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.