Temple Hairloss is usually first?

I'm never really had much in the way of temple hair, and it hasn't really bothered me to lose what I have. I wouldn't worry about what order you lose areas of hair, since hair loss is so unique to each individuals. I've seen dudes with a bald spot on their crown with super sharp temples, and guys with zero temple hair but hardly any hair loss otherwise.

I don't mind having a receder, it's the thinning that twists the dagger for me.

For males, yes. Especially caucasion males. This is part of the natural and normal adult mature male hair line, not MPB. The natural and normal adult mature male hair line is a natural and normal male attribute like bigger hands, bigger feet, deeper voice, facial hair and thick body hair. It is one of those normal physical traits that differs between males and females. It is not MPB.

From what little I can see in the picture you have provided, it looks like all you have going on is the natural and normal adult mature male hair line. I cannot see enough of your scalp to be able to tell if you actually have MPB or not.

Thanks for your reply guys/girls - I know for a fact I have male pattern baldness - ive only been losing my hair for a couple of years and started treating it early so im still ahead of the curve in the hair department I suppose.

My hairline had to receded from the straight juvenile line to the "mature" hairline already, or so I thought, and now its receding further, which is why I asked the question...

when my hair is cut short, theres a clear amount of thinning in the front and crown area, but when my hair is longer, its covered up pretty well.

edit: my dad was pretty bald by age thirty and has had a hair transplant...he is 60 now and still has his temple hair, which is why I figured ill keep my temple hair, but still thin on top

When did he have a transplant? How has it held up over the years?

he had it about 15 or so years ago. probably any one who is balding would be able to tell that he had a transplant. His hairline looks thicker than the rest of his hair and hes got a pretty big bald spot on the crown. I cant remember if he had any restored to the crown area or hairline only. He doesnt use any treatments though so its 15 years of uninhibited balding. for a 60 year old man it looks good though, as probably people who dont know him wouldnt know he had a transplant.

without it hed probably be anywhere from a NW5-6.

hes probably a 3 vertex in terms of shape, but very thin density wise all over the top

Im not going to go into a big discussion on why I think the term mature hairline is downright silly, but its hair loss at its core. I know some men in real life like elvis that never got mature hair lines so there goes that theory unless aging or mature hairlines or whatever you call it happens to skip over some men like the tooth fairy or something. If you check hairs on a mature hairline you see they miniaturized exactly like a hair from MPB there is no difference. I have no idea who makes these terms up. I guess because our treatments suck that is excuse to lie to people or explain hair loss as many men get it. Why not just a lot of guys get MPB just live with it not a big deal happens to most men right?
People mentioning mature hairlines are making the same argument that many men get it so dont worry. Many men get NW 7 so dont worry it just happens to most men like getting more hairy and that. So on topic if your losing hair see a derm and try something because its unpredictable and hair loss is hair loss whatever the term for it.