Design choice poll. Should Apple have done the notch on the MBPs?

[miamialley]

Should Apple have done the notch on the MBPs?

 

[zakarhino]

I think we all agree the best case scenario design is uniform bezels, no notch, and camera in the top bezel without compromising on camera quality.

That's not currently possible, the camera needs the space the notch provides as far as we know. Apple's notch solution is the next best option that simultaneously satisfies as many people as possible, even the vocal minority of us that want to still have the option of covering up the camera with a sticker (an in screen camera or cutout camera would make this practice a whole lot harder).

It's unironically the next best option I would take over the best case scenario described above (unless we're introducing a hardware switch into the equation which Apple probably won't do). I don't want FaceID on the Mac. It's pointless because logging in and authenticating anything requires a manual trigger AKA, a button, such as Touch ID right now.

 

[Sterkenburg]

As of now, the notch is probably the only possible solution to get smaller bezels while the same time accommodating a better quality camera that also has enough space for FaceID hardware in case they decide to implement that in the next refreshes. People were vocally demanding both of those, so Apple went for the best possible compromise.

 

[Marty80]

I think this notch whining is just too much. It feels like déjà vu, when in 2016 people complained about the loss of ports, and the Touch Bar replacing the function keys.

Just wait till the next MacBook Air appears with a white frame & notch, and we will hear the crowd roar.

One thing is for certain, I ain’t canceling my order for a notch.

 

[Fishrrman]

To keep the camera as part of the design...
You can have the notch with the smaller bezel.
or
You can have NO notch with a larger bezel.

But you CAN'T have BOTH a camera and a smaller bezel UNLESS you have "the notch" there, too.

 

[DNichter]

Yes, I would rather have the extra screen space and not a bigger computer.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

Should Apple have done the notch on the MBPs?

It makes some sense, since the Menu bar is eating up the top 7mm of real estate anyway. Might as well put the camera in the big empty middle of it. Or think of it the other way, of splitting the menu bar in twain and tucking them up out of the way on both sides of the cam, giving you more area for usable display & less wasted on big blank spaces.

It comes to mind because is 2021, a full 15 years after microsoft devised The Ribbon to waste as much premium screen real estate as possible with vast areas of blank menu space, row after row, and MS still hasn’t figured it out.

 

[baummer]

I feel like I can't answer this question without knowing what other iterations they went through, and fully understanding the technical and engineering reasons behind the decision other than I trust there's a good reason.

 

[TopToffee]

Glad someone finally posted a thread about the notch.

Thank you for your service.

 

[SoN1NjA]

I see it two ways.
A)

• Glad I get a nice webcam out of it
• I am liking how macOS is handling it at least, software wise
• Plus the Apple fanboy in me is liking it for some really weird ass reason.

B)

• It's kind of ugly and ridiculous looking
• the Dell XPS has thinner bezels and no notch
• I really don't care how good my webcam is and neither do the people I'm conferencing with