Macworld

Macworld If you’ve been waiting to get some AirTags, now’s the time to do so because they just dropped to a brand-new low price. You can snatch a four-pack of AirTags for $70 right now, a 29 percent discount on its $99 MSRP and bringing the price down to just $17.50 per AirTag. If you’d rather just get one, it will only cost you $19, but you get an even better value from the larger pack. These AirTags are extremely useful because they’re affordable and can help you keep track of your keys, wallet, or luggage when you’re traveling. They’re super easy to set up with your iPhone or iPad, offering precise tracking complete with pointing their location on the map. Even when the AirTag isn’t within your phone’s range, its location will ping off any nearby iPhone via the Find My network. In our review of the AirTags, we gave these tiny trackers a four-star rating and appreciated their accuracy, great design, as well as the fact that you can easily change out the battery. While the deal may not be marked as such, this is clearly an early Black Friday discount because it’s unlikely we’ll see a further price drop in the coming weeks. Snatch the four-pack of AirTags for $70 at Amazon while you still can. Save $30 on a 4-pack of AirTagsBuy it now at Amazon

Macworld If you’re looking for a deal on anything Apple sells—an iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, MacBook, or anything else, there’s no better time to get one than Black Friday. No matter what you’re looking to buy, you’re going to find a great price—possibly the lowest ever. The sales start earlier every year, but the best deals are usually seen between Black Friday (November 29) and Cyber Monday (December 2). However, we’re already seeing fantastic deals, so you might not want to wait. We’ll be updating this page regularly as more discounts come in and as soon as Apple announces its own Black Friday 2024 shopping event. Apple Black Friday 2024 deals: The best deals on every Apple product Black Friday is a great time to get an Apple product for less, but the discounts come and go very quickly. Stay tuned to this page throughout the Black Friday weekend as we update you with the best prices on new Apple products as they arrive. Many of the best deals we see are on Amazon U.S. or Amazon U.K., but we’ll also be checking resellers such as Best Buy, B&H and Walmart in the U.S. and KRCS, AO, Argos, John Lewis, Currys, Laptops Direct and eBuyer in the U.K. MacBook Air and MacBook Pro deals for Black Friday 2024 Apple released new MacBook Pros with M4 chips in late October. At the same time, it upgraded the RAM in all MacBook Air models from 8GB to 16GB for the same starting prices, effectively a $200/£200 discount. So if you’re shopping make sure the model you’re buying has 16GB of RAM. We don’t recommend buying a model with 8GB of RAM even if it’s $200/£200 cheaper than the 16GB model. U.S. Amazon, M4, 14-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/16GB RAM: $1,474 ($125 off, MSRP $1,599) Amazon, M4 14-inch MacBook Pro, 1TB/16GB RAM: $1,654 ($145 off, MSRP $1,799) Amazon, M4 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/24GB RAM: $2,439 ($60 off, MSRP $2,499) Amazon, 13-inch MacBook Air, M2 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM): $749 ($250 off with coupon, MSRP $999) Amazon, 13-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM): $899 ($200 off, MSRP $1,099) Amazon, 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM): $1,099 ($200 off, MSRP $1,299) Amazon, 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM): $1,299 ($200 off, MSRP $1,499) Save money on the MacBook Pro this Black Friday.Foundry Additionally, Apple’s older MacBook Pro models are on clearance as retailers look to clear out remaining stock: Best Buy, M3 14-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/8GB RAM: $1,199 ($400 off, Was $1,599 – Clearance) B&H, M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/18GB RAM: $1,699 ($300 off, Was $1,999 – Clearance) Best Buy, M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro, 1TB/18GB RAM: $2,099 ($300 off, Was $2,399 – Clearance) Amazon, M3 Max 14-inch MacBook Pro, 1TB/36GB RAM: $2,799 ($400 off, Was $3,199 – Clearance) Best Buy, M3 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/18GB RAM: $1,999 ($500 off, Was $2,499 – Clearance) Best Buy, M3 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/36GB RAM: $2,399 ($500 off, Was $2,899 – Clearance) Amazon, M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro, 1TB/48GB RAM: $3,399 ($600 off, Was $3,999 – Clearance) U.K. KRCS, M4 14-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/16GB RAM, £1,519.05 (£78 off, RRP £1,599) KRCS, M4 14-inch MacBook Pro, 1TB/16GB RAM, £1,709.05 (£90 off, RRP £1,799) KRCS, M4 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/24GB RAM, £1,899.05 (£100 off, RRP £1,999) Amazon, M4 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/24GB RAM, £2,249.97 (£250 off, RRP £2,499) KRCS, M4 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/48GB RAM, £2,754.05 (£144 off, RRP £2,899) KRCS, 13-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 512GB/16GB RAM) £989 (£110 off, RRP £1,099) Amazon, 13-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 512GB/24GB RAM) £1,379.97 (£110 off, RRP £1,499) KRCS, 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM) £1,234.05 (£65 off, RRP £1,299) KRCS, 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 512GB/16GB RAM) £1,349.10 (£149 off, RRP £1,499) Apple’s older MacBook models are on clearance at the following retailers: Argos, M3, 14-inch MacBook Pro, 10-core GPU, 512GB/8GB RAM: £1,299 (£400 off, Was £1,699- Clearance) Argos, M3, 14-inch MacBook Pro, 10-core GPU, 1TB/8GB RAM: £1,499 (£400 off, Was £1,899 – Clearance) Amazon, M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/18GB RAM: £1,699 (£400 off, Was £2,099 – Clearance) Argos, M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro, 1TB/36GB RAM: £2,799 (£500 off, Was £3,299 – Clearance) Argos, M3 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/18GB RAM: £2,099 (£500 off, Was £2,599 – Clearance) John Lewis, M3 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/36GB RAM: £2,549 (£450 off, Was £2,999 – Clearance) Amazon, 13-inch MacBook Air, M2 (10-core GPU, 512GB/8GB RAM) £949 (£150 off, Was £1,099) iMac and Mac mini deals for Black Friday 2024 The iMac and Mac mini both received new M4 chips in October, with the Mac mini also getting a dramatic redesign that shrunk the case down to just 5 inches. Like the MacBooks, these new Macs now start at 16GB of RAM, an option that was previously an extra $200/£200. So be sure to double-check that you’re buying the updated model with an M4 processor. Older iMacs only offer 8GB of RAM, so the price should match that. Grab money off a new iMac.Foundry U.S. Amazon, Mac mini, M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB: $550 ($49 off with coupon, MSRP $599) Amazon, Mac mini, M4 Pro, 24GB RAM, 256GB: $1,369 ($30 off, MSRP $1,399) Amazon, M4 iMac, 8-core CPU/GPU, 16GB RAM, 256GB: $1,204 ($95 off, MSRP $1,299) Amazon, M4 iMac, 10-core CPU/GPU, 16GB RAM, 256GB: $1,424 ($75 off, MSRP $1,499) The biggest savings are on the older models: Amazon, M2 Mac mini, 8GB RAM, 256GB: $499 ($100 off, MSRP $799 – Clearance) Amazon, M2 Pro Mac mini, 16GB RAM, 512GB: $1,149 ($150 off, MSRP $1,299 – Clearance) Amazon, M3 iMac, 8-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB: $1,099 ($200 off, MSRP was $1,299 – Clearance) Amazon, M3 iMac, 10-core GPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB: $1,304 ($195 off, MSRP was $1,499 – Clearance) U.K. KRCS: M4 Mac mini, 256GB/16GB RAM, £569.05 (£29 off, RRP £599) KRCS: M4 Pro Mac mini, 512GB/24GB RAM, £1,329.05 (£69 off, RRP £1,399) KRCS: M4 iMac, 256GB/16GB RAM, £1,234.05 (£64 off, RRP £1,299) These older models are also discounted: Amazon: M2 Pro Mac mini, 512GB/16GB RAM: £1,197 (£201 off, RRP was £1,399 – Clearance) Amazon: M2 Mac mini, 256GB/8GB RAM: £459 (£190 off, RRP was £649 – Clearance) Amazon: M2 Mac mini, 512GB/8GB RAM: £638 (£211 off, RRP was £849 – Clearance) Amazon, 24-inch M3 iMac, 8-core GPU, 256GB/8GB RAM: £1,099 (£300 off, RRP was £1,399 – Clearance) Amazon, 24-inch M3 iMac,10-core GPU, 256GB/8GB RAM: £1,299 (£300 off, RRP was £1,599 – Clearance) John Lewis, 24-inch M3 iMac,10-core GPU, 512GB/8GB RAM: £1,449.97 (£349 off, RRP was £1,799 – Clearance) AirPods deals for Black Friday 2024 The AirPods 4 with and without ANC are Apple’s newest earbuds. Apple updated the AirPods Max with a USB-C port in September, but otherwise it’s the same as the Lightning model. And while the AirPods Pro 2 are a couple of years old, Apple added a new feature in iOS 18,1 that lets it work as a hearing aid. We usually see some tremendous savings on the standard AirPods over Black Friday. You may also see a blowout deal on the older models, but unless you’re on a very tight budget, our advice is to spring for one of the AirPods 4 models on sale even if they cost more. U.S. Amazon, AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C case): $190 ($60 off, MSRP $249) Amazon, AirPods 4: $119 ($10 off, MSRP $129) Amazon, AirPods 4 with ANC: $169 ($10 off, MSRP $179) Amazon, AirPods Max (USB-C): $539 ($10 off, MSRP $549) Amazon, AirPods Max (Lightning): $478 ($71 off; MSRP $549) U.K. Amazon, AirPods (4th gen, 2024, with ANC): £169 (£10 off, RRP £179) There are savings on the older models: Argos, AirPods (3rd gen, Magsafe): £139 (£40 off, RRP was £179 – Clearance) Amazon, AirPods (3rd gen, Lightning): £129 (£40 off, RRP was £169 – Clearance) Argos, AirPods 2nd gen: £109 (£10 off, RRP was £129 – Clearance) Argos, AirPod Max, Lightning, 2020: £429 (£70 off, RRP was £499 – Clearance) Apple Watch deals for Black Friday 2024 Grab yourself an Apple Watch deal for Black Friday.Mike Sawh Apple launched the Apple Watch Series 10 with a slightly larger screen in September 2024 as well as a new black color for the Apple Watch Ultra. Traditionally, any savings around $50 is an excellent deal. U.S. Amazon, Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm): $349 ($50 off with coupon, MSRP $399) Amazon, Apple Watch Series 10 (46mm): $379 ($50 off, MSRP $429) Amazon, Apple Watch SE 2 (40mm): $189 ($60 off, MSRP $249) Amazon, Apple Watch SE 2 (44mm): $219 ($60 off, MSRP $279) Amazon, Apple Watch Ultra 2: $700 ($99 off, MSRP $799) U.K. Amazon, Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm): £379 (£20 off, RRP £399) Amazon, Apple Watch Series 10 (46mm): £409 (£20 off, RRP £429) Amazon, Apple Watch Ultra 2 (49mm, GPS + Cellular): £769 (£30 off, RRP £799) Argos, Apple Watch SE (44mm) (2022): £209, £10 off, RRP £219) Argos, Apple Watch Series 9 (41mm): £299 (RRP was £399 – Clearance) Argos, Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm): £329 (RRP was £429 – Clearance) iPad deals for Black Friday 2024 Grab a discounted iPad this Black Friday.Foundry Apple updated all of its iPads in 2024 with the exception of the 10th-gen entry-level model (though it did get a price cut to $349). The iPad mini was the most recent model to get a refresh, with a new chip and 8GB of RAM. We are seeing some good deals on new iPads. U.S. Amazon, 10th-gen iPad (64GB): $299 ($50 off, MSRP $349) Amazon, iPad mini (A17 Pro, 128GB): $479 ($20 off, MSRP $499) Amazon, 11-inch M2 iPad Air (128GB): $549 ($50 off, MSRP $599) Amazon, 13-inch M2 iPad Air (128GB): $739 ($60 off with coupon, MSRP $799) Amazon, 11-inch M4 iPad Pro (256GB): $969 ($230 off, MSRP $1,199) Amazon, 13-inch M4 iPad

