Apple discontinues the 15-inch 2015 MacBook Pro

Apple has officially discontinued the sale of its 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro. The laptop saw continued availability after the introduction of the 2016 MacBook Pro lineup, as well as the 2017 versions. But with Apple now having introduced the 2018 MacBook Pro, it seems that Apple now feels the time is right to let the older model go.

If you're looking to purchase a new 15-inch MacBook Pro, your only option is the newest model with the eighth-generation Intel Coffee Lake processors.

With the introduction of the 2016 MacBook Pro, Apple eschewed all of the previous ports and power connections found on the power-oriented laptop lineup in favor of two-to-four Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports.

The 2015 MacBook Pro offered an option for those who needed or wanted USB-A ports, an SD card reader, Thunderbolt 2 or Mini Display Port, or an HDMI port built into their computer.

The new 15-inch models, while still utilizing only four Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports, offer boosted performance with Intel's hexacore i7 and i9 processors, along with better graphics performance and faster memory.

The 2015 MacBook Pro was the last laptop in the Pro line to feature an HDMI port and a full-sized SD Card reader. The old Pro also included USB Type-A ports and Apple’s MagSafe magnetic charging connector.

With the 2015 Pro out of the picture, the MacBook Air is now the last portable Mac that features a SD Card reader, USB-A ports and MagSafe charger.

Though we knew this moment would happen, it’s still sad to see the 2015 MacBook Pro go. The promise of a one-port future made the newer MacBook Pros very enticing, but the transition has been anything but smooth. Apple may swear by the USB-C port, yet the inescapable truth is that many ports are still heavily used