If Apple thought the future of ports is USB-C, why is Apple bringing back more types of ports?

[Rashy]

Most people never use all four of their USB-C ports at once. And when they do, they are using one of those for power, anyway, which won’t be necessary on the new machines. This change is fine.

This. And one of those four ports is needed for power supply anyway, another for a display. Magsafe covers the first (and drastically reduces wear & tear from the rather flimsy USB-C ports) and HDMI can cover the second, but you don't have to use it, as there still three USB-C ports left just like before.

A few people asking for six identical ports, for what? Sounds like hardcore desktop use. Then get a desktop or, wait, a hub. You told us the same in the last 5 years.

People who actually use the Macbook as portables are happy to have a standard port for projectors, displays and TVs integrated. The same goes for SD card. That silly argument 'I don't know anyone using it, not professional' is nonsense. The majority of consumer and prosumer cameras have SD, same for most TVs, receivers, car radios, audio and DJ equipment, including most recent high-tier releases (Pioneer, Denon). UHS-II/III is really fast, too. And again, if you don't need it, either ignore it or stick in a Nifty Mini Drive to expand your internal storage for cheap money for the files you need less often (TimeMachine backups both). Also you still have your USB-C ports. No reasons to complain.

3x USB-C + HDMI + SD + Magsafe > 4x USB-C
Fully agree with the OP. A few will be less happy, that's okay, you can't cater to everyone. But the majority of users and reviewers who had been frustrated since 2016 will enjoy this as valuable upgrade.

 

[Gudi]

Anyway. If you're bothered by the multitude of USB ports, you'll be glad to know that in 4.0 there's just one connector. Type C.

Type-C USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbit/s)
Type-C USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbit/s)
Type-C USB 3.2 (20 G bit/s)
Type-C TB 3

Now that the ports are all equal, you’ve got to worry that the cables are fit for the required transfer speed.

 

[Stephen.R]

Now that the ports are all equal, you’ve got to worry that the cables are fit for the required transfer speed.

So, literally the same as any cable in the history of computer cables?

 

[Abazigal]

3x USB-C + HDMI + SD + Magsafe > 4x USB-C
Fully agree with the OP. A few will be less happy, that's okay, you can't cater to everyone. But the majority of users and reviewers who had been frustrated since 2016 will enjoy this as valuable upgrade.

All this shows is that 6 ports is better than 4.

 

[Rashy]

Yes, but not 6 identical ones. Smh

 

[leman]

Yes, but not 6 identical ones.

Agreed, 6 HDMI ports and nothing else would make a really useless computer. Six USB4 ports on another hand would give you unmatched flexibility.

 

[theluggage]

Now that the ports are all equal, you’ve got to worry that the cables are fit for the required transfer speed.

You missed out USB4 20, USB4 40, analogue audio alt mode, the differences between USB3.1 alt mode and USB3.1 tunnelled over USB4, Thunderbolt 1/2/3 (full Thunderbolt backward compatibility is optional in USB4) and Thunderbolt 4 (seems to be USB4 with a bunch of optional features made compulsory, but adds a new port/cable branding). I’m not counting USB 3.2 (USB 3.1 with channel bonding) or HDMI alt mode (as opposed to using a DP to HDMI converter) unless anybody has actually seen those implemented... Then we’ve got three flavours of DisplayPort (1.2a, 1.4 and, with USB4, 2.0) - which is also an issue with DP, but now take all the permutations of that mixed with USB-C.

...and remember, it’s not just whether that old cable is up to the new bandwidth - we‘re talking quite different cable capabilities like USB-2 and charge-only cables vs. active TB3 cables, and it is all now enforced by embedded cable ID chips...

I‘m all for the idea of a single, universal port. Wake me up when someone invents one, because USB-C isn’t it. Until then, people have been trained not to put the triangular peg in the round hole since before they could talk. Why waste that skill?

...and if you then put 6 or more of these wonderful universal ports on a laptop, instead of 2-4, so you can plug in a charger and a display without blocking 50-100% of your data transfer capacity , then maybe people will start to accept that the extra versatility might be worth needing a few adapters. Except that isn’t gonna happen any time soon since each full-featured TB4 port uses the CPU/GPU resources of half a dozen dedicated ports, and mobile chipsets can’t provide that for more than a couple of ports.

 

[Rashy]

Agreed, 6 HDMI ports and nothing else would make a really useless computer. Six USB4 ports on another hand would give you unmatched flexibility.

A flexibility in what way? On the road, in the office or the hotel, how exactly are 6x USB-C ports of any additional benefit, when you need dongles anyway?

