The new MacBook Pro isn’t quite the unalloyed pro user’s dream it appears to be, as news emerges of a disappointing limitation to its restored HDMI port.
Apple took the covers off its new generation of MacBook Pro laptops yesterday, and the news is overwhelmingly positive – ugly display notch aside.
Alongside a huge boost to processing power courtesy of the custom M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, these revised 14-inch and 16-inch laptops see Apple restoring all of the useful ports it ditched several years ago.
MagSafe makes a return, as does the SD card slot and an HDMI port. However, the latter isn’t quite the super-pro-friendly inclusion it initially appears to be.
Head on over to the new MacBook Pro specs page on Apple’s website, and you’ll note that the laptop’s HDMI digital video output has “Support for one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz”.
This means that this is an older HDMI 2.0 port rather than the current HDMI 2.1 standard, which would support 4K output at a full 120Hz.
Apple didn’t seem to be averse to using an HDMI 2.1 port when it rolled out the Apple TV 4K (2021) in April, which makes its omission here all the more mystifying.
It’s far from a dealbreaker, of course. The new MacBook Pro promises to be a huge step up from the outgoing model.
Besides the aforementioned perks, you also get the benefits of a vibrant Mini-LED ProMotion display running at 120Hz, as well as the return of physical function keys in place of the unloved Touch Bar.
You might like…
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.