MacRumors

Apple Arcade is set to gain another LEGO game, with LEGO Star Wars: Castaways set to launch on the gaming service on Friday, November 19. The game is available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV.

LEGO Star Wars: Castaways features a storyline where players crash land on a mysterious planet in the middle of a maelstrom. The planet is not abandoned, and gamers can meet both LEGO NPCs and other players as this is the first online social LEGO Star Wars game.

Players can customize their character with hundreds of LEGO Star Wars pieces and compete in games with others. Iconic Star Wars content will be available, so players can fight Tusken raiders, battle stormtroopers on Endor, and see Jabba's Tatooine palace. There are even Death Star simulations to participate in. There is an underlying mystery to solve, and players can work with a team or go solo.

Build your own in-game LEGO minifigure from hundreds of LEGO pieces in a new Star Wars game on Apple Arcade. Discover a secret world, now home to fellow Castaways, and build a life in this new home! Explore a new island, meet new characters, race Microfighters and even throw a dance party on the island! Team up or play solo and immerse yourself in simulations, recorded by the technology of an ancient civilization, spanning moments across the Star Wars universe. Battle foes, solve puzzles, build your skills in battle arenas and learn to pilot your way through flight simulations! Unearth mysteries and discover a growing threat to life on the planet.

Apple Arcade users can opt to "Get" LEGO Star Wars: Castaways right now, and it will install on their devices when it launches. [Direct Link]

Starting today, NBA 2K22 Arcade Edition is also available on ‌Apple Arcade‌. The latest title in the NBA 2K series, 2K22 allows players to choose their favorite NBA teams and take on competitors. The game features the latest 2022 NBA rosters and features an online multiplayer mode. [Direct Link]

Several ‌Apple Arcade‌ apps have received updates as well, including Mini Motorways, Doodle God Universe, Crossy Road Castle, and SpongeBob Patty Pursuit.

Apple's new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are equipped with improved "XDR" displays with mini-LED backlighting. Impressively, both new MacBook Pro models have up to 3x brighter displays compared to the previous-generation models, although the increased brightness is likely limited to HDR content.

The new MacBook Pro models achieve up to 1,000 nits sustained full-screen brightness and up to 1,600 nits peak brightness, according to Apple's tech specs, whereas the previous models were listed as having up to 500 nits of brightness. In line with Apple's Pro Display XDR, though, it's likely that the increased brightness is limited to HDR content, as the Pro Display XDR is limited to up to 500 nits of brightness for SDR content.

Here is how Apple describes the display:

The best display ever in a notebook features Extreme Dynamic Range and a million to one contrast ratio. HDR content comes to life in photos, video, and games — with refined specular highlights, incredible detail in shadows, and vibrant, true-to-life colors. Each display is factory calibrated and features pro reference modes for HDR color grading, photography, design, and print production.

Apple also said the new MacBook Pro displays have an impressive 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and support for one billion colors.

Like the iPad Pro, the new MacBook Pro displays feature ProMotion, allowing for an adaptive refresh rate between 24Hz and 120Hz. This can result in smoother appearing content while scrolling, watching videos, and playing games.

The display improvements are part of several upgrades to the new MacBook Pro, alongside next-generation Apple-designed M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, up to 10 hours longer battery life, the return of an HDMI port, SD card slot, and MagSafe, and more. The notebooks can be ordered now and will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores October 26.

Update: Apple has since confirmed that the new MacBook Pro displays indeed have a peak brightness of 500 nits for SDR content.

Amazon today has Apple's 256GB Wi-Fi 12.9-inch iPad Pro for the new low price of $999.00, down from $1,199.00. The iPad Pro is shipped and sold directly from Amazon, and it's in stock today.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

The new sale is particularly notable because it's matching the price on the 128GB Wi-Fi 12.9-inch iPad Pro, meaning you can get more storage for the same deal. For the 256GB Wi-Fi model, only Space Gray is available on sale.

For even more iPad deals, head to our full Best Deals guide for iPad. In that guide we track the best discounts online for iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.

Apple has confirmed to The Verge that its new 140W USB-C power adapter is the company's first charger based on gallium nitride or "GaN" technology, which allows for smaller, lighter, and more power efficient chargers than silicon-based chargers.

