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While it would be convenient TouchID is very nice and quick as it is :) also you can get bluetooth keyboards that have TouchID built-in too!
It would be extremely Apple of them to introduce FaceID, but discontinue support for the TouchID on external keyboards 😂
 
For the fastest and most stable connections, wired is the way to go, even for laptops like MacBook Pros.

Sure. No argument their; but for most users WiFi works just fine so an Ethernet port, at the expense of size and or another port would be a waste.

I would very much appreciate being able to use the Ethernet cable without a dongle, especially since the RJ-45 connector has a nice latch on it that holds the cable firmly in place when connected. It is too easy for a USB or Thunderbolt dongle to be unplugged by the slightest movement

I get not wanting to use a dongle, but in my experience any quality ones don't fall out very easily. I often have several plugged in on my desk with various flash drives and never had an issue if I moved my computer.

Apple has already added back an array of ports that were taken away in previous generations of the MacBook Pro, and I am wondering if this is due to the departure of Jony Ive and his obsession with form over function. Appearance is important, absolutely, but if a computer is so beautiful that it removes many features that are desirable for professional users, it will become less functional. Now that the techno people are calling the shots, I am hoping that the Ethernet port will reappear.

I doubt a built in Ethernet is desirable for most professional users. Having a USB-C port that can adapt to a variety of other standards via a dongle is more useful since it adds flexibility while still allowing those who want Ethernet/FireWire to have the option. My hub has a built in Ethernet port, along with extra USB-C / A and video ports, making it easy to attach peripherals and power my MBP via 1 USB-C port when I am at my desk.

If it were to return, You'd likely see it like on the iMacs as an option on the power brick and using the MagSafe connector to connect to the MBP. That would be a solution that offers those who want Ethernet and no dongle without messing with the MBP design.
 
”but a refresh is still a ways off, so we don't have a lot of information on what to expect.” …but we decided to write this article anyway.
 
There is no substitute for wired Ethernet connections. This is true especially after what we learned during the WFH era. Wi-Fi can be fast, but it is still Wi-Fi, and the signals can be compromised by building materials, distance from the access point, etc. For the fastest and most stable connections, wired is the way to go, even for laptops like MacBook Pros.

Sure. Can't say my WFH experience with Wi-Fi was bad, though.

I would very much appreciate being able to use the Ethernet cable without a dongle,

If Ethernet were about as thin as HDMI, I imagine Apple would've considered it. But really, the laptops would need to go back to the thickness of the pre-2012 design, about 44% thicker. I have a laptop like that right here; I loved it at the time but at this point, it feels like a relic of the past.

The other option would be to do what some other laptop manufacturers briefly did; something like a flip-out port, for example. Given that you're worried about reliable connections, this wouldn't be a good solution.

If it were to return, You'd likely see it like on the iMacs as an option on the power brick and using the MagSafe connector to connect to the MBP. That would be a solution that offers those who want Ethernet and no dongle without messing with the MBP design.

Yeah, I was a bit surprised they didn't repeat the "just put Ethernet on the power adapter" trick. It's kind of clever. Maybe they didn't want to overcomplicate the MagSafe 3 plug by adding data lanes to it.
 
Everybody knows Apple is just going to shove M2 chips into the same 14 and 16 inch M1 bodies like they did with the 13-inch rMBP and call it a day, I doubt they'll do anything to the casing.
 
I would be annoyed if they do bring in a darker color option as I just recently got my 14" pro. Not a deal breaker though...

As for the face id crowd. I don't see the point. I am impressed with the touch id system. Coming from a MacBook I never had it other than older iPhones.
 
People mistakingly think the sd slot is up for change based on their personal camera choice rather than it being for “sneaker” transfers or replacement for the ancient floppy.

SD card ain’t going anywhere. It’s just the floppy drive standard of this era and more than suffices for this purpose.

And cameras are a small fraction of the reason it exists. 90% of the needs for cameras have been replaced anyway by the expensive and always getting updated lens (plural) in your phone.
 
