It would be so nice if they would put at least one USB-A port on there
You can get USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) with those also.
You can get USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) with those also.
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2021 MacBook Pro Rumored to Feature More Ports: Here's a Look at What Previous Models Offered
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There is no need for USB-A into the future. 6 USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports, an SD Card Slot and normal microphone/headset.
I'm sure that Tim will tell us what we need, he is very smart.
On the other hand, I still use my Mid'15 MBP as my main machine...no dongles required but might be convinced to replace it if I can tether my camera for shoots and get a significant processor upgrade.
On the other hand, I still use my Mid'15 MBP as my main machine...no dongles required but might be convinced to replace it if I can tether my camera for shoots and get a significant processor upgrade.
That’s pretty cool Anger! Just changing the ports for USB-C and adding a bit of thickness to the lid, that could be a pretty accurate mockup.
My favorite examples of Apple's dongle/cable hell over the last 5 years:
* If you bought an iPhone 11 or an older version, it came with a USB-A charging cable. That means you couldn't charge your phone with your Mac unless you had a dongle. Apple themselves didn't switch to USB-C for 5 years. Forreal Apple?
* If you bought an iPhone 11 or an older version, it came with Lightning Earpods. You couldn't use the Lightning Earpods with your Macbook. You needed to buy another set of headphones if you want to listen to music on your Mac. How did Apple solve this problem? They just stopped bundling the wired Earpods. And you have to buy $200 wireless Airpods. Forreal Apple?
Apple's very own products weren't compatible with each other. Apple thought they could simplify cables and ports. All they did was make a mess for 5 years, and made the environment worse because everyone had to buy dongles.
* If you bought an iPhone 11 or an older version, it came with a USB-A charging cable. That means you couldn't charge your phone with your Mac unless you had a dongle. Apple themselves didn't switch to USB-C for 5 years. Forreal Apple?
* If you bought an iPhone 11 or an older version, it came with Lightning Earpods. You couldn't use the Lightning Earpods with your Macbook. You needed to buy another set of headphones if you want to listen to music on your Mac. How did Apple solve this problem? They just stopped bundling the wired Earpods. And you have to buy $200 wireless Airpods. Forreal Apple?
Apple's very own products weren't compatible with each other. Apple thought they could simplify cables and ports. All they did was make a mess for 5 years, and made the environment worse because everyone had to buy dongles.
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The school district I work for is looking into getting nGig wifi this summer. We're currently getting new Cat 6a cable runs for wireless APs. Not sure if the districts ordered new APs yet. For consumers, that might be good enough. However, wired 2.5 or 5 Gbps ethernet will be tricky as it's pretty expensive to recable everything and get new switches that support 2.5/5 Gbps ethernet. And as Apple has shown, it's more consumer-focused than enterprise-focused. The only Macs that might get ethernet ports are its desktops, not laptops.
Do agree about slimmer standard. Category 7 ethernet had different connectors, but it's not standardized
I think HDMI and a card slot are both reasonable. Cards can be used while you're traveling. HDMI can be used briefly to give a presentation at school or work - having to spend an extra few minutes to find an appropriate dongle for a 5-10 minute presentation is embarrassing and dumb.
Wired headphones seem reasonable... but then it seems like Apple should bring that back to the iOS devices... it's very inconsistent and weird if they come back on one but not the other.
Ethernet isn't reasonable. If you're plugging into ethernet, you're probably at a workstation and going to plug into power and possibly some monitors and other accessories, too. Just get a proper USB-C dock or dongle that can handle all of them at once.
USB-A?
USB-A is fading away and I don't see people wanting to use USB-A and not also plug into power at the same time, so this seems like another time you aught to just have a dock or dongle that allows you to plug and unplug it all in at once.
Wired headphones seem reasonable... but then it seems like Apple should bring that back to the iOS devices... it's very inconsistent and weird if they come back on one but not the other.
Ethernet isn't reasonable. If you're plugging into ethernet, you're probably at a workstation and going to plug into power and possibly some monitors and other accessories, too. Just get a proper USB-C dock or dongle that can handle all of them at once.
USB-A?
USB-A is fading away and I don't see people wanting to use USB-A and not also plug into power at the same time, so this seems like another time you aught to just have a dock or dongle that allows you to plug and unplug it all in at once.
