2016 is a courageous year for Apple. It killed the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 series, and it killed a bunch of tried and true laptop features on the MacBook Pro as well. Don’t worry though, the headphone jack isn’t one of them.
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It’s one thing to remove the aging headphone jack from the iPhone, and quite another to ditch features like the SD card slot that so many professional photographers use on a regular basis. Or the regular USB 3 port that so many people, including iPhone owners, use as frequently.
Yes, you can’t make a thinner and lighter MacBook Pro without breaking a few ports. But it sure looks like at least the SD card reader could have stayed behind, at least for as long as SD cards are used by some of the people who’d be inclined to buy a MacBook Pro.
So let’s look at what Apple killed on the MacBook Pro:
No SD support
You will need an adaptor that can connect to a USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 port to use your existing microSD and SD cards. For some people, that’s not a problem. But I bet many people will disagree. Of note, the 12-inch MacBook doesn’t have a built-in SD card reader either.
No MagSafe charging
Just like the 12-inch model, the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros will not have a MagSafe charger. USB-C replaces that functionality, and we’re not surprised to see it gone. After all, Apple is all about uniformity in design — but the MacSafe will be sorely missed.
No HDMI
You can connect your MacBook to your TV using
No USB 3
You know those peripherals or smartphones that come with USB connectors? Well, you’re going to need dongles for them too. You can’t connect the iPhone, a hard drive, or any other accessory to the new MacBook Pro otherwise.
BONUS: USB-C*
This one isn’t something Apple killed so we’re not counting it in our tally, but it’s worth mentioning. Apple’s cheapest new MacBook Pro is a 13-inch machine that comes without a Touch Bar and is supposed to replace the MacBook Air. It only has two USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports instead of four.
Fret not, though, because for $250 you’ll be able to buy the six dongles you need to bring back some of the features noted above.
