While the design of the MacBook Pro hasn't changed a great deal over the years, it's definitely seen some notable tweaks. The laptop has lost (and recently regained) ports, its screen has grown and the whole thing has got generally thinner. But Mac fans are lamenting some more subtle changes.
One Mac user took to Reddit to share an image of the LED battery light indicator, along with the caption, 'Anyone else miss this feature?'. And judging by the response, there are plenty who do. Looking for the best Mac experience around? Check out today's best MacBook Pro deals.
When the button next to it was pressed, the 8-light battery indicator would reveal how much juice the machine had remaining. The less battery left, the fewer lights would light up. It was as simple as that – and it meant users could check their charge without needing to open the lid of the device.
"Yes. When I had a MacBook that had this, I used it all the time," one Reddit user comments, while another adds, "Miss this. It was great being able to check the battery life without pulling it out of my backpack." Another proclaims, "This was one of the best design features Apple ever introduced. Very simple in concept but extremely useful and the execution was spot on."
The indicator lights were finally removed in 2012 (Image credit: Apple)
Apple got rid of the indicator light in 2012, when the MacBook Pro moved over to a solid-state hard drive (SSHD). Not only did the machine become much thinner – potentially too thin for the indicator lights, but SSHD allows for a much quicker, 'instant-on' effect when opening the lid – perhaps Apple deemed it quick enough to negate the need for lights.
And it seems this isn't the only light-based design touch fans are missing. Reddit users have also been lamenting the loss of the Status Indicator Light (below), which pulsated to show that the device was sleeping. "That pulse was classy, and you could know instantly what's going on with your machine," one Redditor says.
Still, with the incredible battery life of the M1 MacBooks, one could argue that the battery indicator is all but redundant these days. Whether or not you miss either set of bright, shiny lights, there's no denying that the 2021 MacBook Pro is a beautiful piece of kit. Check out today's best deals below, and be sure to visit our main Apple deals page.
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Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of design, branding and lifestyle tech, and has covered several industry events including Milan Design Week, OFFF Barcelona and Adobe Max in Los Angeles.
