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ipsedixit

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 14, 2021
153
102
In the same way we can customize our SSD, RAM, Processor ... why can't we be given the option of customizing the types of ports on our MacBooks?

All Thunderbolt 4? Done.

HDMI, MagSafe, Thunderbolt, SD Card slot? Done.
 

Sterkenburg

macrumors 6502a
Oct 27, 2016
555
551
Japan
It's not as simple as it sounds. Different ports require both a different top case and a different arrangement and wiring of components on the logic board. Too many SKUs to maintain with increased costs for the buyer and, I suspect, very little margins for Apple. They have people constantly doing market research on these design tradeoffs, if it were profitable for them they would have done it.
 

Vermifuge

macrumors 68020
Mar 7, 2009
2,067
1,589
In the same way we can customize our SSD, RAM, Processor ... why can't we be given the option of customizing the types of ports on our MacBooks?

All Thunderbolt 4? Done.

HDMI, MagSafe, Thunderbolt, SD Card slot? Done.
Perhaps ask Google why they never followed through with Project Ara?
 

kentzh

macrumors member
Dec 16, 2021
80
37
Customization will change the motherboard and body mold opening, which is a huge cost, and Thunderbolt 4 has high scalability, enough bandwidth to transmit various data and images, and it can also maintain uniformity and beauty.
 

Ray2

macrumors 65816
Jul 8, 2014
1,159
476
If USB C can offer dongles for these other ports there are no technical issues. Modular ports would mean size increases (probably significant), cost increases (probably minor except for those who can't afford what they're already buying) and lower sales volumes (as more intelligent designs take share).
 

AndyMacAndMic

macrumors 65816
May 25, 2017
1,110
1,676
Western Europe
It's not as simple as it sounds. Different ports require both a different top case and a different arrangement and wiring of components on the logic board. Too many SKUs to maintain with increased costs for the buyer and, I suspect, very little margins for Apple. They have people constantly doing market research on these design tradeoffs, if it were profitable for them they would have done it.
It can be done. For instance Framework does this:

1640612618605.png
 

AJK13K

macrumors regular
Feb 8, 2020
108
50
Dutchess County, NY
In the same way we can customize our SSD, RAM, Processor ... why can't we be given the option of customizing the types of ports on our MacBooks?

All Thunderbolt 4? Done.

HDMI, MagSafe, Thunderbolt, SD Card slot? Done.
OWC like Docks do just what you want! I have no financial relation with them but they expand one port on my MAC book PRO to do most of what you are asking.
 

fa8362

macrumors 68000
Jul 7, 2008
1,571
498
In the same way we can customize our SSD, RAM, Processor ... why can't we be given the option of customizing the types of ports on our MacBooks?

All Thunderbolt 4? Done.

HDMI, MagSafe, Thunderbolt, SD Card slot? Done.
Why? There's no significant need for that.
 

JustAnExpat

macrumors 65816
Nov 27, 2019
1,009
1,012
To add or change ports require developing:
1. New motherboards for each potential option
2. New cases for each potential option
3. New risks of failures

Apple prides itself on maintaining an efficient supply chain. This would really create problems with their supply chain increasing costs.
 

sracer

macrumors G4
Apr 9, 2010
10,403
13,287
where hip is spoken
In the same way we can customize our SSD, RAM, Processor ... why can't we be given the option of customizing the types of ports on our MacBooks?

All Thunderbolt 4? Done.

HDMI, MagSafe, Thunderbolt, SD Card slot? Done.
Other companies do it, but as others have said in this thread, it's not easy. Apple doesn't have engineers with the expertise to pull it off.
 
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AndyMacAndMic

macrumors 65816
May 25, 2017
1,110
1,676
Western Europe
To add or change ports require developing:
1. New motherboards for each potential option
2. New cases for each potential option
3. New risks of failures

Apple prides itself on maintaining an efficient supply chain. This would really create problems with their supply chain increasing costs.
See post #7. It does not have to be as complicated as you describe. Basically fancy integrated USB-C dongles.
 
Last edited:

mzeb

macrumors 6502
Jan 30, 2007
362
621
I'll tweak the post title from "can't" (because apple absolutely could) to "doesn't" and try to answer the question "Why doesn't Apple" offer such a laptop.

First off the Framework laptops are awesome. My friend has one and I've been ogling them for a while as a potential upgrade to my 2019 13" MBP. I've gotten to know these machines reasonably well. That said, I don't think they are suited to the "average Mac user."

This thread has shown two different ways of doing customizable ports: build to order and on the fly customization (like Framework).

1) For the BTO I agree with much of what has been said. It is expensive due to increased testing and eventual failure paths not to mention the manufacturing costs of multiple lines.

This leaves

2) Customization on the fly by the user. Framework does this with a number of USB-C ports on the board that each has a little alcove for a module that could be HDMI, USB of any type, an SSD there are a ton of options. No reason apple couldn't do this with TB4 ports. Apple could totally build this hardware.

The reason I think they don't is that it doesn't fit their general use case. Customizable ports allow for flexibility on the fly. Whatever port you need there's a module for it. You carry the modules you need with you to get work done. Certainly sounds nice.

Here's the catch: most apple users don't use the ports on their Mac except for charging. That includes pro users. This was the logic behind just having TB-3 ports on the 2016-2020 MBPs. That was going too far but it was a logical move. We have high speed networks and such pretty much anywhere.
Gigabit class wifi is gonna be faster than plugging in and sneaker netting a hard drive in most cases. And most of the content we create is directly pushed to the web anyway. We have bluetooth for mice and headphones and low bandwidth peripherals. This reduces the needs for ports to almost null. The one exception being external displays which Apple has admitted it botched and added HDMI back to their laptop lines. But the truth is most people just don't need ports. Some folks are even calling for the removal of ports from Mac laptops entirely.

So Apple has done what it has always done. Take the 90% case and optimize for that. Put in just those ports. Need another port? We have dongles and docks which achieve the same thing with a bit less attractiveness. But that 90% case works great and feels great and costs are kept down. This is why Apple chose to do what they did with the MBP design afaict.
 
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ipsedixit

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 14, 2021
153
102
Some folks are even calling for the removal of ports from Mac laptops entirely.

So Apple has done what it has always done. Take the 90% case and optimize for that. Put in just those ports. Need another port? We have dongles and docks which achieve the same thing with a bit less attractiveness. But that 90% case works great and feels great and costs are kept down. This is why Apple chose to do what they did with the MBP design afaict.
I, for one, would be all for that.

But, yes, I agree with your rationale.
 

GSWForever8

macrumors 6502a
Apr 10, 2021
530
498
In the same way we can customize our SSD, RAM, Processor ... why can't we be given the option of customizing the types of ports on our MacBooks?

All Thunderbolt 4? Done.

HDMI, MagSafe, Thunderbolt, SD Card slot? Done.
You need a controller to control the ports. If you customize that means they need more controllers, which mean more $.
 

ipsedixit

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 14, 2021
153
102
You need a controller to control the ports. If you customize that means they need more controllers, which mean more $.
I get that a customizable port based MacBook would be more $ for Apple, but Apple could just charge more based on the port configuration, in the same way Apple charges more based on CPU, SSD, RAM, etc.
 
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