New MacBook Pro Models Include HDMI 2.0 Port Instead of HDMI 2.1

[visualseed]

Support for HDMI 2.1 was the only reason I thought Apple would bring back the port. Egg on my face now

It looks like they sacrificed one physical TB port for dedicated SD Card and HDMI ports running over the TB bus, instead of putting true HDMI 2.1 support that would have required 48Gbs to support all the resolutions and frame rates without compression. Ironically, you may be able to support HDMI 2.1 using a TB to HDMI dongle and DSC (Display Stream Compression). Have not confirmed this is supported yet.

 

[kiranmk2]

It's curious that Apple did not include HDMI 2.1 in the MacBook Pro models because the Apple TV 4K that was released earlier this year does have an HDMI 2.1 port.

Has anyone actually confirmed the Apple TV has an HDMI 2.1 port? HDMI 2.1 is completely messed up as the HDMI forum have dictated that you can't advertise the ports being HDMI 2.1 but you can advertise HDMI 2.1 features.

eARC is an HDMI 2.1 feature (albeit a feature that can run on HDMI 2.0) and so far that is the only HDMI 2.1 feaure that is relevant to the Apple TV. The main benefits of an actual 40-48 Gbps HDMI 2.1 port (4k@120Hz) doesn't feature on the Apple TV (look in the small print and you can see that Apple define HFR HDR as 4k@60 Hz). Until someone can show evidence of the high bandwidth nature of the AppleTV port (such as the device Vincent uses to exame HDMI ports on the HDTVtest YouTube chennel) I will believe that the latest Apple TV only has HDMI 2.0b.

 

[Return Zero]

They have to save something for next year. FaceID and HDMI 2.1 will almost certainly be on the list.

 

[Think creative]

doesn't the USB C port solve this issue? and like, 99% of the time the HDMI port that pros need goes into a projector right? I'm not saying having the latest spec isn't preferred, but honestly, this machine has everything 99.9999% of what pro's need in a laptop. Like, I really don't even need this much power but I'll probably buy one in the spring once I compare it to the new airs.

 

[jz0309]

should have left the damn legacy ports off and given us 2 more TB4 instead ;(

 

[RedTheReader]

Do the Thunderbolt ports? If so this is a non issue.

The HDMI standard isn’t directly built into USB-C or Thunderbolt. You need some layer of active conversion, and I’m not sure how many dongles there are out there that would be able to do that for such a high bandwidth spec. If they’re out there, are they actually doing it well and supporting all of HDMI 2.1’s features? I don’t know…

I was afraid Apple would leave this out, but because of how big of a refresh this was supposed to be, I didn’t really think they would. If it’s a bandwidth issue like some are speculating, it’s a bit unfortunate since laptops with dedicated Nvidia GPU’s are able to have HDMI 2.1 by connecting the port directly to the GPU.

 

[CWallace]

Has anyone actually confirmed the Apple TV has an HDMI 2.1 port?

It's on the Apple TV spec page, but there is a caveat: "Support for up to 4K 60-fps HDR video output and Audio Return Channel (ARC or eARC) only."

 

[CWallace]

It's curious that Apple did not include HDMI 2.1 in the MacBook Pro models because the Apple TV 4K that was released earlier this year does have an HDMI 2.1 port.

That would be because the Apple TV 4K's HDMI 2.1 port is driven by a dedicated chip and not the USB/TB controller like on the MBP.

 

[ruka.snow]

Support for HDMI 2.1 was the only reason I thought Apple would bring back the port. Egg on my face now

It looks like they sacrificed one physical TB port for dedicated SD Card and HDMI ports running over the TB bus, instead of putting true HDMI 2.1 support that would have required 48Gbs to support all the resolutions and frame rates without compression. Ironically, you may be able to support HDMI 2.1 using a TB to HDMI dongle and DSC (Display Stream Compression). Have not confirmed this is supported yet.

It's not even a UHS 2 SD slot. It's UHS 1 like the old 2012 MacBook Pro (hopefully faster, but still limited to UHS 1 speeds). So Sony users not on CF Express A yet are better plugging their camera directly in via USB-C or using an external reader.

 

[SVTmaniac]

Courage!

 

[Naraxus]

Ofc. All so Timmy Boy can nickle and dime like he always does.

And he gets away with it all because he knows the Apple Faithful will excuse every bit of it

 

[windowsblowsass]

Go to a party in a tuxedo but wearing crocs

Invite everyone to a fine $2million wedding except the parents

Make a delicious ham sandwich but smother it with mayonnaise

Hook up with a fine ass woman but right before intercourse you notice a bulge in her crotch.

last but not least you create a $2k laptop with a fantastic display, plenty of outputs but leave a notch on top and gimp out the hdmi for a savings of $0.30 tops.

Tim Apple at the helm folks. At least we got rid of thin jony ridiculousnesses.

Don’t kink shame.

