Apple defends controversial new MacBook Pro design

Apple may have announced new AirPods, HomePods and, you know, a whole new laptop last week, but there's still one thing everyone's talking about. Why yes, we are indeed talking about the notch. Apple saw fit to take the most controversial iPhone design feature and slap it on the MacBook – and it certainly got people talking.

But now, Apple has stepped into the debate to declare that the notch is actually really, very, extremely "smart". The company has defended the new design on a tech podcast, and, well, the rationale is very Apple. But will it be enough to convince sceptical users? (Check out the best Apple deals if you're in the market for new gear.)

Speaking on the Same Brain podcast, Apple's pro Mac product line manager Shruti Haldea calls the notch “a really smart way to give you more space for your content". The display has essentially been made taller – "we just grew the display up from there and put the menu bar up there. We just kind of moved it up and out of the way. When you're in full-screen mode, you have that 16:10 window, and it looks great. It's seamless." 

Indeed, it seems the notch won't always be fully visible. When apps run in dark mode, for example, its effect will be minimised. And when apps are running in full screen mode, it will vanish entirely, with a black border being added to the top of the entire display. 

But, as smart as the notch might be, we have a feeling it's going to take a while for it to win round those who already saw the design as a blight on the supposedly "all-screen" design of contemporary iPhone models. It's fair to say there are plenty of notch-haters out there:

Still, let's not forget, there's plenty to love about the new MacBook Pro. From the incredible power of the M1X/M1X Pro chips to the addition (by which we mean tail-between-legs reintroduction) of ports such as MagSage and HDMI, this is one mighty machine for creatives. And best of all, the pesky TouchBar is gone forever.

Time will tell if the new MacBook Pro is destined to become a classic, but one thing's for sure – it's a device that's got people talking. As soon as we get our hands on it, we'll let you know how it fares for Pro users. In the meantime, if you want the best Mac deal available now (or simply hate notches – you're not alone), check out today's best deals below. 

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