I’m no Apple fanboy (never owned a product of theirs and never will) but to be fair, those two USB-C ports can do everything the old, removed ports can do and more. The real crime here is not putting enough of them on the laptop.
Edit: The only port I’ll lament the removal of is the headphone jack. USB-C headphones are rare, adapters get lost, and bluetooth headphones compress the audio and have input lag. Everything else can go, though, and won’t be missed. (Okay fine ethernet can stay too.)
My ideal minimum is this: 3x USB-C with support for slow 5V charging, 3x USB-A, 1x RJ-45 Ethernet (not some shit like ThinkPad Ethernet extension), 1x HDMI or 1x DP++, 1x DB9 serial port, 1x MicroSD or 1x SD slot (flush when inserted), 1x 3.5mm combo jack.
Apple’s MacBook Pro includes HDMI and a third usb/Thunderbolt port alongside an SDXC and headphone jack (the latter of which is on all their laptops albeit on the other side). This seems like the perfect balance for most users.
It’s nonsense they don’t include HDMI on the Air, but then “it’s kinda thin and kinda light”.
I was not sad to see FireWire and mini-DisplayPort replaced with usb-c/thunderbolt.
Add 3-4 more USB-C/Thunderbolt ports and that is a perfectly adequate setup (especially since one will be taken up by the charging cable if you don’t have a dock, and even then I could get by). I’m actually impressed that there are so many ports on it…for an Apple laptop.
It’s a laptop, do you really need 7 USB C / Thunderbolt ports on a laptop? You can always plug in a dock and get multiple other ports when you’re set up at a desk.
When I’m not at a desk I rarely have anything at all plugged in. Maybe power if I’m going for a long time, but the Pro has its own power adapter. Maybe a USB stick for a minute or two.I can’t imagine having 3 things, in addition to power and headphones, plugged in while I’m not at a desk. At a desk it’s probably more convenient to have a dock so you can have a bunch of things permanently plugged into the dock (keyboard, mouse, screens) that require just 1 plug to the laptop before they’re ready to go.
Yes, and it works with every pair of headphones. Like I said, all you need is an adapter. It isn’t difficult to cut and splice some wires to make your own USB-C headphones, either.
to be fair, those two USB-C ports can do everything the old, removed ports can do and more
To connect to a device that’s 100 meters away at an appreciable speed (and beyond that at lesser quality), one still kind of needs Ethernet. Can be accomplished with an adapter, though.
My work laptop is a dell xps and it’s the same, 3 USB c and that’s it. One gets used for charging. It came with a c to HDMI and A adapter. Basically forces you to need a dock at the desk and carry a bunch of adapters for anywhere else. Even just 1 type A for the mouse receiver would be nice because logitech still don’t make type C receivers.
I know it sucks to buy another thing. But a Bluetooth mouse would fix your issue. I had the same problem and evenually had to cave and buy a wireless Bluetooth mouse.
There’s a headphone jack on the other side. I don’t think Apple make a computer without a headphone jack. Most models have more than two USB-C ports as well and all current models have a dedicated “Magsafe” charging port.
what about hdmi?
like i get it, displays work ovee typec. but most monitors you’re gonna find in the wild still use hdmi and being able to just plug your laptop in is a godsent
I’m no Apple fanboy (never owned a product of theirs and never will) but to be fair, those two USB-C ports can do everything the old, removed ports can do and more. The real crime here is not putting enough of them on the laptop.
Edit: The only port I’ll lament the removal of is the headphone jack. USB-C headphones are rare, adapters get lost, and bluetooth headphones compress the audio and have input lag. Everything else can go, though, and won’t be missed. (Okay fine ethernet can stay too.)
The sd card reader is cool too
For some yes, for some not.
My ideal minimum is this: 3x USB-C with support for slow 5V charging, 3x USB-A, 1x RJ-45 Ethernet (not some shit like ThinkPad Ethernet extension), 1x HDMI or 1x DP++, 1x DB9 serial port, 1x MicroSD or 1x SD slot (flush when inserted), 1x 3.5mm combo jack.
Apple’s MacBook Pro includes HDMI and a third usb/Thunderbolt port alongside an SDXC and headphone jack (the latter of which is on all their laptops albeit on the other side). This seems like the perfect balance for most users.
It’s nonsense they don’t include HDMI on the Air, but then “it’s kinda thin and kinda light”.
I was not sad to see FireWire and mini-DisplayPort replaced with usb-c/thunderbolt.
Current port line up on “pro” machines:
Add 3-4 more USB-C/Thunderbolt ports and that is a perfectly adequate setup (especially since one will be taken up by the charging cable if you don’t have a dock, and even then I could get by). I’m actually impressed that there are so many ports on it…for an Apple laptop.
It’s a laptop, do you really need 7 USB C / Thunderbolt ports on a laptop? You can always plug in a dock and get multiple other ports when you’re set up at a desk.
When I’m not at a desk I rarely have anything at all plugged in. Maybe power if I’m going for a long time, but the Pro has its own power adapter. Maybe a USB stick for a minute or two.I can’t imagine having 3 things, in addition to power and headphones, plugged in while I’m not at a desk. At a desk it’s probably more convenient to have a dock so you can have a bunch of things permanently plugged into the dock (keyboard, mouse, screens) that require just 1 plug to the laptop before they’re ready to go.
Can USBC be used for audio if headphones start using a USBC plug?
Yes, and it works with every pair of headphones. Like I said, all you need is an adapter. It isn’t difficult to cut and splice some wires to make your own USB-C headphones, either.
To connect to a device that’s 100 meters away at an appreciable speed (and beyond that at lesser quality), one still kind of needs Ethernet. Can be accomplished with an adapter, though.
Did you read my edit?
Nope, I think I must have written my reply while it hadn’t propagated here.
My work laptop is a dell xps and it’s the same, 3 USB c and that’s it. One gets used for charging. It came with a c to HDMI and A adapter. Basically forces you to need a dock at the desk and carry a bunch of adapters for anywhere else. Even just 1 type A for the mouse receiver would be nice because logitech still don’t make type C receivers.
I know it sucks to buy another thing. But a Bluetooth mouse would fix your issue. I had the same problem and evenually had to cave and buy a wireless Bluetooth mouse.
There’s a headphone jack on the other side. I don’t think Apple make a computer without a headphone jack. Most models have more than two USB-C ports as well and all current models have a dedicated “Magsafe” charging port.
what about hdmi?
like i get it, displays work ovee typec. but most monitors you’re gonna find in the wild still use hdmi and being able to just plug your laptop in is a godsent
The new MacBook pros do have a HDMI port.