Kuo: New MacBook Pro Models With HDMI Port and SD Card Reader to Launch Later This Year - MacRumors
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Kuo: New MacBook Pro Models With HDMI Port and SD Card Reader to Launch Later This Year

Apple plans to release two new MacBook Pro models equipped with an HDMI port and SD card reader in the second half of 2021, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who outlined his expectations in a research note obtained by MacRumors. The return of an SD card reader was first reported by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last month.

2021 mbp sd slot feature2
"We predict that Apple's two new MacBook Pro models in 2H21 will have several significant design and specification changes," wrote Kuo. "Some of the practical changes for users are equipping with the SD card reader and HDMI port."

Last month, Kuo said Apple is planning all-new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with several changes, including the return of the classic MagSafe charging connector with a breakaway power cable, the removal of the Touch Bar, a new flat-edged design, and the return of more ports built into the notebooks for expanded connectivity. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman echoed many of these details in his reporting.

Kuo said Taiwan's Genesys Logic will be the exclusive supplier of the SD card reader in the 2021 MacBook Pro models.

Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
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Top Rated Comments

70 months ago

bringing back the sd slot is such a stupid idea. for professional cameras, plenty of them use CFAST cards and a lot of them are moving over to USB-C SSDs.

let's move on from SD.
No, they don’t. I’ve been a professional photographer for 16 years. The vast majority of cameras on the market still use SD cards. Probably 90%, even most the high end ones recently released.
Score: 88 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sniffies Avatar
70 months ago
As long as it has NO TOUCH BAR,

we good homie
Score: 63 Votes (Like | Disagree)
magicschoolbus Avatar
70 months ago
Bring back Magsafe
Score: 53 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SkippyThorson Avatar
70 months ago
Just a basic HDMI out so that presentations in higher education are possible without a stupid dongle.

Not to mention I have never been more infuriated with a design update that turned changing my volume into a 2 step process I know need to pay close attention to. Function key; press. Done. Ugh.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
70 months ago

You misread. I never said the majority didn't use SD. But the trajectory is going down and suitable alternatives are going up.

This is no different than MacBook Air killing the CD/DVD drive. >90% computers had the DVD drive when the MacBook Air was released, but Apple rightfully killed it off.
they aren’t just bringing it back on a whim. Apple is a smart company and everything they do is intentional. There must be big demand to have SD card slots back. Every, single pro photographer/videographer I know uses SD cards, although many use card readers too.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
blazerunner Avatar
70 months ago

As long as it has NO TOUCH BAR,

we good homie
Is there a way to like your comment twice? This really deserves greater recognition. Touch bar is trash.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)