Fortunately, I may not have to wait much longer
I’ve been illustrating more. Whether it’s doodles for this blog or graphics for one of my projects, I’ve been breaking out Procreate on my iPad more frequently of late. My process goes something like this: make something in procreate, sketching leading to an eventual design. Then AirDrop the project to my Mac, where I go in with Affinity Photo and refine the drawing, add other effects, and otherwise clean it up to share or add to an app or game. I keep thinking about how silly it is that I can’t use one of my devices for all of this. I suppose I could extend my Mac’s screen onto my iPad for drawing, but that just seems like more work than just using Procreate and sharing to a PSD file. What I really need is an all-in-one solution. I want to only have to buy one new product instead of two.
Perhaps that’s why Apple’s been reluctant to sell anything like that.
You can find such items on the Windows side of things. Microsoft’s Laptop Studio are a perfect example of simple hardware design. The kind of thing Apple used to do well. Framework has their Framework Laptop 12, an all-in-one with customization and upgrade potential. Many other manufacturers have released “all-in-one” tablet/laptop combos. However, Windows 11 is a nightmare that even Windows die-hards hate, Linux doesn’t have the app support, these devices haven’t largely focused on professionals, and software many pros look to still isn’t available on Windows. I personally am a technical person, but I prefer my tools to just work, which is why I’ve been on the Mac side of things. Even as Mac devices have become less reliable over the years, they’re still not as dodgy as Windows or Linux.
What I want is that all-in-one design with a computer that can be my device. No need for multiple computing devices just to get a good touch screen and Apple Pencil support. As Apple released the M5 MacBook Pro, one thought went through my head: “I don’t give a f**k until it has Apple Pencil support and enough ports to actually be a pro device.” I just want a Mac with enough USB-C/Thunderbolt ports, SD card slot, and Apple Pencil support. Is that so much to ask? I’ve even given up on the eGPU support because, while it’s the only actual green solution, I know asking Apple not to integrate planned obsolescence into their products is asking too much.
Why is it so hard to get Apple to make a product their consumers actually want anymore?
The MacBook for Pros
What is a “pro” anymore? Who needs a “pro” device over a lesser model? For me, my code compiles and my apps build a lot faster on a device that has at least 32GB of memory and a newer processor. For photo editing and graphic design I might add that I prefer the accuracy of a stylus. The stylus is part of the hardware requirement for doing that editing. The ability to quickly offload photos from an SD card, especially backing them up as my camera doesn’t have a dual SD card auto-backup option, is important. Video capabilities for video editing too. And while a dedicated audio interface is best for recording from instruments, I would love even just a simple aux input for quick recordings or testing my cassette players, audio input is something Apple has also dropped from their Macs. My portable cassette player has better audio input capabilities than my 2019 MacBook Pro!
All these things make a computer “pro hardware.” And yet, for Macs, there’s no device that can do all of that. Anything Apple sells is incomplete. Apple doesn’t really have a “do everything” “pro” device yet. They used to have something closer to that. MacBook Pros used to have plenty of ports, audio input, everything you needed out of the box. Sure, you’d need a more serious audio interface for real recording, you’d need accessories to improve your setup, but at least you had a tiny portable studio everywhere you went. Pulling these features out of the MacBook Pro to give us something thinner ignores what “pros” want a Mac for. It seems the only people Apple consider “pros” now are the software engineers bringing their laptops to coffee shops.
A MacBook built for pros would be powerful, have tons of memory and storage space, expandable, and, yes, be compatible with the tools of the trade such as SD cards and styli. It would have long battery life. It can be thick! That’s fine! It’s a tool, not a fashion statement! A computer that requires additional accessories for basic usage isn’t really “pro” is it? It’s not portable if you need a separate bag of equipment just to use it on the go, is it? Is it any better than a lesser device? My iPad Air can, out of the box, make graphics more easily than my MacBook Pro. Apple’s naming is meaningless when the consumer device can do anything so much better than the “Pro” device.
I have been considering getting a desktop computer. After all, my 2019 MacBook Pro feels limited when not connected to my Thunderbolt 13-in-1 dock anyway. What’s the purpose of a laptop if it’s so limited on the go? In what way could it be better than my iPad? That’s why I decided to not buy anything until Apple makes what I want.
Coming Soon?
Apple may have heard the outcry from professionals. I’m not saying Apple’s going to release something with dedicated audio interfaces, balanced input, 1/4-inch jacks, giant batteries, multiple card slots, replaceable graphics cards, eGPU support, and touchscreen support, but we may at least get one of those in the next device from Apple.
It’s something!
The latest rumors claim that Apple is working on developing the M6 MacBook Pro, to release sometime next year, with a touchscreen. This may end up coming in as late as 2027, which will be a long time for some to wait for an upgrade, but for people who want a laptop that can do everything in their graphics workflow, that could be worth the wait.
It, unfortunately, will potentially come with a thinner design, according to the rumor. That could mean fewer ports, a return of butterfly-style keyboards, or less battery life. For some reason, Apple thinks people want thinner items rather than more capable electronics. Every single time they release something thinner, people point out it isn’t what they want, and I hope poor iPhone Air sales have made that clear to them. But it won’t. They still haven’t gotten the message. Hopefully we won’t have to carry around a large battery pack or docking station just to use the thing. But then again, this is the same company that thought releasing Macs with only four USB-C ports was a good idea.
From the company that used to make the machines everyone wanted to use will come the next thing everyone will have to use. And they wonder why there’s no more joy in consumer electronics. Here’s to hoping that if Apple reduces the “pro” of the next MacBook Pro to fit some ridiculous idea of thinness, that the model after it, much like the 2021 Macs that came after Apple’s atrocious USB-only Macs, will add back in the ports and battery life users crave. Just a few more years!