CF Express A is smaller than SD, CF Express B is just a little larger.
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SD Card Slot in New MacBook Pros Supports UHS-II With Speeds Up to 250 MB/s [Updated]
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CF Express A is smaller than SD, CF Express B is just a little larger.
It sounds like you haven't had a career in the corporate world, where plugging a laptop into an HDMI port to make a presentation is very common (or at least was, pre-pandemic).
I also wonder if the people here complaining about lack of CFExpress have actually ever used an XQD or CFExpress card, or even seen one in real life. I'm kind of thinking they haven't, because if they had, they'd know they are significantly larger than SD cards, and would almost certainly not fit into a relatively small laptop. I'd also love to see an example of another laptop on the market with built-in CFExpress. I'll be waiting...
yeah I remember the two brands: Nifty TheMiniDrive and Transcend JetDrive
That's just not true. CFExpress cards are a good 2-3 times the volume of an SD card. The thickness of the card does make a difference.
Thank you! The main argument for having all these old single-use ports back is "but I need it" and "not everyone has the same use case". Both of the statements are very true. And they prove the reason to not have these lacy ports. Apple came up with a clean design that is the platform to meet all use cases. If you need ethernet, HDMI, SD, etc. there are many options to choose from. Why should your desire to be able to plug into every TV ou see mandate my computer have that hole punched back into its frame. Lenovo and Dell obvious agreed as there are several PC model from these vendors who went the same route.
I spent a few extra bocks and picked up the adapters I thought I would need when I got my first all-USC-C MBP. I picked up an USB-C to HDMI dongle. Cost more than I expected but I travel for a living (or at least I used to) and was concerned about the need to plug into a projector in a conference room. I think I used it a couple dozen times over the years - and many of those times were to loan Ito to one of my USB-C one ThinkPad / Dell PC carrying colleagues who did not bring their dongle with them (if they even had one).
Never saw the need for an Ethernet adapter. Most use cases for hardwired network involve stationary work. I would expect desktop computers or docking stations for those needing portables. I would not expect id eve be in a position to walk up to a random ethernet cable and not be prepared.
After five years there are many inexpensive options for every one of these adapters. For example, USB-A are a buck a piece on Amazon - for nice aluminum ones. I bought four and they are permanent fixtures in the USB-A hub sitting on my desk. Yeah, I could update the hub, and will at some point, but it is nice, aluminum, and secured to the base of my monitor; and USB-C (only) hubs are still not all that common.
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As a occasional "pro", I will gladly enjoy this SD card slot even though other pros say this is such a terrible situation 
/s
It's almost like it's unfathomable to have multiple bodies, and chances are 75% of those will have a SD card slot.
I was loathing being forced to get a m1 with a measly two ports, at least now there is an option even though is about $1,000 more. My 2015 13-in MacBook pro is still super valuable to me, with all its ports, ability to use legacy applications like CS6, and the $240 trade in value to apple means I'm definitely keeping it.
As for the new machines, too bad the graphic cards are still shared ram and are not exactly high powered unless you want to spend $6,000. Ah well.
/sIt's almost like it's unfathomable to have multiple bodies, and chances are 75% of those will have a SD card slot.
I was loathing being forced to get a m1 with a measly two ports, at least now there is an option even though is about $1,000 more. My 2015 13-in MacBook pro is still super valuable to me, with all its ports, ability to use legacy applications like CS6, and the $240 trade in value to apple means I'm definitely keeping it.
As for the new machines, too bad the graphic cards are still shared ram and are not exactly high powered unless you want to spend $6,000. Ah well.
"Just use an adapter"
Is it really that hard to think that adapters are terrible to use? A lot of them don't even work properly (especially hubs).
There is so much information about how many dongles you need and it's terrible, I don't see how this is still a conversation anymore.
No one is being convinced that dongles / adapters are better than native, dedicated ports.
As @ruka.snow pointed out, don’t use SD Cards as additional storage. That’s not what it is intended for and trusting those fragile cards for long term, even cold storage is a road paved with sorrow.
