14-Inch and 16-Inch MacBook Pros: Everything We Know

[Marzzz]

The one use I have for the Touch Bar is being able to FF thru ads (such as on YouTube) where using the trackpad and pointer won't work. Otherwise very rarely use it and won't really miss it.

Please no USB A, those invariably wear out and get loose. The four USB C ports are barely enough, I find I use them all at work.

Like the idea of bringing back MagSafe, but also like being able to charge my 2016 MBP from either side.

Does anyone else have a problem with the trackpad? It is large enough that I find myself inadvertently touching it while typing, with the result of the cursor flying all over the place (happened just now, I was suddenly typing in the middle of the sentence above). I wouldn't mind a smaller track pad...

 

[Donoban]

Click bait article.

 

[tyrone841]

I can't see much difference in the design except the smaller screen bezels. I have to say the current 15/16" design is pretty damn fine for me.

I would not miss the touchbar that much, and it had a few glitches as well, so that would be okay for me.

What I LOVE though is the USB C only setup (although I loved MagSafe as well). As long as they still support full charging+data over USB C (hooked up to my monitor as a 1 cable solution), I'm fine with MagSafe. If charging + data over USB C is gone, then I would highly criticize it.

For the ultra rare cases that I need USB A, I have 2 tiny A>C converters, so what..

So, for my usecases, just put Apple Silicon in the 16" and update the internals and ship it

 

[cmaier]

The one use I have for the Touch Bar is being able to FF thru ads (such as on YouTube) where using the trackpad and pointer won't work. Otherwise very rarely use it and won't really miss it.

Please no USB A, those invariably wear out and get loose. The four USB C ports are barely enough, I find I use them all at work.

Like the idea of bringing back MagSafe, but also like being able to charge my 2016 MBP from either side.

Does anyone else have a problem with the trackpad? It is large enough that I find myself inadvertently touching it while typing, with the result of the cursor flying all over the place (happened just now, I was suddenly typing in the middle of the sentence above). I wouldn't mind a smaller track pad...

No problems with trackpad here - it‘s pretty good at ignoring palms, etc. The problem you mention is a problem I have with touchbar, not the trackpad. Perhaps it’s just how we position our respective hands on the home row.

 

[HappyMBAowner]

Using the MBA 2020 13-inches with usb-c chargers since May. Bring back the magsafe! I hate the design of usb-c and I feel it will break within a short period of time because disconnection requires forcing the cable out of the mac, which means putting strain on the connector. I'm sure I will have problems with it (hopefully before the end of the 3-year support). Many dongles? Tell me about it. Awful solution. Having more ports (including usb-a) would be a huge improvement. Larger screen would be great. A better camera (minimum HD) would be great since I don't use the current mac camera because the quality is not sufficient for my needs. What about starting at 1TB storage for mba pro models? Those needing less could buy an air.

 

[Cosmosent]

Unless / Until Apple can do better than 16 GB of DRAM, Intel-based Macs will continue to be sold by Apple !

The DDR PHY Controller is the gating item to Apple completely phasing out Intel.

 

[Apple_Robert]

The one use I have for the Touch Bar is being able to FF thru ads (such as on YouTube) where using the trackpad and pointer won't work. Otherwise very rarely use it and won't really miss it.

Please no USB A, those invariably wear out and get loose. The four USB C ports are barely enough, I find I use them all at work.

Like the idea of bringing back MagSafe, but also like being able to charge my 2016 MBP from either side.

Does anyone else have a problem with the trackpad? It is large enough that I find myself inadvertently touching it while typing, with the result of the cursor flying all over the place (happened just now, I was suddenly typing in the middle of the sentence above). I wouldn't mind a smaller track pad...

Get the 1Blocker app and you don't have to worry about YouTube ads or the stupid YT comments etc. No Touch Bar needed.

I have the M1 MBA and have no problems with the trackpad and unwanted cursor movement.

