When you run a ton of peripherals with your Mac, how do keep it all connected and running smoothly? Well, today’s featured M4 Pro Mac mini user drives a pair of 4K external displays, runs a power hub and input devices, and keeps backups on portable storage devices. And they keep it connected without a hitch using the well-regarded CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 hub named “Element.”
Not everyone would consider a well-equipped M4 Pro Mac mini driving a pair of 4K external displays a “budget” computer setup, but today’s user does. After suffering a job loss, they replaced an M1 Mac mini with the tiny new powerhouse and a nice array of peripherals, including data and power hubs and solid input devices.
These days so many people run external displays that operate as USB-C hubs that it’s getting rare to see a charger in the middle of a computer setup. But today’s MacBook Pro and Studio Display outfit features a powerful charger right in the mix — an Anker Prime Charging Station. It blasts up to 250 watts of power, works in Wi-Fi mode and features one very interesting and unusual feature.
★★★★☆
The new Soundcore Space One Pro wireless noise-canceling headphones generated some buzz in the audio community, promising top-notch sound quality and advanced features for a typically reasonable price from Anker’s audio brand. Keen to see if they’d live up to expectations, I tried them out. And I found that they’re great at the list price of $200. But when the price dips — and it usually does — they’ll become an absolutely fantastic value. Read my Soundcore Space One Pro headphones review below for more information.
Anker’s new MagGo lineup includes five accessories designed for iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods owners. The star of the lineup, which the company unveiled Thursday ahead of IFA Berlin, is the MagGo 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station. It’s a cleverly designed three-way travel charger that an Anker representative referred to as “The Button” during a briefing ahead of the German electronics show.
Another standout — the strangely named MagGo Power Bank (10K, Apple Watch) — is a portable battery pack that includes a flip-out Apple Watch charging puck. Those two new additions show Anker striving to design new types of charging products. And, while the other three accessories look fairly typical, they do come with attractive features … and at attractive price points.
Here’s everything in Anker’s new MagGo lineup.
Anker’s new Prime charger lineup includes high-end docking stations, power banks, wall chargers and more to support all charging scenarios.
“With the future of work evolving, we wanted the Anker Prime lineup to evolve with it,” said Shaun Xiong, general manager of Anker Charging, in a press release Wednesday. “When we first introduced the Anker Prime line of charging devices, we wanted to provide high-quality, multi-port charging devices. These new desktop charging stations this year take that experience to the next level with highly flexible designs that are more durable, provide additional functionality, and use durable materials for wfh people and at-home use.”
Apple doesn’t have a very long list of unpopular products or features, but whatever list of shame it may keep probably includes MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar. But not everyone hates the feature. The Python developer who runs today’s MacBook Pro setup actually loves it.
★★★★☆
The Anker Solix c800 Plus Portable Power Station is a capable and versatile portable power station that can get you through a power outage or let you live like a king on a camping trip.
With a stout 768Wh lithium-ion battery, the device packs a punch. It allowed me to charge multiple devices simultaneously and power various appliances in a simulated blackout. Now I’m just waiting for the power to go out for real, or for someone to invite me camping.
Accessories powerhouse Anker released a new hybrid power bank and wall charger this week that covers a lot of gadget-charging needs. The 30-watt device is called Anker 3-in-1 Power Bank Fusion.
A systems engineer who works for a software developer showed off today’s M1 Pro MacBook Pro setup, which features unusual audio. Razer Nommo Chroma gaming speakers rarely come up in setups despite their high coolness factor. They look a bit like highway patrol speed guns. And the noise-canceling wireless earbuds are a favorite — Soundcore Space A40.
We see many, many dual-display computer setups in our coverage, with the vast majority being two screens of the same size, whether they’re oriented differently or not. But that’s not always the case. Today’s M1 Pro MacBook Pro and Windows laptop rig sports different-size dual displays that even have different resolutions. But it works for the user, a systems engineer who works for a software developer.
It’s the best of both worlds: A computer setup with a Mac and a PC. They each have their strengths. But how best to use both in the same workstation? Well, today’s setup does it with a MacBook Pro and Anker dock arrangement.