Macworld A class-action lawsuit filed this month accuses Apple of misleading AirPods Pro customers and failing adequately to address an audio defect reported shortly after the product’s launch in 2019. The suit (via ClassAction.org) focuses on two seemingly widespread problems with the 1st-gen AirPods Pro: unwanted crackling sounds, and the failure of Active Noise Cancellation to work correctly. These issues were publicized within months of release, but it took Apple almost a year to address them with a service program offering to replace units made before October 2020, free of charge. Apple’s own support document acknowledges that affected units could exhibit “crackling or static sounds that increase in loud environments, with exercise or while talking on the phone” and “Active Noise Cancellation not working as expected, such as a loss of bass sound, or an increase in background sounds, such as street or airplane noise.” A happy ending, then? Not quite. The theory was that AirPods Pro made after October 2020 would not be affected by the audio defect because Apple’s engineers had solved the problem, which is why such units were not eligible for a free replacement. But according to the lawsuit, they had not solved it at all. “…The replacement set of AirPods Pro Gen 1 contained the same Audio Defect,” claims the lawsuit. “In other words, those users simply received another defective set of AirPods Pro Gen 1, with many users later experiencing the Audio Defect with the defective replacement set as well.” It adds that microscopic examination of AirPods Pro units sold before and after October 2020 “reveals that there are no significant component differences.” Although Apple reportedly experimented with different microphones in 2020, this did not impact the defect and was subsequently reverted. Apple’s own actions at the time are ambiguous, but may to some extent corroborate the plaintiffs’ claims. First, while it never extended the service program to cover AirPods Pro made after October 2020, it did give consumers an extra year to make claims, suggesting it was aware that complaints were continuing. (The lawsuit flatly insists that Apple “extended the program because it knew it could not fix the problem.” However, the extension only gave consumers more time to claim on the pre-October 2020 units that would not in any case have been affected by Apple’s attempted fixes, successful or not.) Furthermore, Apple changed the audio design for the 2nd-gen AirPods Pro launched in September 2022, a decision the plaintiffs interpret as a giveaway that the company knew the 1st-gen model was fatally flawed and needed to be overhauled. “In particular,” the suit claims, “Apple appears to have attempted to solve the AirPods Pro Gen 1’s Audio Defect in the redesign of AirPods Pro Gen 2 by (i) increasing the processing speed of the DSP processor (responsible for noise canceling or decreasing background ambient noise), and by (ii) redesigning the speakers to add angular striations along its periphery to improve low frequency (base tone) response.” It’s a long and complicated saga, but the lawsuit’s argument boils down to four central allegations: Apple knew that the 1st-gen AirPods Pro were faulty and that it couldn’t fix the problem without a redesign. The service program was inadequate because it failed to cover post-October 2020 units, which were also subject to the defect and replaced defective units with other defective units. Apple failed to contact owners of defective AirPods Pro to notify them they were entitled to a replacement. Apple continued to knowingly sell faulty AirPods Pro units at a premium price right up to 2022 and made false claims about their audio capabilities in its marketing material. At this point, the class-action lawsuit is at the filing stage. But at some point in the future, if the suit is successful, readers who owned a set of 1st-gen AirPods Pro may be entitled to compensation.

Macworld Black Friday is the biggest shopping event of the year, and it’s often the best time to get a good deal on a new iPhone, accessories, or other Apple gear. While Black Friday is really just the day after the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, it has grown into an entire season unto itself, with sales extending several days after and well into December. Officially, Black Friday is Friday, November 29, and extends through Cyber Monday on Monday, December 2. But you’ll find deals that start earlier and end later. We check prices on iPhone models all year round, so at any point you can check out our best iPhone deals article for up-to-date info on the top deals. If you want one of the latest iPhone 16 models, we have separate advice for readers in the U.S. and the U.K., and don’t forget our round-up of the best Apple deals that we also update all year round. That said, Black Friday is generally expected to bring the best deals of the year. You can find early deals below as well as some advice on what will be on sale based on what we saw last year. We’ll be updating this page imminently, as the discounts start to come in and as Apple announces its own Black Friday 2024 sale. Does Apple discount iPhones for Black Friday? Rather than discount it’s products, every year Apple holds a shopping event from Black Friday (November 29) to Cyber Monday (December 2). The event consists of gift card offers rather than actual savings. In 2023 you could get gift cards for the following amounts with the following iPhones purchased from Apple.com. This year, the deals will likely apply to the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15, but not the iPhone 16. iPhone 14$75£60iPhone 13$50£40 iPhone deals for Black Friday 2024: Our advice Apple’s newest iPhones are the iPhone 16 ($799), 16 Plus ($899), 16 Pro ($999), and 16 Pro Max ($1,199). The iPhone 14 ($599) and 14 Plus ($699), and 15 ($699) and 15 Plus ($799) are also still offered for sale, as well as the iPhone SE ($429). You can save some money by buying an older iPhone, but you’ll be giving up some newer features, most notably Apple Intelligence. We don’t recommend buying an iPhone SE even if it’s free through a carrier as it’s several years old and is due to get an update in early 2025. iPhone deals from U.S. carriers for Black Friday 2024 These are the deals that are available from the three major U.S. carriers. Conditions always apply here–you may need to have a specific plan, open a new line, or trade in a device. Most U.S. carrier deals require you to buy the phone on an installment plan, and then you get the discount as bill credits toward your monthly payment. In the U.S., the only big iPhone deals you can find come from carriers, and have a lot of strings attached. Typically, you have to buy a phone on a multi-year installment plan and get your discount in the form of monthly bill credits. These might change over Black Friday, but the offers are likely to still have strings attached. AT&T: Get up to $1,000 in bill credits when you buy a new iPhone 16 Pro or Pro Max and trade in your old phone, with a qualifying unlimited plan. T-Mobile: Get up to $830 in bill credits toward the purchase of any iPhone 16 model when you trade in your old phone and join the Go5G plan. Verizon: Get up to $100 in bill credits toward any iPhone 16 Pro model with a trade-in and the activation of a new line on the Ultimate Unlimited plan. Amazon: Amazon has partnered with Boost Infinite, a new carrier owned by Dish that primarily uses T-Mobile and AT&T towers for now. $65/mo gets you a free iPhone 16 Pro and unlimited talk, text, and data. Restrictions apply. iPhone deals in the U.K. for Black Friday 2024 This is our pick of the best U.K. iPhone deals ahead of Black Friday. For the latest deals on specific models, check the automated price comparison tables below. Amazon, iPhone 15, 128GB, £678 (£21 off, RRP now £699) Amazon, iPhone 15 Plus, 128GB, £779 (£20 off, RRP now £799) Currys, iPhone 15 Pro, 128GB, £849 (£150 off, RRP was £999 – Clearance) Amazon, iPhone 15 Pro, 256GB, £999 (£100 off, RRP was £1,099 – Clearance) Amazon, iPhone 15 Pro Max, 256GB, £1,049 (£70 off, RRP was £1,199 – Clearance) Amazon, iPhone 14: £549 (£50 off, RRP now £599) Amazon, iPhone SE (64GB): £379 (£50 off, RRP £429) Amazon, iPhone 13 (128GB): £449 (RRP was £499 – Clearance) Amazon, iPhone 13 mini (128GB): £449 (RRP was £649 – Clearance) John Lewis, iPhone 13 mini (512GB): £749 (RRP was £979 – Clearance) iPhone accessories on sale this Black Friday Many of the best deals are going to be on iPhone accessories–cases, chargers, cables, and the like. There are way too many such products to keep track of, and many small discounts come and go throughout the Black Friday sale. We highlight only the most interesting bargains; products that are rarely discounted or exceptionally good prices on accessories we recommend. U.S. Amazon, MagSafe charger (2M): $34 ($15 off, MSRP $49) Amazon, AirTag: $19 ($10 off, MSRP $29) Amazon, AirTag (4-pack): $69 ($30 off, MSRP $99) Amazon, Belkin BoostCharge Wireless Power Bank: $49 ($10 off) Amazon, UGreen 2-in-1 magnetic charging station: $29 ($10 off) Amazon, iPhone 16 Pro Max Silicone Case with MagSafe and Camera Control: $36 ($13 off) Amazon, iPhone 16 Pro Clear Case with MagSafe and Camera Control ​: $39 ($10 off) Amazon, iPhone 16 Silicone Case with MagSafe and Camera Control: $39 ($10 off) U.K. Amazon, Pack of four Apple AirTags £94 (£25 off, RRP £119). Amazon, Single AirTag £28 (£7 off, RRP £35). You can also find more Apple accessory Black Friday deals. iPhone 15 deals MSRP: $799/£799 Retailer Price $729 View Deal $729.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket iPhone 15 Plus deals MSRP: $899/£899 Retailer Price $829 View Deal $829.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket iPhone 15 Pro deals MSRP: $999/£999 Retailer Price $899.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket iPhone 15 Pro Max deals MSRP: $1,199/£1,199 Retailer Price $1099.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket iPhone 14 Pro Max deals MSRP was: $1,099/£1,149 New Refurbished Retailer Price Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 14 Pro Max 128GB – Deep Purple – Unlocked – Dual eSIM $573.14 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket iPhone 14 Pro deals MSRP was: $999/£1049 New Refurbished Retailer Price Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPhone 14 Pro 128GB – Space Black – Unlocked – Dual eSIM $492.48 View Deal iPhone 14 Pro 128GB – Deep Purple – Unlocked – Dual eSIM $498.20 View Deal iPhone 14 Pro 128GB – Silver – Unlocked – Dual eSIM $500.92 View Deal iPhone 14 Pro 128GB – Gold – Unlocked – Dual eSIM $536.91 View Deal iPhone 14 Pro Max 128GB – Deep Purple – Unlocked – Dual eSIM $57

Macworld In March 2024, Apple introduced new MacBook Air models with M3 chips bringing the MacBook Air into line with the MacBook Pro models that had featured the M3 and variants of that chip since October 2023. Then in October 2024, when Apple updated the MacBook Pro models to M4 chips, Apple doubled the unified memory in the MacBook Air. While the MacBook Air models are still running M3 chips, they now ship with 16GB RAM as standard rather than 8GB. The boost is likely due to the requirements of Apple Intelligence. The news means that now is a great time to buy a MacBook Air, either one of the models with 16GB RAM or one of the older models, if they have had a decent price drop. In this round-up of the best MacBook Air deals you can find the best prices for all MacBook Air models right now–including older models, which are often heavily discounted. Read on to save money on the MacBook Air. We follow all the Apple resellers all year round, so we know the best prices resellers have sold Apple products for–and we know if they have a really good deal and not just an ok deal. Check out the best deals we are seeing right now below. If you aren’t sure whether to buy the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro we recommend you read about the differences between the MacBook Air and Pro. We also have a MacBook buying guide to help you decide. Watch out for the best deals over Black Friday. See our round up of the Best Apple Deals this Black Friday and our Best Black Friday 2024 MacBook deals. Best MacBook Air deals right now Note that in October 2024 Apple increased the amount of RAM in the MacBook Air from 8GB as standard to 16GB. Since it costs $200/£200 at point of sale to upgrade the RAM from 8GB to 16GB we suggest that you don’t consider a MacBook Air with 8GB Unified Memory unless the price is $200/£200 less than it was previously or the amount of storage is high enough to warrant the price in comparison with a newer model. U.S.: Amazon, 13-inch MacBook Air, M2 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM): $749 ($250 off with coupon, MSRP $999) Amazon, 13-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM): $899 ($200 off, MSRP $1,099) Amazon, 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM): $1,099 ($200 off, MSRP $1,299) Amazon, 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM): $1,299 ($200 off, MSRP $1,499) U.K.: KRCS, 13-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 512GB/16GB RAM) £989 (£110 off, RRP £1,099) Amazon, 13-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 512GB/24GB RAM) £1,379.97 (£110 off, RRP £1,499) KRCS, 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 256GB/16GB RAM) £1,234.05 (£65 off, RRP £1,299) KRCS, 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 (8-core GPU, 512GB/16GB RAM) £1,349.10 (£149 off, RRP £1,499) Every MacBook Air deal right now In the tables below you will see the best price right now for the various MacBook Air models Apple makes. Note Apple’s recommended retail price and you will be able to see just how good the deals on the MacBook Air are. M2 13-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/8-core GPU, 256GB, 16GB RAM, MSRP $999/£999 Retailer Price $799 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M3 13-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/8-core GPU, 256GB, 16GB RAM, MSRP $1,099/£1,099 Retailer Price $899 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M3 13-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 512GB, 16GB RAM, MSRP $1,299/£1,299 (was $1,499/£1,499) Retailer Price $1,099 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1299 View Deal $1299 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M3 13-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 512GB, 24GB RAM, MSRP $1,499/£1,499 Retailer Price $1,299 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M3 15-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 256GB, 16GB RAM, MSRP $1,299/£1,299 Retailer Price $1,099 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M3 15-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 512GB, 16GB RAM, MSRP $1,499/£1,499 (was $1,699/£1,699) Retailer Price $1,299 View Deal $1299 View Deal $1399 View Deal $1499 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M3 15-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 512GB, 24GB RAM, MSRP $1,699/£1,699 Retailer Price $1,499 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Discontinued MacBook Air models While stock is still available you may be able to pick up a deal on these discontinued Macs. Apple has recently doubled the RAM in the MacBook Air but you may be able to find a model with 89GB RAM on sale – just make sure you get a good deal on those models as you can’t add extra RAM at a later date and to update the RAM from 8GB to 16GB costs an extra $200/£200 at point of sale. M2 13.6-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/8-core GPU, 256GB, was $999/£999 – Discontinued (Previously: $1,099/£1,149 and $1,119/£1,249 at launch) Retailer Price $749 View Deal $749 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M2 13.6-inch MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/10-core GPU, 512GB, was $1,199/£1,199 – Discontinued (Previously: $1,399/£1,449 and $1,499/£1,549 at launch) Retailer Price $949 View Deal $949 View Deal $949 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price

