Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

tpfang56

macrumors regular
Jul 1, 2021
183
328
We need side by side comparisons to see it in perspective.

They do be lookin a bit chonky though just like my cat (not pictured in avatar.)
 

CPark98

macrumors 6502
Apr 5, 2016
398
1,822
Here is the 2006 15" and 2021 16" MacBook Pro Side by Side
Screen Shot 2021-10-18 at 8.55.44 PM.png
 

Achillias

macrumors 6502a
Dec 1, 2011
719
994
I really don't like the design. It has a notch and a thick under bezel for no reason. Why the notch? There is not even Face-ID on it. It's unnecessary. If other manufacturers can produce thin bezels around the screen without sacrificing screen estate Apple should've done the same.
akrales_200421_3975_0049.5.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: shaneomac.28

Serban55

Suspended
Oct 18, 2020
2,153
4,344
I really don't like the design. It has a notch and a thick under bezel for no reason. Why they notch? There is not even Face-ID on it. It's unnecessary. If other manufacturers can produce thin bezels around the screen without sacrificing screen estate Apple should've done the same.
akrales_200421_3975_0049.5.jpg
i have that Dell...its fragile
Remember, this design of MBP are here to stay for 4-5 years...and there is room for faceID...so i bet next generation will have faceID with no redesign requaired...
from business perspective..they already deliver too much on this generation...they need some features for the next one too besides M2pro/max SoC
And i would be shocked if companies like Huawei, Dell, Xiaomi will not go with notch and slim bezels next year
 

Achillias

macrumors 6502a
Dec 1, 2011
719
994
i have that Dell...its fragile
Remember, this design of MBP are here to stay for 4-5 years...and there is room for faceID...so i bet next generation will have faceID with no redesign requaired...
from business perspective..they already deliver too much on this generation...they need some features for the next one too besides M2pro/max SoC
And i would be shocked if companies like Huawei, Dell, Xiaomi will not go with notch and slim bezels next year
They should've added Face-ID then, besides the update they've done. It only has 1 full HD camera unit installed in to that space. It's not even sure if Apple would consider Face-ID anytime soon. From a design standpoint it looks weird and not thoughtful.
 
Last edited:

Serban55

Suspended
Oct 18, 2020
2,153
4,344
They should've added Face-ID then, besides the update they've done. It only has 1 full HD camera unit installed in that space. It's not even sure if Apple would consider Face-ID anytime soon. From design standpoint it looks weird and not thoughtful.
and next generation no updates, just new SoC?
its not a business model...they need as much features as they can deliver . Yes on top is an 1080p camera with 4 lens and ambient sensor...but there is space for a dot projector and flood illuminator
So expect faceID in the next generation for sure..that next generation could be 12-18months away
 

zakarhino

Contributor
Sep 13, 2014
2,586
6,932
I love the design. The shape is so much more organic than the last design. This design looks like someone hand sanded all the edges out of a perfect aluminium block to keep the essential essence of a rectangle without the unpleasant sharp edges of one. Like it was shaped by someone that wanted to make an object look soft but solid, all without losing its core identity.

The old design is a weird middle ground of having very large radius curves but also sharply chopped off edges. It looks too digital and clinical, like it was designed by a computer program and not by feel (just looking at the pictures makes me think the new one must be so much more pleasant to hold). It's like a rounded 2d rectangle from a technical drawing program was extruded out in the Z axis after which it is sandwiched between two convex pieces of metal with too large of a curve radius.

This new design really reminds me of the PowerBook G4 as many others have mentioned. It's very obvious new but nostalgic at the same time. I don't mind that it looks thicker at all, it's not overly thick compared to much of the similarly specced competition. In fact I love the thickness because it makes it look like it means business -- like it's proud of its thickness because the thickness is a deserved indication of the raw performance underneath (vs. the old style that tried its best to hide its thickness with overly exaggerated curves).

It's the best laptop design I've seen from Apple ever (from a purely aesthetic point of view). The only thing that comes close is the first generation MacBook Air but that was impressive for a totally different reason.
 

zakarhino

Contributor
Sep 13, 2014
2,586
6,932
I think what also helps this design from a psychological point of view is that we all know what this generation of MacBook Pros is all about: uncompromising, unrelenting, mindbending desktop class performance in something super power efficient and mobile.

This design will now forever be associated with "Oh, that's a super laptop. That's when Apple leapfrogged our existing notion of laptop performance and efficiency figures"

What do we all associate with the old design? Broken keys. Super throttling to prevent the thing overheating. Form over function. An assault on "pros" workflows by removing key ports and replacing function keys with a touchbar nobody liked.

Apple's decision to hold off on a new design until Apple Silicon's pro debut was a smart move for that reason. The new design will likely stand for "Macs went pro again" for many years to come.
 
  • Like
Reactions: asdex and SpotOnT

Lt69oX

macrumors newbie
Aug 20, 2021
5
4
I feel for the very first time in a long time that the purpose of Apple's new laptops is not the design, rather it is now the performance. Very strange. But I did order one - the 14" Silver with the 10-core CPU, 32-core GPU, 64 GBs of RAM, 1 TB SSD, and Applecare - $4k...
Yes, and this is a good thing. I'm tired of lousy keyboards and lack of ports. I got the same but with 2TB. This is going to be a great dev machine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Juraj22

Bandaman

Cancelled
Aug 28, 2019
2,005
4,091
I really don't like the design. It has a notch and a thick under bezel for no reason. Why the notch? There is not even Face-ID on it. It's unnecessary. If other manufacturers can produce thin bezels around the screen without sacrificing screen estate Apple should've done the same.
akrales_200421_3975_0049.5.jpg
Probably because there is a 100% chance it's a placeholder for Face ID for the next version of the MacBook Pro.
 