I highly doubt USB-A is going to make a return. What I think we'll see:
- USB-C MagSafe. Some sort of breakaway connector, either on the power cable or on the laptop body. I've seen mockups and prototypes, don't know how well they work, but this would allow USB-C charging bricks to work with the breakaway connector
- Four USB-C/TB4 ports, inclusive of power, for all but the lightest/cheapest miniMacBook. Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but 2 ports just sounds anemic, especially when they're fitted close enough that a USB stick could easily block the other port.
- HDMI. It seems like that standard's here to stay.
As much as I would personally like the option for ethernet and SD, in the broader consumer world, they're on their way out - sure, photographers would love a UHS-II slot, or maybe a CFast slot, but Apple sells MBPs to more than just the eight people that buy real cameras these days (I say this as someone who has four camera bodies and close to two dozen lenses).
The collapsing ethernet jack on my work Dell is actually pretty spiffy, but I really don't think Apple's going to go back a decade and put that back in.
It would be nice to have an Apple branded TB4 breakout box that had USB-A, SD slots, HDMI, ethernet, and even miniDP. Make it stackable with a Mac Mini, while you're at it. The ones I've found online have either middling reviews, or are quite ugly - sometimes both.
- USB-C MagSafe. Some sort of breakaway connector, either on the power cable or on the laptop body. I've seen mockups and prototypes, don't know how well they work, but this would allow USB-C charging bricks to work with the breakaway connector
- Four USB-C/TB4 ports, inclusive of power, for all but the lightest/cheapest miniMacBook. Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but 2 ports just sounds anemic, especially when they're fitted close enough that a USB stick could easily block the other port.
- HDMI. It seems like that standard's here to stay.
As much as I would personally like the option for ethernet and SD, in the broader consumer world, they're on their way out - sure, photographers would love a UHS-II slot, or maybe a CFast slot, but Apple sells MBPs to more than just the eight people that buy real cameras these days (I say this as someone who has four camera bodies and close to two dozen lenses).
The collapsing ethernet jack on my work Dell is actually pretty spiffy, but I really don't think Apple's going to go back a decade and put that back in.
It would be nice to have an Apple branded TB4 breakout box that had USB-A, SD slots, HDMI, ethernet, and even miniDP. Make it stackable with a Mac Mini, while you're at it. The ones I've found online have either middling reviews, or are quite ugly - sometimes both.
As someone who paid WAY too much for a 16 inch MBP after 6 years with a Retina (which I was fairly happy with except for the extremely unreasonable and premature battery replacement price and process) I feel like it's a step back in many ways. Yes, it's faster. But that's it. That's literally the only advantage.
- The touchbar is annoying to use (goes out after a minute so it's useless as a display of information or status, but also inconsistent because it changes depending on applications, you HAVE to look at it because it keeps changing, gestures on such a small thin screen are annoying, etc).
- Battery life is only a little bit better, no significant improvement (6-9 hours vs. 6-8 hours).
- The computer is hotter and louder than the Retina, the fans are always audible and the computer is always quite warm
- USB-C sucks. Nothing I own has USB-C. Nothing I buy has USB-C. Everything uses USB-A and the only thing I can plug into this machine is a dongle, of which I only have ONE, so why are there 4 ports on this macine when you'd only ever used them for a dongle which has many ports anyway? This computer is almost entirely useless as professional device if you forgot your dongle.
- No HDMI – use it all the time
- No SD card reader – use it all the time
- MagSafe was better than no-magsafe
- The keyboard is almost identical, which is fine – but people praise the keyboard only because it's better than the Butterfly which I never used.
- The trackpad is so big you can't type without constantly moving the mouse and randomly causing the insert-point to change while typing
- The screen is slightly laggier with more image retention than the Retina
- The computer is about the same size as the Retina, not much thinner or lighter.
- It cost about 2 times what I paid for the Retina and is a similar notebook if you account for the time of release. It's not twice as good. It's exactly the same when accounting for relative time of release.
- Dongles are an annoying, much hated extra cost. Paying for something you don't even want to need is annoying. You pay because you have no choice, but it brings you no joy whatsoever. In fact dongles suck. Not having to use dongles is always better.
- You HAVE to use discreet graphics if you want an acceptable performance because integrated graphics cause constant lagging when typing – something even my Commodore 64 did faster.
