Apple doesn’t waste time consolidating its product lineups—after announcing new MacBook Pro models today, the 2015 MacBook Pro has been removed from the Mac section of Apple’s website.
Beloved by many, the 2015 MacBook Pro had a number of features that have since been changed or have disappeared entirely from new MacBook Pro models.
The newly announced MacBook Pros still have butterfly keyboards, but they’ve been updated. Ars’ Samuel Axon found that the keys are quieter than those on previous MacBook Pros, and they have a less click-y feel that nods to those pre-2016 models. However, the new models still use a butterfly keyboard, and those who find them uncomfortable to type on will likely be sad to learn of the retirement of the only non-butterfly MacBook Pro option.
The 2015 MacBook Pro also contained legacy ports that Apple has since abandoned in the newest models: USB-A, HDMI, and Thunderbolt 2 ports, and an SD card slot. All of the newest MacBook Pros exclusively feature Thunderbolt 3 ports, which some will appreciate but all will scowl at when they’re forced to buy multiple dongles to connect legacy accessories.
Apple wants to clean house and encourage users to buy one of the newest MacBook Pros, all of which were quietly announced today. The new 15-inch MacBook Pros can be specced out to include 8th-generation, six-core Intel Core i9 CPU, AMD Radeon Pro 555X graphics, and 32GB of DDR4 RAM. The 13-inch MacBook Pro can accommodate up to 8th-generation, quad-core Core i7 CPUs, Intel Iris Plus 655 graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 2TB of SSD storage.
Currently, Apple has a few 2015 MacBook Pro models listed in its online clearance section, but it’s likely that Apple will not have more to sell after those are gone. That means now’s the time to pick up a 2015 MacBook Pro if you’re a stickler for all things that the prosumer MacBook used to be. The aging MacBook Air is the only other option if you need legacy ports, and it’s unclear how long that laptop will stick around. Rumors have been swirling for a while that Apple may redesign the MacBook Air and come out with a new, sub-$1,000 laptop in the near future.
