Does someone find the "new ports" the same useless as me ?

[ascender]

I was a big fan of MagSafe back in the day, but when they released the 2016 MBP, I found that being able to power the laptop from either side massively reduced the number of occasions where I'd have a power cable plugged-in which was liable to being tripped over by someone.

Buying new cables with usb-c connectors was a pain, but the fact that we started to get usb-c to lightning ones meant that actually, I enjoyed the new connectors as it meant when travelling I could just take my laptop with me and charge everything off the usb-c power brick, or even ports on the laptop itself.

I suspect I'll use the HDMI port on my MBP once or twice a year. SD card slot maybe a bit more, but as I use the smaller cards I'll need an adapter which means I'll just plugin an SD card reader instead of using the built-in slot.

So in my case, I'd have been more than happy to just have the same four ports from the last generation of laptop, but that's only my use case. I'm sure there's lots of people out there who will be using the other ports all the time. Its not like there's been any compromises to the design because of the ports coming back, so I've no issue with them being there at all and not going to complain about it. Not sure how it could be seen as being something negative or user-hostile though?

 

[Michael Scrip]

I wonder what's next for the Macbook Pro. We've seen both sides: many different ports... and one type of port.

Up through 2015 we had Macbooks with a bunch of different ports.

Then in 2016 the USB-C ports was the lone port.

Now some of the legacy ports have returned in 2021.

Any guesses on what the 2025 Macbook will have? Is Apple gonna go back to only USB-C again? Will that be the right time?

 

[Wando64]

.

 

[Micka88]

So if these ports are so important and necessary, why then Apple stopped providing them for many years ? And those who needed them had to buy those highly overpriced and unpractical docks etc. (that you often can't find or lose). Mistake, chaos or a kind of random decisions ? And now when they come back with them, they forget to add the most needed and practical one for most people: USB-A.

 

[leman]

I will find limited utility for HDMI when teaching or giving talks, card reader is entirely useless for me and MagSafe seems like a total waste of board space. I would have taken an additional USB port instead. Having only three ports does limit your connectivity options, even if the ports themselves are more capable. Basically, I need to get a USB hub for my office where with the Touch Bar models I didn't need it.

 

[Micka88]

I will find limited utility for HDMI when teaching or giving talks, card reader is entirely useless for me and MagSafe seems like a total waste of board space. I would have taken an additional USB port instead. Having only three ports does limit your connectivity options, even if the ports themselves are more capable. Basically, I need to get a USB hub for my office where with the Touch Bar models I didn't need it.

Yes, exactly what I feel too.

 

[bobcomer]

I think it's because USB A is truly on its way out. There shouldn't be any new products made with USB A since USB C does everything USB A does but better. Buying a couple new cables that convert it isn't that big of a deal. I kind of get killing USB A, it's the 30 pin connector of the era. Everyone screamed about 30 pin being removed in 2012 but give it a couple more years and we won't really even remember USB A imo.

Most thumb drives are still USB A... (sadly)

 

[smokesletsgo]

Wasted whole year waiting for these "new" MacBook Pros and ended up buying 13" M1 MacBook Pro. Should've done it a year ago, you could forsee new devices being garbage because one of the most important Apple pillars Jony Ive left the company.

The "new" design is straight up uglyness, ports are useless and of course cherry on top is the notch.

The 13" was the last MBP with a sleek design, has it's own issues though - 13 a bit too small, only 2 USB-C ports, USB-A port would be of use, but other than that it's perfect, way better battery life, I like the Touch Bar, screen no difference from new ones except the contrast but I can accept that. I'm just not going to buy a laptop with a design from 2003, with a NOTCH, which serves no purpose except being a marketing logo to tell it's an "APPLE" device.

Marketing team at Apple read reddit's nerds' requests and delivered a true boomers dream - all your favorite ports from 2005 which nobody uses and boomer design with conteporary processor!

They do have great processors though, I'll give that.

