Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

macrumors.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

361–370 of 474 posts

Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#361

Post by volta87 »

rconti wrote: post #344
volta87 wrote: post #321

If this happens I might replace my macbook air mid 2012. Magsafe, no touchbar, hopefully 14'' with 32GB of RAM and M1X. Also, I hope a decent webcam, and ability to support at least 2 external displays..

The new machines are great. I used a 2011 Air forever, having a high-DPI air was on my list, so when the new ones dropped, I ordered an i7 in March... which I recently sold on Swappa since I had to upgrade to an M1 :) But of course, no magsafe, and only 16GB of RAM, so if it's your daily workhorse I can see waiting for the 14" MBP with more RAM and beefier chips.

The main killer feature for me in the M1 is that it only supports 1 external display, and that the webcam isn't great.

I hope they fix those.

Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#362

Post by nrp »

jsheard wrote: post #249
Klathmon wrote: post #224

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder if the "MagSafe" they are talking about is the new magsafe wireless charging on the iphone 12? It would be nice to be able to have a charging pad for my laptop rather than needing to mess with wires at all. Speculation time! I wonder if they will be able to put a magsafe wireless charging spot both under the laptop, and on top next to the trackpad! They could let you charge your iphone from your laptop, and…

> Speculation time! I wonder if they will be able to put a magsafe wireless charging spot [...] on "top" next to the trackpad! Apple patented that idea just recently: https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/5/22215413/apple-patent-devi...

Apple patents are an evergreen topic for tech journalists, but Apple never announces features or products through patent filings. If you're seeing a public filing for a patent from Apple on a thing that they aren't currently shipping, that means it's something they have no plans to ship.

Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#363

Post by CameronNemo »

woodwireandfood wrote: post #302
imhoguy wrote: post #295

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I see some 24 pin "magnetic usb-c" adapters with 100W PD and TB3 compatibility on Amazon/Aliexpress. They need an existing cable so likely they just pass-thru cable capability discovery to an existing chip. Apart of some wear issues, reviews are rather positive. Anyone tried such?

I got one recently. Haven't had it for long enough to see wear issues, but I'm surprised how well it's worked. Biggest annoyance is that it's sensitive to being jostled. When it was just power, that didn't matter so much, but when it's connected to my docking station, it's the same as yanking the cable. It's staying, for now, but I have to be careful moving things around on my desk. Edit to address sibling concern: I…

Would really appreciate a link. Have been looking at magnetic USB C connectors but some look shady/bad.

Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#365

Post by Zelphyr »

t0mbstone wrote: post #207

I was literally just commenting to a co-worker about how I haven't used my touch bar even once in the past year. Give us TACTILE interfaces! I don't want to accidentally push a virtual button just by brushing my hand across a smooth surface. Honestly, what would actually be pretty cool would be tactile keyboard buttons with screens built into their surfaces. That way you could actually assign visual hints to your fun…

Maybe I'm in the minority here but; I'd buy an iPhone with a tactile keyboard in a heartbeat if they offer it. I get where they were going with a virtual keyboard, and I agree with what Jobs said when they announced the first iPhone. The accuracy of a virtual keyboard, however, is just painfully bad.

Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#366

Post by gumby »

ravenstine wrote: post #225
gumby wrote: post #202

I don't understand the port fetish. I admit my mac use case doesn't involve plugging much of anything into my machine, but Type C is pretty ubiquitous by now.

It is? To this day I'm buying new peripherals that only offer micro-USB and come with a cable with regular USB on the other end. I'm talking devices made within the last couple of years. In fact I'd say that's been my experience with every purchase I've made besides my refurbed Pixel 3 XL. USB-C definitely doesn't seem ubiquitous to me.

As I replied to another post: I've gone Type C only since about a year ago.

I guess I should have been clearer to point out that's it's still quite possible to(common?) to buy non-type C devices (you can still buy DE-9 serial devices too), but it's certainly possibly to buy a Type C version of almost anything (external drive/card reader/a lamp...).

Everybody's mileage can vary of course.

Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#367

Post by wedn3sday »

The only macbook I would buy at this point is a 2015 model, give me the old keyboard I could actually type on, magsafe, and no annoying touch bar. I've been using a 2018 macbook pro literally every day for three years and have never once used the touch bar for anything that wasnt previously mapped to a function key. 2015 macbook air is still the best laptop in the world.

Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#368

Post by ghaff »

massysett wrote: post #349
dtwest wrote: post #345

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love the design of the MagSafe chargers, you point out a great advantage of them, but sadly they aren't durable. And like the parent comment said, they are expensive. I'm on my second for my current laptop and it's frayed on the end so I'm soon to be on my third. Hopefully a next iteration of MagSafe takes this issue more seriously.

Shore it up by wrapping electrical tape around it. To be stylish, find some white electrical tape.

That works for a while so long as it's not fraying near the Magsafe connector itself. I eventually threw out my older charger because there was more electrical tape than original coating. My current one started deteriorating right at the connector so it's patched up with epoxy paste to provide strain relief.

I tend to agree that Apple isn't going to retreat on USB-C. That just doesn't make a lot of sense. And whatever minor virtues Magsafe may have, I'm happy when traveling not to have to remember a one-off charger for a laptop. (Which I have forgotten a couple of times.)

Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#369

Post by arvinsim »

offtop5 wrote: post #339

Will it allow me to hook up two monitors ? I sent back my pro and replaced it with an M1 mini the moment I realized only one monitor worked. I will say Logic X makes a Mac worthwhile, but it's like I'm recording on the road.

Sigh I am still waiting for Logic Pro X in iOS

Re: New MacBook Pro models to feature magsafe, no touch bar and more ports: analyst

#370

Post by biztos »

fumar wrote: post #317

I am typing this on the M1 Air. I had the Pro with a Touch Bar before. I don't miss the Touch Bar per se, but I did like the ability to customize it for my liking. I also liked scrubbing on video or music software. The escape key is back on all MacBooks now including Touch Bar. I guess I am still on the fence about the Touch Bar and its usability. I think apple envisioned more developer adoption and novelty.

I really wanted to like the Touch Bar for scrubbing, but then I hooked up the external monitor and the Bluetooth magic keyboard and...

To this day I can not figure out why Apple doesn’t sell an external Touch Bar of some kind, for use by the actual professional video editors out there.

Post reply on HN