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Apple gave us a MacBook Pro camera upgrade remote workers have been asking for

Sometimes Apple taketh away and other times Apple giveth. Today, Apple gave many of us exactly what we wanted.

Patrick Holland Managing Editor
Patrick Holland has been a phone reviewer for CNET since 2016. He is a former theater director who occasionally makes short films. Patrick has an eye for photography and a passion for everything mobile. He is a colorful raconteur who will guide you through the ever-changing, fast-paced world of phones, especially the iPhone and iOS. He used to co-host CNET's I'm So Obsessed podcast and interviewed guests like Jeff Goldblum, Alfre Woodard, Stephen Merchant, Sam Jay, Edgar Wright and Roy Wood Jr.
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  • Patrick's play The Cowboy is included in the Best American Short Plays 2011-12 anthology. He co-wrote and starred in the short film Baden Krunk that won the Best Wisconsin Short Film award at the Milwaukee Short Film Festival.
Patrick Holland
2 min read
MacBook Pro camera upgraded

In a world where video calling has become the norm, the new MacBook Pro has an updated camera.

Apple

During Apple's October Unleashed event, the company announced an updated camera for its new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro computers. The laptops are powered by new Apple Silicon chips called M1 Pro and M1 Max. Normally, the biggest news would be the new processor and GPU upgrades Apple made to its pro-level laptops. But many creative types, artists, photographers and video editors rejoiced when Apple announced that the new MacBook Pro computers will include several features that previous models had omitted. There is now a built-in SD card reader, physical hardware function row keys and a MagSafe power charger.

Read more: Apple's MacBook Pros: Starting price, and how to buy the two new laptops today

Watch this: New MacBook Pro: MagSafe returns

But one upgrade anyone who has used video chaton a MacBook Pro in the past 18 months was hoping for is an upgraded camera. And Apple gave us one. Housed in a tiny bite-size notch, the new camera has a wider aperture that lets in more light for a brighter image. And the resolution is bumped up from 720p to 1,080p.

Apple said that the sensor for the camera has more "efficient pixels." I'm not entirely sure what that means. It could mean that the sensor is able to read data coming off of the pixels faster. It could also be that there is a form of pixel binning going on to help improve detail and brightness.

The MacBook Pro's camera uses the ISP and neural engine on the M1 Pro and M1 Max to improve overall image quality. Apple says that all of this adds up to better skin tones and sharper images. We are definitely excited to try out the new camera when we can get our hands on the new Macs.

During its October event, Apple also announced that the new MacBook Pro models house a notched display, but have ditched the Touch Bar. The tech giant took the wraps off its third-generation AirPods, as well. 

Up close and personal with the new 16-inch MacBook Pro

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