 

[leifp]

MagSafe is a must on a laptop for me and mine. USB-C PD remains an option.
When it’s plugged in, you have 3 Thunderbolt ports. Just like the prior gen…
HDMI cables are ubiquitous. This is a laptop and travelling lighter is better.
I prefer plugging in SD cards rather than USB cables (again, one fewer cord for travel). [My photo tech is all awkward varieties of USB B, mini B, micro B, nano B, pico B, femto B, super ultra tiny B, aso]

 

[Tyler O'Bannon]

For me personally this is the same situation. None of those ports will ever even get something plugged in.

I could have gone for MagSafe 3 + 4 Thunderbolt 4 ports and the headphone port.

But, I am not a photographer, videographer, and a very light editor.

The question that wil be telling is do these ports truly enable “pros” to do their work.

I look forward to the conclusive answer to that question.

 

[fa8362]

After few years of USB-C only Apple added back some old pre-historic ports. I personally find them quite useless, while the fourth removed USB-C is often missing (for more external discs etc.).

HDMI is useless since there are cables HDMI- USB-C working perfectly (so it brings no advantage)

SD card: it is much quicker and easier to connect the camera via USB-C cable (not speaking of the fact that when you have 2 and more SD cards in the camera you see them all together.

Mag Safe charging connector: makes no sense at all (plus keeps disconnecting as soon as you move with the laptop)

The only thing that would be really useful is the normal USB connector which for some strange reasons is not there ... (because many older devices have only this connector and one has to look for a reduction all the time)

So I don't find this old stone age connectors renovation useful at all.

Don't agree at all.

 

[cateye]

The obsession some people have with Apple excluding edge cases in its professional-class computers like some kind of reformation-era purge is mental. Bravo on the new Apple. I hope the next round of MacBook Pros is even more capable, even heavier, even more chonky with even bigger batteries and more ports to serve even more professional, edge-case needs. For everyone else there's the precious iPad with its single port. Burn the "computer as art object" to the ground.

 

[macintoshmac]

I wouldn't call the ports on the MacBook the same useless as you, no.

 

[transpo1]

I will find limited utility for HDMI when teaching or giving talks, card reader is entirely useless for me and MagSafe seems like a total waste of board space. I would have taken an additional USB port instead. Having only three ports does limit your connectivity options, even if the ports themselves are more capable. Basically, I need to get a USB hub for my office where with the Touch Bar models I didn't need it.

I love my new 16" inch machine. Admittedly, I haven't used the HDMI yet but as a photographer/filmmaker, I have used the SD card slot. HDMI and the SD card slot are the types of ports you may not need until there's an emergency (i.e. you left your dongle at home and you're on the road about to give a presentation or need to download to download camera files). I do miss the 4th USB-C port but another poster made the good point that with the computer plugged into power, you wouldn't have the 4th one anyway on the Touch Bar models. The truth is, these ports are good enough for most people and if you're like me, and need to have 3 SSDs plugged in at once, you can buy a Thunderbolt dock.

 

[Michael Scrip]

Remember when Macbooks had two of the older Thunderbolt 2 ports?

I wonder how many people never plugged anything into one of those ports... let alone both ports?

 

[wilberforce]

Remember when Macbooks had two of the older Thunderbolt 2 ports?

I wonder how many people never plugged anything into one of those ports... let alone both ports?

View attachment 1934795

I never used these TB2 ports on my 2015 MBP, and only very occasionally on my 2014 iMac.
I think they were only in use for a few years and mainly for Macs only, before being superseded by the much more universal USB-C/TB3/TB4, but perhaps I recall incorrectly

 

[halfway2anywhere]

OP:

May I recommend you again to ignore things and questions that you are not interested in ? (they are billions of them around). Just simple. Instead of writing some off topic existential essays and wasting your time.

also OP:

Does someone find the "new ports" the same useless as me?: An essay about why I'm not interested in these ports.

 

[Idun098TZZ]

I wouldn't say it. But depend on the use you do of your device.

 

[Micka88]

OP:

also OP:

Does someone find the "new ports" the same useless as me?: An essay about why I'm not interested in these ports.