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There is no substitute for wired Ethernet connections. This is true especially after what we learned during the WFH era. Wi-Fi can be fast, but it is still Wi-Fi, and the signals can be compromised by building materials, distance from the access point, etc. For the fastest and most stable connections, wired is the way to go, even for laptops like MacBook Pros. I do not have a desktop computer, I have a MacBook Pro that I placed on my desk, and I also bring it with me when I am out and about. When I am away from the desk, Wi-Fi is sufficient, when I am traveling and the like, but when I need to do real work, and I am at my desk, I have it pugged into wall power, and I connect it directly to the router with an Ethernet cable. I would very much appreciate being able to use the Ethernet cable without a dongle, especially since the RJ-45 connector has a nice latch on it that holds the cable firmly in place when connected. It is too easy for a USB or Thunderbolt dongle to be unplugged by the slightest movement

Apple has already added back an array of ports that were taken away in previous generations of the MacBook Pro, and I am wondering if this is due to the departure of Jony Ive and his obsession with form over function. Appearance is important, absolutely, but if a computer is so beautiful that it removes many features that are desirable for professional users, it will become less functional. Now that the techno people are calling the shots, I am hoping that the Ethernet port will reappear.
Nah, disagree. Wi-Fi has reached a level where there is no reason for ethernet to exist except for servers. That said, getting the right router(s) can be tricky. But definitely these days no laptop should be wired up haha.
 
I would be annoyed if they do bring in a darker color option as I just recently got my 14" pro. Not a deal breaker though...

As for the face id crowd. I don't see the point. I am impressed with the touch id system. Coming from a MacBook I never had it other than older iPhones.
Completely agree. Face ID just seems like one more way the government will eventually try to intrude on our privacy. For convenience I sort of get it with the phone but is really putting your finger on a button really that difficult?
 
The 3 week old MBP 16 M1 Pro that i just bought replaced my Mid-2014 MBP 15 inch model and your right those things chug along heaps. Mine has been practically 'on' since i got it back in 2014.
My Windows Laptops no were near lasted that long. Only my Sony VAIO i was able to use it for a good solid 4 years everything else lucky if i got 2 years out of them :/

At the moment ive just left my older MBP downstairs permanently and still use it daily however due to its decreased battery life i have to keep it always plugged into power otherwise at random it just shuts off when running on battery power only.
Besides that its still able to do the basic daily stuff :)

I just want to see what the next MBP 16 inch model will offer and if its only something/s minor then i won't be upset that i bought the M1 now.
VERY cool to know that you just upgraded from the SAME machine I'm looking to replace! I have had mine hooked up to a 4K monitor and usually on power...although I've cycled more with the current battery. I'm on my 3rd battery and think I need to get a 4th. Every few years, the batter bloats to where the trackpad is unusable. 😕 The more I use intensive functions like FCPx, the sooner the battery bloats. I know 4K monitors are pushing it for this old machine and just look at it as maintenance cost.

These mid-2014 retinas have had their share of strange issues that I'm pretty sure are due to a hardware bug. For years, YouTube on Safari (not Chrome) would cause a complete lock-up. I had gone back and forth with Apple Support after posting in a forum about it. They found a work-around, but I lost a ton of productivity (I do video work-not just watching videos 😂). Still, with many sites, when I watch a video in full screen on an external monitor, the entire screen gets a translucent green overlay - which goes away if you move the mouse! One user noted that charing the pointer size temporarily solves the issue. All-in-all...this is an AMAZING machine with a good keyboard.

Anyway...congrats on your machine. If for some reason you feel like you majorly missed out, you can sell it as only a few months old and just lose a few hundred dollars. I doubt it will be worthwhile though. Unless you're doing photogrammetry or animating for Pixar, I can't imaging you'll see THAT much of a difference from M1!
 
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I mean the old days was saying Apple is doomed. Can one say Intel is doomed now ?
Intel is the largest chip manufacturer with about half its revenue based in x86 architecture. In addition to most microcomputer manufacturers the US DoD is a large customer. ARM Holdings may be its biggest competitor due to the smartphone growth and subsequent microcomputer decline.
 
They really need to sort out the silly processor naming. The m1 pro macbook pro is a silly name (but the most pro machine name-wise!). Then there's the M1 max, which was fine at the time but the max isn't the maximum anymore because there's an ultra, and if the extreme comes, then the max is 2 down from the max. Definitely not max then. 🤦‍♂️🤣
 
The real unknown is whether the M* Pro/Max/Ultra/Quadra (?) will all share that cadence, or whether they'll be even less frequent...

Exactly. The A series stays at 12 months, the M series at 18, and the M Pro/etc. series perhaps at 24.

Then we might get no A15-derived Pro later this year, and instead an A16- or even A17-derived Pro in October 2023.
 
Sure. No argument their; but for most users WiFi works just fine so an Ethernet port, at the expense of size and or another port would be a waste.



