Among the everlasting truths about computer setups, first comes “a setup is never finished.” And the second might be, “A setup can always be improved.” The user behind today’s featured setup certainly found out about No. 2 when he asked for advice on how to improve his M1 Max MacBook Pro and dual-Studio Display workstation.
Find all the advice below — jokes ‘n’ all — as well as all of the setup’s excellent gear.
“How many external displays can I easily run with my Mac and how” is a common question, and some Macs make it much easier to run more than one external monitor than others.
In today’s featured computer setup, a software developer went out and bought a new M2 Mac mini specifically for its generosity in that regard. It really helped his highly portable setup, which features a Studio Display and an LG 4K screen.
If you like a touch of “soft and comfy” with your style, Elago’s fiber-fill sleeves for MacBook and iPad could be for you. They’re a soft cases for your devices that are also environmentally friendly because the material in them is recycled.
And these sleeves won’t break the bank, either. You can choose from different sizes and colors and pay less than $30 in some cases. Check out the collection in the Cult of Mac Store.
Wouldn’t it be great if the right job opened the door to building a killer computer setup? It happened for design and product lead Jaime Creixems.
Today’s featured setup is his M1 Max MacBook Pro and Studio Display-driven wonderland, complete with excellent audio equipment and fun sidelights like Lego sets.
To the age-old question “Is a computer setup ever really done?” the answer is obviously “no.” There’s always something to add or something to fix, and once you do that it’s time to update something else (even if you don’t technically “need” the latest thing).
Today’s well-laid MacBook Pro setup has a nice curved monitor, but its user “craves” a Studio Display like he sees in other setups. And for that matter, how about a quieter mechanical keyboard and some plants that won’t die immediately, too.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The first reviews and early benchmarks reveal impressive performance boosts from the new MacBook Pro and Mac mini. We’re talking the pros and cons of upgrading — including one very important “buyer beware” scenario.
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.
The 2021 14-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro with added memory is a popular choice, and Friday you can get a configuration with 32GB of RAM for about $300 less than usual prices at Woot!, owned by Amazon.
The configuration is a winner because folks know you can’t easily add integrated memory later to most Macs, so why settle for the base 16GB for that model?
Beware, though, the sale ends just after midnight in Saturday’s wee hours.
Aspects of Apple silicon chips replacing Intel processors in Macs that you don’t always hear about are how quiet and cool the M1 and M2 machines are by comparison. In today’s featured computer setup, an IT engineer sings his M1 Pro MacBook Pro’s praises in that regard, not to mention its habit of sipping battery power rather than gulping it.
And he’s also got a popular dual-display configuration going. In this case it’s a Studio Display in landscape mode and a Dell 4K display in portrait mode.
Apple’s new entry-level M2 Mac mini and 2023 MacBook Pros ship with significantly slower SSDs than their predecessors. This could negatively impact read/write-intensive workflows.
The slowdown is because Apple uses a single flash chip solution on the 2023 models. For comparison, the M1 Mac mini and 2021 MacBook Pros used two flash chips.
Apple’s 2023 16-inch MacBook Pro featuring its M2 Pro/Max chips are blazing fast. But if you don’t need all that power, you can save up to $500 by opting for the 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Amazon is selling the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips at a steep $500 discount.
Customers around the world are now receiving the first shipments of the 2023 MacBook Pro and Mac mini. The latest Macs are also now in Apple stores.
The new macOS models can also be ordered today for quick delivery — no lengthy wait times.
The new Mac mini and the high-end MacBook Pro are the first Macs to receive Apple’s powerful new M2 Pro and Max chips. But should you upgrade to the new MacBook Pro (or Mac mini) or not?
That depends on what Mac you already have. Our charts and video will walk you through the decision-making process if you’re considering buying a new Mac. (Bonus: We also break down the pros and cons of the new HomePod versus the original and the HomePod mini.)
In the world of computer setups flaunted on social media, we run across lots of folks who have their cake and eat it, too — in that they’re avid PC gamers who love their Macs, as well. Macs are rarely, if ever, the darlings of hardcore gamers.