 

[JDHiro]

I'm going to break out here a bit, and say I hope they stick with all-Thunderbolt ports.

* I love that I can use my MacBook power adapter to change just about everything when traveling.
* I love the one-cable connection I have to my LG UltraFine for video+charging.
* I've completely removed USB-A from my life already.
* I don't want to carry another kind of cable around.
* MagSafe never really solved any problem I had anyways...

The biggest thing Apple could do for me is move the iPhone to USB-C so that I could just carry 1 damn cable with me for everything.

I don't need an SD card slot, and I think DSLRs should do a better job of transferring to PCs over Bluetooth/WiFi, but I'm sympathetic to an SD card slot being hugely convenient for a ton of photographers with the DSRLs they are using today.

 

[scottsjack]

Count me in. Although my aging 2012 15 inch has been a great machine it is time to retire it. A new 16 inch with more connectors, Magsafe and real function keys is the laptop I am ready for. It has taken a while for Apple to come to its senses regarding Magsafe and function keys. I am ready!

 

[Jamo12]

What I think would be really neat is if they were able to make the MagSafe port around a USB4 port. Like the magnets and power pins in a oval around the rim and a regular USB4 port inside, of course with power delivery.

I really want the aforementioned MagSafe USB4 port, another USB4 on the other side also with power delivery, an HDMI 2.1, SDXC (or whatever the new, faster one is called) card slot, audio in/out (with optical) and at least 1 USB-a to round it all out. I cannot foresee any other ports really needed in a portable setup. If you really need more than 2 USB C ports, you can just use one of those many dongles you probably already have lying around.

 

[dblissmn]

Absolutely NO on returning MagSafe to computers. I like being able to plug the power in from either side; I like being able to plug the power without it being interrupted by minor knocks on the cable. Unless there's some notion of wireless charging this is a terrible idea -- even then it's not a very good one. I've also just about transitioned fully over to USB-C power; I don't want to have to go on supporting two sets of power supplies.

 

[Freeangel1]

I need support added back for the ability to use external GPU breakout boxes added to current ARM laptops and the iMac . otherwise I may never buy an ARM based Mac

 

[eifer]

I will finally be able to upgrade from my 2015 MBP 👍

 

[Ethosik]

Why do the M1 MBP's only have two USB C when the Intel version has 4? Step backwards?

Other than the Mac mini, the systems that the M1 replaced only had two USB-C ports. The Mac mini does have two thunderbolt buses which is the same as before.

 

[akbarali.ch]

Don't mind extra ports - as long as they keep 4 x USB-C and no messing with the headphone jack.

No need for additional TYPE of ports, just make 6xTB3/USBC ports + headphone jack + SD Card slot. No dongles needed, ever.

 

[kuwxman]

My wallet is ready. Bring it on, Apple!

 

[lec0rsaire]

Likes: Design, Screen, M? (CPU/GPU, SOC)
Dis-likes: Magsafe (unless we can still use USB-C), legacy ports, no Touch Bar

For over 5 years Apple has been pushing us to go USB-C, going back to legacy ports is a step backwards and does not make sense from a technology perspective. Though I have a gut feeling it might have to do with royalties for TB and Apple Silicon ...
Magsafe was nice, but proprietary, again, a tip backwards
I for one like Touchbar, and I really want to see Apple furthering how we use computers, Siri doesn't cut it, Touch Bar has some nifty use cases that could be further developed, would love to see a keyboard offered with Touch Bar

I agree. The Touchbar should be improved upon or at least kept available as an option for those who want it.

Going to back to the function keys just because some people aren’t willing to use one of the many other ways to adjust the volume and display brightness seems like a total step backwards.

It has been possible to have the TB show nothing but the function row on a per app basis from the very beginning so despite what most people say, that’s all that they want these keys back for.

Type-A shouldn’t see a return. USB-C is superior in every possible way and it’s adoption has been steadily increasing over the past few years. Bringing it back would just prolong the transition.