Have you actually seen one? CF Express A is smaller than SD. CF Express B is only slightly larger. Are you confusing it for CF or CFast?
Wouldn't CFexpress card be better in the long run?
I purchased a card this year that is up to 1700MB/s read speed; up to 1200MB/s write speed
I use a Nikon Z7 with CFExpress cards and a Thunderbolt 4 (not a USB speed) card reader. I am disappointed that Apple reinstated the SD card reader, i would rather have a 4th Thunderbolt 4 port. The HDMI port could be made to function at the HDMI 2.1 level through software because there is no hardware difference or at least so i have been told. You talk about plugging a laptop to HDMI to make a presentation, i have found that to be the exception rather that the rule. Most of the companies i have dealt with still use RS-232 connections from laptop to projector.
Five years ago I got used to 4 UBC ports that I could use for whatever I wanted. Yeah at first it was a pain getting the right hubs/dongles but I thought that was the future. For ME, this is a backwards step. I get that many people are pleased but whilst it is good Apple is listening to its user base, sometimes they get it spot on (eg removing floppy drives, adding USB etc). I hope Apple doesn’t pander so much it loses its power to move the industry forward and onto new standards.
The amount of people here saying SD cards are outdated or no longer used. Do you realise how completely misinformed you are? Why are you so confident in something you don't understand?
A huge amount of people still use SD cards in their cameras. My A7R III is SD, I don't need a faster card. I can do 42mp bursts at 10 fps with no problem with my current cards. Cameras are often long term purchases too, a lot of pros still shoot on cameras from over 7 years ago which don't even have support for the newest type of SD card speeds.
Stop talking nonsense. People saying all pros have moved to CF Express and this, WTF are you talking about? Furthermore, many of the enthusiast (sort of mid range) cameras are still using SD primarily. Most people even pros don't actually need super fast cards. The people using cameras that can shoot 30 FPS bursts are a minority.
If you don't understand just be quiet instead of having to try and come out with a hot take.
Looking forward to easily getting access to data via the SD card slot from my Osmo Pocket, Insta360 Evo, A7R III and some other devices.
A huge amount of people still use SD cards in their cameras. My A7R III is SD, I don't need a faster card. I can do 42mp bursts at 10 fps with no problem with my current cards. Cameras are often long term purchases too, a lot of pros still shoot on cameras from over 7 years ago which don't even have support for the newest type of SD card speeds.
Stop talking nonsense. People saying all pros have moved to CF Express and this, WTF are you talking about? Furthermore, many of the enthusiast (sort of mid range) cameras are still using SD primarily. Most people even pros don't actually need super fast cards. The people using cameras that can shoot 30 FPS bursts are a minority.
If you don't understand just be quiet instead of having to try and come out with a hot take.
Looking forward to easily getting access to data via the SD card slot from my Osmo Pocket, Insta360 Evo, A7R III and some other devices.
Gawd. The more I hear about the new MBP, the more I like. It's almost as if it was custom build for ME. I need to come up with a good excuse reason so the Missus will give the thumbs up on getting one.
And? There are pros using 10+ year old cameras, there are cameras coming out today that will be used by pros that still use SD cards. There are cameras from just two years ago still using SD cards.
Plenty of amateurs are happily using cameras with SD cards and will continue to buy cameras with them, and amateur doesn't mean you don't need a MacBook Pro. Beefy processing power is nice, exporting and rendering previews at 42mp makes my Intel get loud and hot.
The argument that some new cameras (not many) use a different type of card doesn't detract from the value of the SD slot in the MBP.
I am not trying to convince anyone one is better than the other. Four USB-C/TB ports makes a for a firm foundation. If you are someone who has moved on the from the 2000's and upgraded most of your kit, then the base ports will serve you fine. For those that need one of the several legacy ports there are options available. Many of the people complaining about not having the ports will likely use them only while sitting at their desks where a single-cord hub covers all of that.
If they do need them when away from the desk, then the options exist and are not hard to work with. Not every needs every one of these legacy ports. Most don't, I'd venture. Half of this thread has been people arguing about Apple putting the wrong legacy ports in. Again, not all use cases are the same and everyone wants to have their Mac have their selection of legacy ports.