Today’s featured setup plays hardball with a PC and Sony PlayStation, but it also covers the Apple bases. In addition to a powerful Mac Studio sharing time on the ultra-wide 4K display with the PC, the workstation boasts a MacBook Pro and an iPad Pro.
The new 16- and 14-inch MacBook Pro models that are about to hit shelves have reached reviewers early, giving the world its first independent look at the newest macOS notebooks. The reviewers’ consensus is that the only noticeable change is the performance gain coming from the new M2 Max or M2 Pro processors.
That means the highlights of their reviews are benchmark scores for the much-improved CPUs and GPUs in Apple’s latest chips.
Apple’s new M2 Pro MacBook Pros are already available with a sweet $50 pre-order discount on Amazon. The deal is available on the entry-level 2023 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros.
The discount drops the price of the 14-inch MacBook Pro to $1,949 from $1,999. Similarly, you can get the 16-inch MacBook Pro for $2,449, down from $2,499.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The new Mac mini is a steal. The new MacBook Pros are a spec bump. And the new HomePod is … interesting. We’re such fans of the original, we can’t wait to wrap our ears around Apple’s (possibly) upgraded smart speaker.
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.
How do the new M2 Pro/Max MacBook Pros stack up against their M1 predecessors? Besides the new SoC, are they worth the upgrade?
Here’s a look at how Apple’s M2 Pro/Max MacBook Pros compare against the M1 Pro/Max models.
When it comes to computer setups, social media loves symmetry. People often praise perfectly symmetrical setups and plenty of folks kind of freak out if anything’s even slightly askew, often supplying their own joking references to obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD.
In today’s warmly lit and well-organized workstation, a high-spec MacBook Pro drives dual Studio Displays. And pairs of other items in the room contribute to the overall symmetry.
Those who prefer to get their Apple announcements via video don’t have to feel left out. Although the 2023 MacBook Pro and Mac mini didn’t get a big, glitzy press event, and were instead unveiled Tuesday via press release, Cupertino created a launch video much like the ones put out with previous products.
Watch as John Ternus, SVP for Hardware Engineering, plays host to announce the latest macOS notebook and desktop.
The just-announced 2023 MacBook Pro includes Apple M2 Pro or M2 Max chips, but these weren’t made with the newest 3nm process. That will have to wait until the 2024 versions, according to a reliable source of insider info.
At least the wait supposedly won’t be much more than a year for the faster, more efficient processors.
Part of the reason the 2023 MacBook Pro looks amazing is the wallpapers Apple used. But obviously you don’t have to buy the new notebook just to get the wallpapers. They’re available to download now.
Get them to dress up your own MacBook.
Apple released new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models Tuesday powered by the company’s most advanced processors, the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. The new laptops — which deliver the longest battery life ever in a Mac — are available to preorder now and go on sale January 24, Apple said.
“MacBook Pro with Apple silicon has been a game changer, empowering pros to push the limits of their workflows while on the go and do things they never thought possible on a laptop,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, in a press release. “Today the MacBook Pro gets even better. With faster performance, enhanced connectivity, and the longest battery life ever in a Mac, along with the best display in a laptop, there’s simply nothing else like it.”
Apple’s next-generation M2 Pro and M2 Max chips went official on Tuesday. The new processors power Apple’s brand-new MacBook Pro lineup and, for the first time, the Mac mini.
Both SoCs deliver better CPU and GPU performance than their M1 predecessors, along with faster image processing.
A Canadian regulatory agency recently approved a MacBook Pro that Apple itself has yet to announce. Few details were leaked aside from the notebook supporting Wi-Fi 6E, an improvement on the current version of the short-range wireless networking standard.
Currently, only the newest iPad Pro has Wi-Fi 6E.
Update: This prediction came 100% true. Apple took the wraps off a pair of Macs on January 17. Don’t miss Cult of Mac‘s full coverage:
Rumors suggest Apple is preparing for a quiet release of new Mac computers as early as Tuesday. These will include updates to the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models in addition to the Mac mini. The updates reportedly will be minor, bringing the new M2 chips to the computers.
There won’t be an Apple event — the company will announce the new computers by press release, if the rumors prove correct.