I'm probably missing something: why have a HDMI port if you have two Thunderbolt ports? In fact, why not just have three Thunderbolt ports - even if one is only going to carry DP and not PCI?
> why have a HDMI port if you have two Thunderbolt ports?
> [...]
> In fact, why not just have three Thunderbolt ports
Avoids needing a dongle when plugging into an HDTV or an HDMI overhead projector, I'm guessing. They probably considered the pros and cons and ended up thinking two TB ports were enough and HDMI was requested often enough it would make sense, especially as they'd axed both GigE and FW800.
And one of the TB port will often be used for e.g. a GigE adapter.
I just noticed that it doesn't have a GigE port. that is just switching an hdmi adapter for a GigE - thunderbolt cable. it was probably necessary to get the form factor, but it is annoying.
I find ethernet ports on laptops to be the most annoying port ever, since the ethernet plug is not robust at all. They break very quickly and you're left with an intermittent connection. If I use a laptop that I move a lot, I'll either use a docking station for the ethernet (thinkpad docking stations aren't so bad) or use usb (because the plug is so resilient). Now with being able to use thunderbolt I have another option that won't break so easily.
Why would you need three Thunderbolt ports? The devices chain pretty well, if you have an external monitor for example it will also have a Thunderbolt port that other devices can be plugged into. Not needing another adapter to use HDMI is great. You already need one for Ethernet and FireWire.
I don't know: can I use a thunderbolt port to chain monitors?
About the dongles: in my use I usually take the laptop to the same places all the time, so I just buy the right cable (here it would be a thunderbolt -> hdmi cable i guess). If I go to random places where I need to hook up to a monitor I won't know whether they'll have a hdmi cable just as much as I don't know if they'll have a thunderbolt cable, so I need to carry a cable anyways. What's the difference whether it's a hdmi-hdmi or thunderbolt-hdmi cable? They're likely to have DVI or DP anyway, so you still need to take the dongles with you.
Oh alrighty then. If that includes high res 5-megapixel screens being chainable, then I'm all for a hdmi port on the other side. Flexibility's where it's at.
Because people hate dongles. Especially when they're $30-$50 from apple. Might as well have native HDMI since a majority of consumer electronic still have them, and just about nothing has Thunderbolt yet.
And again. People HATE buying, carying, and remembering dongles.
