[jonjenk]

This is a joke. The latest MacBook Pro redesign is an affront to pro users.

At our hardware/software startup the new MacBooks are unusable due to the limitations of the USB-C ports. Our engineers refuse to engage in the dongle shenanigans necessary to get these computers to work with the displays and the other peripherals necessary to do their jobs.

We just purchased several of the old MacBook Pros to make sure we have enough for new hires and interns arriving this summer.

Apple cares about Pros? Heh.

[zimzam]

Your engineers are unwilling to use a dongle to connect to a monitor? Something that is so trivial to set up once and never deal with again sounds more like an attitude problem than a technical one.

[strict9]

"set up once and never deal with again ..."

maybe you bought a laptop that stays in the exact same position and location for the foreseeable future.

for those who use it in more than one place, it's more than a minor annoyance.

[scentedmeat]

The monitor doesn't go anywhere. Just leave the dongle.

[robert_foss]

Yes, get a dongle for every possible monitor you'll ever connect to.

[dpark]

Why not? You bought a cable for every monitor you'd ever connect to. The hdmi cable your monitor came with definitely didn't plug into your MBP from 2015.

[jolux]

They did used to have HDMI actually.

[EpicEng]

Ummm... My 2015 MBP has an HDMI port... I use it every day.

[salesguy222]

hey this sounds like a great way to increase revenue AND profit! thanks!!

i'm taking this nugget of an idea to Daddy Warren!!

[helthanatos]

Exactly what I was thinking... My very limited (one person) "technician" can set up 30... I don't know what the problem is.

[Bud]

This is complete nonsense and probably just made up. The previous MB Pro design required adapters for the VAST majority of all monitors. There's nothing new here.

[joezydeco]

If jonjenk is doing hardware development, I can sympathize. I'll attest that literally nothing in my current bench environment is USB-C compatible. Dev boards, JTAG debuggers, emulators, UART bridges, signal scopes, SoCs...all USB 2.0.

Maybe he's talking about stuff other than charging cables and monitors?

[blackguardx]

I would be shocked if most USB accessories didn't work with an adaptor. The old macbook only had two USB A ports anyway. I do hardware development and use a USB hub with my 2015 Macbook Pro. I'm guessing USB-C to to USB-A hubs exist and work well.

[dpark]

Don't be rational with your easy fix.

[ssalazar]

Yes, ditching physical compatibility with nearly every other connector currently in use, in exchange for a millimeter or two of thinness, is the rational option.

[dpark]

Connecting a USB hub to your half dozen peripherals is a lot more rational than expecting Apple to reintroduce USB-A connectors.

[joezydeco]

They exist, but if you read OP's statement "Our engineers refuse to engage in the dongle shenanigans" you can also see that they just didn't want to have more hubs to juggle in the course of their day.

[gurkendoktor]

In my limited experience, HDMI is the new VGA in terms of availability. Projectors, TVs, screens all support it (even if it can't drive 10-bit modes or the max refresh rate).

If you bring a HDMI-capable Mac to a client and something doesn't work, it's their fault. If you bring a USB-C Mac and forget the dongle, it feels like a faux pas on your end.

Though to be fair, it was an aberration that the last (fantastic!) rMBP had a useful video port. Historically, portable Macs always needed crappy adapters.

[ebbv]

Err I have had my 15" rMBP and have never needed a dongle. It supports thunderbolt/displayport and HDMI. I can connect not only to multiple monitors easily without dongles, I can connect to TVs.

The all USB-C design of the new Pros is not very Pro friendly. It should be the base MacBook.

[mark_l_watson]

I have a new MacBook with the matched external LG monitor Apple sells. I love the combination. The monitor has one USB-c port to connect/charge the laptop and 3 other USB-c ports, one of which I always keep the $10 dongle to convert to the old USB plug size.

I never think of charging my MacBook because two or theee times a day I plug into the external monitor to work and don't even think of charging anymore.

[nilkn]

All our new developers are getting 2016 MacBook Pros with Touch Bar and there have been no issues of any kind that I know of so far.