Again, get out of your desktop-usage bubble, guys. If you really have that many monitors, RAIDs or whatever requiring six of those ports, go and get a hub or a proper desktop, but you dont represent the majority of users, that's why its not coming. This is a Macbook Pro and as such it shall offer a reasonable level of flexibility without having to rely or even think about dongles. That's why most people will prefer the upcoming mixture of ports rather than 4 or 6 identical ones, if you like it or not. I agree that USB-C itself is cool, fancy and future-proof but that doesn't help me as user when the industry isn't adapting and existing alternatives are still perfectly working.

 

[theluggage]

Six USB4 ports on another hand would give you unmatched flexibility.

...and consume more PCIe lanes (or internal equivalent) and DisplayPort streams than any known laptop-class SoC is likely to support. Universal ports come at a cost.

 

[cupcakes2000]

Yes, but not 6 identical ones. Smh

But they’re not identical are they. They can be anything you want them to be. To say that your not getting it and missing the point entirely would be a gross understatement.

I know, I know. You want an hdmi port so you don’t have to purchase a usbc to hdmi cable, or attach a small adapter to the end of the hdmi to hdmi cable you already own.

For a tech related forum, the number of people refusing to see the benefits of a port that can become any port you want it to be is absolutely ridiculous.

 

[Rashy]

The only one being both ignorant and arrogant is you.

It seems like you haven't even read my statements, nor those from other people sharing the same opinion and experiences everywhere. I care about real-world usage, not what 'these ports can be' or their 'potential benefits'. Most peripherals and existing infrastructure do still not offer USB-C connectivity so no matter if there are 4, 6 or 20 of these ports, as long there is no integrated alternative in my MBP, me and many other users require dongles, and dongles suck, end of story.

I know, I know. You want to continue the USB-C only path Apple has thought is going to be a total success and everyone is going to adapt to, five years ago. Well, stick with your dreams them, because this hasn't happened. Apple is reacting and is taking a step back, same with their other design flaws like butterfly keyboard or touchbar. Good riddance.

 

[macintoshmac]

I would prefer it if Apple stuck to their guns and stay with USB-C connections. If I have a peripheral that requires another connection cable, I'll buy a cheap dongle. But caving to people who want this port or that simply encourages 3rd party manufacturers to keep producing devices with those connection ports.

I would rather pay a slight bit more for a display or storage drive and not have to deal with multiple port connectors and just worry about "do I have enough USB-C ports to use this?"

You’re exactly the customer Apple wants and hopes to make of everyone. Dongles dangling from a laptop. Good look.

 

[leman]

A flexibility in what way? On the road, in the office or the hotel, how exactly are 6x USB-C ports of any additional benefit, when you need dongles anyway?

Why would I need dongles? My external SSD is USB-C. My mouse is USB-C. My headphone connector cable is USB-C. My display is USB-C. I migrated to the modern USB ecosystem in 2017 and never looked back. Yeah, I still need a video adapter if I go on conferences but I need one anyway since some venues only have VGA.

You se, the real problem is the user attitude. We would have reached 100% USB-C adoption years ago if not for users complaining about the A-port on their mouse and manufacturers being too lazy and scared from applying pressure. It’s embarrassing really. That’s why we can’t have good things.

 

[PeterZwegat]

@Rashy It's futile to argue against those stubborns.

I cloudn't be more happier about the upcoming port selections. Perfect compromise of both worlds. 3x TB4 which is still plenty, 1x HDMI which covers pretty much every TV, projector, monitor, 1x SD which might be more niche but is still more convenient than having no card reader at all, and Magsafe had always been very convenient, a magnetically snatching connector (perferably with a status LED) is superior to a standard port which is prone to damage. Add the M1X and a 1080p webcam and this thing will sell greatly. I don't get why people even whine.

To say that your not getting it and missing the point entirely would be a gross understatement.

Sorry, how old are you? Twelve? Because you totally sound like one. Very rude and inappropriate. Insulting pretty much everyone who doesn't agree with your view.

 

[EntropyQ3]

Just a comment on the thread title.
There IS no future of ports. Anyone old enough to be dry behind their ears have seen a number of ports, connectors and protocols come and go. There is no reason to believe USB-4 on the current connector is the final stop.

Indeed, it may well be that the final connector is no connector at all. Even today 802.11ay, bluetooth and WiFi6e could handle just about anything we do with wires and connectors.

But it is not a future I’m inclined to rush to embrace. There is a lot of perfectly valid reasons to keep a bunch of ports around on computers.

 

[Stephen.R]

A flexibility in what way? On the road, in the office or the hotel, how exactly are 6x USB-C ports of any additional benefit, when you need dongles anyway?

There are literally thousands of products available that connect via USB-C - either USB 3, USB4 or TB3 products. "Dongles" are not a foregone consclusion.

External SSDs, which are very popular for a number of reasons (Apple SSD pricing, the need to keep the drive external, working between machines, etc), are a perfect example of this.

Portable monitors commonly use USB-C these days, because it allows for power and video. The ones I've seen that support mini-HDMI (uh oh, another adapter required too!) also require a separate power source, which is often in the form of just sending power to the USB-C port.