Without the use of GaN, the 140W power adapter likely would have been fairly larger given its wattage. Many other brands like Anker and Belkin have introduced GaN-based chargers over the last few years for use with Apple products.

Apple also confirmed that the 140W power adapter supports the USB-C Power Delivery 3.1 standard, meaning that it can be used to charge other devices that support that standard. It also means that those who buy the new 16-inch MacBook Pro can use compatible chargers from third-party brands to charge the notebook if they prefer.

We continue to learn smaller details about the new MacBook Pro models that Apple didn't mention during its "Unleashed" event, including that fast charging is only possible with the MagSafe port on the new 16-inch MacBook Pro, whereas the 14-inch model can be fast charged using either MagSafe or any of the Thunderbolt 4 ports. This shouldn't be a big deal given that the MagSafe port has no other use than charging, but it's worth knowing.

Key features of the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro include Apple's next-generation M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, the return of an HDMI port and SD card slot, mini-LED displays with a ProMotion adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz, up to 10 hours longer battery life, and more. The notebooks can be ordered now and launch on Tuesday, October 26.

Apple's new 140W power adapter is included with the new 16-inch MacBook Pro and it is also sold separately for $99.

Following yesterday's reveal of the third generation of AirPods, Amazon today is offering a new all-time low price on the second generation model. You can get the AirPods 2 with Wireless Charging Case for $129.00, down from $199.00.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

This is particularly notable given the fact that the AirPods 2 with Wireless Charging case is being discontinued from the AirPods lineup. Moving forward, Apple will sell the AirPods with Wired Charging Case for $129.00 as the entry-level AirPods model.

We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.

Apple is making impressive and eye-catching claims about the performance of its new M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, and on paper, the highest-end ‌M1 Max‌ chip actually has more raw GPU performance than Sony's PlayStation 5.

The ‌M1 Max‌ chip can be configured to include up to a 32-core GPU, a gigantic leap compared to the 8-core GPU option offered in the M1 chip. Apple says that the ‌M1 Max‌ chip uses 70% less power at peak graphic performance than a PC laptop with a discrete graphics card. Apple also claims that the ‌M1 Max‌ chip offers "similar performance" to a "pro laptop with high-performing discrete GPU" while using 100 watts less power.

To make the claims, Apple tested the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the ‌M1 Max‌ chip, featuring a 10-core CPU, 32-core GPU, and 64GB of RAM compared to the MSI GE76 Raider and the Razer Blade 15 Advanced. For a further breakdown of the GPU performance, Notebookcheck estimated how many teraflops the new ‌M1 Pro‌ and ‌M1 Max‌ chips can handle based on Apple's information about the new chips. These are their findings:

• ‌M1‌ 8-core = 2.6 TF
• ‌M1 Pro‌ 14-core = 4.5 TF
• ‌M1 Pro‌ 16-core = 5.2 TF
• ‌M1 Max‌ 24-core = 7.8 TF
• ‌M1 Max‌ 32-core = 10.4 TF

On paper, the ‌M1 Max‌ chip maxed out with 32-cores of GPU can tackle more teraflops of graphics than Sony's PlayStation 5, which maxes out at 10.28 teraflops. Notebookcheck's numbers are based on estimations and not real-world testing, but until the new laptops begin arriving in the hands of customers next week, they are all we have to rely on. As noted by YouTuber ZoneOfTech on Twitter, the ‌M1 Max‌ chip can also read up to 7.4GB per second, higher than the PlayStation 5's 5.5GB read speed.

The new MacBook Pros cost more than the PlayStation 5, but nonetheless, Apple's ability to make claims about a portable laptop that rivals a high-end gaming console is impressive. As stated above, these claims are just on-paper, and proper performance and speed tests will surely come shortly after the new MacBook Pros start arriving for customers next week.

With the debut of the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, Apple has brought a fast charge capability to the Mac for the first time, allowing users to charge the laptop battery up to 50% in just 30 minutes.

But there's a difference between models with this feature that Apple didn't really mention. While both models can be charged over Thunderbolt or MagSafe, only the 14-inch MacBook Pro can fast charge over the USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports as well as ‌MagSafe‌.