 

[Lwii2boo]

Courage

 

[buckwheet]

Honestly, after seeing the notch in the launch video I totally get it. The middle of the menu bar is totally useless space, so it makes a ton of sense to cut into the screen, since that area has never done anything for anybody anyway (I mean, if you have that many toolbar widgets then you need another kind of help). Essentially, you get the useful menu space "for free", in the sense that it's in the same vertical space that the camera would occupy in the bezel. To me, it's win-win. Don't give two robust nether-leavings if it looks a little weird.

 

[kiranmk2]

It's on the Apple TV spec page, but there is a caveat: "Support for up to 4K 60-fps HDR video output and Audio Return Channel (ARC or eARC) only."

Here is the blurb from HDMI.org (https://www.hdmi.org/spec/hdmi2_1)

Can I use "HDMI 2.1" in my marketing?
You can only use version numbers when clearly associating the version number with a feature or function as defined in that version of the HDMI Specification. You cannot use version numbers by themselves to define your product or component capabilities or the functionality of the HDMI interface.

As you point out, the asterick by the HDMI 2.1 on the Apple TV tech spec page leads to text as follows:

Support for up to 4K 60-fps HDR video output and Audio Return Channel (ARC or eARC) only. Requires HDCP when playing protected content and compatible TV or Receiver

Thus the only HDMI 2.1 features on the Apple TV are 4k 60-fps (which isn't even an HDMI 2.1 feature as it can be done with HDMI 2.0) and eARC (which can also be done with HDMI 2.0). In fact, I didn't notice the word 'only' there previously which further cements my understanding that the Apple TV 4K (2nd gen) only has an 18 Gbps HDMI 2.0b port.

I'd love someone to come along and prove me wrong, but I have a growing doubt anyone will. I thought TvOS 15 might unlock a 4k@120 Hz mode, but nothing.

 

[visualseed]

It's not even a UHS 2 SD slot. It's UHS 1 like the old 2012 MacBook Pro (hopefully faster, but still limited to UHS 1 speeds). So Sony users not on CF Express A yet are better plugging their camera directly in via USB-C or using an external reader.

When people demanded legacy ports Apple gave them exactly what they asked for.

I'm a CF Express card user and my drones use micro sd cards (and I'm against the media adapters because I have yet to find one that is not flaky) so the full-size sd card slot may get some use but not much. I have been using a dedicated reader for the last couple years and love hitting the max transfer speeds of the cards. On my BM 6K, I record directly to Samsung T5 SSDs and would love to have the lost TB port back so I could copy from multiple drives while I'm away from the computer.

 

[jdoyle]

Another year of releases from Apple, another bizarre decision.

 

[windowsblowsass]

It’s also not very universal. Most of the time if you show up at the conference room and want to plug in your laptop they’re gonna hand you a standard size HDMI plug

The one thing I wanted back was HDMI. I’ve never used an SD card and while I understand people do I didn’t care. But it was inconvenient if you’re carrying a laptop and can’t hook up to a projector, TV, etc if you didn’t bring a dock or adapter cable.

 

[buckwheet]

Oh, yeah, and for HDMI... I don't give a fragment of a frack...

 

[Robert.Walter]

Every device, every year... something is held back so they can entice customers to upgrade to the next model.
It's annoying but I guess it makes money.

Classic planned obsolescence.

 

[usagora]

A freaking $6k laptop with a downgraded HDMI. That is Tim Cook Apple.

USD? No, the base models are $1999 and $2499 USD respectively.

 

[dysamoria]

That you could defend a dongle is beyond me. And who's to say a third thunderbolt port couldn't haven't been added on the left side of the case where there's plenty of real estate? This isn't a bandwidth issue; this is a cost issue.

It's not just real-estate on the side of the chassis. You'd still need the Apple M1 Pro/Max chips to have the actual Thunderbolt controller supporting those extra PCIe lanes. Those lanes might not even exist at this point.

 

[ruka.snow]

When people demanded legacy ports Apple gave them exactly what they asked for.

I'm a CF Express card user and my drones use micro sd cards (and I'm against the media adapters because I have yet to find one that is not flaky) so the full-size sd card slot may get some use but not much. I have been using a dedicated reader for the last couple years and love hitting the max transfer speeds of the cards. On my BM 6K, I record directly to Samsung T5 SSDs and would love to have the lost TB port back so I could copy from multiple drives while I'm away from the computer.

I use two TB3 CF Express B readers ether to one or two TB3 SSD's and the loss of that forth port is going to mean something really has to give. I was really hoping for 6 ports this time as that would mean I only have to swap 1-2 devices that are less frequently used so I can continue working on something else while transferring.

 

[MN7119]

USD? No, the base models are $1999 and $2499 USD respectively.

Max the configuration and you get it for over USD$6,000 and still a outdated HDMI port.

 

[lilkwarrior]

Oof. What a silly omission. This was an alley-oop reason to bring back the HDMI port having bandwidth Thunderbolt 4 doesn't have that aligns better with the bandwidth ranges of USB4 and Thunderbolt4.