The user, a systems engineer for a software developer, relies on an Anker 5-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 dock to connect an M1 Pro MacBook Pro and Windows laptop to displays that suit them, plus other peripherals.
Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds with improved noise-masking, longer battery life and soft ear tips are coming to help you sleep through all the racket, parent company Anker said Friday — aka World Sleep Day.
You can sign up now for Super Early Bird pricing at $60 off in the Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for the Sleep A20 earbuds, which launches April 16.
People often compare LG’s UltraFine 5K display to Apple’s Studio Display because they’re directly comparable, with the same size and resolution. But rarely do you find the two in the same setup. That makes today’s dual MacBook Pro and dual 5K display setup something of a rarity.
That, along with the rarely seen Wacom drawing tablet and the truly massive DIY desk, fashioned from a kitchen countertop and mechanized legs.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Since Apple and the rest of the civilized world is taking a holiday break, we’re spending the majority of the show on our final picks for the best and worst of 2023.
Also on The CultCast:
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
A software engineer drives a Studio Display with an M2 Pro MacBook Pro in their enviable computer setup. And while some folks questioned the use of Apple’s pricey 5K display because of its relatively low refresh rate, the setup’s user praised the monitor highly.
Check out the advice the engineer got about setup improvements and see all their gear in the list below.
The Wireless Power Consortium promised Wednesday that the first chargers using the emerging Qi2 standard will be on the market in time for the holiday season.
Qi2 unifies wireless charging for iPhone and Android, bringing the advantages of Apple’s MagSafe to rival handsets.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: An iOS 17 update supposedly will stop the iPhone 15 Pro’s Action button from triggering in your pocket, at least in certain circumstances. Is this really a problem that needs fixing?
Also on The CultCast:
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
Two new Anker Solix portable power stations give you power for camping, home-backup and other off-the-grid power needs, the company said last week at IFA 2023 in Berlin, Germany.
Anker unveiled Anker Solix C1000 Portable Power Station and Anker Solix F3800 Portable Power Station at the show.
Just ahead of iPhone 15’s release, a squad of Anker charging accessories featuring Qi2 wireless charging — like MagSafe, but for everyone — rolled out at IFA Berlin, the company said Thursday.
New and updated products include MagGo magnetic chargers, power stations and banks with Qi2, plus updated USB-C Nano chargers and more.
The new Qi2 spec is said to work with upcoming iPhone 15 series handsets at 15W of fast-charging power without MagSafe certification.
You may not want to lug around a full-on generator for the occasional camping trip or brief power outage, but wouldn’t it be cool to have a powerful little one to provide light and keep your gadgets going?
That’s the Anker 548 Power Bank PowerCore Reserve Portable Charger. And you can get $50 off the regular price right now on Amazon.
Anker rolled out eight new chargers Tuesday, including a 240-watt USB-C charger and a 250-watt power bank for fast-charging multiple devices.
The company said its new high-speed, multi-port chargers take good advantage of gallium nitride, aka GaN, technology, referring to efficient power transfer, compact design and active heat reduction.
You people apparently love your trackers. The Momax Tracking Tag — an affordable AirTag alternative that uses Apple’s Find My network — topped the list of items purchased by Cult of Mac readers during Amazon’s Prime Day event this week. And AirTags themselves didn’t come in far behind.
What else proved popular with our readers? Here’s the list — and some of these deals are still available!
★★★★☆
Anker’s recently released 620 MagGo Phone Grip is one of those simple products that just does what it says it does. It’s not any sort of big, fancy deal. It’s just good. And what it does so well is help you mount, carry or prop up your MagSafe iPhone in lots of convenient places.
The small grip, which looks sort of like an oversized pretend wristwatch, is a good get for $20, too. The company sent me one to try out.
Anker’s Soundcore brand offers competitive noise-cancelling wireless earbuds, including Liberty 4, released in fall 2022. Now it plans to roll out its “all-new best noise-cancelling earbuds,” Liberty 4 NC, for a surprisingly low $100 (with an early-bird offer to pay just $80).
And the new buds claim an impressive 60 hours of battery life, too. Top features and low pricing like that might make Apple nervous over its AirPods line of earbuds.