By contrast, the 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ is limited to fast charging over the ‌MagSafe‌ port. The reason is likely down to the fact that the Thunderbolt 4 ports are capable of charging at a maximum of 100W, and the 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ uses a 140W power adapter, so the same fast charging speed can't be claimed. Meanwhile, the 14-inch model uses a 67W power adapter for the 8-core machine and a 96W power adapter for the 10-core machine, so it doesn't reach the maximum TB4 power delivery.

This limitation on the 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ is unlikely to be a big deal for most users, as the ‌MagSafe‌ 3 port is made exclusively for charging and won't be engaged for any other reason. That said, this difference between the two seems worth highlighting given the various cable/dock setups prospective owners could be envisioning for their workflow.

The new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models can be ordered now, with pricing starting at $1,999 for the 14-inch model and at $2,499 for the 16-inch model. The notebooks will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Tuesday, October 26.

Following a promise of "later this year" in June, Apple has officially rolled out its new and updated Apple Maps in Australia.

The new ‌Apple Maps‌ offers richer details in roads, parking lots, parks, buildings, airports, and more, and is part of Apple's push to rival Google Maps and other third-party map services. In Australia, customers will now have access to new ‌Apple Maps‌. Apple last month rolled out the revamped ‌Apple Maps‌ to Italy, and Spain, and Portugal earlier in the summer.

Update: Not all users are seeing the new maps yet, so it appears Apple is still in the testing phase with them.

(Thanks Ross and Phillip!)

Apple on Monday announced third-generation AirPods, featuring an updated design, improved sound quality, and an extra hour of battery life compared to the second-generation AirPods, which offer five hours of listening time. However, what Apple didn't make very explicit in its marketing is that to get six hours out of its latest earphones, spatial audio must be disabled.

As noted in Apple's fine print, if spatial audio is enabled, users can expect up to five hours of battery. That's the same amount of listening time offered by the second-generation AirPods, which don't support spatial audio, but still half an hour longer than the AirPods Pro. That said, AirPods Pro can also be pushed to five hours of listening time by turning off Active Noise Cancelation and Transparency mode.

The new ‌AirPods‌, as rumored, feature a design similar to the AirPods Pro but without silicone eartips or Active Noise Cancelation. The new ‌AirPods‌ also include Adaptive EQ, which adjusts frequencies in real-time based on what a user is listening to deliver even improved sound quality.

According to Apple's specifications page for the new AirPods, the third-generation AirPods do not support the iPhone 6, ‌iPhone‌ 6 Plus, and the ‌iPhone‌ 5s, because they require iOS 13 to work. They also drop support for the iPad mini 2 and ‌iPad mini‌ 3 alongside the sixth-generation iPod touch.

The new third-generation AirPods are being offered alongside the second-generation AirPods, as well as the higher-end AirPods Pro. The new AirPods are available for pre-order now and will begin shipping next week.

(Thanks, Anton!)

The new 16-inch MacBook Pro can be configured with either the M1 Pro or M1 Max chips. The ‌M1 Max‌ chip is the highest-end Apple silicon chip available, and alongside the added performance, the 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with the ‌M1 Max‌ chip comes with another difference — it's heavier, slightly.

As we've already highlighted, the new 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ is heavier and thicker than the previous model. The added thickness and weight come from a new chassis, more ports, and other factors. Apple's specification breakdown page for the new 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ says that models configured with the ‌M1 Pro‌ chip will weigh 4.7 pounds, or 2.1 kg, while models shipping with the ‌M1 Max‌ chip will weigh 4.8 pounds or 2.2 kg.

The ‌M1 Max‌ chip is physically bigger than the ‌M1 Pro‌ chip; however, the 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, which is also offered with the ‌M1 Max‌ chip, features the same weight regardless of the chip used. A footnote on Apple's page says that the weight difference on the larger 16-inch model between ‌M1 Pro‌ and ‌M1 Max‌ results from the "configuration and manufacturing process."

For those who missed Apple's "Unleashed" event on Monday, the full 50-minute long keynote can be watched on both YouTube and through Apple's Events webpage.

