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What ports should make a return to the 2021 Macbook Pro?
- Thread starter senttoschool
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There's nothing that technically prevents a lot of things.
In practice when Apple has put a built-in HDMI port on a Mac since 2018, it gets a dedicated video stream: 2018 Intel Mac mini; 2020 M1 Mac mini;
The former supports "up to 3 4K displays", but one has to be connected via HDMI.
The latter supports "up to 1 6K and 1 4K display" but one has to be connected via HDMI.
This is a fantasy wishlist about ports people want back; no one (except you) is going on about how how adding a port will make it impossible to do certain things with the other ports.
I can see your point, but I think you're way too invested in fighting this particular windmill. ?
So, because other people don't recognise the implications of their "wishes", those implications don't matter?
Yet again "gimme what I want, **** the rest of you".
Right, because Apple crippling their professional laptops to appease the whiners is nothing to be concerned about.
All because you don't want to use a HDMI cable with a different ****ing port on one end. Are you ****ing kidding me.
Do people not realise that the shipping M1 13" MBP is a direct replacement for the previous Intel 13" MBP with 2 TB3 ports?
Pretty sure things will not change. The entry level products will have 2 ports and the upper level models will have 4. Wouldn't be surprised if only the 16" has more than 4 ports.
Of course we do, 2 is just not enough, not everyone want to use a hub.
Practically speaking what's probably more important than the actual number of ports would be the bandwidth to those ports.
For instance, the MBP16 has four ports; but they on each side have shared internals; so practically speaking it's more like one port on each side, with a very small built-in hub splitting that port into two.
So not all USB-C ports are created equal; and one machine with two ports could be more potent than another machine with two ports.
The upcoming MacBooks are sure to have at least 4 ports. Apple isn't going to replace an existing Intel MacBook with a lesser M1 MacBook.
Don’t bother. Explaining some things is like trying to pull teeth with some of these people.
I picked HDMI and MagSafe,but frankly I think there is another one here that would be more useful and that is a prior generation Thunderbolt port. There are so many accessories, docks, monitor cables etc. that have relied on this port for nearly a decade - or more. USB-A is gobe and if anyone really needs it, sure dongle. But today, USB-A is just a waste of physical space. of course, UBS-C is much better than the last generation of Thunderbolt (was it 3?).. but we have so many docks and dongles that leveraged this port and I’m sure we’re not alone.
I don’t know if the I/O controllers for TB4 (via the USB-C) and TB3 port can co-exist on the inside, but I think bringing one of these back would be beneficial.
I don’t know if the I/O controllers for TB4 (via the USB-C) and TB3 port can co-exist on the inside, but I think bringing one of these back would be beneficial.
TB3 uses the USB-C connector. The same thing since the 2016 MBP - 5 years ago. TB3, USB4 and TB4 devices are interoperable.
The previous generation was TB2, which had a small square connector like TB1 before it (the same as a Mini-DisplayPort connector). I guess it's possible that there are places with a lot of TB1/2 accessories still, but they're very rare now, IMO, and the TB3 to TB2 adapter from Apple (or e.g. Akitio sells one I think too) works fine.
While I get what you're saying (because I've never heard this before) I don't think that would be much of an issue for many. I have to edit my work videos in Final Cut Pro and I keep two external hard drives connected to each USB-C port, plus I have my Blue Yetti microphone connected to a 3rd port and and my USB 3.1 external card reader on a 4th port. I run them all simultaneously transferring files while I'm doing voiceovers. Never noticed any speed changes using all 4 ports at the same time.
Let's be honest about it only forum techies care about high potency of the ports. Most non-techie people don't even know anything about USB-C other than a Best Buy or Apple employee telling them which cable they need to plug into them to transfer their files.
Jesus Christ, this is possibly the worst one so far. You want a laptop released in 2021 to contain a port which has been made obsolete 6 years ago and has never seen any sort of wide adoption at all? A port that was only present on MBPs for about 2 years (TB2) or 4 years if you are generous and include the 2 years of TB1.
Move on with your life or buy an adapter, it's really not that hard.
You'll find that it matters when it comes to heavier stuff, like running bigger displays; Apple even has an official support document on how you are supposed to connect certain displays to opposite sides of a MBP16.
I don't need an explanation, I just voiced my preference for more ports on an upcoming model, I don't need snide remarks from the cheap seats.