The main thing these new MBPs need is a decent 1080p or 1440p camera. This is long overdue. It’s unacceptable for this 720p camera to ship on premium computers in the 2020s. It was already unacceptable 5 years ago.

 

[lec0rsaire]

No need for additional TYPE of ports, just make 6xTB3/USBC ports + headphone jack + SD Card slot. No dongles needed, ever.

Two more TB3 ports requires a 3rd TB3 controller. I don’t know if there would be space on the board for one.

As for dongles, many people are going to need them at least for this decade for connecting their Mac to TV/projector or any display w/o USB-C, TB and TB2 drives, Ethernet, etc.

 

[xsnaruto]

USB-A? I don’t know, at least to me, it’s not necessary already, and I could see a lot of devices turned their port to USB-C, why would Apple put USB-A back at this moment? Normal size Display Port are all bigger than USB-C, and not all of people need to use extra display... don’t know.

But I’m sure that if the MagSafe charging is true, the charger or cable will, ehh, the price. But, whatever, I won’t buy them from Apple Store. Just, hope the charger and cable could separate.

Another thought is, please, don’t makes my M1 chip MacBook Pro’s price drops down too fast. The price of my sold 16” i9 32G MacBook Pro did hurt me.

 

[cmaier]

I agree. The Touchbar should be improved upon or at least kept available as an option for those who want it.

Going to back to the function keys just because some people aren’t willing to use one of the many other ways to adjust the volume and display brightness seems like a total step backwards.

It has been possible to have the TB show nothing but the function row on a per app basis from the very beginning so despite what most people say, that’s all that they want these keys back for.

Type-A shouldn’t see a return. USB-C is superior in every possible way and it’s adoption has been steadily increasing over the past few years. Bringing it back would just prolong the transition.

The main thing these new MBPs need is a decent 1080p or 1440p camera. This is long overdue. It’s unacceptable for this 720p camera to ship on premium computers in the 2020s. It was already unacceptable 5 years ago.

Setting the TB to just show function keys doesn’t solve the numerous other problems with the touchbar, including, for example (1) the fact that you still can’t touch the right function key without looking down at the keyboard, which nobody who knows how to type should be doing; (2) the lack of necessity to apply pressure means that merely barely brushing the touchbar while typing triggers functions that were never intended.

TB is fundamentally flawed - the reason the keyboard and trackpad are at an obtuse angle from the screen is because in ordinary use you look at the screen, you put your hands on the keyboard/trackpad, and you do not look at the keyboard.

If apple wants programmability, they should have physical keys with displays in the keycaps, not the mess that is the touchbar.

 

[HandITOVER]

SMH.

 

[laudern]

One port they need to get rid of is the headphone jack. I think it might be well over a decade I've ever used one.

Also no touch screen.

 

[mwidjaya]

The biggest thing Apple could do for me is move the iPhone to USB-C so that I could just carry 1 damn cable with me for everything.

1 cable (USB-C) is just a silly dream.

What do you do when you need to charge 2 things overnight? Stay awake to wait for one to finish charging?

USB-C charging remains a hot mess. Cables compatibility are all over the place.

Magsafe, while proprietary and dedicated, is such a good charging solution. Snaps in place, breaks away when tripped. Green light when full, amber when charging. Brilliant!

 

[Macyourdayy]

So it would not work great and in high quality with the AirPod Max?? That is wireless only in case you didn’t know...

The Max actually have an expensive, stupidly short cable available, but with nothing other than a dongle and/or audio DAC to plug into, you pay way more money or you have latency. Current wireless ear/head phones have compromised audio quality due to the wireless protocols, so while the Max are very good, they’re not better than equivalently priced or cheaper wired ear devices.
The best option for quality and price is the native audio jack on the computer. The unibody MacBook Pro till 2012 had analogue/optical audio out and in, but that’s now been removed so you have to pay way more for less convenience and function.

 

[eMacKilla]

No way. I'll believe it when I see it.