Apple also debuted several new videos during the event, which have also been uploaded to YouTube separately.

Both the new MacBook Pro models and the ‌AirPods‌ 3 are available for pre-order now, and are set to launch on Tuesday, October 26. macOS Monterey, iOS 15.1, and the other software updates will come out on Monday, October 25.

Apple is offering customers up to $1,000 of trade-in value for the M1 MacBook Pro and ‌M1‌ MacBook Air, giving customers who purchased the first round of Apple silicon Macs an incentive to upgrade to the new, more powerful MacBook Pros.

The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros are no jokes when it comes to price. The 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ starts at $1,999, with the highest-end 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ racking up a $6,099 price tag. The new laptops, powered by either the M1 Pro or M1 Max chips, also introduce a completely new design, featuring smaller bezels, an all-black keyboard, redesigned internals, and more.

As is always the case with Apple device trade-ins, the exact value will differ depending on the device's condition, when it was introduced, and its specific specifications. For customers with the ‌MacBook Pro‌ with the ‌M1‌ chip and 8-cores of CPU and GPU, 8GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage, Apple is offering up to $1,000 for trade-in. It seems as though that the amount of RAM the MacBook has does not impact the trade-in value a customer is ultimately quoted.

Customers can use Apple's interactive trade-in panel during checkout for a new ‌MacBook Pro‌ to get the exact trade-in value their device has. To catch up on everything Apple announced during its "Unleashed" event, be sure to check out our comprehensive coverage.

While users and developers come to terms with the fact that the last-minute notch rumor for the new MacBook Pros was true, Apple has released new Human Interface Guidelines explaining how developers can make the best use of the extended screen areas around the camera housing if they think their app would benefit from it.

According to the new documentation, the fullscreen mode in macOS Monterey features a "compatibility mode" that automatically accounts for the camera housing by placing a black bar across the top of the screen to hide the notch and prevent app content from being placed there.

However, macOS also includes a new "NSPrefersDisplaySafeAreaCompatibilityMode" property list key that lets developers specify whether their apps should conform to compatibility mode or if their apps can expand to use the space on either side of the notch.

On Macs that include a camera housing in the screen bezel, the system provides a compatibility mode to prevent apps from unintentionally putting content in the region the housing occupies. When this mode is active, the system changes the active area of the display to avoid the camera housing. The new active area ensures your app's contents are always visible and not obscured by the camera housing.

On Macs that have a notch, the Finder automatically adds a checkbox to an app's Get Info panel that can be used to manually enable or disable the new compatibility mode. Alternately, developers can force compatibility mode on or off using new code properties that define the safe area of the screen and allow them to make use of the areas on either side of the notch for active content.

Developers should confirm that their app layouts do not overlap with the notch area before setting the NSPrefersDisplaySafeAreaCompatibilityMode key to "false" to bypass compatibility mode.

The inclusion of a notch allowed Apple to make the bezels on the new 14-and 16-inch MacBook Pros considerably thinner compared to the previous 13-inch and 16-inch models. The new Liquid Retina XDR displays also feature ProMotion technology, which allows the screen to run at as high as 120Hz, and as low as 24Hz, similar to the iPad Pro.

The new MacBook Pros are available to order now and begin shipping next week, but delivery dates for various MacBook Pro configurations have already slipped, with some of the 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models now listing delivery dates ranging from November 2 to November 16, up from the original October 26 delivery date.

Update: This article was updated to clarify how the property list key for compatibility mode functions.

Apple may not begin production on its upcoming AR/VR headset until the end of the fourth quarter of 2022, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in a note sent out to investors. That would likely result in the device launching late in 2022 or in early 2023.

Before launching the headset, Apple wants to have "complete software, ecosystem, and services," which Kuo cites as the reason why Apple could be planning to delay mass production from the second quarter of 2022 to the end of 2022.

According to Kuo, Apple has the "best industrial design solutions" for an AR/VR headset because of the headset's complexity and the need for a comfortable fit. Kuo also believes that Apple has more of a design challenge in front of it because the company wants to go beyond games with AR/VR software.

The AR/MR HMD requires much more industrial design requirements than smartphones because the comfort of wearing them involves so many design details. Therefore, we believe Apple continues to test the best industrial design solutions so far.

