MSI's Creator 17 notebook shows what to expect from a mini-LED MacBook Pro

2017 MacBook Pro (Image credit: Rene Ritchie / iMore)

What you need to know

Apple has long been rumored to have mini-LED in mind for its notebooks.
A MacBook Pro with a mini-LED screen is expected next year.
But MSI already has a portable with such a screen. And it's stunning.

Rumors of an Apple notebook with a mini-LED screen have been around for a long, long time. Recent analyst reports have Apple launching multiple mini-LED products next year. But MSI already has one, and it looks stunning.

The Creator 17 from MSI is a thing that's real, right now. Although stock seems to be non-existent from a cursory glace around the internet, YouTuber Dave Lee managed to get his hands on one. And if you weren't already excited about mini-LED MacBook Pros, you will be after watching his video.

See, mini-LED has a ton to offer. It has many of the same characteristics and features as OLED, something Apple seems keen to avoid putting into a notebook or iPad. It has exceptional capabilities in terms of brightness, making it perfect for HDR content. There's no flickering or weird image nonsense like we see with OLED. And because of advanced local dimming techniques, it can go very dark. Although maybe not quite as dark as OLED, it has to be said. Color reproduction is also on point, too.

Check out the video to see why mini-LED is going to be a big deal when it comes to Apple's lineup.

See what I mean? C'mon Apple, a MacBook Pro with an ARM processor and one of these displays, please!

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.