Yes, it is interesting to see how some people simply can't read and understand a simple question and feel a deep urge to troll around, to write off topic comments that have nothing to do with the original question etc. and they even feel how "clever" they are ...

The question was simple - who else also feels that the new structure of the MBP ports is not useful and helpful for him ? For sure the manufacturer is watching the feedbacks and if many users have a similar feeling, it may influence further development - if not, than not.

So, please, use a different platform for off-topic gabbling and keep the discussion and sharing on the topic. And if you have nothing useful to say, then better relax and don't waste your time and time of others.

 

[Wando64]

Yes, it is interesting to see how some people simply can't read and understand a simple question and feel a deep urge to troll around, to write off topic comments that have nothing to do with the original question etc. and they even feel how "clever" they are ...

The question was simple - who else also feels that the new structure of the MBP ports is not useful and helpful for him ? For sure the manufacturer is watching the feedbacks and if many users have a similar feeling, it may influence further development - if not, than not.

So, please, use a different platform for off-topic gabbling and keep the discussion and sharing on the topic. And if you have nothing useful to say, then better relax and don't waste your time and time of others.

Had you not attempted to justify your conclusions with statements such as MagSafe “keeps disconnecting as soon as you move with the laptop”, I might have taken you a bit more seriously.

 

[halfway2anywhere]

Yes, it is interesting to see how some people simply can't read and understand a simple question and feel a deep urge to troll around, to write off topic comments that have nothing to do with the original question etc. and they even feel how "clever" they are ...

The question was simple - who else also feels that the new structure of the MBP ports is not useful and helpful for him ? For sure the manufacturer is watching the feedbacks and if many users have a similar feeling, it may influence further development - if not, than not.

So, please, use a different platform for off-topic gabbling and keep the discussion and sharing on the topic. And if you have nothing useful to say, then better relax and don't waste your time and time of others.

Okay I'll answer the post. No. The ports aren't useless. I'm a VJ (video DJ). I went from a 2016 15" MBP with touch bar to 2021 16" MBP M1 Pro.

Now, instead of digging through my bag for a ridiculous dongle for HDMI and an external hard drive, I'm down to a simple SD card with my entire video library on it and a power cord. It takes me literally 5 seconds to set up now so I can show up to my gig and play.

and I still have three free USB-C ports if I need them.

 

[Vermifuge]

I found that being able to power the laptop from either side massively reduced the number of occasions where I'd have a power cable plugged-in which was liable to being tripped over by someone.

you can still charge from either side via MagSafe on the left OR USB-C from either side, so there is no compromise there.

You are also getting more bandwidth on the 3 TB ports as each has its own controller unlike the 2016 where the ports on each side shared a single TB (2 in total) controller.

So if these ports are so important and necessary, why then Apple stopped providing them for many years ? And those who needed them had to buy those highly overpriced and unpractical docks etc. (that you often can't find or lose). Mistake, chaos or a kind of random decisions ? And now when they come back with them, they forget to add the most needed and practical one for most people: USB-A.

Misguided by Ive.

 

[DesertNomad]

SD card: it is much quicker and easier to connect the camera via USB-C cable (not speaking of the fact that when you have 2 and more SD cards in the camera you see them all together.

I use SD card because the avionics database in my airplane uses them. Every 28 days, I use my Mac to download a new database for the airplane, copy it to the Garmin SD card and install it in the airplane. I have never used it for a camera. Having it built-in means I don't have to carry a dongle.

 

[AndrewWx]

I do quite a few presentations (well maybe not so much with COVID) but when you are constantly setting up your laptop in odd places with lots of people milling about MagSafe is great. Also I once had a HDMI dongle break which left me scrambling for another solution. So in my usage case the new layout makes sense.

As many people have already said you can't make 100 percent of the people 100 percent happy.

Case in point my Nikon cameras all use CF express cards not SD cards so the SD slot is not a source of joy.

 

[arvinsim]

@OP

Your data vs Apple's analytics data.

I know where I would put my bet on.