromain.jpg

The 16-inch MacBook Pro

Both of the new models that are coming are expected to feature some notable design changes. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the new MacBook Pro models will feature a flat-edged design that's "similar to the iPhone 12," with no curved edges like current models.

Gurman has corroborated Kuo's report, but his information suggests that the flat-edged design may not be too much of a deviation from the current design. He says that the upgraded models will "look similar" to current models, but will feature "minor design changes," so we'll need to wait to see just how significant these changes to the overall design turn out to be.

The updated MacBook Pro models will use the same heat pipe design used by the current 16-inch MacBook Pro model. Apple revamped the thermal system of the 16-inch MacBook Pro, increasing the size of the heat pipe, adding thermal pads, and increasing the size of the heat sink by 35 percent.

This new thermal system will allow for increased computing power thanks to improved airflow and heat management, which bodes well for the performance of the Apple silicon chips that are expected to be included.

Ports

Even if the chassis updates are more minor in scale than Kuo has made them out to be, there are other tweaks in the works that will make the 2021 refresh a major update. Kuo believes Apple is going to add additional ports to the MacBook Pro models, though he has not specified which ports these might be.

Ports-2021-MacBook-Pro-Mockup-Feature-1.jpg

Apple in 2016 rolled out a new MacBook Pro design that did away with all ports except for USB-C ports and the 3.5mm headphone jack, but prior models from 2012 to 2015 included a MagSafe connector, Thunderbolt ports, USB-A ports, an HDMI port, an SD card reader, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

With the 2021 machines, we could see the return of some of these long-discontinued ports. It's likely that most ports will continue to be USB-C as Apple has been transitioning to USB-C for years now, but there could be additions like an SD card slot or an HDMI port.

2015-macbook-pro-side-profile-article.jpg

Given Apple's emphasis on USB-C and the slim design of the MacBook Pro lineup, it's not likely we're going to see the return of USB-A, but Kuo has said that the new machines will have enough ports so most users "may not need to purchase additional dongles."

Gurman's report mentions the inclusion of USB-C ports, but it does not mention other types of I/O.

MagSafe

Along with additional ports, the new machines are expected to bring MagSafe back to the Mac lineup. MagSafe connectors were used for MacBook Pro models from 2006 to 2016, when Apple replaced the MagSafe connector with a USB-C port, but now it looks like we're returning to a MagSafe design.

macbook-pro-magsafe.jpg

Both Kuo and Gurman expect the new MacBook Pro models to be equipped with MagSafe for charging purposes, with the MagSafe charging port to be distinct from the other included USB-C ports.

MagSafe in the new MacBook Pro models is expected to be similar to the MagSafe 2 connectors and ports used prior to 2016, which allowed for a quick-release magnetic connection that prevented damage to the computer and the cable when the cord was yanked.

The MagSafe charging functionality is expected to allow for faster charging speeds than are available with USB-C, and given that Apple is swapping over to a new charging technology, we can expect the forthcoming MacBook Pro models to ship with a MagSafe charging cable and accompanying power adapter.

No Touch Bar

Apple introduced a Touch Bar in the 2016 Macs, providing a small OLED display where physical function keys used to be located. Apple had grand plans for the Touch Bar and envisioned it being an adaptable mini-display that offered customizable controls and different functions on a per-app basis, but the Touch Bar never seemed to catch on with consumers.

macbook-pro-touch-bar-m1.jpg

Kuo says that the Touch Bar will be removed in the 2021 MacBook Pro models and will be replaced with physical function keys. Gurman has confirmed that Apple has tested versions of the MacBook Pro that do not have a Touch Bar.

touch-bar-close-up.jpg

Display

Gurman believes the new MacBook Pro models will feature display improvements in the form of "brighter, higher-contrast panels," and in past rumors, Kuo has suggested the updated machines will be the first Macs with mini-LED displays, marking a significant improvement in display quality.

Given that Kuo made no mention of mini-LED technology in his most recent report, it's possible that mini-LED functionality has been delayed until a later date.