The key to the success of the HMD lies in the software, ecosystem, and service. We believe that Apple is positioning its HMD for various applications, not just gaming applications, so the challenge of building software/ecosystem/services is significantly higher than current products/competitors.

In general, Kuo expects head mounted displays to lead to the "next wave of user interface revolution" much like multi-touch on the iPhone. Apple will be able to change the market consensus that these kind of AR/VR devices are mainly for gaming, as the company "is the most capable of developing and promoting diverse applications."

Kuo previously said the AR/VR headset would launch in the second quarter of 2022, and before that, he believed the headset would come out sometime in 2021.

Rumors suggest Apple's AR/VR headset will be similar in design to the Oculus Quest, but with a sleeker look that uses fabrics and lightweight materials for a comfortable fit.

The headset is rumored to feature two high-resolution 8K displays that may be micro-OLED and a whole slew of cameras for eye detection, head detection, and other augmented reality functions. The headset will be reliant on the iPhone, and Apple is rumored to be experimenting with multiple input methods.

Apple is also working on a set of smart glasses, but the smart glasses are expected to launch after the headset, which will be Apple's first head mounted AR/VR device. More details are available in our AR/VR roundup.

Apple today held its second fall event, which focused on the MacBook Pro and the AirPods. Apple introduced new 14 and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models with a total design overhaul featuring MagSafe, no Touch Bar, HDMI port and SD card slot, and a mini-LED display that features a notch. Apple also debuted new super powerful M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, which join the existing M1 chip.

It took Apple almost an hour to introduce the new devices at today's "Unleashed" event, but we've recapped all of the announcements in a 7 minute video for our readers who want a no-frills but thorough overview of what's new. All of our event coverage is also listed below, so make sure to check it out so don't miss details about Apple's newest products.

MacBook Pros

• Apple Unveils Redesigned MacBook Pro With Notch, Added Ports, ProMotion Mini-LED Display, M1 Pro or M1 Max Chip, and More
• Apple Announces M1 Pro and M1 Max Chips Designed for New MacBook Pro
• AirPods 3 and New 14-Inch and 16-Inch MacBook Pro Models Now Available for Pre-Order
• First Geekbench Score Surfaces for MacBook Pro M1 Max With 2x Faster Multi-Core Performance Compared to M1
• 14-Inch MacBook Pro Starts With 8-Core CPU and Has 2 Power Adapter Options, 24-Core GPU Option Available for 16-Inch Model
• M1 Max Supports Up to Three Pro Display XDRs and a 4K TV All at the Same Time
• New MacBook Pro Finally Features a 1080p Webcam Within a Notch
• Maxed Out High-End 16-Inch MacBook Pro Costs $6,099
• New MacBook Pros Offer Up to 10 Hours Longer Battery Life Than Prior-Generation
• New MacBook Pro Features 120Hz ProMotion Display Similar to iPad Pro
• New 16-Inch MacBook Pro is Thicker and Heavier Than Previous Generation
• Apple Selling New $49 Braided MagSafe Cable and $99 140W Power Adapter for 16-Inch MacBook Pro
• Delivery Dates for MacBook Pro Models Slipping Into November and December
• New MacBook Pro Models Include HDMI 2.0 Port Instead of HDMI 2.1

AirPods

• Apple Announces Redesigned Third-Generation AirPods
• AirPods 3 Available to Order Today for $179 and Launch October 26
• AirPods Pro Now Available With MagSafe Charging Case for Same $249 Price
• Apple's New AirPods Lineup Starts at $129 With AirPods 2, AirPods 3, AirPods Pro and AirPods Max
• Third-Generation AirPods Require iOS 13, Drop Support for Older iPhones, iPads, and iPods

Software

• iOS 15.1, watchOS 8.1, and macOS Monterey Available Next Week
• Apple Releasing macOS Monterey on October 25
• Apple Seeds macOS Monterey Release Candidate to Developers
• macOS Monterey Release Candidate Undoes Safari Changes, Reintroduces Old Tab Design
• Apple Says Universal Control Coming to macOS Monterey Later This Fall
• macOS Hides the Notch on New MacBook Pro in Full-Screen Mode
• Apple Seeds iOS and iPadOS 15.1 Release Candidates to Developers
• Apple Seeds tvOS 15.1 Release Candidate to Developers
• Apple Seeds watchOS 8.1 Release Candidate to Developers