Macworld While the higher-end MacBooks with M1/M2/M3/M4 Pro and Max chips support multiple external displays, the majority of Apple’s lower-end range of MacBooks that use a standard M1 and M2 processor cannot natively connect more than one external monitor, and to do so the M3 has to have its lid closed. This is a massive limitation compared to the previous Intel-based generation of Mac laptops that could run two displays when connected to a USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 docking station or hub. Apple’s M3 MacBook Air models now support two external monitors (if the MacBook has its lid closed in what is known as Clamshell Mode). The M3 MacBook Pro supports a similar feature, but the macOS Sonoma 14.6 update needs to be installed. We explain how to run dual external displays on an M3 MacBook in a separate article. The solutions below, however, allow for more than two external displays on plain M1, M2 and M3 Macs with their lids open if you want it. The plain M4 MacBook Pro does natively support two displays with its lid open but if you want three displays for this MacBook, then keep reading. There have also been reports that the M3 MacBook Air with lid closed suffers significant performance decline due to heat build up, so following our advice below still has relevance even for M3 MacBook Air and Pro users who want to hook up to multiple displays and keep their Mac purring at full speed. Later, we list our tested and recommended software and hardware solutions for adding more than one display to the plain M1, M2 and M3 Macs. You can jump straight to our list of the best DisplayLink docks if you know all about DisplayLink. If not, read on a while. The solutions we explain here will also help plain M4 users and M2/M3/M4 Pro MacBook users extend to three external displays. Here are the external display specs for Apple’s current laptops: M1 MacBook Air: Maximum one external display—read our workarounds below. M2 MacBook Air: Maximum one external display—read our workarounds below. M3 MacBook Air: Maximum two external displays if MacBook lid is closed. Three using our workarounds. M2 MacBook Pro: Maximum one external display—read our workarounds below. M2 Pro MacBook Pro: Maximum two external displays. Four using our workarounds. M2 Max MacBook Pro: Maximum four external displays. M3 MacBook Air: Maximum two external displays if MacBook lid is closed. Three using our workarounds. M3 MacBook Pro: Maximum two external displays if MacBook lid is closed. Three using our workarounds. M3 Pro MacBook Pro: Maximum two external displays. Four using our workarounds. M3 Max MacBook Pro: Maximum four external displays. Workarounds allow four using just one laptop port, plus dock. M4 MacBook Pro: Maximum two external displays. Three using our workarounds. M4 Pro MacBook Pro: Maximum two external displays. Four using our workarounds. M4 Max MacBook Pro: Maximum four external displays. Workarounds allow four using just one laptop port, plus dock. However, there are ways around these plain M1/M2/M3 limitations, allowing you to run two or more external displays off your MacBook, which we will outline here. In each case, there’s a software download and a docking station, hub or adapter required.  The simplest solution is to get a USB graphics-enabled docking station or hub, sometimes called a DisplayLink Dock—and we’ve reviewed the best ones later in this article. USB graphics is a software-based technology (DisplayLink or InstantView) that compresses the video signals from the computer to the monitor, enabling you to connect multiple external displays to your M1, M2 or M3 MacBook. Installing third-party software drivers leads to a slight risk that these might later be unsupported by future updates of the macOS, but the two drivers we recommend are recognized industry standards that we believe will continue to be supported. External displays: Big problem for M1, M2 and some M3 Macs Apple’s Mac mini, MacBook Air, and 13-inch MacBook Pro were the first Macs to feature the Apple-designed M1 processor (CPU). They received rave reviews for their speed improvements over Intel-based laptops, including here on Macworld. Since then Apple has released M2, M3 and M4 chips, plus Pro and Max versions of the M1, M2, M3 and M4. But if your MacBook setup includes running more than one external display, you have a major problem. Apple’s basic (non-Pro or Max) M1 and M2 chips simply won’t allow it—at least natively. Apple states in the M1 or M2 MacBook Air and M3 MacBook Pro tech specs that they support only “one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz”. Apple While the M1 and M2 MacBooks natively support just one monitor, the M1 and M2 Mac Mini does natively support up to two external monitors—one via the HDMI port and a second via USB-C. But the M1 and M2 models of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro (plus the M3 MacBook Pro) support only a single external display over Thunderbolt. The M3 MacBook Air models (13- and 15-inch) are the first to support more than one external display—as long as you close the laptop’s lid (Clamshell Mode) to allow for the second external display. The first display (allowing an open MacBook lid) has a maximum 6K resolution at 60Hz. The second display (requiring the closed lid) can be up to 5K at 60Hz. The 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro also supports two external display in Clamshell Mode, but the macOS Sonoma 14.6 update must be installed to do this. The 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro escapes the single-display limit even with its lid open, but if you want more than two displays for that model, keep reading. We cover the basics of how to connect your Mac to an external monitor. Workaround #1: Install DisplayLink software drivers You can use a combination of display technologies to get around the M1/M2/M3 MacBooks’ single-monitor limitation. DisplayLink is the most common software solution that you pair with a compatible dock: we’ve tested the best DisplayLink docks further down. Note that the docks need to state DisplayLink compatibility—you can’t just install DisplayLink drivers and hope they work with regular docks and hubs. A whole new category of docks—many reviewed below—has appeared to solve the M1/M2/M3 Mac one-screen problem. DisplayLink USB-C docks or just USB-C docks require software drivers to enable data compression that make them almost as powerful as a Thunderbolt dock. You’ll need to download the appropriate DisplayLink software from the dock manufacturer—full instructions later on. Many multi-display docks use a combination of native USB-C Alternate Mode (native “Alt Mode” video output) and DisplayLink technology. This combination serves as a workaround to the M1/M2/M3 platform supporting only a single external display via USB-C. Note that DisplayLink requires a third-party driver to be installed on the Mac. There are different versions of the DisplayLink driver, and some bring their own compromises to the party. But, in general, setup is straightforward. Some of the docks we review below offer the DisplayLink software when you first connect the dock to your Mac. The DisplayLink macOS app or DisplayLink Manager app are ways of enabling DisplayLink technology on macOS. The app is available as a standalone installer rather than through the mac App Store. Plugable docking station and three external displays via DisplayLink. 1. First, download the latest Mac DisplayLink driver. As stated above, some docks, do this for you but it’s always best to use the latest version. DisplayLink Manager Graphics Connectivity App v. 1.11 is compatible with macOS Monterey 12, Ventura 13, Sonoma 14 and Sequoia 15. For macOS Big Sur 11, look for version 1.9, and v1.5 for Catalina 10.15. It can be managed via the DisplayLink icon in the Apple Menu bar. The macOS requires the user to permit “Screen Recording” in order for DisplayLink devices to work properly. This can be found in System Preferences under Privacy in Security & Privacy; navigate to Screen Recording in the list on the left, then tick the Screen Recording permission for DisplayLink Manager after unlocking the padlock using your admin password. You may need to quit and restart DisplayLink Manager afterward. Don’t worry, DisplayLink isn’t recording your screen—this just lets it do its magic enabling multiple screens. Installation is straightforward. Older versions did not support laptops’ closed-display/Clamshell Mode, but 1.8.1 and later do support Clamshell Mode if the MacBook is Intel-based running macOS 12 or if the MacBook is M1-based running macOS 11 or later. The scariest bit is when you need to enable “Screen Recording” to allow the DisplayLink Manager app to capture pixels and send them to your USB peripheral. This entails making some adjustments in the Mac’s “Privacy” tab, but you are walked through it step by step. Take a look at the instructions here. There’s an option in DisplayLink manager to “launch at startup”, or you can drag the DisplayLink Manager to your Login Items in Users & Groups. 2. Then connect the MacBook to a docking station. 3. For the first screen you can connect via the dock’s DisplayPort or HDMI Port, and this will be handled natively by the M1/M2 MacBook. You could also connect the first external display via the dock’s other display ports or via a Thunderbolt or USB-C to HDMI or DisplayPort adapter. The HDMI or DisplayPort output uses Alternate Mode (Alt Mode), and as it is basically a pipeline directly to the system’s native GPU, it will behave just like if you hooked up a USB-C to HDMI dongle to your laptop. This requires no user driver installation. The second and third displays will rely on the DisplayLink software. DisplayLink uses an installed driver and the system CPU and GPU to convert graphics data on the system into data packets. That data is then sent over the ca

Macworld As the cavalcade of M4 Macs rained down upon us last week, it became clear that Apple has established a solid rhythm for updates to its processor line. So far, it’s been four years and we’ve seen four generations of Apple silicon chips, each more impressive than the last. In everything from computational and graphics capability to power efficiency, the era of Apple-made processors has proven to be a ground change for the company. But even such an astounding success comes with challenges. As Apple has increasingly carved out its own category in the PC market, the company has left behind many of its classic competitors. It’s rarely compared to old rivals like Dell or HP; even its biggest counterparts, such as Meta and Google, don’t care about the same categories. In truth, Apple has been left with just one real challenger—the one company it can never quite beat. Itself. Time is marching on Like the clocks on which they depend, the improvement of Apple’s processors has been a constant drumbeat. Every year’s chip cores see gains of roughly 20 percent over the previous generation; wait a few years, and you’ll see improvements of 60 to 80 percent over the previous generation. Then layer on top improvements in graphic cores, memory bandwidth, and so on. But despite that seemingly inexorable march, the real impressive part of the Apple silicon era is the degree to which older models stay relevant. I have both an M2 Pro Mac mini and a MacBook Air with an M1 chip–the first model that the company announced when they made the transition back in 2020. And what strikes me is that the M1 feels just as capable today as it did four years ago. That’s not a given in technology. Plenty of people keep their computers for long times–my mother’s 2011 iMac says a very slow hello–but oftentimes that’s even as they adjust to the fact that those computers just aren’t as fast. But that just hasn’t yet proved true in the Apple silicon era; even those base-level chips still feel just fine. That’s quite the feat in an era where even a four-year-old iPhone can start feeling like its ripe for replacement. Apple has carved out an impressive amount of headroom, making each chip faster than the next, to the point that base-level chips can outperform older high-level processors. I recently reviewed the M4 Mac mini and found that the M4 outpaced my M2 Pro mini from just last year on more than a few tasks. The M1 MacBook Air is four years old but for most of its users, it still provides the performance that’s needed.Foundry A lot of that is a testament to Apple’s engineering, of course. But it’s also somewhat due to the Mac’s long history, and the fact that the tasks people are doing with them haven’t changed as radically in the last several years as in prior decades or with other devices. (What you can do with iPhone now versus ten years ago is a much bigger swing than with the Mac, for example.) That’s great for users because it means the hardware they buy is relevant for longer. And it’s mostly great for Apple because it’s a good selling point: buy this Mac and you’ll have it for five maybe even ten years. But it also has downsides. Hitting for the upgrade cycle For Apple, increasing the longevity of its Macs means a longer upgrade cycle—more time before Apple can sell you another Mac. That’s not great for a company trying to rack up Mac sales, of course. One might argue that it falls under the heading of “good problems to have” but in a financial society that seems to prioritize growth above all, it’s not ideal. (Whether that’s a reasonable expectation, well, that’s a different and much longer treatise.) Increasing the longevity of its Macs means a longer upgrade cycle. That’s not great for a company trying to rack up Mac sales. Still, there are always people who have long eschewed buying an Apple computer–the much-vaunted “switchers”–and there are, frankly, always new people, period. Both of those provide a solid basis for growth, even if they don’t provide the steady cadence of long-time Mac users upgrading. But as the Mac continues to move forward, it starts to feel a little less like one needs to be on the cutting edge, and more like every year brings something a little more predictable. Or maybe even, dare I say, boring? That’s certainly not an image one wants to cultivate. So how to upend it? Year over year Apple spent more than a decade trying to create a car, a project it ultimately shut down when it became clear it wasn’t going to happen. But there are still elements of that project the company could (and should) take away, and not all of them are about the purely technology side of things. Car companies, after all, are the standard bearers of predictable updates. Models get revamped regularly, year over year, and mostly don’t change too much. There are longer and longer times between the upgrade cycles for many buyers. And the ultimate form of a car–four wheels, storage, steering wheel–has largely gone unchanged for decades. And yet car companies remain in business. The Mac mini had its first redesign in 14 years.Mit KI erstellt (Microsoft Copilot, Adobe Sensei) What can Apple learn from them? Well, when in doubt, change the packaging. We’ve long seen the supercycle of iPhone purchases where a change in case design spurs a buying spike–that may not be as apparent in the Mac, given the broader product line fragmentation of update timing over the last many years–but it’s hard to believe it’s limited to smartphones. Witness the new Mac mini, for example. It’s the first redesign the desktop has seen in 14 years, and if that doesn’t provide a bump in the product’s sales, I’d be surprised. Returning color to the iMac line with the Apple silicon transition is another good example. These kinds of changes, superficial though they may seem, can still make a big difference when it comes to consumers. It’s a little harder to picture these changes for laptops, to be fair; Apple seems to have settled on its platonic ideal of a notebook computer. But the revamping of the base model MacBook Pro shows another angle: Apple added a Thunderbolt port to the other side of the computer, a nicety that can make a big difference for people’s daily use. Just like the front-mounted ports on the Mac mini and Mac Studio, it shows that Apple is thinking about how its customers use its products. And there’s no better way of ensuring loyalty than making it clear that you’re serving your customers’ needs. Apple Mac mini (M4) Best Prices Today: Not Available at Amazon Apple Mac mini (M4 Pro) Best Prices Today: $1,369 at Amazon Read our full Apple Mac mini (M4 Pro) review Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4) Best Prices Today: $1,474 at Amazon Read our full Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4) review Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) Best Prices Today: $1,839 at Amazon Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Max) Best Prices Today: $3,103.58 at Amazon Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) Best Prices Today: $2,433 at Amazon