I think you can replace the battery in the 2013 but I’m not sure. I know that my 2014 retina still has a replaceable battery and SSD. I’m thinking about replacing them and getting another few years out of it.I'm still using to this day 13inch MBP late 2013. It is great to this day and one of the reason I didn't change it because it has a lot of ports (HDMI port for projector or normal USB-A for quick pendrive files sharing). Magsafe save my laptop hundred of times because not falling downWiFi 5 and FaceTime HD camera is also the same as 2020 models
I love how people think USB-A is no longer relevant.
It's still super relevant because nearly all Windows laptops come with it. 99% of mice, keyboards, USB storage sticks still use USBA.
Hell, just 4 months ago, Apple's latest iPhones shipped with USB-A charging cables. That's right! Apple removed all USB-A ports from Macbooks in 2016 but continued to ship products with USB-A in late 2020. And they're still shipping USB-A cables with the iPad Mini.
Apple themselves didn't have the balls to switch from USB-A to USB-C for 5 years. Most accessories have not switched either.
It's still super relevant because nearly all Windows laptops come with it. 99% of mice, keyboards, USB storage sticks still use USBA.
Hell, just 4 months ago, Apple's latest iPhones shipped with USB-A charging cables. That's right! Apple removed all USB-A ports from Macbooks in 2016 but continued to ship products with USB-A in late 2020. And they're still shipping USB-A cables with the iPad Mini.
Apple themselves didn't have the balls to switch from USB-A to USB-C for 5 years. Most accessories have not switched either.
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Damn, the USB-A hate is real. Yes it’s bulky and that’s it? I doubt USB-C port is more durable than USB-A.
Enterprise compatibility? Apple don’t even care about enterprise user. Linux does this way better.
Back to the MacBook port, I’d love them to get rid of Touch Bar completely. That’s one of the most useless and pointless thing I have ever used on (a tiny selection of) consumer electronic devices. More USB-C? Fine, I just bring 2 more dongles. Now I can have 18 USB-A ports. Three per dongle lol.
Enterprise compatibility? Apple don’t even care about enterprise user. Linux does this way better.
Back to the MacBook port, I’d love them to get rid of Touch Bar completely. That’s one of the most useless and pointless thing I have ever used on (a tiny selection of) consumer electronic devices. More USB-C? Fine, I just bring 2 more dongles. Now I can have 18 USB-A ports. Three per dongle lol.
Yes.
Now imagine we're in 2016 and you bought the new 15" Macbook Pro. More expensive. No CPU speed increase. No battery life improvement. Dongle hell. No physical ESC key. Much worse keyboard. Useless annoying touch bar with few app support. Enlarged trackpad that sometimes moved the mouse cursor while you're typing.
The 2016 Macbook Pros still give me nightmares.
I wished I could have sat down with the head of design for the 2016 Macbook Pro, looked him/her in the eyes, and asked, "Do you really think this 2016 model provides a better experience than the 2015 model?"
I would love a USB-A port for all my legacy accessories. But even without one, this looks like it would be a great machine -- especially without the touchbar, which is not for me and I would not buy a laptop with one. If the rumors are true, there is definitely a new 16' MPB in my imminent future.
You'll never be safe from not having a dongle unless you have a USB-A port.
Don't want dongles? Put USB-A and HDMI back.
Everyone's mentioning HDMI 2.1 I'm curious if a mini-DP 2.0 will make an appearance since DP 2.0 has double the bandwidth for video of even Thunderbolt 3/4. Probably not likely, given the utter lack of displays that would make use of it.
Definitely would love the return of SD card, but I'd be equally happy if camera manufacturers just put decently fast wifi in DSLRs.
Definitely would love the return of SD card, but I'd be equally happy if camera manufacturers just put decently fast wifi in DSLRs.
Given the performances they're getting out of the M chips, they need something to differentiate the high-end Pro models from the low-end and the Air. Adding SD ports (important for photographers who need a pro device) and maybe HDMI adds extra value to Pro machines at minimal cost to Apple. I think it makes perfect sense tbh to make the Pros fully for professionals again and move away from the almost sarcastic levels of minimalism of the Ive era.
Apple (2016): We're going to simplify everything with just one type of port: USB-C!
Apple (2016-2020): We're going to ship USB-A cables with iPhones and iPads so you can't charge them with your Mac unless you use a dongle.
Truly, I don’t often plug things into my computer these days. Wireless mouse, keyboard, headphones, network...that kinda covers it for me. I do use an eGPU but that is usb-c and is basically a power cable. The one thing that does get plugged in every now and then on the go is my Ledger which is also usb-c.