It’s not new news that Apple has plans to launch a redesigned MacBook Pro sometime later in 2021. The M1X MacBook Pro tag was included in Apple’s official WWDC 2021 keynote video, though nothing was announced. Leakers have suggested that Apple’s software and hardware release cycles have been affected due to COVID-19, and it is the prime reason why Apple’s pushing for working from in-office rather than home.

Leakers are now pointing to a Q4 release. Many of the details about the upcoming 2021 MacBook Pro have already been leaked. We already know that the M1X MacBook Pro will ship with more I/O ports including an HDMI port and an SD card slot.

Now, according to YouTuber Luke Miani, the new MacBook Pro is said to feature the fast UHS-II standard of the SD card reader. UHS-II is a faster SD card reader standard that features up to 312mb/s read speeds, compared to 100mb/s with traditional SD card slots.

Moreover, the video also claims that the new MacBook Pros will feature an “illuminated Touch ID scanner.” Details about the new Touch ID scanner are a bit sparse, but the rumor says the Touch ID button will be backlit by “multiple dedicated LEDs.”

Along with the backlit Touch ID claims, the YouTuber also claims that the RAM on the 2021 MacBook Pro will be limited to 32GB. This might be a limitation of the M1X chip, as the current M1 chip also maxes out at 16GB RAM.

M1X MacBook Pro Rumors

2021 MacBook Pro lineup is said to come in 14-inch and 16-inch screen sizes. There’s a possibility that the new MacBook Pros might feature the mini-LED display, though it could change due to a shortage in supply of mini LED displays.

Along with the display improvements, the new MacBook Pro is expected to feature an advanced M-series chip, probably called M1x, with a 10-core CPU and 16-core or a 32-core GPU. Few reports also claim that Apple will get rid of the TouchBar and debut a slimmer, lighter, and flatter design language.