If Apple does transition to mini-LED for the 2021 MacBook Pro models, the displays could use somewhere around 10,000 LEDs, each one under 200 microns in size. Mini-LED technology will allow for a thinner and lighter design, while offering many OLED-like benefits such as improved wide color gamut, high contrast and dynamic range, and truer blacks.

Processor

The entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro already has an M1 chip, and in 2021, all new MacBook Pro models will gain Apple silicon chips. Apple is not expected to release MacBook Pro models with Intel chips, phasing Intel chips out of the notebook line entirely.

applesiliconbenefits.jpg

Apple is working on higher-end Apple silicon chips that have as many as 16 power cores and four efficiency cores, which would annihilate any Intel CPU in terms of performance. There's also new GPU technology in the works, with Apple designing 16 and 32-core GPU options, some of which could be used in the new MacBook Pro models.

Launch Date

The new MacBook Pro models are expected to launch in the third quarter of 2021.

Read More

We have more on the current MacBook Pro models and the upcoming redesigned MacBook Pro models in our dedicated 13-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro roundups.

Article Link: Upcoming 16-Inch and 14-Inch MacBook Pros: Everything We Know
 


Apple introduced a new M1 MacBook Pro in November of 2020, but the new model didn't include any design changes. That's going to change in 2021, with rumors suggesting Apple has a major MacBook Pro design refresh in the works.


The 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models that are coming in 2021 will feature the most significant design overhaul to the MacBook Pro line that we've seen since 2016, and the updated machines will also address complaints that users have had with the MacBook Pro for years by bringing back older features that include MagSafe, more ports, and physical function keys.

The rumors in this guide have been sourced from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, both of whom often provide accurate insight into Apple's plans.

Design

Apple has both updated 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models in the works. The 14-inch model will replace the current 13.3-inch model, while the 16-inch model will replace the existing 16-inch version that's available.

Flat-2021-MacBook-Pro-Mockup-Feature-1.jpg

For the revamped 14-inch model, it's likely that the overall casing size will remain similar to the 13-inch MacBook Pro, with the increase in display size coming largely from a reduction in the top and side bezels of the machine.

13inchmacbookpro20203.jpg

The current 13-inch MacBook Pro

There may be a slight increase in physical size, however. When Apple transitioned from the 15.4-inch MacBook Pro to the 16.1-inch MacBook Pro, the physical sizing went from 13.75 x 9.48 inches to 14.09 x 9.68 inches, and we could see something similar with the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

16inchmacbookpromain.jpg

The 16-inch MacBook Pro

Both of the new models that are coming are expected to feature some notable design changes. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the new MacBook Pro models will feature a flat-edged design that's "similar to the iPhone 12," with no curved edges like current models.

Gurman has corroborated Kuo's report, but his information suggests that the flat-edged design may not be too much of a deviation from the current design. He says that the upgraded models will "look similar" to current models, but will feature "minor design changes," so we'll need to wait to see just how significant these changes to the overall design turn out to be.

The updated MacBook Pro models will use the same heat pipe design used by the current 16-inch MacBook Pro model. Apple revamped the thermal system of the 16-inch MacBook Pro, increasing the size of the heat pipe, adding thermal pads, and increasing the size of the heat sink by 35 percent.

This new thermal system will allow for increased computing power thanks to improved airflow and heat management, which bodes well for the performance of the Apple silicon chips that are expected to be included.

Ports

Even if the chassis updates are more minor in scale than Kuo has made them out to be, there are other tweaks in the works that will make the 2021 refresh a major update. Kuo believes Apple is going to add additional ports to the MacBook Pro models, though he has not specified which ports these might be.

Ports-2021-MacBook-Pro-Mockup-Feature-1.jpg

Apple in 2016 rolled out a new MacBook Pro design that did away with all ports except for USB-C ports and the 3.5mm headphone jack, but prior models from 2012 to 2015 included a MagSafe connector, Thunderbolt ports, USB-A ports, an HDMI port, an SD card reader, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

With the 2021 machines, we could see the return of some of these long-discontinued ports. It's likely that most ports will continue to be USB-C as Apple has been transitioning to USB-C for years now, but there could be additions like an SD card slot or an HDMI port.

