Gurman Says Redesigned MacBook Pro Will Be Thinner but Not 'Significantly So,' Easing Pro-User Concerns
Mark Gurman says Apple's redesigned MacBook Pro will be much lighter but not significantly thinner, a balance that could preserve ports, battery life and thermal headroom for professional users.
In a post on X, Gurman wrote that the redesigned laptop will be thinner, but not by a large margin, while still delivering a substantial reduction in weight, according to a 9to5Mac report on the remarks. The comment refines earlier reporting. Gurman had said earlier this week that the new MacBook Pro would be "significantly" lighter, and previous reports have described a design that is both thinner and lighter than the model sold today. Apple has not announced a redesigned MacBook Pro or commented on the leaks, and the company has not given a release date; 9to5Mac describes the machine only as coming soon.
The distinction between weight and thickness matters because of who buys the MacBook Pro. The line has long drawn customers who are not "pros" in the sense of doing professional coding, video editing, photography or other tasks that demand extra computing power. Many people choose it simply because it is the best laptop Apple sells, with the best display in a Mac, the most power and the longest battery life.
A drastic thinning of the chassis, however, could raise alarm for users who depend on the machine's current capabilities. Keeping the reduction in thickness moderate while cutting weight substantially would, in 9to5Mac's assessment, strike the right balance for most buyers. The report cites three consequences of avoiding an aggressive slimming: the new MacBook Pro should retain all or most of its existing ports, offer battery life that is not far off from current models, and have plenty of thermal headroom.
Weight, rather than thickness, is generally the more common complaint about the current MacBook Pro, the report notes. If Apple can make the redesigned model easier to carry, trim it down somewhat, and still deliver the power and versatility professional users need, that would represent a favorable outcome for both casual and demanding buyers.
The leaked details remain unconfirmed by Apple, and Gurman's post did not specify how much thinner the new design will be or when the product will arrive.