Macworld Apple announced new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max chips at an event in October 2024. The upgraded MacBook Pro models arrived a year after Apple launched the M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max variants of the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro and bring double the RAM alongside the new chips. The new MacBook Pro models went on sale on Friday, November 8. They are available to buy now. Read our reviews: 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4) review and 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) review. If you want to buy a MacBook Pro you may be wondering if you can save money by buying one of the M3-series models. These models are likely to be discounted as resellers sell off the discontinued stock. However, be aware that those models have half the RAM compared to the newer models. Apple charges $200/£200 to upgrade the RAM at point of sale, so if you find an older MacBook Pro on sale with less RAM, do make sure that the discount reflects that. Another consideration is that if you are outside the U.S. the price of the new models is less than the old models, so make sure that the discount takes that into account. With a mixture of price rises and declines across the range in comparison to the previous generation, it could be hard to spot a really good deal. Luckily we are here to help. Our team of Apple experts search the web all year round for the top deals, offers, and discounts for the MacBook Pro–seeking out the best money-off offers to save you time. We are focused on the MacBook Pro here, but there are some great deals for the MacBook Air too. The MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro have a lot in common, so you might also be interested in reading our MacBook Air deals article as well. And make sure you check out our complete round-up of the best Apple deals. Below you will find price comparison tables that show the best prices right now for each standard model of MacBook Pro (including the new models that go on sale on November 8). You will also find deals on MacBook Pro models that Apple has now discontinued, as long as stockists still have them available. For more information and more help choosing the best Apple laptop read our buying guide where we cover all the models. We also have a Mac buying guide that covers the whole range. We also explain the differences between the MacBook Air and Pro. Best MacBook Pro deals right now The new MacBook Pro went on sale on November 8, so we don’t expect to see big discounts on those models for some time, but we are seeing a few price drops. There are discounts on the older models, but you should make sure that you take into account the fact that they have less RAM than the new models. Here are some of the best deals we are seeing right now. Watch out for the best deals over Black Friday. See our round up of the Best Apple Deals this Black Friday and our Best Black Friday 2024 MacBook deals. Best U.S. MacBook Pro deals We are already a discount on the new M4 MacBook Pro at Amazon U.S.: Amazon, M4, 14-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/16GB RAM: $1,474 ($125 off, MSRP $1,599) Amazon, M4 14-inch MacBook Pro, 1TB/16GB RAM: $1,654 ($145 off, MSRP $1,799) Amazon, M4 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/24GB RAM: $2,439 ($60 off, MSRP $2,499) Additionally, Apple’s older M3 MacBook Pro models are on clearance as retailers look to clear out remaining stock: Best Buy, M3 14-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/8GB RAM: $1,199 ($400 off, Was $1,599 – Clearance) B&H, M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/18GB RAM: $1,699 ($300 off, Was $1,999 – Clearance) Best Buy, M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro, 1TB/18GB RAM: $2,099 ($300 off, Was $2,399 – Clearance) Amazon, M3 Max 14-inch MacBook Pro, 1TB/36GB RAM: $2,799 ($400 off, Was $3,199 – Clearance) Best Buy, M3 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/18GB RAM: $1,999 ($500 off, Was $2,499 – Clearance) Best Buy, M3 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/36GB RAM: $2,399 ($500 off, Was $2,899 – Clearance) Amazon, M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro, 1TB/48GB RAM: $3,399 ($600 off, Was $3,999 – Clearance) Best U.K. MacBook Pro deals We are already seeing discounts on the new M4 MacBook Pro at KRCS and a discount at Amazon: KRCS, M4 14-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/16GB RAM, £1,519.05 (£78 off, RRP £1,599) KRCS, M4 14-inch MacBook Pro, 1TB/16GB RAM, £1,709.05 (£90 off, RRP £1,799) KRCS, M4 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/24GB RAM, £1,899.05 (£100 off, RRP £1,999) Amazon, M4 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/24GB RAM, £2,249.97 (£250 off, RRP £2,499) KRCS, M4 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/48GB RAM, £2,754.05 (£144 off, RRP £2,899) Apple’s older M3 MacBook Pro models are on clearance at the following retailers: Argos, M3, 14-inch MacBook Pro, 10-core GPU, 512GB/8GB RAM: £1,299 (£400 off, Was £1,699- Clearance) Argos, M3, 14-inch MacBook Pro, 10-core GPU, 1TB/8GB RAM: £1,499 (£400 off, Was £1,899 – Clearance) Amazon, M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/18GB RAM: £1,699 (£400 off, Was £2,099 – Clearance) Argos, M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro, 1TB/36GB RAM: £2,799 (£500 off, Was £3,299 – Clearance) Argos, M3 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/18GB RAM: £2,099 (£500 off, Was £2,599 – Clearance) John Lewis, M3 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro, 512GB/36GB RAM: £2,549 (£450 off, Was £2,999 – Clearance) Best deals on the latest MacBook Pro While you could buy a MacBook Pro from Apple, the charts below show the best deals for the 14-inch MacBook Pro M4, M4 Pro & M4 Max right now. Order the MacBook Pro from Apple (U.S.) Order the MacBook Pro From Apple (U.K.) 14-inch MacBook Pro deals 14-inch, M4, 10-core CPU/10-core GPU, 512GB/16GB RAM, $1,599/£1,599 Retailer Price $1,474 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 14-inch, M4, 10-core CPU/10-core GPU, 1TB/16GB RAM, $1,799/£1,799 Retailer Price $1,654 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 14-inch, M4, 10-core CPU/10-core GPU, 1TB/24GB RAM, $1,999/£1,999 Retailer Price $2,330.89 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 14-inch, M4 Pro, 12-core CPU/16-core GPU, 512GB/24GB RAM, $1,999/£1,999 Retailer Price $1,947.74 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 14-inch, M4 Pro, 14-core CPU/20-core GPU, 1TB/24GB RAM, $2,399/£2,399 Retailer Price $2,330.89 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 14-inch, M4 Max, 14-core CPU/32-core GPU, 1TB/36GB RAM, $3,199/£3,199 Retailer Price $3,101.89 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 16-inch MacBook Pro deals 16-inch, M4 Pro, 14-core CPU/20-core GPU, 512GB/24GB RAM, $2,499/£2,499 Retailer Price $2,433 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 16-inch, M4 Pro, 14-core CPU/20-core GPU, 512GB/48GB RAM, $2,899/£2,899 Retailer Price $2,664 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket

Macworld Measuring MacBook battery life in straight hours of real-world usage (as Apple likes to do) is not always an accurate metric for comparison purposes as so many use and environmental factors play a part. We can, however, rely on straight technical specifications to tell us the stated battery capacities of each MacBook. Where Apple is secretive about iPhone battery specifications (see our list of iPhone battery capacities based on teardowns), the company does list MacBook capacities in Watt hours (Wh). We have trawled through the Apple product Tech Specs pages from 2009 to 2024 to bring you as complete a list as we can gather using official Apple battery declarations. The watt-hour is a unit of energy equivalent to one watt (1W) of power utilized for one hour of time. it is calculated by multiplying the number of Amps with the battery voltage. The higher the number of Wh the longer a battery will last using the same application. Batteries will lose efficiency over time so don’t expect a 2009-era MacBook battery to still possess the same power as it did when it was new or more than a 2024 model, even if it had an originally higher Wh rating. Read How to test a MacBook battery: see if it needs replacing & replace it. Our list starts with older MacBooks that used an Intel processor, and works its way to the latest M-series (for example, M1, M2 Pro, M3, M4) MacBooks. MacBook Air battery capacities 11-inch MacBook Air (Intel) 11-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Late 2010:   35Wh 11-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Mid 2011:   35Wh 11-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Mid 2012:   35Wh 11-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Mid 2013:   38Wh 11-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Early 2015:   38Wh 11-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Early 2015:   38Wh 13-inch MacBook Air (Intel) 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Mid 2009:   40Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Late 2010:   50Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Mid 2011:   50Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Mid 2012:   50Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Mid 2013:   54Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Early 2014:   54Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Early 2015:   54Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, 2017:   54Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Retina, 2018:   50.3Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Retina, 2019:   49.9Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, Intel, Retina, 2020:   49.9Wh 13-inch MacBook Air (M-series) 13-inch MacBook Air, M1:   49.9Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, M2:   52.6Wh 13-inch MacBook Air, M3:   52.6Wh 15-inch MacBook Air (M-series) 15-inch MacBook Air, M2:   66.5Wh 15-inch MacBook Air, M3:   66.5Wh MacBook Pro battery capacities 13-inch MacBook Pro (Intel) 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Mid 2009:   60Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Mid 2010:   63.5Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Early 2011:   63.5Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Late 2011:   63.5Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Mid 2012:   63.5Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Retina, Late 2012:   74Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Retina, Early 2013:   74Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Retina, Late 2013:   71.8Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Retina, 2014:   71.8Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Retina, 2015:   74.9Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2016, 2x TB3 ports:   54.5Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2016, 4x TB3 ports:   49.2Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2017, 2x TB3 ports:   54.5Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2018, 4x TB3 ports:   58Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2019, 2x TB3 ports:   58.2Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2019, 4x TB3 ports:   58Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2020, 2x TB3 ports:   58.2Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2020, 4x TB3 ports:   58Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro (Intel) 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Mid 2009:   73Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Mid 2010:   77.5Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Early 2011:   77.5Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Late 2011:   77.5Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2012:   77.5Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Retina, 2012:   95Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2 Retina, 2013:   95Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Retina, 2014:   95Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Retina, 2015:   99.5Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2016:   76Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2017:   76Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2018:   83.6Wh 15-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2019:   83.6Wh 16-inch MacBook Pro (Intel) 16-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, 2019:   98.8Wh 17-inch MacBook Pro (Intel) 17-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Early 2009:   95Wh 17-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Mid 2009:   95Wh 17-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Mid 2010:   95Wh 17-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Early 2011:   95Wh 17-inch MacBook Pro, Intel, Late 2011:   95Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro (M-series) 13-inch MacBook Pro, M1:   58.2Wh 13-inch MacBook Pro, M2:   58.2Wh 14-inch MacBook Pro (M-series) 14-inch MacBook Pro, M1 Pro:   69.6Wh 14-inch MacBook Pro M2 Pro:   69.6Wh 14-inch MacBook Pro M2 Max:   69.6Wh 14-inch MacBook Pro M3:   69.6Wh 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro:   72.4Wh 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max:   72.4Wh 14-inch MacBook Pro M4:   72.4Wh 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 Pro:   72.4Wh 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max:   72.4Wh 16-inch MacBook Pro (M-series) 16-inch MacBook Pro M1 Pro:   99.6Wh 16-inch MacBook Pro M1 Max:   99.6Wh 16-inch MacBook Pro M2 Pro:   99.6Wh 16-inch MacBook Pro M2 Max:   99.6Wh 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro:   99.6Wh 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max:   99.6Wh 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Pro:   99.6Wh 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max:   99.6Wh How much battery life does my MacBook have? Now that you know the numbers for your model, how does that Wh battery capacity play out in terms of real-life usage? Here are Apple’s claims for the running potential of its M-series MacBook Pro and Air batteries. All the MacBook Air models, whether with a 13-inch or 15-inch screen, M1, M2, or M3 chip, last the same amount of time, according to Apple. There is more variance with the Pro models, which range in screen size from 13 to 16 inches. 13-inch MacBook Air (M-series) 13-inch MacBook Air, M1:  Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 13-inch MacBook Air, M2:   Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 13-inch MacBook Air, M3:   Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 15-inch MacBook Air (M-series) 15-inch MacBook Air, M2:   Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 15-inch MacBook Air, M3:   Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 13-inch MacBook Pro (M-series) 13-inch MacBook Pro, M1:   Up to 20 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 17 hours wireless web 13-inch MacBook Pro, M2:   Up to 20 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 17 hours wireless web 14-inch MacBook Pro (M-series) 14-inch MacBook Pro, M1 Pro:   Up to 17 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 11 hours wireless web 14-inch MacBook Pro M2 Pro:   Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 12 hours wireless web 14-inch MacBook Pro M2 Max:   Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 12 hours wireless web 14-inch MacBook Pro M3:   Up to 22 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro:   Up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 12 hours wireless web 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max:   Up to 22 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 16-inch MacBook Pro (M-series) 16-inch MacBook Pro M1 Pro:   Up to 21 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 14 hours wireless web 16-inch MacBook Pro M1 Max:   Up to 21 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 14 hours wireless web 16-inch MacBook Pro M2 Pro:   Up to 22 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 16-inch MacBook Pro M2 Max:   Up to 22 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro:   Up to 22 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max:   Up to 22 hours Apple TV app movie playback; Up to 15 hours wireless web Does the MacBook Pro have a better battery than the MacBook Air? As you can see from the above battery capacities, the MacBook Pro features higher capacity batteries than the MacBook Air, although not by a truly significant margin. For example, the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air’s battery is rated at 52.6Wh, while the 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro has a 58.2Wh battery. The larger the laptop, the higher wattage is the battery—as they generally require more power to run the larger, brighter screens. The Air features a Liquid Retina display with 500 nits brightness while the Pro has a superior 1,000-nit Liquid Retina XDR display. The newer MacBooks with more efficient processors will also gain extra battery life by not stressing the batteries as hard to complete the same tasks. Apple claims that the current 13-inch MacBook Air (52.6Wh) boasts up to 18 hours Apple TV app movie playback. The 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro has a higher capacity 69.6Wh battery and can keep going for 22 hours on the movie playback. The 16-inch Pro has the same 22-hour video playback claim despite its near 100Wh battery but it has to run the larger screen. Battery life depends on many factors, particularly which and how many applications you are running at one time. For more information on the differences between Apple’s laptop models, read our feature MacBook Air vs Pro: Which Mac laptop is right for you. When you want to charge the MacBook’s battery, make sure you use the appropriate charger. Check out our recommendations for the best USB-C charger for your MacBook.

