Apple MacBook Pro's notch houses more than just a 1080p camera
Apple's decision to include a notch has come under heavy scrutiny. While there are pro-notch opinions, a good number of users feel having a notch is unnecessary and ruins a good design. We can only speculate as to why Apple had to choose this design. Apparently, the MacBook Pro's notch houses more than just a webcam.
David Pogue posted an image on Twitter, which seems to be the new MacBook Pro's camera module. In that, we see a 1080p camera, TrueTone sensor, ambient light sensor, and a camera status LED. Now, having these many sensors is not new for a laptop. Devices such as the Dell XPS 13 9300 also have a similar sensor array and even include infrared emitters for Windows Hello while also sporting extremely thin bezels.
One probable justification for the notch could be that Apple is using a 1080p camera with a much larger sensor compared to the 720p camera in the XPS, and that the display bezels are too thin to accommodate a larger sensor alongside other components. But if that's the case, Apple could have also used the extra real estate to implement Face ID like the iPhone.
The notch does not really cut into the actual viewing area, so users need not worry about content being cut off — it is only as thick as the Finder bar, after all. Having said that, there are some real-world issues with the notch.
For instance, the mouse pointer can inadvertently disappear into the notch requiring an occasional shake or two of the mouse to get it back on screen. Apps with long list of menus such as Numbers risk the notch eschewing into some of the menu items though Apple has provided documentation for developers to work their way around the notch including allowing for a compatible mode within macOS Monterey.
In any case, design is subjective so it's upon prospective buyers to take a call. Meanwhile, do check out the YouTube video below for a mockup of how the MacBook Pro would have looked without a notch. Admittedly, it does look good.
