In its quest for thinness in the Retina Display MacBook Pro, Apple removed the optical drive and built the display into the unibody construction. The company's engineers also designed a new, thinner MagSafe power port to accommodate the notebook's 0.71" height.
The new MagSafe 2 connector -- which is incompatible with the original MagSafe power bricks as well as devices with a MagSafe power cord built into products like the Apple LED Cinema Display and Thunderbolt Display -- is included in the new Retina MacBook Pro as well as the new MacBook Air models. It seems likely the port will make its way to the legacy MacBook Pro models in a future update.
Apple is selling a MagSafe to Magsafe 2 Converter for $9.99 on the Apple Online Store, as well as new 85W and 45W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter for $79 each.
Top Rated Comments
The advantage is ... it being thinner ...
1) Looking at the close-up pics from TheVerge.com, itseems that the overall size is actually BIGGER... yeah it's a smidge thinner, but also a lot wider
2) I don't see how this gives any advantage in making the system thinner... they're already thinner than the USB and Thunderbold ports... so how does making the magsafe still smaller help any???
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Hopefully, they'll also come out with an adapter to go the other way around... that way when I buy the new mac and new adapters, I can use them with my old macs as well
Didn't notice that before. My guess is because the flat design ends up defeating the purpose of magsafe - to protect your computer when you trip over your cord.
With the flat design it only really works when you are pulling the coord outward, if you go towards the machine it is coming off the desk. The t-shape handles this much better, and I bet with the extra thinness it does even better.
As long as they figured out the fraying problem with the T design...