I get not wanting to use a dongle, but in my experience any quality ones don't fall out very easily. I often have several plugged in on my desk with various flash drives and never had an issue if I moved my computer.



I doubt a built in Ethernet is desirable for most professional users. Having a USB-C port that can adapt to a variety of other standards via a dongle is more useful since it adds flexibility while still allowing those who want Ethernet/FireWire to have the option. My hub has a built in Ethernet port, along with extra USB-C / A and video ports, making it easy to attach peripherals and power my MBP via 1 USB-C port when I am at my desk.

If it were to return, You'd likely see it like on the iMacs as an option on the power brick and using the MagSafe connector to connect to the MBP. That would be a solution that offers those who want Ethernet and no dongle without messing with the MBP design.
Ethernet is desirable for content creators, videographers, workers who need high-quality videoconferencing and cloud computing, etc. Wiw-Fi is great for when we are away from a desk, but any serious work will always demand wired connections. In 5 years, Wi-Fi will catch up to where Ethernet is today, but by then Ethernet will have gotten faster too.? Rinse… repeat. Ethernet is here to stay, and will only get more important, not less.

I want a beautiful MacBook Pro, but part of the beauty is expandability and minimizing the use of dongles. I want an Ethernet port and I hope Apple will deliver it!
 
Ethernet is desirable for content creators, videographers, workers who need high-quality videoconferencing and cloud computing, etc. Wiw-Fi is great for when we are away from a desk, but any serious work will always demand wired connections. In 5 years, Wi-Fi will catch up to where Ethernet is today, but by then Ethernet will have gotten faster too.? Rinse… repeat. Ethernet is here to stay, and will only get more important, not less.

I want a beautiful MacBook Pro, but part of the beauty is expandability and minimizing the use of dongles. I want an Ethernet port and I hope Apple will deliver it!
I have my MacBook Pro tied up as a desktop with Ethernet port. I think I have one of the most wifi hostile homes in existence. The size says that a single base station should be able to cover the entire house, but I have FIVE. And even with five, it still has issues. Granted, five is probably too many for a mesh system since changing base stations is murky when moving through the house without super fine-tuning the threshold for switching, but I still had wifi problems along with high latency. My son's room is next door to the main router and he can't get a consistent signal on his desktop that is a mere 10 feet from that router even with an external antenna attached to his PC. I'd move the main router, but the only cable outlet is in that room and is the most central point in the house.

As a rental, I can't go through the walls, but I can go outside of them, so I was forced to tack up Ethernet wires going to the various base stations to give them an Ethernet backhaul. Without that, we had dropouts galore and latency twice as high as it should have been. Since my MacBook Pro is sitting within six feet of the access point in my den, I wired it with a 2.5Gbps dongle that is actually hanging off of my Studio Display, not the laptop. That cut my latency in half and also gave me 1.4Gbps speed instead of the 300-400Mbps I was getting through wifi. Nothing says that any Ethernet dongle has to be attached to the actual Mac. The Studio Display has three USB-C outputs, and the dongle works great there.

Under a wifi friendly house, ethernet isn't necessary, but there are situations where it is. Ethernet backhauls have basically eliminated drop outs and latency problems. And before anyone asks, this is WiFi 6 where there is no one within range who is using 2.4GHz Channel 11 and where even the 5GHz channel was having problems. I used a wifi utility to check neighbors to confirm.
 
Looks like Apple is doing a switch around this time to let certain form factors get time to shine. So, Mac Mini, Mac Pro will likely be the fall Macs that get the M2 Pro and Max/Ultra upgrades respectively. Spring, iMac will get M2 and possibly and option for M2 Pro. Would be nice if they reintroduce a larger model. Summer, the MacBook Pro's will get M2 Pro/Max upgrades. Fall '23 MacBook will be the first taste of M3.
 
VERY cool to know that you just upgraded from the SAME machine I'm looking to replace! I have had mine hooked up to a 4K monitor and usually on power...although I've cycled more with the current battery. I'm on my 3rd battery and think I need to get a 4th. Every few years, the batter bloats to where the trackpad is unusable. 😕 The more I use intensive functions like FCPx, the sooner the battery bloats. I know 4K monitors are pushing it for this old machine and just look at it as maintenance cost.

