The employees at TechCrunch reacted quickly and as far as I can tell, unanimously, I cannot remember the last time I saw so many coworkers really enthused about a single new feature. MagSafe has returne, Not the iPhone version (though it has its own appeal), but the original. This is the laptop edition. With the introduction of the all-USB-C/Thunderbolt MacBook in 2017, Apple abruptly discontinued this variant. This is, perhaps, an odd spot to start a lengthy review of a new Pro-oriented laptop. The addition of MagSafe is not the most significant feature of the 2021 MacBook Pro. The new M1 Pro and Max processors are very definitely responsible for this distinction. The proprietary connection, on the other hand, is a significant microcosm. Longtime fans who have remained with the line through port feast and port famine will like it.
Apple does not make kitchen-sink laptops, so the new model is not one of them. However, in addition to the new features, the firm is bringing back some old favorites that many in the community had assumed were no longer available. Features have come and gone as the MacBook has progressed. When Apple deleted the headphone jack in 2016, the firm famously referred to it as “courage.” That is just one of the countless examples of Apple being well ahead of the curve. However, that is the thing about bravery. It does not always turn out the way you want it to.
We, the customers, both demand and moan about change. We are difficult to satisfy. When widespread consumer use catches up, as it did with the headphone jack and the disk drive before it, the features are rarely missed. Occasionally, the maker was impatient. The switch from USB-A to USB-C was unmistakably a sign of progress. However, losing MagSafe was a blow.
The connection is, thankfully, back – and in better shape. An SD card slot (support for SD 4.0 standard, UHS-UHS-II SDXC cards, and I), HDMI connector, and a row of function buttons (replacing the maligned Touch Bar) are all but gone from the current Mac range (with last year’s 13-inch MacBook Pro acting as the penultimate holdout). There are three USB-C ports on the board, compared to four in the 13-inch model. Although no one likes to lose any connectors, the restoration of HDMI and MagSafe will undoubtedly be seen as an acceptable deal by many. Your results may vary.
Apple has made a determined attempt to reclaim the creative professionals who have been critical to its computer portfolio for years. In many respects, the new Pro models are the most eloquent expression of it. They are massive, powerful devices that look to the future of the Mac while also bringing back some old favorites.
With a year of perspective, it is very possible that last year’s 13-inch MacBook Pro, like the 2016 MacBook before it, will remembered as a curiosity. For the time being, the gadget will remain in the range as a 13-inch brother to the freshly announced 14- and 16-inch devices. It is an odd match. The fact is that the 13-inch MacBook shares more DNA with the Air with which it was debuted — possibly a MacBook Pro Lite or MacBook Air+. It was evident at the time that the difference between the two models was not as stark as we would come to anticipate, and the release of this year’s Pro models has only helped to emphasize the gap.
The product’s heart, of course, is Apple’s newest silicon. In the run-up to Apple’s unleashed event later this month, we expected a new chip, but the M1 Pro and M1 Max surprised us. Both are simply beefed-up versions of the M1 (based on the same 5nm architecture), and the changes between the two types will be minimal for most customers in most cases. In fact, for most users in most cases, the standard M1 will suffice.
However, the primary demo that Apple is aiming for here is not the majority of consumers. It is the creator class, who often push their computers to their limits with 3D rendering, 8K video editing, and other tasks that a decade ago would have appeared impossible on a laptop.