Macworld Why can’t you have three cellular network IDs on your iPhone or iPad active at once–two eSIMs and one SIM or three eSIMs? Or even more? You might think Apple is trying to frustrate you. But it’s a hardware limitation that’s designed around what Apple thinks represents the vast majority of its users’ needs. The short answer is that Apple has the necessary hardware built into some iPads and iPhones could allow two (iPad) or three (iPhone) cellular subscriptions at once, but the architecture of those devices only allows one (iPad) or two (iPhone) to be in use at any given time. Newer U.S. models of iPhones have only the circuitry required to manage two active cellular subscriptions, not three, making it an entirely moot point. Let’s dig into the details. SIMpathy for the traveler The SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) is a way for a device with cellular capability to identify itself to any compatible network nearby. It’s essentially an ID connected to a billing account. When a cellular phone, watch, or other device connects to a cell network base station, the SIM serves as a unique identifier that allows the operator of that base station to check for active service–all in a split second. During the explosion of smartphones, the Mini SIM format was dominant and measured about 1 by 0.6 inches (25 by 15 mm). Most of that was a plastic surround to protect the circuitry. However, the form factor shrunk over several years to Nano, about 0.5 by 3.5 inches (12.3 by 8.8 mm)—otherwise known as “the size that when you drop it, it will slip into any crack and be lost forever.” Wikipedia (Jbond2018) An eSIM (embedded not electronic SIM) does away with the packaging and the ability to remove it. But it’s still a SIM: an eSIM is circuitry built into a phone, tablet, watch, or other hardware that can load SIM information. It acts like and looks like a SIM to a cellular network. Apple and other companies use software to program the eSIM with subscriber information. Due to high roaming costs, SIMs were a convenient way for travelers to cut costs by installing a SIM for a local service plan in the country or region they arrived in. A common task for many people upon entering a country other than their own was to find an airport kiosk or convenience store, purchase a SIM with a cheap plan, find a paperclip or SIM removal tool, and carefully swap out the SIM. You could eventually pre-purchase these SIMs, but I recall a very tedious time of swapping four Nano SIMs for my family on landing in London after 14 hours of flying. The eSIM does away with the need to have a physical item. Using one of a few methods, the eSIM is loaded with the correct subscriber information and activated just like a SIM card. Apple began including an eSIM module with the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR; the list of starting models for iPads with eSIMs has nine entries! The limits on total SIMs With a SIM/eSIM iPhone or iPad, you can activate the eSIM as the only cellular plan on your device. In Apple’s peculiar phrasing, you can install “eight or more” eSIMs–why not one or more if the company doesn’t specify the top limit? An iPad can only have a single SIM or eSIM active, but you can use the Dual SIM feature starting with those iPhone models above with iOS 12.1 or later. To use 5G this way, you need an iPhone 12 series phone or later with iOS 14.5 or later installed. The Dual SIM lets you activate a SIM and eSIM or, starting with the iPhone 13 series, either that or two eSIMs at once. Apple eliminated the SIM module from iPhones sold in the United States, starting with the iPhone 14 models. Because an eSIM is a physical piece of hardware, the limitation on how many SIM/eSIMs you can use is physical, too, not an arbitrary software restriction: On iPhones that support Dual SIMs with two eSIMs, Apple has two eSIM modules in the phones. On iPhones that support a single SIM and one eSIM, Apple has the SIM card slot and a single eSIM module. On an iPad that can handle a SIM or eSIM and on iPhones with the capability of a SIM/eSIM or dual eSIM option, Apple made a choice: it clearly built the hardware to route just one SIM signal, even though it could have had two (iPad) or three (iPhone). For that last choice, I assume Apple didn’t think the extra cost of supporting a SIM plus two eSIMs made any sense for its user base, particularly since the company was already moving to reduce the cost of goods with its shift to eSIM-only iPhones in the United States. Eventually, when eSIMs are supported by the vast majority of carriers (a point we’re nearing) Apple will certainly ditch the SIM slot on all iPhones and iPads worldwide just as it got rid of the headphone plug on iPhones years ago. This Mac 911 article is in response to a question submitted by an anonymous Macworld reader. Ask Mac 911 We’ve compiled a list of the questions we get asked most frequently, along with answers and links to columns: read our super FAQ to see if your question is covered. If not, we’re always looking for new problems to solve! Email yours to mac911@macworld.com, including screen captures as appropriate and whether you want your full name used. Not every question will be answered; we don’t reply to emails, and we cannot provide direct troubleshooting advice.

Macworld At the heart of every Apple device is an Apple processor. Apple has been using its own chips in its iPhones and iPads for more than a decade, while Apple silicon in the Mac is already in its fourth generation. What’s remarkable about Apple silicon is its performance and power efficiency. But all chips aren’t created equally. Understanding the performance differences between each chip will help with your buying decisions, especially when you’re deciding between iPhone 16 or MacBook models. Knowing how each chip performs gives you a better idea of what products to buy and whether or not it’s worth your money to step up to a higher model. Let’s take a look at how the new processors compare with the rest of the processors in the iPhone, iPad, and Mac lineup and see how each performs and what that means to you. For the sake of consistency, we’ve used Geekbench 6 benchmarks. Here’s every chip and how the benchmarks compare with each other. Update November 13, 2024: Added benchmarks for the M4 chips. Every current processor compared Results are scores. Higher scores/longer bars are faster. Chips in this chart are currently available in Apple devices. Before we get into the individual processors, let’s let the chips fall where they may. In the above chart, we’ve only included chips that are in Apple’s current product lineups for the sake of keeping the chart manageable. The Mac section below includes all of the chips, from the M1 to the current chip. If you’re looking for scores of chips that are no longer being used in Apple’s active iPhone or iPad lineups (such as the A12 Bionic), check out the Geekbench Browser. It’s a somewhat predictable chart, with the fastest Mac chips at the top, followed by a mix of iPads and iPhones. But there are still some fascinating results: owners of the iPad Pro can say their tablet is about as fast as a MacBook Air and that wouldn’t be much of a reach. And the difference between the $399 iPhone SE and the $899 iPhone 14 isn’t as huge as their price difference indicates. If you’re not seeing all the bar chart labels, it may be because your browser font is set larger than the default, or your browser is zoomed in. You’ll need to set the font size and browser view to the default to see all the chart labels. Read about how Apple’s M series processors compare to Intel in our Mac processor guide. iPhone processors Results are scores. Higher scores/longer bars are faster. Chips in this chart are currently available in Apple devices. Let’s look at the specifications of the iPhones currently in Apple’s lineup so we can understand the differences between them. ProcessorPerformance coresEfficiency coresGraphics coresNeural EngineMemoryThermal Design PowerDevicesA18 Pro2 at 4.04GHz4 at 2.2GHz616-core8GB10WiPhone 16 ProiPhone 16 Pro MaxA182 at 4.04GHz4 at 2.2GHz516-core8GB9WiPhone 16iPhone 16 PlusA16 Bionic2 at 3.46GHz4 at 2.02GHz516-core8GB6WiPhone 15A15 Bionic2 at 3.22GHz4 at 1.82GHz516-core8GB6WiPhone 14A15 Bionic2 at 3.22GHz4 at 1.82GHz416-core8GB6WiPhone SESpecifications of chips used in current Apple iPhones. Not surprisingly, the A18 Pro in the iPhone 16 Pro is the fastest. The difference between the A18 Pro and the A18 in the iPhone 16 is that the A18 has one fewer GPU core. The iPhone 14 and iPhone SE both have an A15 Bionic processor, but the iPhone 14 has one more GPU core than the iPhone 13, so it offers better graphics performance. Apple iPhone 16 Pro Read our review Best Prices Today: $999.99 at Best Buy iPad processors Results are scores. Higher scores/longer bars are faster. Chart includes chips in discontinued Apple devices. The staggered release of Apple’s iPad lineup creates an odd-looking performance order of CPU and its device. ProcessorPerformance coresEfficiency coresGraphics coresNeural EngineMemoryTransistorsThermal Design PowerDevicesM44 at 4.4GHz6 at 2.851016-core16GB28 billion20W13″ & 11″ iPad ProM43 at 4.4GHz6 at 2.851016-core8GB28 billion20W13″ & 11″ iPad ProM24 at 3.49GHz4 at 2.06GHz916-core8GB20 billion15W13″ & 11″ iPad AirA17 Pro2 at 3.78GHz4 at 2.11GHz516-core8GB19 billion8WiPad miniA14 Bionic2 at 3.1GHz4 at 1.8GHz416-core6GB11.8 billion6WiPad (10th gen)A13 Bionic2 at 2.66GHz4 at 1.6GHz48-core4GB8.5 billion6WiPad (9th gen)Specifications of chips used in current Apple iPads. The M4-equipped iPad Pros are the fastest models, and the gap between them and the iPad and iPad mini is significant. Furthermore, the M4 is 1.5 times faster than the M2 that it replaced in the previous iPad Pros and is in the current iPad Air. The 10th-gen iPad that was released in the fall of 2022 has an A14 Bionic, an upgrade from the A13 Bionic in the previous model. Apple says the new 10th-gen iPad offers a 20 percent CPU boost and a 10 percent graphics increase. Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) Read our review Best Prices Today: $479 at Amazon Mac processors Results are scores. Higher scores/longer bars are faster. Chart includes chips in discontinued Apple devices. With Apple’s M-series of chips for the Mac, the company’s release schedule involves the base version in the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac. Apple then modifies it to create higher-end versions. The latest M-Series chip is the M4, which was released with the new iMac, Mac mini, and the MacBook Pro in the fall of 2024. The M4 Pro and Max were also released in the MacBook Pro, replacing the M3 Pro and Max in those laptops. The M3 Ultra has not been released, so the Mac Studio and Mac Pro still use the M2 Ultra. The MacBook Air uses the M3 chip. ProcessorPerformance coresEfficiency coresGraphics coresNeural EngineBase memoryTransistorsThermal Design PowerDeviceM2 Ultra16 at 3.49GHz8 at 2.4GHz7632-core64GB134 billion60WMac Studio, Mac ProM2 Ultra16 at 3.49GHz8 at 2.4GHz6032-core64GB134 billion60WMac Studio, Mac ProM4 Max12 at 4.52GHz4 at 2.59GHz4016-core48GB70W14″ & 16″ MacBook ProM4 Max10 at 4.52GHz4 at 2.59GHz3216-core36GB62W14″ & 16″ MacBook ProM2 Max8 at 3.7GHz4 at 2.4GHz3816-core32GB67 billion30WMac StudioM2 Max8 at 3.7GHz4 at 2.4GHz3016-core32GB67 billion30WMac StudioM4 Pro10 at 4.52GHz4 at 2.59GHz2016-core24GB46W14″ & 16″ MacBook Pro. Mac miniM4 Pro8 at 4.52GHz4 at 2.59GHz1616-core24GB38W14″ MacBook Pro, Mac miniM44 at 4.41GHz6 at 2.59GHz1016-core16GB28 billion22WiMac, 14″ MacBook ProM44 at 4.41GHz4 at 2.59GHz816-core16GB28 billion20WiMacM24 at 3.49GHz4 at 2.4GHz816-core16GB20 billion15W13″ MacBook AirSpecifications of chips used in current Apple Macs. The M4 Max is a beast of a chip, blazing in both CPU and GPU performance. The M2 Ultra is in the Mac Pro, which has PCIe expansion slots. If you don’t need such slots, you can opt for an M2 Ultra Mac Studio. The M2 Ultra is fast, but it’s a two-year-old chip now surpassed by the M4 Pro and Max. The Mac Pro and Mac Studio are rumored to get the new M4 Ultra chip in 2025. Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4) Read our review Best Prices Today: $1,474 at Amazon The chip that started it all, the good ol’ M1, may seem slow compared to Apple’s more current chips—but that’s not to undermine Apple’s original Mac processor. Remember, the M1 blows past the Intel processors it replaced, resulting in a significant price/performance value.