Falhófnir

macrumors 603
Aug 19, 2017
6,146
7,000
This is one hell of an ugly MacBook ?
hello old G4.
The notch is pretty gnarly too.
But!
That aside, the power!
32 GPUs!
64 gig ram!
Big fat juicy powerhouse.
Yep I bought one of these ugly b*tch*s for sure. I am very excited for my new and ugly baby to arrive!
I don't know if it was Apple's intention to create an allegory, but that's what we've got on our hands... these are the Shallow Hal of computing, it's what's inside that counts!
 

kmoreau48

macrumors regular
Nov 3, 2012
130
65
Love the design. I'm all for designs that are thicker and heavier (within reason) if it means better thermals and performance. I don't need thinner and thinner if it bottlenecks performance.
Exactly, especially when there is the Macbook air if anyone wants a thinner laptop. This way there is a machine for everyone out there.

if you prefer thinness, go Macbook air
If you prefer performance, go macbook pro.
We can’t have it both ways
 

smirking

macrumors 68040
Aug 31, 2003
3,858
3,927
Silicon Valley
Am I the only one that loved the weight of my 3lbs Macbook Pro? The extra 0.5lbs on the 14" (3.5lbs total) does something to me where it could cross the threshold of just being to heavy and I hate that on my back.

The 2021s 14" ~1cm thicker in width, ~1cm thicker in depth, ~0.6cm thicker in height* (compared to my 13" 2017 MBPs @1.49cm. The outgoing MBPs are 1.56cm, so 2021 would be 0.1mm thinner than current, but not thinner than previously)

I am a bit torn about the weight because one of the things I loved about the tbMBP generation was how light they were. I no longer felt the need to think hard about if I really wanted to carry my laptop if I might want it when I was going somewhere.

I'm fine with the extra dimensions. Lots of people are going to gripe about the new look just because it's different. Two years from now, there will be few of those people left because that's what everyone will expect a MacBook Pro to look like. If Apple goes back to tapered slim edges, people who profess to hate the new old look will rain from the skies.
 

jonnysods

macrumors G3
Sep 20, 2006
8,574
7,084
There & Back Again
The body itself is thicker, they reduced the screen width to get more into the body. It’s a great move! Bring on the better thermals.

It’s still thinner than the previous 13” model. It just doesn’t look like it because the 2016-2020 models had a tapered edge.
 

lowkey

macrumors 6502a
Jul 16, 2002
867
961
australia
No one will notice a .5lb increase just like no one notices the iPhone getting heavier after each upgrade. Once you get used to holding it, it's the same.
Thats exactly why i havent upgraded to the iphone 13 pro and wont be upgrading my 2019 16" MBP to the new 2021 16". Gonna check up the 14" in store by my god it looks awful in photos
 

TSE

macrumors 601
Jun 25, 2007
4,013
3,438
St. Paul, Minnesota
Yes, and this is a good thing. I'm tired of lousy keyboards and lack of ports. I got the same but with 2TB. This is going to be a great dev machine.

in that case, I’m canceling my order and getting the 4TB model. I cannot in good conscious sit here and know that Lt69oX has ordered a superior configuration to me.
 

zarathu

macrumors 6502a
May 14, 2003
632
358
Engineering required greater airflow within the case. To get the flow the edges need to be curved not squared. Its simple as that.

I think that Apple no longer pursuing thinness over performance is a good thing. Go with thinness in the Air, not in a performance Pro model.
 
  • Like
Reactions: asdex and djc6

LoveTo

macrumors regular
Oct 3, 2021
117
918
If that's how you evaluate your purchase decisions, then you're not really the target market for this machine, anyway. Let's be honest.
But that’s actually how I take decisions. I never have Pro needs but I buy MBP just in case I ever need more power. Plus MBPs are priced just a little bit over the rest of the lineup so never an issue. But this time the difference is too great and it’s not even good looking body. I’d have definitely bought it even at this price, if it had a nice modern design, even when I’m not a Pro user.
 

EnderTW

macrumors 6502a
Jun 30, 2007
726
275
But that’s actually how I take decisions. I never have Pro needs but I buy MBP just in case I ever need more power. Plus MBPs are priced just a little bit over the rest of the lineup so never an issue. But this time the difference is too great and it’s not even good looking body. I’d have definitely bought it even at this price, if it had a nice modern design, even when I’m not a Pro user.
You buy a computer based on looks. Smh.
 

MrGunny94

macrumors 65816
Dec 3, 2016
1,145
667
Malaga, Spain
I love the design, I don't mind the notch at all because that extra vertical space for me is going to be great for Terminal usage for windows on the top right and left corners.

I'm only disappointed by the HDMi 2.0 and the lack of FaceID since there's a notch there.. Lack of Face ID really screams "refresh" coming soon rather than late to be honest
 

BJonson

macrumors 6502a
Aug 26, 2010
866
147
15” MacBook Pro - .71” or 1.8 cm - (Mid 2015 Retina)
15” MacBook Pro - .61” or 1.55 cm - (15-inch, 2017)
16” MacBook Pro - .64” or 1.62 cm - (16-inch, 2019)
16” MacBook Pro - .66” or 1.68 cm - New M1 Max system
 
Last edited:
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.