Apple is updating its MacBook Pro lineup with new models featuring more powerful Apple Silicon chips, adding a new 3rd-gen set of AirPods Pro to its lineup, and announcing a cheaper Apple Music plan.

Here are the latest updates from Apple’s Unleashed event, in reverse chronological order.

Update: For more details on Apple’s new laptops and the chips that power them, check out our article on the new 2021 MacBook Pro laptops.

Apple introduces 10-core M1 Pro chip with 16-core graphics and 10-core M1 Max with 32-core graphics, delivering 70% better CPU performance and 2-4X faster GPU performance than the M1. Apple says they use far less power than PCs with discret4e graphics. pic.twitter.com/EMIctBwtac

— Liliputing (@liliputingnews) October 18, 2021

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7 replies on “Live updates from Apple’s October 2021 “Unleashed” event”

  1. Lots of things for Macbook users to be excited about with these announcements, but it wouldn’t be a Mac product without some really big concerns.

    The increase beyond 1 external display is late, but appreciated. I’m really hopeful that the new models will also improve individual external display support as well, like offering proper/full support for HDMI and Displayport (current M1 models are extremely lacking in even some of the most basic features of HDMI, such as resolutions that aren’t 1080 or 4K, or anything beyond 60hz).

    It’s rather disappointing (but not unexpected) that Apple chose to not bring back USB-A. Even 6 years after Apple stopped including USB-A ports in new models, I still find it incredibly annoying. Using adapters is really only an acceptable solution if you use your Macbook in a fixed location, because those adapters get really cumbersome when you find one that actually includes all the ports you want.

    I’m extremely happy about the return to Mag-safe. This is probably the only innovation that Apple has made in the past 20 years that I think was a resounding success.

    I can’t consider either of these laptops. The screen notch is a big deal breaker, and the lack of USB-A makes me want to just stay with my current Macbook. The extra CPU/GPU power is cool, but I’m nowhere near the limits of my current M1.

    1. Gotta query the resolution issue since my M1 MBP is driving a 5120×1440 display at 70Hz happily. Unfortunately it won’t output other aspect ratios so I can’t output 2560×1440 for PbP.

      What issue are you facing?

      1. The issue is that I can’t go beyond 60hz using HDMI. I have a 30″ 2560×1080 Ultrawide that supports 200hz. Of course, that specific refresh is only supported over Displayport, as HDMI 2.0 can only support a max of 180hz at that resolution. However the monitor’s manual confirms that the HDMI input does indeed support 180hz, and I achieve that refresh rate with my Windows computers.

        With my M1 Macbook, using either generation of Apple’s multiport adapter (the earlier one uses HDMI 1.4, and the later one HDMI 2.0), I can only use a max of 60hz (HDMI 1.4 should support up to 100hz on this res). The refresh rate option is greyed-out in the Display settings, indicating that I can’t override it, even with the Option-key method. And the terminal commands for it don’t allow it either.

        My assumption is that either the adapters are just hard coded for the resolutions and refresh rates it supports (rather than actually supporting the entire HDMI standard) or MacOS just doesn’t allow beyond 60hz when you convert to HDMI?

        Because I’ve read online of people using M1 Macbooks with Thunderbolt-to-Displayport cables, and achieving 144hz on Ultrawide monitors.

        I’m just not willing to use Displayport on my Macbook, because my monitor only has 1 Displayport input, and I use that for my gaming PC. I’d like to get at least over 100hz using HDMI.

        Also, my monitor has a USB-C input, and the M1 doesn’t support that at all. Reading online, it appears the issue is that the M1 doesn’t support Displayport Alt-Mode, which is what my monitor requires.

  2. Looks like TSMC 5nm silicon performs well. Soon AMD will release their 5nm Ryzen chips and then hopefully Intel can release their 5nm i3 chip. TSMC will be laughing all the way to the bank.

    1. …I don’t think I would use the word “laughing”, but I’d anger a lot of people if I described why exactly I don’t think TSMC would find its current situation amusing and why we should all be very concerned about the availability of computers if they ever disappear.

  3. Oh great, the rumors were true.
    If it wasn’t for the fact that marketing thinks that to attract the competition’s users they need to do everything like the competition, then make compromises with what their usual market actually wants, screwing everything up in the process, I wouldn’t have to care.
    But as it is, it’s going to be very annoying in a few years where every laptop screen has a cursed notch or hole punch in it. Sure, apple can put automatic NOTCH formatting into the global menu. But what’s Windows or Linux DE’s going to do about it? They have to come up with something, because asking laptop makers to not copy apple is like spitting into the wind.

    1. The only rumour that wasn’t true was the return of USB-A.

      I was prepared to buy a new Macbook Pro if that one turned out to be true. Apple’s multi-port adapter only has 1x USB-A port, and if you want more than that, you need to buy one of the extremely cumbersome hubs that are available from 3rd parties, and I’ve had a hard time understanding the extremely ambiguous support offered for Video-output from most 3rd party hubs (they all say “supports 4K@60hz”, but nothing else).

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