MacBook Neo is the Chosen One
- Thread starter RockRock8
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Ideal solution, which I haven't seen any evidence will be the case, but would be awesome, is if it can detect that you've plugged a device into the port that can utilise faster speeds, and macOS itself recommending using the other port. Then we don't need labelling on the hardware that you have to look for and it can be an elegant software solution. Can also use the same thing for the Mac Studio where some ports are TB5 and others plain USB4 - Not sure how feasible that is either, but it would be a very elegant solution I think.
I think it could in theory also be possible to bifurcate the signal in such a way that both ports are capable of USB3 full speed, but only one at a time. So the total bandwidth just gets routed to whichever one needs it or is first plugged in, but that's also added complexity and cost for a budget product.
I don't think this decision overall is that harmful to the product honestly, but I will also say, you'd be surprised if you expect the average user to read and understand the difference between the ports. And frankly, enthusiast users too. If I bought a product like this and didn't frequent forums like this I would not know for a while, and just throw away the user manual. I'd find out eventually through use and Googling but I also notice data speeds. Not sure everyone does.
I do think the two port design is preferable even if confusing and likely to lead to some user complaints or even false returns thinking one port is faulty, but this is a more flexible solution, allowing for both, for example, a USB mouse and USB SSD attached at once, and a mouse can easily run on USB2 speeds just fine.
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I think it can be done, technically. But weirdly enough, I think it violates the USB standards docs.
MacPoulet
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I was considering this to replace my 2017 MacBook (which has decided that it no longer feels obligated to connect to the house wifi) but I think I'll go with a discounted M4 Air through the refurb store or Best Buy. In Canadabucks, it's a $200 difference between the lowest MacBook Neo and the refurbished M4 Air. The Air doubles the ram to 16GB and offers a much better bang for your buck.
EDU pricing makes it a $350 difference it seems. I'd still go with an older Air...
EDU pricing makes it a $350 difference it seems. I'd still go with an older Air...
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Oh my goodness.
Notice that last part. No multitouch gestures. That is the one compromise I wish they hadn't made so far. That to me takes some of the joy out of macOS.
And wait, what? How do you even scroll then? Is it edge scrolling like in the dark ages?
Notice that last part. No multitouch gestures. That is the one compromise I wish they hadn't made so far. That to me takes some of the joy out of macOS.
And wait, what? How do you even scroll then? Is it edge scrolling like in the dark ages?
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Addendum. Source is MacRumors
Hands-On With the New MacBook Neo
Apple introduced an all-new affordable Mac today, the MacBook Neo. Members of the media were invited to try the new device and other Apple products at events in New York, Shanghai, and London, and MacRumors' videographer Dan Barbera was in attendance. Dan was able to see the MacBook Neo in...
www.macrumors.com
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Addendum. Source is MacRumors
Hands-On With the New MacBook Neo
Apple introduced an all-new affordable Mac today, the MacBook Neo. Members of the media were invited to try the new device and other Apple products at events in New York, Shanghai, and London, and MacRumors' videographer Dan Barbera was in attendance. Dan was able to see the MacBook Neo in...
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Thank goodness. Weird error by MacRumors
More on the port selection:
This is from John Gruber. @Cmaier already confirmed the notification, thank you for finding that info early on!
I think two things: I really appreciate them trying to do everything they can do eek out as much functionality out of the A series chip, like giving 2 USB C ports, even though it was built for 1, and I think the notification indicating which port to use is clever and detailed. They could have left it at 1 high speed port.
Because you can charge out of either port, this opens up functionality. I really like they tried hard to make it happen and did. They've received feedback in past to give at least 2 ports on a notebook if one of them will be used for charging, and they kept that in mind and made it happen.
@Cmaier can you elaborate, if you can, what it might take to achieve something like this for a chip that's built around 1 primary high speed port given public info? It would be interesting to hear theories
This is from John Gruber. @Cmaier already confirmed the notification, thank you for finding that info early on!
I think two things: I really appreciate them trying to do everything they can do eek out as much functionality out of the A series chip, like giving 2 USB C ports, even though it was built for 1, and I think the notification indicating which port to use is clever and detailed. They could have left it at 1 high speed port.
Because you can charge out of either port, this opens up functionality. I really like they tried hard to make it happen and did. They've received feedback in past to give at least 2 ports on a notebook if one of them will be used for charging, and they kept that in mind and made it happen.
@Cmaier can you elaborate, if you can, what it might take to achieve something like this for a chip that's built around 1 primary high speed port given public info? It would be interesting to hear theories
A popular YouTube reviewer said that "every pc manufacturer and chip maker" that they reviewed products from had reached out to them to ask if they knew anything about this rumored product. I think that's very interesting to learn and I appreciate the YouTuber saying that
I think this is a fun detail. Every product launch Apple does always uses bare hands without nail polish (from what I remember).
However with the MacBook Neo, they've added hands on the marketing that have nail polish coordinating with the Mac. This is clever because it's a detail that reinforces this is a first for Apple: a low cost MacBook, and one that isn't junk like other PCs. A brand new suffix, nail polish for the first time, and it matches the colors too. I also really like the way they announced so many products, but literally pushed down the other products on the homepage. Very clever.
youtube.com/watch?v=U37Ds3RvyoM
However with the MacBook Neo, they've added hands on the marketing that have nail polish coordinating with the Mac. This is clever because it's a detail that reinforces this is a first for Apple: a low cost MacBook, and one that isn't junk like other PCs. A brand new suffix, nail polish for the first time, and it matches the colors too. I also really like the way they announced so many products, but literally pushed down the other products on the homepage. Very clever.
youtube.com/watch?v=U37Ds3RvyoM
Also I'm not under an illusion that people are going to be editing Hollywood movies on here but I must point this out: it has hardware accelerated video encoding and decoding, including ProRes, ProRes RAW, HEVC, H.264, AV1 decoding, etc
This is meaningful because most notebooks in this price range will crawl to a halt when trying to edit iMovies. This won't, because of that hardware accelerated processes. This really is a low cost MacBook that isn't anything but junk!
This is meaningful because most notebooks in this price range will crawl to a halt when trying to edit iMovies. This won't, because of that hardware accelerated processes. This really is a low cost MacBook that isn't anything but junk!
Not Cmeier, but it doesn't sound too difficult to me. They have already been doing this for the Mac Pro and previously for Intel Macs. You likely have an additional small USB controller outside the SoC and the data bus is likely shared with the high-speed USB port internally. Software detection and notification is super easy to do as the OS knows what is happening on the port size.
I am more surprised that they did not make the ports multiplexed, switching the high-speed connectivity to whatever connector that needs it, but I guess that's where we see cost savings. Helps them to shave few $ off the design.
What about separating the embedded USB 2.0 subchannel in the 3.0 PHY from the and routing it to a custom chip for the port? Would that explain why 1 port is full speed USB 3 and 1 is exactly 2.0, and why the USB 3 port can only drive the display and the other cannot? Why both can also power the MacBook and charge it up too?
Wouldn’t that imply that the high-speed port won’t support 2.0 connectivity at all (e.g. older devices)? Sharing the channel sounds safer to me and it’s a cheap thing to do.
I want to thank you for contributing and helping me understand what they might have done to achieve this. Even though I asked for cmaier I didn't mean to leave out anyone, and I appreciate you contributing so please do continue if you wish to!
Is there any way of knowing for sure once we see the logic board? Or are there multiple options that will be unclear still what they did, and will require looking closer than a simple photo of the logic board?