Macworld Around 40 million Apple customers in the U.K. could be entitled to an average payout of £70 if a major new legal challenge is successful. The consumer publication Which? has announced what it describes as a landmark legal claim against the company for alleged breaches of competition law. It contends that users have been unfairly locked into “rip-off” iCloud prices by anticompetitive behavior, and is launching an action worth £3 billion (around $3.8 billion) to obtain compensation. “Which? believes taking this action is essential to changing the behavior of huge companies like Apple that use their market dominance to engage in anti-competitive practices that reduce choice and drive up prices for consumers,” the publication said in a press release. The central claim is that Apple’s iOS ecosystem is monopolistic and that the company uses its power over the platform to give preferential treatment to iCloud, its cloud storage service. “A key tactic to achieve this,” says Which?, “has been encouraging users to sign up to iCloud for storage of photos, videos, and other data while simultaneously making it difficult to use alternative providers, including because Apple does not allow customers to store or back up all of their phone’s data with a third-party provider.” This directs revenue into Apple’s own coffers, at the expense of rival offerings. This in turn enables Apple to charge what the publication believes are above-market-rate prices: Which? claims consumers are overcharged by an increasing amount each year, up to £13.36 in 2024. Over many years these additional costs add up, and Which? believes the average consumer will be owed £70 in damage, although this will vary depending on how long they have been paying for iCloud. This isn’t the first time Apple has been accused of monopolistic behavior; indeed the company has been fighting off such claims for years. (Unsurprisingly, Apple’s official position is that it isn’t a monopoly.) Earlier this year, the company was sued by the U.S. Justice Department for its alleged iPhone monopoly. Similar investigations have been conducted in the U.K. and the EU. If you’re a U.K. consumer who has paid for iCloud at any point since October 1, 2015, you may be entitled to compensation. Visit www.cloudclaim.co.uk for more information about the action and to register to receive updates on its progress.

Macworld iFixit has posted its video teardown of the new M4 Mac mini, and as usual, it’s a fascinating study of how design, engineering, and technology come together–or in this case, taken apart While a lot of people are interested in the inner workings of Apple’s products, the Mac mini might draw more interest than any other product. There’s a widespread belief that users should be able to perform a certain amount of customization and upgrades with desktop computers, even with Macs. And the Mac mini has been used in unique situations and projects. Teardowns like iFixit’s don’t just satisfy curiosity, they provide useful information. Watch iFixit’s video, and after that, here are a few takeaways from the teardown. It’s packed to the gills The M1 and M2 Mac minis used an old design and left a lot of space inside. With the new design, the Mac mini is immensely packed. It’s an incredible feat of design and engineering, but it also provides a serious hurdle to do-it-yourselfers. Which leads us to… It’s user upgradeable…but is it, really? Apple clearly has an idea of what components should be accessible, and it’s obvious in the Mac mini. For example, the CMOS battery is designed for access without diving deeper into the machine. In fact, it’s the only component that’s readily accessible. We heard early reports about the Mac mini’s SSD being upgradeable and the iFixit video provides more info. The M4 and M4 Pro Mac minis use modules of different sizes and iFixit couldn’t get its Mac mini to work when they tried swapping the SSDs. iFixit often refers to the Mac mini as being upgradeable, but being “upgradeable” involves the ability to remove a part and replace it with an available part. At this point, there’s no available part for the Mac mini. Apple uses a proprietary SSD module that is nothing like the NVMe SSDs used in Windows PCs and is made by third parties such as Crucial. You can’t buy a NVMe and pop it into the Mac mini. Could a company make a Mac mini-compatible SSD module? Maybe, but would it be worth the investment for them? It’s hard to say. The Mac mini’s SSD is similar to that of the Mac Studio, and a Kickstarter project to make a third-party Mac Studio SSD upgrade has exceeded its funding goal, but it has only 142 backers. Granted, the Mac Studio is more of a niche than the Mac mini, but it still seems like a low-volume endeavor. In case you’re wondering, the RAM is incorporated in the M4 chip, as it has since the M1. There is no way to upgrade RAM after purchase. The fan is big The ring of vents at the bottom of the Mac mini leads to a fan that takes up a considerable amount of space (and even more space in the M4 Pro model). I can’t help but wonder if smaller cooling units can be used, which could make the Mac mini even more tiny. For example, Frore System makes “solid-state active cooling chips” that are super thin and effective. Last year, I covered how they modified a MacBook Air with its cooling chips, which allowed it to stop throttling to maintain a proper operating temperature. I don’t know what a system like Frore’s would cost to implement, but I imagine it’s not as cheap as a fan, so it may be too pricey for consideration.

Macworld Apple’s brand-new MacBook Pro only just went on sale last week and it already has its first discount: Amazon has dropped the price to $1,474, a savings of $125 off its $1,599 MSRP and a surprising price cut for such a new model. Running on a powerful M4 chip, the MacBook Pro will easily tackle any task you throw its way with extreme ease. And don’t forget, it now comes with 16GB of RAM standard, double the previous model, and essentially a $200 price cut. The MacBook Pro already had a good battery, but they’ve improved on that too. In our test, the laptop ran for about 20 hours before finally shutting down. That’s more than enough for you to leave home without a charger. In our review of the MacBook Pro M4, we gave it a near-perfect score, praising its performance, the powerful Center Stage camera, and the nano-texture glass display. The 14.2″ Liquid Retina XDR display offers stunning colors, high brightness, and sharp details: “The changes that Apple made to the $1,599/£1,599 M4 MacBook Pro not only made it a clear pro laptop (finally), but it also created a package bursting with value.” So there you have it—skip Black Friday and get yourself the MacBook Pro M4 because we don’t know how long this sale will last. Snatch the MacBook Pro M4 at its cheapest price everBuy it now at Amazon

Macworld If you are concerned about your privacy and security online using a VPN could give you some reassurance. Apple provides various measures in macOS that make Macs more secure, but if you want to ensure that the connection between your Mac and the internet is protected, rather than the computer itself, you need a VPN. Using a VPN essentially makes you invisible on the web–your data is encrypted, your IP address is hidden, and you can even make it look like you are surfing from another country. This latter reason is the main reason many people use a VPN: they want to access services that are locked to a particular region, such as accessing U.S. Netflix from the U.K or BBC iPlayer from the U.S. If you are looking for a VPN to protect your privacy and security online, and to grant you a way to access content as if you are in a different country, we are here to help. There are a lot of VPN providers vying for your business, which can make finding the best one to suit your needs difficult. To help you sort out the right provider for you, we’ve committed to extensive research and testing of VPN services that cater to Mac owners in our guide to the top VPN services for Mac. Updated: November 2024 with a review of Norton’s Ultra VPN. PROMOTION Black Friday Deal: Up to 74% off NordVPN + 3 extra months! Upgrade your online security and privacy with NordVPN. Shield your online traffic. Choose from 5,800+ global servers for blazing speeds. Block web trackers, annoying ads, and unsafe websites. Try NordVPN risk free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Get the Deal Best VPNs for Mac: Reviewed & Ranked Our top choice right now is NordVPN, which we feel stands out in many areas, from speed and privacy to unblocking and ease of use. Get NordVPN here Below you will find the VPN services for Mac that we recommend based on our tests. Most of these will cost less than $3/£3 per month if you sign up for a one- or two-year deal. However, once the deal period ends the price often jumps, so it’s worth setting a reminder to shop around a month before your subscription runs out so you can search for a better deal, alternatively, you could cancel and sign up with another email address. You may be able to save money if you take a look at our round-up of VPN deals. ProtonVPN has a free tier. All of these VPNs will also work on your iPhone and iPad as well, and many with Apple TV, but you might want to check out our separate guides to the best VPNs for iPhone and best VPNs for iPad. 1. NordVPN Pros Easy to use Impressive WireGuard speeds Lots of servers Cons Two separate apps can be confusing 5,300 servers 10 simultaneous connections NordVPN is one of the biggest and best-known VPN services. It’s a fully featured VPN option that’s secure, easy to use, and unbelievably fast compared to its competitors. There are cheaper options, with unlimited connections and more in-depth VPN features, but NordVPN is our top choice right now because it stands out in so many areas, from speed and privacy to unblocking and ease of use. Nord has an up-to-date independent audit. It also has specialty servers for specific purposes. There are more than 5,300 servers (none of which are virtual) available across 60 countries, which sounds great. You probably only care about the servers where you want to unblock content, but the more servers the better as it means you have a better chance of finding one that’s not overloaded. You won’t have to figure out which one to choose thanks to the handy ‘Quick connect’ feature that picks the server best suited to your needs. Connections are fast and reliable, and NordVPN unblocks popular streaming services around the world including Netflix and BBC iPlayer. You can connect up to six devices simultaneously including your Apple TV. Nord has added support for the faster WireGuard protocol in NordLynx, making it one of the fastest VPN services out there. However, it’s only available on the ‘IKE’ version of the app, which only offers a permanently enabled kill switch. To have more control, you’ll need to download the ‘OpenVPN’ version, albeit with slightly slower speeds. Nord frequently has deals on offer that save money on the usual monthly price if you take advantage of the two-year plan. NordVPN offers three tiers: Standard, Plus and Ultimate. You can get Plus features (data breach scanner and password manager) or the Ultimate tier adds cloud storage and insurance options. Prices change all the time, so take a look at the prices and plans at NordVPN.com. Read our full NordVPN review 2. ExpressVPN Pros Easy-to-use desktop program Broad device support Excellent speeds Cons ExpressVPN’s team is largely anonymous Expensive 2,000 servers 8 simultaneous connections If you want to circumnavigate geoblocking to get access to content not available where you live, protect your data while browsing the web from a public network, and keep your web browsing habits private, ExpressVPN, with its server locations across 105 countries, can do just about all of this with two or three clicks. ExpressVPN is remarkably easy to use, but if you have any difficulties the 24-hour live chat means you can be connected to a real human to discuss issues within minutes. There are native apps on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, Android and Windows. Plus you can use it on eight devices at once (the limit was five previously). Like all VPNs there is some speed loss because you are routing via a server in another country, but ExpressVPN does well to mitigate this, dropping less than 13% of download speed in our testing. NordVPN remains faster with a 12% loss in our tests, but ExpressVPN’s 13% is still better than most. ExpressVPN offers no fewer than six different choices for protocol. Lightway, the company’s own option, is rapid. For improved compatibility you can switch to another version of Lightway or OpenVPN – things slowed down with  24% of speed loss with the latter. There’s no Malware protection with ExpressVPN, but you can install a password manager called ExpressVPN Keys. The company is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, so it’s free from the majority of intelligence-sharing agencies’ jurisdiction. While it also operates a no-log policy, it doesn’t have PureVPN’s “always-on” audit process, but it undergoes audits each year. ExpressVPN’s more expensive than many of its contemporaries and doesn’t allow access from unlimited devices (just eight). But you get a solid, speedy connection with minimal fuss, and you don’t have to tie-in for a two-year deal to get the best value. That latter point is important because VPN legislation can change regularly. See ExpressVPN subscription plans here. Read our full ExpressVPN review 3. ProtonVPN Pros Simple to use Free plan Great speed Cons Setup on macOS was a little fiddly 6,500+ servers in 100+ countries (access servers in 5 countries on free plan, on one device) 10 simultaneous connections ProtonVPN‘s free tier of membership helps to set Proton VPN apart from some of its rivals. It’s naturally limited, with US, Japan, and Netherlands as the server locations and some speed drop – but it’s still pretty usable If you pay for the service it offers a sleek interface, impressive connection speeds and just about enough features to improve your day-to-day web experience without throwing too many complex concepts at new users.  Proton VPN Plus offers a host of features, including an ad and tracker blocker and speed of up to 10 Gbps, as well as a 10-device limit. There’s Port Forwarding for downloads and gaming, too, as well as a Kill Switch for disconnecting should the VPN drop out. Some VPN services offer features like dark web data notifications. Proton VPN sticks to the basics – and does so very well. The company’s “no-logs” policy confirms it doesn’t track sites, IP addresses, communications, or session lengths, nor does it track location-based information. Proton is Swiss-based, and only Swiss court orders can request data from the company, but since it doesn’t log data there’s very little it can offer to law enforcement. For the privacy-minded, Secure Core, routes traffic through one of the company’s ‘Secure’ servers, minimizing the potential of a data leak. These secure servers are owned by Proton and are located in more than 90 countries. Proton VPN does increase latency, but only by about 29% in our testing on a modest 60 Mbps broadband. In fact, it’s only about 7% slower when downloading and 5.5% slower when uploading, making it one of the slicker VPN