But ignore all that.


In case the sheer number of threads that devolve into this same circular "my convenience is more important, your use case isn't valid" **** show hadn't made it obvious yet: a goodly number of us do not use HDMI for anything, or don't use it "on the road", or don't use it all the time, and need to be able to do other things.

I care about real-world usage

Your replies thus far lead me to conclude that you care about your real world usage and nothing else.

not what 'these ports can be'

When someone says "these ports can do X, Y, or Z" - that doesn't mean it's just a hypothetical scenario that no one has ever done, like "Elon Musk's Starship can take people to Mars". It means that the port is capable of doing all those things, which are known to be things that people use computers with/for, and unlike you, some of us don't claim to be the arbiters of what is or is not a "valid use case" to justify our own selfish whining.

Dongles dangling from a laptop. Good look.

As opposed to a HDMI cable "dangling" from a laptop?

But more importantly. "Good look". Just stop. Some of us use Macs to actually run a business, write software, do actual work.

Looks are literally the last thing anyone should care about.


If you give me the choice of a hot barbie pink laptop with 8 full speed USB4 ports, or a fetishised space gray one with 3+HDMI - or **** it even with the current four, or six - you can bet your barbie girl ass I'll be getting the ****ing pink one, because while it's not apparent to some people, the looks matter **** all when it comes to actually doing something productive. Unless of course that something "productive" is sitting in a coffee shop telling anyone that will listen and even some that won't about your great writing project.

 

[Stephen.R]

1x HDMI which covers pretty much every TV, projector, monitor,

It covers pretty much every bargain basement monitor, yes.

High end, high resolution monitors? Not even close.

 

[Serban55]

in 2021 to still cry about usbC...is embarrassing..everyone who needs/care about tech should already have all the devices/accessories usbC

 

[Stephen.R]

in 2021 to still cry about usbC...is embarrassing..everyone who needs/care about tech should already have all the devices/accessories usbC

But why find a simple solution to get the job done, when you can just whine and moan about it for <checks notes> half a decade.

 

[Rashy]

If you give me the choice of a hot barbie pink laptop with 8 full speed USB4 ports, or a fetishised space gray one with 3+HDMI - or **** it even with the current four, or six - you can bet your barbie girl ass I'll be getting the ****ing pink one

Hah, I must admit, albeit we will never become friends, this statement made me grin, really.
Maybe Apple gonna follow the the path for the upcoming Macbook Airs? With that many colors to pick from, well, your chances are good (less for those 8 ports, though).

It's a beautiful Sunday here and I don't want to waste more energy arguing about first world problems. It seems 'everyone' here has adapted to an USB-C-only world already. Well, fine then, not the case here in Germany though. Lets just wait and see what is going to await us at the WWDC. Cheers

 

[Stephen.R]

I am not the one to decide what is about to getting released at the WWDC, so lets wait and see.

Agreed (well.. I'm not necessarily expecting anything next week but, the sentiment is the same regardless of date), Apple, regardless of whatever else, will always do what Apple thinks is best for some value of "best". Neither you nor I can control that.

 

[cupcakes2000]

@Rashy It's futile to argue against those stubborns.

I cloudn't be more happier about the upcoming port selections. Perfect compromise of both worlds. 3x TB4 which is still plenty, 1x HDMI which covers pretty much every TV, projector, monitor, 1x SD which might be more niche but is still more convenient than having no card reader at all, and Magsafe had always been very convenient, a magnetically snatching connector (perferably with a status LED) is superior to a standard port which is prone to damage. Add the M1X and a 1080p webcam and this thing will sell greatly. I don't get why people even whine.



Sorry, how old are you? Twelve? Because you totally sound like one. Very rude and inappropriate. Insulting pretty much everyone who doesn't agree with your view.

I’m not being rude at all! Or inappropriate. I’m merely pointing out that some people can’t grasp some things.

I said this: ‘To say that your not getting it and missing the point entirely would be a gross understatement.’

There isn’t any way that could be considered insulting, other than to a specific viewpoint to which I don’t subscribe.

Grow up.

 

[Stephen.R]

There isn’t any way that could be considered insulting, other than to a specific viewpoint to which I don’t subscribe.

MR Mods: hold my beer.

 

[Stephen.R]

Hah, I must admit, albeit we will never become friends, this statement made me grin, really.

Well good. Things are often taken way to seriously around here.

I would hope that the first statement there is simply referring to likely geographical distance between us, and not some assumed "well he doesn't use HDMI ports so we could not possibly be friends", because I can't be friends with someone with that kind of attitude buddy.

 

[cupcakes2000]

You want to continue the USB-C only path

Again. It isn’t usbc only. It’s all and everything. Unlike hdmi, which is truly hdmi only. Or a card slot, which is only a card slot, further, for one specific card out of a multitude of cards.