Now that Apple’s October event has been confirmed, we’re seeing a flurry of last-minute reports about the 2021 MacBook Pro, which is widely expected to be the company’s first big redesign since the disastrous butterfly-keyboard iteration of 2016.
According to multiple sources, these new computers would have a boxier chassis design, an HDMI connector and SD card slot, and an Apple-designed SoC known as the ‘M1X,’ intended at replacing current 16-inch Intel configurations with greater performance and power efficiency. Furthermore, these laptops will include a higher-quality 1080p webcam, according to the (so far) reputable leaker @dylandkt.
https://twitter.com/dylandkt/status/1447997813602799630?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1447997813602799630%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2F9to5mac.com%2F2021%2F10%2F12%2Fm1x-macbook-pro-webcam-ram-standard%2F
For years, reviewers have panned Apple’s laptop portfolio for its poor camera quality, which ranges from the awful 480p lens on the 12-inch MacBook to the lackluster FaceTime camera found in the majority of the company’s current models. Webcams have, of course, become much more important in the post-pandemic environment.
With the release of the M1 iMac earlier this year, Apple appeared to answer these concerns by including a shockingly good 1080p FaceTime camera (before to that, the only Mac with a decent camera was the $5000+ iMac Pro). Now it appears that the MacBook Pro will receive a similar upgrade.
Dylan also mentions in his tweet that the M1X MacBook Pro series would come standard with 16 GB RAM and 512 GB of storage in both the 16-inch and new 14-inch sizes. This is the same as the current Intel MacBook Pro 16-inch model.
Although Apple created a stir with the initial round of Apple Silicon last year, the M1 chip had several flaws that rendered it unfit for professional use. Most importantly, the processor could only support a maximum of 16 GB of RAM and only one external monitor. Those limitations are thought to have been lifted for the M1X generation, and Apple will offer 32 GB RAM as a build-to-order option.
The ‘MacBook Pro’ inscription in the bottom display bezel has been eliminated, according to Dylan, in favor of a smaller overall bezel design. The display, like the 2021 iPad Pro, is mini-LED.
