Most people will simply use the USB 2.0 and FireWire 800 ports on the 2011 MacBook Pro and be completely satisfied. Thunderbolt may be a rival to USB 3.0, but devices that can use the port won't even be available until spring. It's backward-compatible with old Mini-DisplayPort monitors or cables, and like with last year's Pros, it can output audio and video over HDMI with a Mini-DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter. The tiny Thunderbolt port is powered, and will be able to daisy chain up to six connected devices, be they hard drives or even monitors.
The Intel-developed data and audio/video port has extremely fast throughput at a maximum of 10Gbps, and compatible hard drives will be able to send files with blazing speeds. More importantly, the Mini-DisplayPort has subtly been transformed into the aforementioned Thunderbolt port.
While most ports on the 13-inch MacBook Pro remain carbon-copy identical to those on last year's model, there are a few notable additions.