Macworld The all-important iOS 18.2 software update for iPhone is set to launch on December 9, based on an apparent gaffe by a U.K. carrier. Officially, Apple has announced only that iOS 18.2 will roll out in the month of December. But an additional clue was provided earlier this month when EE sent a notice to customers that its shared number service would no longer be available on MacBooks and iPads from December 9. As MacRumors notes, that’s a change expected to take effect with the launch of iOS 18.2, because the second developer beta of the update contains a new EE carrier settings version which removes the toggle related to that feature. This in itself might not seem entirely conclusive, but the date makes sense in other respects too. It’s a Monday, which is when iOS updates are often released, and it gets the update out ahead of the holiday season. And the previous Monday is Cyber Monday, which is unlikely to feature such a major release. So, unless Apple reacts to the “leak” by altering its plans, the chances are that this is the correct date. And the launch of iOS 18.2 is a reasonably big deal. One of the criticisms of Apple’s fall 2024 launch cycle has been that important features weren’t available when the new iPhones went on sale. Apple Intelligence didn’t appear at all until iOS 18.1, while many of its features have been held back until iOS 18.2. The update is expected to add Visual Intelligence, Genmoji and other AI-based image generation, ChatGPT integration, support for localized English in the U.K., Canada, and Australia, and much more. Read our guide to the Apple Intelligence rollout for more details of the imminent new features.

Macworld Analysts speculated earlier this year that the iPhone 16 and its AI capabilities would trigger a new upgrade super cycle. Fired up by the innovative functions of Apple Intelligence, customers were expected to buy new handsets in record numbers, even if their current iPhone was still in perfect working order. A few weeks after the launch, however, much of that enthusiasm appeared to have fizzled out. In Germany, for example, we found it easy to get hold of the new phones, either from an Apple Store or on Amazon, with the latter able to deliver the device as early as the following week. In the U.K. right now, the cheapest configuration of the iPhone 16 Pro is available for next-day delivery. This is all a far cry from the stock shortages we usually encounter when an iPhone is a spectacular success. One possible reason why the iPhone 16 has not triggered a super cycle is the slow introduction of Apple Intelligence. The first features weren’t available until several weeks after launch in the U.S. and Canada, while European users may have to wait as much as a year. If AI was the key to success, delaying AI could have been a critical error. A cycle of innovation Another issue could be the psychology of consumerism: to a lot of buyers it’s not what’s inside that counts, but the external design. An abstract upgrade such as a 40 percent increase in performance is less appealing than new colors, shapes, and materials. And this is confirmed by sales data: the biggest leaps were made by the iPhone generations that brought noticeable changes in shape or dimensions. We’ve put Apple’s iPhone sales in a diagram (bars) and also calculated how big the percentage difference was compared to the same quarter of the previous year (line). Because Apple has been releasing iPhones in the fall since the iPhone 4s in 2011, the new models make a big contribution to sales in the first quarter of each fiscal year: that’s where you’ll see the biggest bars. But in terms of percentage differences, the iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone X, and iPhone 12 have delivered the biggest jump compared to previous generations. Why were these models the big winners? Because of design. The iPhone 6 Plus, for example, was the first time Apple introduced a larger model alongside the standard-size model; that’s a very noticeable change. (Two years earlier, the iPhone 5 had already increased the screen diagonally from 3.5 to 4 inches, but that’s a little more subtle.) For the iPhone X, an anniversary model, Apple switched to a borderless design, replacing the Home button and Touch ID with Face ID facial recognition for biometric authentication. The notch provided for this purpose quickly became a recognizable, perhaps even iconic feature. And the iPhone 12 was the first square-edged smartphone since the iPhone 5S was discontinued, six years previously. Although the iPhone 13 is the most successful iPhone model to date in terms of pure sales, the 12 sold 17 percent better than its predecessor, whereas the 13 was up by just 9 percent. The iPhone 12 was a bigger step forward for the company. The iPhone 16 Pro is a great phone, but it’s not the revolutionary change we were hoping for.Anyron Copeman / Foundry Looking down the road So where does this leave the iPhone 16? It offers Apple Intelligence, it’s true. But that wasn’t available at launch, many features have yet to arrive, and for a large proportion of potential buyers who live outside the U.S., it’s not available at all. In terms of design change, meanwhile, the iPhone 16 offers very little that’s new. Compare this to the launches planned for 2025. If the rumors about the iPhone 17 Air are true–and they’ve been swirling for more than half a year now–then it will be the first model in five years to feature a radically new design, similar to the extremely thin iPad Pro M4 models. Add to that a striking color, like the Product Red that was discontinued with the iPhone 14, and it’s sure to be a bestseller. Our interest and optimism is further piqued by the latest developments at Apple. John Ternus’ hardware team has seen some important promotions in recent days: Richard Dinh, for example, became Vice President of iPhone Product Design. Ternus himself has promised radical innovations in iPhone design in an internal memo, calling the roadmap the “most ambitious in the product’s history.” So things are looking up. Just not until next year.

Macworld With the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, Apple offers standard configurations to make it easy to pick a laptop. They seem straightforward, but if you start to think about all the things you do on a Mac–whether you’re a student or a professional–you can start to wonder if you might need more RAM or a bigger SSD, or if extra GPU cores might be useful. Choosing the right model isn’t as straightforward as choosing a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air–you also need to decide just how much MacBook you really need. It’s a decision you don’t want to take lightly. You’re investing a considerable amount of money, and you don’t want to end up with a Mac that isn’t up to the task or a Mac that has more than you need. This guide was created to help shoppers figure out what to look for when buying a MacBook. We’ll cover the main components you need to consider: the CPU, the GPU, the amount of unified memory (RAM), the SSD, the display, the battery, and the ports. We’ll go over what your use case may be, and which component configurations would work best to help you get the most bang for your buck. In this article we are considering the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, but the advice will also apply if you are buying a Mac desktop. For more help read our Which Mac buying guide. What is the Apple M chip? Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (M3, 256GB/16GB RAM, 2024) Best Prices Today: $899 at Amazon Apple 15-inch MacBook Air (M3, 256GB/16GB RAM, 2024) Best Prices Today: $1,099 at Amazon Let’s start with a brief overview of the heart of every Mac: the M System on a Chip. It’s called a System on a Chip (SoC, or just “chip”) because, unlike past chips, it includes more than just a CPU that does the main job of processing work. It also houses the graphics processors (GPUs), the unified memory (a combination of CPU and GPU RAM), and the SSD for file storage. In the past, these were all separate components. A benefit of having all these components under one unified part is that it helps with performance and power efficiency. A drawback is that the user cannot upgrade the components after purchase. So, it’s even more important than before to carefully consider the specifications you need for what you do. Also read: How to check the specs of your Mac: find out processor and RAM, our Mac Processor Comparison and our comparison of every Apple processor. CPU: How many processing cores do I need? The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the main data processing component and is divided into processing cores. There are two types of cores, which Apple divides into performance and efficiency cores. Generally, the more cores in a CPU, the faster the processing speed. Apple currently offers five CPU models in its MacBooks: the M2, M3, M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max. The M2 and M3 has the lowest CPU core count, while the M4 Max has the highest. Which one is right for you? Let’s break it down based on tasks. M2 (8-core CPU with 4 performance and 4 efficiency cores): a good chip for everyday usage and can handle tasks in media editing apps. M3 (8-core CPU with 4 performance and 4 efficiency cores): you do the usual everyday tasks and work, which includes web browsing, light productivity apps (Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Microsoft Office), media streaming, light gaming, easy media production (iMovie, GarageBand). M4 (10-core CPU with 4 performance and 6 efficiency cores): a lot like the M3, but a bit faster. M4 Pro (12- or 14-core CPU with 8 or 10 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores): you are regularly performing work that’s a bit more in-depth, such as complex Excel spreadsheets, multi-layer image editing, and creation in Photoshop or other graphics apps, production of video and audio shorts, databases, serious gaming. M4 Max (14- or 16-core CPU with 10 or 12 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores): you make a living as a media producer (Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Autodesk Maya, etc.), software developer, or any other work that requires multitasking and long hours with heavy work. Keep in mind that the base M4 is robust enough to handle the tasks that the M4 Max is designed for–it just takes longer to finish. If you only occasionally need to do those high-end jobs or you’re learning how to do them, you can live with the M4. The M3 and M4 chips offer different CPU, GPU, memory, and SSD configurations.Macworld.se GPU: How many graphics cores do I need? The GPU (graphics processing unit) is primarily used for rendering graphics and video on the screen. However, because GPUs offer parallel processing, a GPU can be used for other jobs, including AI, though the NPU (which is the same across all MacBooks) handles much of that workload. As with the CPU, the GPU has processing cores, and the more cores, the better the performance. Apple partners the increase of CPU cores along with the increase of GPU cores, so you don’t have to worry about, say, getting a M3 Pro chip with not enough CPU cores. Which one is right for you? Let’s break it down based on tasks. M2 (8-core CPU): capable of everyday tasks and casual games. M3 (8- or 10-core GPU): general tasks and everyday work, media streaming, easy media production, light gaming. M4 (10-core GPU): like the M3, general tasks and everyday work, media streaming, easy media production, light gaming. M4 Pro (16- or 20-core GPU): moderate to serious media production and gaming. M4 Max (32- or 40-core GPU): professional-level media production and hard-core gaming. RAM: How much unified memory do I need in a Mac? Apple’s M chips use unified memory, which is where the chip reads and writes the data it is working on. It’s called “unified memory” because it’s used by both the CPU and GPU. It’s often referred to as RAM (random access memory). (Traditionally, “RAM” referred to the memory used by the CPU only, and the GPU used video RAM or VRAM). Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro) Best Prices Today: $1,839 at Amazon Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Max) Best Prices Today: $3,103.58 at Amazon When Apple originally introduced the MacBook Air in March 2024, the standard configurations came with 8GB of RAM. When Apple introduced the M4 series of MacBook Pro in October 2024, it increased the base standard configuration fro 8GB to 16GB unified memory. At the same time, the MacBook Air M3 and M2 got the boost to 16GB RAM without a price increase. So, now all MacBooks sold by Apple have a minimum of 16GB of RAM, and some standard configurations have more. Each M-series chip comes with a standard configuration of unified memory. Here are the standard memory configurations Apple offers and where you may want to upgrade. 16GB: Good enough if you’re doing general productivity work, internet access media streaming, and easy media production. 24GB or 32GB: Nice amount for moderate media production, graphic work, podcasting, and gaming. Even for people who don’t do processor-intensive work, this is a better fit. Above 32GB: Professional-level graphics and media production, software development, hardcore gaming.  Remember, you can’t add RAM later, so make sure you consider spending a little more to customize your Mac at purchase. For example, the M4’s standard configuration is 16GB, but an option for 24GB is available for $200. It’s not cheap, but we recommend getting as much memory as you can afford. You can’t go wrong with opting for more memory than the standard configuration–it helps with performance. Also read: How much RAM is in my Mac and do I need more? and How to clear RAM on a Mac: tips to free up memory. SSD: How much space for file storage do I need? The Mac uses a solid-state drive (SSD) to store your files, apps, and other data. But in addition to data storage, the SSD can play a role in a Mac’s performance. The larger the capacity, the better the performance, mostly in instances that involve very large files. The higher the SSD capacity, the more NAND chips Apple uses. The more chips in use, the faster the performance, because the data can be accessed in parallel. For example, a 10GB file saved over four SSD chips is faster than the same file saved over two SSD chips. For smaller files used by most people, the difference is still there but isn’t noticeable. So there are two considerations for the SSD size: How much room you need, and how big are the files you create. With that in mind, here are some recommendations. 256GB: General productivity work, internet access media streaming, and easy media production. 512GB: Frequent work in iMovie, GarageBand, and other consumer-level media production apps. 1TB or more: Professional media production in apps such as Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Compressor, etc., software development, graphics. These considerations don’t involve