2015-macbook-pro-side-profile-article.jpg

Given Apple's emphasis on USB-C and the slim design of the MacBook Pro lineup, it's not likely we're going to see the return of USB-A, but Kuo has said that the new machines will have enough ports so most users "may not need to purchase additional dongles."

Gurman's report mentions the inclusion of USB-C ports, but it does not mention other types of I/O.

MagSafe

Along with additional ports, the new machines are expected to bring MagSafe back to the Mac lineup. MagSafe connectors were used for MacBook Pro models from 2006 to 2016, when Apple replaced the MagSafe connector with a USB-C port, but now it looks like we're returning to a MagSafe design.

macbook-pro-magsafe.jpg

Both Kuo and Gurman expect the new MacBook Pro models to be equipped with MagSafe for charging purposes, with the MagSafe charging port to be distinct from the other included USB-C ports.

MagSafe in the new MacBook Pro models is expected to be similar to the MagSafe 2 connectors and ports used prior to 2016, which allowed for a quick-release magnetic connection that prevented damage to the computer and the cable when the cord was yanked.

The MagSafe charging functionality is expected to allow for faster charging speeds than are available with USB-C, and given that Apple is swapping over to a new charging technology, we can expect the forthcoming MacBook Pro models to ship with a MagSafe charging cable and accompanying power adapter.

No Touch Bar

Apple introduced a Touch Bar in the 2016 Macs, providing a small OLED display where physical function keys used to be located. Apple had grand plans for the Touch Bar and envisioned it being an adaptable mini-display that offered customizable controls and different functions on a per-app basis, but the Touch Bar never seemed to catch on with consumers.

macbook-pro-touch-bar-m1.jpg

Kuo says that the Touch Bar will be removed in the 2021 MacBook Pro models and will be replaced with physical function keys. Gurman has confirmed that Apple has tested versions of the MacBook Pro that do not have a Touch Bar.

touch-bar-close-up.jpg

Display

Gurman believes the new MacBook Pro models will feature display improvements in the form of "brighter, higher-contrast panels," and in past rumors, Kuo has suggested the updated machines will be the first Macs with mini-LED displays, marking a significant improvement in display quality.

Given that Kuo made no mention of mini-LED technology in his most recent report, it's possible that mini-LED functionality has been delayed until a later date.

If Apple does transition to mini-LED for the 2021 MacBook Pro models, the displays could use somewhere around 10,000 LEDs, each one under 200 microns in size. Mini-LED technology will allow for a thinner and lighter design, while offering many OLED-like benefits such as improved wide color gamut, high contrast and dynamic range, and truer blacks.

Processor

The entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro already has an M1 chip, and in 2021, all new MacBook Pro models will gain Apple silicon chips. Apple is not expected to release MacBook Pro models with Intel chips, phasing Intel chips out of the notebook line entirely.

applesiliconbenefits.jpg

Apple is working on higher-end Apple silicon chips that have as many as 16 power cores and four efficiency cores, which would annihilate any Intel CPU in terms of performance. There's also new GPU technology in the works, with Apple designing 16 and 32-core GPU options, some of which could be used in the new MacBook Pro models.

Launch Date

The new MacBook Pro models are expected to launch in the third quarter of 2021.

Read More

We have more on the current MacBook Pro models and the upcoming redesigned MacBook Pro models in our dedicated 13-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro roundups.

Article Link: Upcoming 16-Inch and 14-Inch MacBook Pros: Everything We Know
I tried the 2020 version M1 and couldn’t use it because I work with two external monitors. I was very disappointed because I loved everything else about it.
 
Criticism is “whining”? Wow.

Complaining because a few, lowest common denominator ports, that can literally be reproduced for $25, are sacrificed to allow more external bandwidth and expandability than has ever been possible before, is whining.

Those who complain about the use of TB3 "just want" their own personally useful ports back, and **** anyone who doesn't use those ports. That's what these posts are really saying: "**** anyone else who doesn't use those legacy ports, and gets better use from TB3 - the single use legacy ports should be added back"
 
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