Intel Dunks on Apple's Dongles in Continued Anti-M1 Mac Campaign

Intel is continuing its anti-Apple ad campaign, today sharing a tweet that calls out the lack of ports on M1 Macs. In a photo, actor Justin Long sits on a couch with a Windows PC and holds up a handful of Apple dongles.


Apple's Macs have long been derided for their lack of ports and the need to use dongles for various accessories and displays. Since 2016, Macs have included only USB-C ports, with Apple having done away with HDMI ports, USB-A ports, and SD card readers in its notebook lineup. That's set to change in 2021, though, with rumors suggesting Apple will introduce new MacBook Pro models that once again feature an SD card reader and an HDMI port.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who shared Apple's future port plans in January, said that in the future, "most users may not need to purchase additional dongles."

The ad follows several anti-M1 Mac videos that Intel shared yesterday starring Justin Long, who used to be in the well-known "I'm a Mac" Apple ads. In the videos, Long promotes Intel-based PCs, highlighting their gaming capabilities, touchscreens, and other features.


Intel's ads come as Apple is moving away from Intel chips in its Mac lineup. Apple in November released the ‌M1‌ chip in the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini, and there are more Apple silicon chips on the way. Over the course of the next two years, Apple plans to transition away from Intel chips entirely.

The Justin Long ads are not the first anti-Apple ads that Intel has shared. In February, Intel began a Twitter-based campaign attempting to point out the shortcomings of ‌M1‌ Macs. Intel appears to be feeling threatened by Apple's chip options. ‌M1‌ chips received a huge amount of attention at launch due to their impressive speed and efficiency, which Intel chips are unable to match.


Apple has even faster chips on the way, and there will be little for Intel to call out once MacBook Pro models with next-generation Apple silicon chips and a range of ports are available.

Top Rated Comments

Starflyer Avatar
33 months ago
Interesting. My Intel MacBook Pro needs those dongles.
Score: 83 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JoshuaBru Avatar
33 months ago
These ads reek of desperation but I do feel Apple deserves the ridicule when it comes to their dongles
Score: 50 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Andres Cantu Avatar
33 months ago
These will age about as well as Samsung’s ads about headphone jacks and power adapters.
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Quale Avatar
33 months ago
Intel really are concerned by those M1 processors
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sasparilla Avatar
33 months ago
Pretty sad on Intel's part. Intel has been using the same chip factory process size (14nm) since the iPhone 6 (Galaxy s5) and the market is leaving Intel behind because of Intel's executive choices, decisions and blunders in the past. Last years iPhone 12 uses a 5nm fab size (which is really around 7nm for Intel they measure slightly differently), but shows how the market has passed Intel here. Gamers going for higher end CPU's now want AMD's as a result of the performance hit Intel's CPU's take because of this as does the server market.

Apple is still a huge Intel customer...all their big money Mac's are Intel only at this point and to actively be stabbing a big customer in the back in public like this, says alot. Their new CEO from Qualcomm seems like a (insert colorful adjective of choice here), based on the choices he's been making since arrival at Intel.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LeadingHeat Avatar
33 months ago
Just keep digging, Intel. This new image looks great on you
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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