Anyone still think the 2016-2019 MBP design is more futuristic?

[bniu]

I have the 2019 16” MBP and compared to the current MBPs, I still think that design is far more futuristic than today’s model.

Perhaps it was just way ahead of its time with the usb-c only ports and touchbar. I think they just had the misfortune of being paired with perhaps Intel’s worst era of CPU progress with the Cannon Lake 10nm vaporware that was intended for it.

I think that design would’ve been a beast with apple silicon’s much lower thermals.

I do own adapters for an SD card and an HDMI port, but I’ve used them only a handful of times in the last few years, definitely like having the 4th usb-c port instead of being forced to have those two ports on my computer.

Anyone else thinks that was one of the best designs of all time?

 

[rick3000]

I disagree, because I like and use the ports.

But a friend of mine just got a 16" M3 from their work this week, and absolutely hates the design compared to their '19 MBP. Kept saying it was like a brick and the squared off corners and black color makes it look like a Dell from the 90's.

 

[fs454]

I think the 2016-2019 design aged poorly. After a couple years of use they look pretty worse for the wear along those sharp edges. Maybe some of it is the disdain for the crappy Intel hardware inside (and the abysmal butterfly keyboards for 95% of the models and fixed only in the very final 2019 16", and flexgate issues, and the throttling and fan noise), but that era leaves a very bad taste IMO, having owned both a 2016 15" and a 2019" 16" i9.

I do wish the current design didn't get heavier for sure, but I think it's a genuine step forward and feels much better/more up to the task rather than just being built to appear slim.

 

[meDANOcine]

It was ahead of its time. In ten years, Apple will reintroduce it as a new model and everyone will think they are geniuses. Back in the present day though, I am so glad Apple remembered that people buy MBP as a workstation class computer and an Air for a personal class computer. I would rather trade the weight and design to have the ports and MagSafe.

 

[ndouglas]

I have the 2019 16” MBP and compared to the current MBPs, I still think that design is far more futuristic than today’s model.

Perhaps it was just way ahead of its time with the usb-c only ports and touchbar. I think they just had the misfortune of being paired with perhaps Intel’s worst era of CPU progress with the Cannon Lake 10nm vaporware that was intended for it.

I think that design would’ve been a beast with apple silicon’s much lower thermals.

I do own adapters for an SD card and an HDMI port, but I’ve used them only a handful of times in the last few years, definitely like having the 4th usb-c port instead of being forced to have those two ports on my computer.

Anyone else thinks that was one of the best designs of all time?

Yes, I agree with all this. Many many years back I felt different and wanted and used the HDMI port (before video/audio streaming was so common), and I had and felt I “needed” the USB A ports too. But after a few years with the 2019 that only has the USB C ports, it was easy to get used to. I have one USA C to A adapter for a backup hard drive a few times a year, and don’t need any ports besides charging on a regular basis. It’s interesting to look back today, and notice that I have no use for HDMI, SD, type ports on the new 16” macbooks. I guess it’s fine to have them and they don’t bother me to be there (tho I’d trade one for a USB A) but certainly the sleek look and design of the 2016-2019 models is very “futuristic“ and elegant.

 

[Abazigal]

I won’t use the word “futuristic”, but I felt it was uniquely Apple. Going all in on usb c ports in a drive to force adoption even as users complained about the lack of hdmi ports and the need for adaptors. It also made for nice symmetry and allowed a thinner form factor overall.

I would gladly opt for it even as I acknowledge that it would be more inconvenient to use. That’s what drew me to Apple products in the first place. Purity of form and essence over simple utility.