Macworld Plug your MacBook in and out of a multi-port docking station to swiftly add devices and external displays to your laptop. We tested a bunch to find the best Thunderbolt and USB-C docks available to owners of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Below we help you choose the best dock for you by explaining the different features on offer. You want to jump straight to the full Best Dock recommendation chart or click below for our top three choices. Note that one of the other options among our reviews might be a closer fit to your needs. Best Thunderbolt 4 dock for Macs: Sonnet Echo 20 Thunderbolt 4 SuperDock – check at Amazon Best USB-C dock for Macs: Satechi Dual Dock Stand – check at Amazon Most powerful Thunderbolt 4 dock: CalDigit TS4 – check at Amazon Thunderbolt 3, 4, USB4 or USB-C The connectors all look the same (technically known as a “Type-C connector”), but there are significant differences, particularly on data-transfer speed—with USB-C maxing out at 10Gbps (usually 5Gbps) compared to the 40Gbps of Thunderbolt 3 and 4. More like Thunderbolt than USB-C, USB4 can be either 20Gbps or 40Gbps. That extra bandwidth allows not just for faster data transfer but higher frame rates to external displays, plus some other smart benefits. Of Apple’s recent laptop ranges, the M1/M2/M3 MacBook Air and 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro feature two ports that Apple specifies as “Thunderbolt / USB 4” ports, while the 14in and 16in M1/M2/M3 Pro, plain M4 MacBook Pro, and M1/M2/M3 Max MacBook Pro models come with three Thunderbolt 4 (TB4) ports. Ignore Apple’s dual designation of non-4 Thunderbolt and USB4—it just means that the ports don’t certify as pure Thunderbolt 4, and that shouldn’t worry most users except for the number of external displays each supports. Apple’s latest M4 Pro and Max MacBook Pro models feature three of the latest Thunderbolt 5 ports, which are backwards compatible with TB4, TB3 and USB-C. Thunderbolt devices and docks are extremely rare right now but promise 80Gbps data transfer and 120Gbps video rates. Until the technology finds its way into more devices and the Thunderbolt 5 dock market matures, you are still going to do very well with a 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 dock. Apple’s older 12in MacBook features one 5Gbps Gen 1 USB-C port, while the later Intel MacBook Air (2018 and later) and MacBook Pro (from 2016) boast either two or four 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 ports. If your MacBook is equipped with Thunderbolt 4, then you really should buy a TB4 dock if you need more ports than those 14/16in laptops already possess. USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 docks will work as Thunderbolt 4 is backwards compatible. Indeed, buying a Thunderbolt 4 dock is a wise decision for everyone, based on future-proofing even for owners of Thunderbolt 3 (TB3) Macs. That said, there are still some great—and often more affordable—TB3 and USB-C docks available, and most Apple users won’t see much difference between TB3 and TB4—the Thunderbolt 4 standard was mainly about getting Windows laptops up to speed, although there are technical benefits for MacBook Pro users, such as smarter daisy-chaining and faster PCI hard-drive connections. For more detail, read our Thunderbolt 4 vs Thunderbolt 3 vs USB4 explainer. We have included some cheaper (non-Thunderbolt) USB-C docks. If you don’t require the ultimate bandwidth for the fastest data transfer and best screen frame rates or resolutions, a USB-C dock might suit your purposes and save you money.  Add external displays to your MacBook If you use your laptop as your principal computer, you would do well to consider attaching at least one larger display to create a hybrid desktop/laptop setup (with a keyboard, mouse and printer all available via a single connection to your MacBook). You can turn that 13in laptop’s screen real-estate into an iMac-sized 27in or even larger monitor by adding an extra display—or connect two or even four large screens to extend your screen across your whole desk. Take a look at our recommended best monitors and displays for Mac. If you want to connect more than one external display to your MacBook without adding third-party software you’ll need a Thunderbolt dock, rather than a USB-C dock—unless you install third-party DisplayLink software. Natively over USB-C, Macs can only connect to one external display in Extended mode (where the screen extends beyond what you can see on the laptop screen, as opposed to Mirrored mode that replicates exactly what you get on the laptop screen) but you’ll get two Extended mode screens over a Thunderbolt connection. While Apple’s MacBooks featuring the company’s own M-series Silicon chips are super speedy compared to the models sporting Intel processors, models with plain (non-Pro or -Max) M1 and M2 chips come with an incredible limitation: they don’t support more than one external display in Extended Mode even via their Thunderbolt ports. Plain M3 MacBooks can support two displays but only with their lids closed. This limitation means that when using any docking station, M1 and M2 MacBook users cannot extend their desktop over two or more displays, and will be limited to either dual Mirrored displays or one external display—although adding third-party DisplayLink or InstantView software to the Mac and connecting to a dedicated USB-C dock will allow you to add more than one external monitor to an M1, M2 or M3 MacBook. Follow that link for our roundup of the best USB-C DisplayLink docks, and we’ve included our favorite in our roundup below. Thankfully, the superior M1/M2/M3 “Pro” and M1/M2/M3 “Max” MacBook Pro models—plus the plain M4—can support multiple displays. Below our list of the best MacBook docking stations, we’ve listed the native external display options for each MacBook. One dock supports up to four 6K displays if you own a Max MacBook Pro. While some docking stations promise support for 8K displays, Macs are limited to 6K support via the dock. Macs with an M2/M3/M4 Pro or Max chip can support an 8K display at 60Hz but only when it is connected via the Mac’s own HDMI port and not any port on the dock. Do I need a docking station? All the latest MacBook Pro models boast a wider range of built-in ports, so lighter users might not need a docking station at all. Below the list of our recommended Mac docks is a detailed look at the ports that each recent MacBook includes as standard. With three TB4 and an HDMI port, a MacBook with a Max chip could connect to up to four external displays without the need for a dock, although such a power user would likely require extra Thunderbolt ports for other devices to make up for using all the laptop ports for multiple monitors. See below our list of recommended docking stations for more detail on the external display options with each recent MacBook. All docks come with a bunch of USB ports: some old-school USB-A and newer, more capable USB-C. MacBook Pros also have an SD card reader. Although this is rated as UHS-II (312MBps), Apple has pegged it back at 250MBps, so for the fastest speeds (and a microSD slot if you need one), a dock will likely be a better choice for memory-card use if it is rated at UHS-II rather than UHS-I (104MBps). MacBooks also lack wired Internet access via a Gigabit Ethernet port, so if you want to escape flaky Wi-Fi, buy a dock with at least Gigabit Ethernet, although you could add a Thunderbolt-to-Ethernet adapter if you have a spare TB port. Some later docks include faster 2.5Gb Ethernet but you’ll need a 2.5GbE router or other device to get the benefit. As Gigabit Ethernet’s speed is 1Gbps, a cheaper 5Gbps USB-C to Ethernet adapter will work just as well. Dock or hub? If you just need a few extra ports, a USB-C hub or Thunderbolt 4 hub might be your best choice—see our roundup of the best USB-C and Thunderbolt hubs for Mac. However, if you require a bunch of fast ports including Gigabit (or faster) Ethernet and multiple video ports plus more powerful charging capability, then look for a full dock that fulfills your needs, and you are in exactly the right place to discover which dock is best for your and you MacBook. USB-C and Thunderbolt speeds Foundry Thunderbolt vs USB-C dock compatibility Plain USB-C runs at either 5Gbps or 10Gbps, while Thunderbolt (TB3 and TB4) hits speeds of 40Gbps. You can hook up a Thunderbolt laptop to a USB-C dock but you won’t access the faster speeds unless you buy a true Thunderbolt dock. Thunderbolt 5, offering 80Gbps, has now joined the party with the M4 Max MacBooks, but actual TB5 devices and docks are very rare. • USB and Thunderbolt speeds explained USB PD: Power Delivery for your laptop Look out for a dock with USB PD. The PD stands for Power Delivery.  Charging the laptop: The M1/M2/M3 MacBook Air requires a PD charger with at least 30W power, but you can fast-charge an M2 Air with a charger rated at over 70W. You’ll need 67W for the 13-inch MacBook Pro and 14-inch MBP (with 8-, 10- or 11-core CPU), 96W for 14-inch MBP (with 12-core CPU), and 96W (preferably 140W) for the 16-inch MBP. The older 15in MacBook Pro requires a 87W PD charger. An 85W/96W MacBook Pro can be charged by a 30W or 60W charger, but slower than it would be with its native charger. A larger MacBook with a heavy workload might start fading even while being charges on a lower wattage. If you own a larger MacBook Pro, buy a dock with a PD (Power Delivery) potential of at least 85W if you can. Portable hubs are usually rated at a lower power such as 60W. USB PD 3.0 maxes at 100W, while USB PD 3.1 can support up to 240W of power. The 16-inch MacBook Pro requires 140W to fast-charge via its MagSafe 3 cable, so owners of that laptop should look for a PD 3.1 charger. If you just need a spare charger, we’ve tested the best MacBook chargers for you. Dock, hub or dongle: Whole lotta ports You need one (“upstream”) Thunde

Macworld Apple just wrapped up its slate of 2024 devices, but it’s never too early to look ahead. And according to a new report, big things are on the way. As reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is looking to launch a new “wall-mounted display that can control appliances, handle videoconferencing and use AI to navigate apps.” The device, which Gurman says could arrive as early as March, is “a priority” for Tim Cook, who is pushing to get it to market after more than three years of development. Gurman describes the device as a square iPad with a 6-inch screen, “about the size of two iPhones side by side, with a thick edge around the display.” He says it has a camera at the top front, a rechargeable built-in battery, and internal speakers. It will reportedly be available in silver and black. Gurman doesn’t venture to guess what the device will be called. Of note, the new device won’t run iPadOS or tvOS. Instead, it has “a touch interface that looks like a blend of the Apple Watch operating system and the iPhone’s recently launched StandBy mode.” It will also be powered by Siri, which is expected to be the preferred method of interaction, like the Echo Show or Nest Hub. The OS is reportedly built around Apple’s App Intents, the upcoming Apple Intelligence framework that “provides functionality to deeply integrate your app’s actions and content with system experiences across platforms, including Siri, Spotlight, widgets, controls and more.” Furthermore, the device will interact with Apple’s existing apps and services, including FaceTime, Safari, Apple Music, News+, Notes, Calendar, and Photos. Apple is also reportedly working on a higher-end version with a robotic arm that can spin 360 degrees and tilt up and down. Also this week, it was reported by Ming-Chi Kuo that Apple is working on a smart home camera that could be released in 2026. It’s likely that the iPad described by Gurman will function as a home hub for cameras and other smart home gadgets and will likely be the start of a push into that category. As it stands, HomePods and Apple TV can work as a home hub, but this new device would be part of a renewed effort to define the Apple smart home.