These mid-2014 retinas have had their share of strange issues that I'm pretty sure are due to a hardware bug. For years, YouTube on Safari (not Chrome) would cause a complete lock-up. I had gone back and forth with Apple Support after posting in a forum about it. They found a work-around, but I lost a ton of productivity (I do video work-not just watching videos 😂). Still, with many sites, when I watch a video in full screen on an external monitor, the entire screen gets a translucent green overlay - which goes away if you move the mouse! One user noted that charing the pointer size temporarily solves the issue. All-in-all...this is an AMAZING machine with a good keyboard.

Anyway...congrats on your machine. If for some reason you feel like you majorly missed out, you can sell it as only a few months old and just lose a few hundred dollars. I doubt it will be worthwhile though. Unless you're doing photogrammetry or animating for Pixar, I can't imaging you'll see THAT much of a difference from M1!
Thank you for your reply.

I use to use mine with a 4K external monitor when i first bought it, used it for maybe 2 years but then i moved things around in my room and i took the 4K monitor downstairs so stopped connecting it after that.
I cant say i ever had any issues like you are describing.

I think sometimes clamshell mode wouldn't work only??
Besides that the only other issues ive had is the battery degrading (still on its original one) and causing the random shut downs, the original power adapter died suddenly (had to replace it), and now i notice some websites if viewing them for more than a few mins the fans start to kick into gear and spin up.

Yeah i love the keyboard on my mid14, still cant get use to the M1 Pro's keyboard :/ Too clicky for my liking LOL.

Nah i dont plan to use the machine any more heavily than what i do/did with my Mid 14.
So far on average the battery is lasting about 1 week on the new MBP. I think thats pretty decent ?
 
I can't wait for M2 updates to the Macbook Pro line, for no other reason but it will mean plenty of used M1 machines hit the market at discounted prices.
 
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I agree. Then, Apple really needs to consider using higher grade aluminum unibody and apply a double coating of the colors. 😑

The midnight blue is on another level tho.
They apply the colors through anodization, not a coating. You can't double anodize something...at least to the best of my knowledge.
 
Ethernet is desirable for content creators, videographers, workers who need high-quality videoconferencing and cloud computing, etc. Wiw-Fi is great for when we are away from a desk, but any serious work will always demand wired connections. In 5 years, Wi-Fi will catch up to where Ethernet is today, but by then Ethernet will have gotten faster too.? Rinse… repeat. Ethernet is here to stay, and will only get more important, not less.

I want a beautiful MacBook Pro, but part of the beauty is expandability and minimizing the use of dongles. I want an Ethernet port and I hope Apple will deliver it!
I deal with 1gb plus files often over wifi withour issues. The whole studio runs on the cloud.
You must be dealing with much bigger files than this to really need Ethernet. You haven’t told us what though.
 
Ethernet is desirable for content creators, videographers, workers who need high-quality videoconferencing and cloud computing, etc. Wiw-Fi is great for when we are away from a desk, but any serious work will always demand wired connections.

I don’t doubt that Ethernet is useful, but those are very specific and not reflective of most user requirements. We ran Ethernet cabling on a property I am on the board because it makes VOIP a viable replacement for our older POTs Lines. Guests use WiFi.

I suspect many of the cases you describe that truly need Ethernet are likely using higher end desktops or displays that already have USB-C ports that can attach a dongle without moving around.

In 5 years, Wi-Fi will catch up to where Ethernet is today, but by then Ethernet will have gotten faster too.? Rinse… repeat. Ethernet is here to stay, and will only get more important, not less.

WiFi meets most users connectivity needs and does not tie you to a fixed location. Most homes do not have Ethernet cabling, but can add WiFi. Ethernet is likely to stay a specific use solution that has no impact on teh broader computer using population.

I want a beautiful MacBook Pro, but part of the beauty is expandability and minimizing the use of dongles. I want an Ethernet port and I hope Apple will deliver it!

To add an Ethernet port has downsides that make adding one unlikely. For those users that need one there already is a workable solution, as others have also pointed out.

Apple, as I pointed out, could have designed the MB MagSafe to allow data connectivity with an Ethernet port on teh PS. That they didn’t tells me they view Ethernet connectivity a low priority for laptops.
 
I agree. Then, Apple really needs to consider using higher grade aluminum unibody and apply a double coating of the colors. 😑

Anodizing involve creating an aluminum oxide coating (rust) through a chemical process to provide a hard coating. Once anodized you can’t add a second coat easily, although it is possible, IIRC from my metals class years ago. Double anodizing often involves masking, etching, etc. to get the desired colors and look.

The midnight blue is on another level tho.

It is nice. Personally I’d love a candy apple red one. Just add flames…
 
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