Other Announcements

• HomePod Mini Getting Three New Colors in November: Yellow, Orange, and Blue
• Apple Music Gaining New 'Voice Plan' for $4.99/Month
• Apple Updates Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro With New 8K ProRes Video and Spatial Audio Editing Features
• Apple Releases Polishing Cloth for $19
• Apple Restructures Website, Separates AirPods and 'TV & Home' Into Their Own Sections
• New Beats Fit Pro Headphones Revealed in iOS 15.1 Beta
• Mentions of High Power Mode Possibly for New MacBook Pros Again Found in macOS Monterey
• iMovie for Mac Optimized for New MacBook Pro and Editing Cinematic Mode Videos Shot on iPhone 13

Both the new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models and the AirPods 3 are available for pre-order starting today, and are set to launch on Tuesday, October 26. macOS Monterey, iOS 15.1, and the other software updates will come out on Monday, October 25.

As we predicted, Apple's new MacBook Pro models unveiled today feature a redesigned keyboard with an all-black design, a row of full-size function keys, and a Touch ID ring that provides a more tactile experience for unlocking the Mac with your finger.

The function keys include new shortcuts for Spotlight, Siri, Dictation, and Do Not Disturb, in addition to usual shortcuts for display brightness, media playback, volume, and more. These keys replace the Touch Bar, which was removed on all new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, five years after it was introduced.

Apple didn't comment on its reason for removing the Touch Bar, but during its "Unleashed" event, the company said that the return of physical function keys brings back the "familiar, tactile feel of mechanical keys that pro users love."

The keyboard is now surrounded by a black anodized aluminum inset, whereas there used to be silver or space gray aluminum between the keys.

While some users are disappointed that Apple removed the Touch Bar, the new MacBook Pro is likely to be a crowd-pleasing design given not only physical function keys, but the return of additional ports like an HDMI port, SD card slot, and MagSafe. The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models also feature Apple's next-generation M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, mini-LED displays with a ProMotion adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz, and more.

The new MacBook Pro models can be ordered now and will start arriving to customers and launch in stores on Tuesday, October 26. Pricing starts at $1,999 for the 14-inch model and at $2,499 for the 16-inch model. Apple said macOS Monterey will be publicly released one day earlier on Monday, October 25, following over four months of beta testing.

Apple's new MacBook Pro models are equipped with the "best audio system in a notebook," according to Apple, with upgrades to the headphone jack and the speaker system.

The 3.5mm headphone jack now offers support for high-impedance headphones. High-end headphone options that are high-impedance models from companies like Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic will offer better sound quality on the ‌MacBook Pro‌ models, a boon for professionals who want to use the ‌MacBook Pro‌ with studio quality headphones.

The 14 and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models also include an upgraded high-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers and wide stereo sound, along with a studio-quality three-microphone array with a high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming.

While all MacBook Pro models released in the last five years featured only two to four Thunderbolt ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack, that changed this week with the introduction of the redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.

Following years of complaints about a lack of ports, both sizes of the new MacBook Pro feature several ports that Apple had removed in 2016, including an HDMI port, SD card slot, and MagSafe. Both models also have three Thunderbolt 4 ports — two on the left side of the machine and one on the right — and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

These ports allow the new MacBook Pro models to support up to two external displays at up to 6K resolution when configured with the M1 Pro chip, and up to four external displays at up to 6K resolution when configured with the M1 Max chip. Apple's tech specs confirm the HDMI port is HDMI 2.0 instead of HDMI 2.1 to the disappointment of some users.

Key features of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro include the additional ports, Apple's next-generation M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, mini-LED displays with a ProMotion adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz, up to 10 hours longer battery life, and more.

The new MacBook Pro models can be ordered now, with pricing starting at $1,999 for the 14-inch model and at $2,499 for the 16-inch model. The notebooks will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Tuesday, October 26.