Torn about new MacBook and ports

[christophermdia]

So today I had a big presentation I was giving .... I have yet to receive my MacBook ... So I was using my MBP ... Yesterday while prepping had a situation where I needed an older, fairly large presentation from one of my colleagues, and he handed me a thumb drive ... So I load it on my computer and carry on as normal. Then comes presentation day and I have my trusty VGA cable in hand ready to connect and find out HDMI is the only connection they have available. No sweat since I have one built in to my MBP .... Thinking about some of the hassle or randomness that would have been with the MacBook has me reconsidering whether the difference is practical or not ... Any thought from other "presenters" out there?

 

[CausticSoda]

If I understand you correctly, presenters (I am often one) are left with two main choices: 1) go with the heavier MBP or 2) go with the new lighter MacBook and a load of adapters if you want to be ready for such eventualities.

 

[KPOM]

Considering that VGA is still more prevalent than should be in 2015, a traveling presenter with any Mac likely needs to carry at least one adapter. It's a bit annoying that Apple charges $79 for the adapters, but Google has some (albeit without the pass-through charger) for less.

 

[Newtons Apple]

If I understand you correctly, presenters (I am often one) are left with two main choices: 1) go with the heavier MBP or 2) go with the new lighter MacBook and a load of adapters if you want to be ready for such eventualities.

Or go to a MacBook Air 13 with ports and power to spare! The Air is only slightly larger.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Or go to a MacBook Air 13 with ports and power to spare! The Air is only slightly larger.

Even the air has no HDMI and needs an adapter....

 

[crsh1976]

Apple's war against ports really is that ridiculous sometimes. It's a full bag of dongles or nothing.

I agree tho that VGA really shouldn't be that prevalent in 2015, but it sadly is.

 

[RUGGLES99]

Or go to a MacBook Air 13 with ports and power to spare! The Air is only slightly larger.

Or go with the 11 and even smaller but with the ports AND far less expensive.

 

[Newtons Apple]

Or go with the 11 and even smaller but with the ports AND far less expensive.

Agreed. There are still choices out there for people that refuse to give up their ports for the sake of thinness.

 

[bcaslis]

Or go with the 11 and even smaller but with the ports AND far less expensive.

The 11" is not smaller.

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So today I had a big presentation I was giving .... I have yet to receive my MacBook ... So I was using my MBP ... Yesterday while prepping had a situation where I needed an older, fairly large presentation from one of my colleagues, and he handed me a thumb drive ... So I load it on my computer and carry on as normal. Then comes presentation day and I have my trusty VGA cable in hand ready to connect and find out HDMI is the only connection they have available. No sweat since I have one built in to my MBP .... Thinking about some of the hassle or randomness that would have been with the MacBook has me reconsidering whether the difference is practical or not ... Any thought from other "presenters" out there?

I'm not clear on your dilema. So you were planning to need a dongle for the MBP (since it has HDMI but no VGA). Instead you found you needed HDMI so you didn't need a dongle. If it had been a VGA port you would have needed a dongle with either machine.

Dongles are not great, but even when using a MBP I needed dongles. Want ethernet? Need a dongle. Want firewire? Need a dongle, etc...

If you are allergic to dongles, don't get the rMB. If they are not something you need much and don't mind, it's no big deal. On my desk I've got the Apple HDMI dongle. Works for power and when I need to plug in a hard drive. For the MBP I had a magsafe cable. Both cases it was one connection to the device. I don't see the hardship with this that some claim. But if you are using to plugging lots of things into the laptop then the rMB is not the device for you. Frankly the thing I miss most is the built-in SD card slot.

 

[troubleonline]

Agreed. There are still choices out there for people that refuse to give up their ports for the sake of thinness.

I love the fact there is only one port - it looks great and for me it is well worth the compromise to get such a beautiful, thin, uncluttered design.

Mine hasn't arrived yet but, other than the power supply, I haven't plugged anything into my existing MacBook for ages and in any event anything I want to connect can be done so with the USB adapter.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I love the fact there is only one port - it looks great and for me it is well worth the compromise to get such a beautiful, thin, uncluttered design.

Mine hasn't arrived yet but, other than the power supply, I haven't plugged anything into my existing MacBook for ages and in any event anything I want to connect can be done so with the USB adapter.

The new MB offers another choice. I NEED the two USB ports and having a SD card reader is very important to me. The MBAir 13" is so small now, I can not see a need for even smaller and thinner. I am not quite ready to give up a FAN either.

It is everyone choice!

 

[ksmith80209]

I travel and present quite a bit an recently moved to the 1.2 rMB. When I present, I never know if they'll have VGA or HDMI so I end up carrying adaptors no matter what — the rMB doesn't change this. I ended up with two adaptors — the VGA and the HDMI for the rMB — that I carry in my bag. I grab whichever is needed and I'm good to go. Sure, I've got two vs one with the the MBA, but I've also got a machine (and power adaptor) that is much lighter than before. Given that I've always used adaptors, it's really been a non-isuse for me.

 

[Dayv]

"Missing port" conversations are funny to me because the one I miss most often is the old nine-pin serial port. Since I first switched to a MacBook, I've been using a kludgy third-party USB-to-serial adapter, connected to a nine-pin-male-to-RJ45 (Xyplex-P) adapter, connected to an ethernet cable anytime I need to console directly into a device. Sometimes, for very old hardware, I then supplement the end of the cable with a second, differently-wired nine-pin-male-to-RJ45 adapter. Once I start using USB-C for this, I get to add another adapter to the chain. I'm almost proud of this Frankenstein's Adapter.

USB-C to HDMI? My heart goes out to you for the struggle of your people.

(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

 

[nalbagli]

Is there any alternative to the $80 Apple adapter? I am willing to pay that but it's impossible to find and I am leaving the US soon. I need a USB A and HDMI adapter, but i also need to be able to charge the Macbook while I use it!

 

[ksmith80209]

Is there any alternative to the $80 Apple adapter? I am willing to pay that but it's impossible to find and I am leaving the US soon. I need a USB A and HDMI adapter, but i also need to be able to charge the Macbook while I use it!

I had the same issue. I placed an order on May 2nd for the DV adaptor and it showed (and continued to show) that it would arrive at the local Apple store on 6/4.

Based on what I heard here, I canceled that order and placed a new one — shipped to my house — on May 18th. It's showing that it will arrive this Tuesday on 5/25.

If you need one, place an order to ship to your house. It will start by showing a 2-3 week deliver but will quickly accelerate.