Are MacBooks About to Get Thinner and Lighter?

With the introduction of M-series silicon, Apple is set to reclaim its status as a pioneer in the ultra-portable laptop market. The transition to Apple silicon for the Mac lineup began with the entry-level models, aiming to develop processors that significantly surpass the performance of the high-end Intel-based Macs. This strategic move has only increased anticipation for future releases. Prominent Apple analysts like Ming-Chi Kuo and Mark Gurman from Bloomberg have shared various leaks about the anticipated 2021 MacBook Pros. Here are the key points highlighted by MacRumors:

• Introduction of a new 14-inch model replacing the current 13.3-inch version, made possible by slimmer bezels.
• A revamped, flatter design inspired by the aesthetics of the iPhone 12.
• Enhanced next-gen Apple Silicon chips featuring up to 16 performance cores and four efficiency cores, moving away from Intel processors.
• The possibility of a custom Apple Silicon GPU with 16 or 32 cores.
• An upgraded thermal design for the 14-inch variant, similar to the existing 16-inch MacBook Pro, with a larger heat pipe, extra thermal pads, and a heat sink that is 35% larger.
• “Brighter, higher-contrast” display panels, potentially including a mini-LED option.
• Additional ports to minimize the necessity for dongles, including an SD card reader.
• A MagSafe connector enabling faster charging.
• Removal of the Touch Bar, replaced by a physical function key row.

While the rumors contain some unexpected elements, the most surprising omission is the lack of mention regarding the new Apple silicon MacBook Pros being thinner and lighter than their Intel predecessors.

The Unbearable Heaviness of Being

The first portable computer was not a laptop but a luggable device. The Compaq Portable, launched in March 1983, was among the initial IBM PC clones and was designed to be carried like a suitcase, albeit a hefty 28 pounds. Over the following years, Compaq managed to reduce the weight to a more manageable 20 pounds.

The success of the Compaq Portable paved the way for the first IBM PC-compatible laptops, such as the Toshiba T1100, which debuted in 1985 and claimed to be “the world’s first mass-market laptop computer.” Weighing in at 9 pounds, it sparked a competitive race toward thinner and lighter designs.

An Abbreviated History of Apple Laptops

Apple entered the laptop market in 1991 with the PowerBook 100, which weighed 5.1 pounds (the 1989 Macintosh Portable weighed a hefty 16 pounds, classifying it as luggable). Unfortunately, subsequent PowerBook models were heavier, ranging up to 7.8 pounds until the third-generation PowerBook G3 brought the weight down to 6.1 pounds.

The evolution continued with the 4.9-pound iBook, 4.6-pound PowerBook G4, and 3.57-pound MacBook Pro, culminating in the launch of the 3.0-pound MacBook Air in January 2008, which was touted as “the world’s thinnest notebook”:

MACWORLD SAN FRANCISCO — January 15, 2008 — Apple® today unveiled MacBook® Air, the world’s thinnest notebook. MacBook Air measures an unprecedented 0.16-inches at its thinnest point, while its maximum height of 0.76-inches is less than the thinnest point on competing notebooks…

“Building the world’s thinnest notebook without compromising on a full-size keyboard or display was a feat,” claimed Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Seeing the MacBook Air, it’s hard to believe it’s a high-performance notebook.”

Glory Days, Well They’ll Pass You By

Since the revolutionary release of the MacBook Air, Apple has lagged in the ultra-portable laptop segment (the 2.03-pound MacBook was discontinued in 2019). Currently, the MacBook Air weighs 2.8 pounds, and the 13-inch MacBook Pro is at 3.0 pounds. Meanwhile, other manufacturers have released laptops that are thinner and lighter than Apple’s offerings.

M-Series Silicon, the Gift That Keeps on Giving

In contrast to Bloomberg's report on the MacBook Pro, their insights about the MacBook Air indicate that it is indeed being designed to be thinner and lighter:

Apple Inc. is developing a lighter version of the MacBook Air, its mainstream laptop, according to sources familiar with the situation.

The anticipated release is expected in the latter half of this year or in 2022. It will feature Apple’s MagSafe charging and the latest iteration of the company’s proprietary Mac processors. Discussions include reducing the laptop’s size by minimizing the screen borders while retaining a 13-inch display.

While some may interpret this as a signal that only the MacBook Air will become thinner and lighter, I perceive it as evidence that both models will undergo weight reduction, with the MacBook Air likely becoming Apple’s first laptop under 2 pounds, while the 14-inch MacBook Pro is expected to weigh around 2.75 pounds.

Thanks to M-series silicon, Apple has achieved exceptional performance and impressive battery life in its latest Mac laptops. However, the advantages of these in-house chips extend beyond that. Given the company’s recent struggles to keep up with competitors, it’s hard to imagine Apple not utilizing the weight and height reductions made feasible by M-series chips across their entire Mac laptop lineup.

Sacrifices May Have to Be Made

In episode 415 of the Accidental Tech Podcast, John Siracusa expressed concerns regarding the MacBook Air rumors, suggesting that alterations to the laptop’s size and weight should not come at the expense of battery life:

Whatever issues the current M1 MacBook Air has, its size, thickness, and weight are not among them… I wouldn’t want to sacrifice any battery life for the sake of another millimeter or two.

John’s assertion that the current dimensions of MacBooks are not problems worth addressing brings to mind Sam Seaborn’s passionate argument for exploration in the Galileo episode of The West Wing:

Cause it’s next. ’Cause we came out of the cave, and we looked over the hill and we saw fire, and we crossed the ocean and we pioneered the west, and we took to the sky. The history of man is hung on a timeline of exploration and this is what’s next.

The evolution of laptops is marked by a quest for thinner and lighter models. With M-series silicon enabling this transformation, it should be a priority during the redesign of the 2021 MacBook Pros and the upcoming MacBook Air to focus on making them slimmer and lighter. Any sacrifice in battery life is likely to be mitigated once Apple transitions its silicon to TSMC’s 3nm process. Ultimately, in the realm of laptop design, thinness and lightness are expected to take precedence over battery life for the foreseeable future. Apologies, John.

[1]: Rama & Musée Bolo — Compaq portable-IMG 7222.jpg, CC BY-SA 2.0 fr, with minor retouching [2]: Rama — Toshiba T1000SE-IMG 4863-c.JPG, CC BY-SA 2.0 fr, with minor retouching [3]: Danamania — Powerbook 100 pose.jpg, CC BY-SA 2.5, with minor retouching [4]: Redjar — PowerBook redjar.jpg, CC BY-SA 2.0, with minor retouching [5]: Kris Mendoza — MacBook Air Mid 2012.png, CC BY 3.0, resized