My use case is the first I mentioned - I moved all of my kit to USB-C. Which basically meant upgrading my old monitor to one that uses USB-C for data and power. And I had to replace a handful of USB sticks. But with SSD pricing having come down I replaced ~256GB of USB sticks with a 1TB SSD that connects via USB-C 3.1. I did buy a few other adapters for the just in case, as I said before. But they never really were all that necessary.
If your use case is one that cannot move away from these ports I can see the need for support. I don't agree that they must be incorporated into the Mac at the expense of one of the TB4 ports.
While were at it, I can see a lot of unused MagSafe cords that will be sitting around. Anyone who has a monitor that feeds power will likely not also want to plug in a dedicated power cord. And many people upgrading now have several USB-C cords for charging their current Macs and iPads. Why carry another (long) dedicated cord around when on the road? Eh, I guess I can sell the adapter and MagSafe cord coming with my new Mac and make back $100 or so.
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I travel heavily for business. HDMI seems to be just about everywhere for connecting to projectors or screens. Where I need to put something on a screen, there seems to already be a wired HDMI cable readily available from the logical presenting position/podium. At least in my own experience, I haven't seen RS-232 with any clients or other presentation venues in years (but maybe I just haven't noticed because HDMI seems towards "standard").
If I was stacking up the connectivity options out in the "real world"- again per my own experience- it seems to be HDMI (the most by far), VGA, Displayport, RGB component and then RCA jacks if someone needs to hook up an old VCR or something. Again, I usually just go with what is most readily available- HDMI- so maybe there are some other options and I just am not noticing them.
IMO, it's great to get HDMI back INSIDE instead of having to lean on some intermediary hub to hopefully "just work" and that I have that hub with me when I need it and that I have the cable that connects the hub to the computer with me when I need it... and potentially the hubs power adapter if it needs one too. Bonus: part of any computer "lighter" benefit is not necessarily needing hubs and intermediary cables to also be in the bag.
Those using 10+ year old pro cameras will be using CF, CFast, or XQD. The most popular line is the Canon 5-series which are all running on CF cards. You said it yourself, you are only using a Sony A7R III so I would understand you complaining that the MacBook Air doesn't have a SD slot. But not about laptop supposedly designed for professionals.
You may never use the HDMI port but clearly millions will and Apple knows that either from the requests/complaints they've received or from their own internal research about what consumers want.
I don't think Apple wanted to bring back the SD card - as many have posited the tech that professionals actually use has moved on - but SD cards are popular with prosumers and clearly there was a demand for them just like the HDMI port. Phil Schiller from Apple even said in an interview a few years ago, I think it was with the YouTube tech guy Jonathan Morrison (tldtoday) that Apple probably wouldn't ever bring back the SD card slot. This was the thinking of executives inside Apple back then so clearly the data they had changed.
Overall it does feel like going back in time five to 10 years with Apple returning the ports which people need and want. It just shows what a massive mistake their 2016 MacBook Pros were - yes, ahead of their time but too much of a jump in one go for most consumers/prosumers. Pro has meant very Profit in Apple speak for years not professional.
There is a very good case that Apple could make for this new generation of their most expensive MBPs to have four TB4 ports (and a magsafe) because the professionals using these beasts of a machine would unlikely be using HDMI/SD Cards.
And it's strange/ironic that when Apple release a newly redesigned MacBook Air in 2022 it will likely not have a HDMI port or SD Card slot because of the thinness of the laptop yet its these "old" ports which would be most in demand for these types of consumers. At least USB-A is not coming back and consumers are being dragged towards the USB-C/Thunderbolt future.
Its nice that its UHS-II, but for photo work I'll still need to carry my external reader that supports both SD and CF-Express cards with this as a useful backup if my reader were to fail...But I'm guessing this SD slot will be very useful for lots of people, there have been a lot of requests for it...
Depends where you live and travel too. Every business meeting I have been in for the last five years has had a Apple TV to use and/or a TB3 dock that you connect to for sound, input, and the projector or TV.