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16GB of RAM gives M3 MacBook Pro a serious performance boost for digital artists

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Late-2023 MacBook Pro with M3
Yes, more RAM is better. But how much better?
Photo: Apple

Tests show that the 8GB version of the M3 MacBook Pro is significantly slower than the 16GB version when running Photoshop, Blender and other graphics applications.

And there are performance differences for other types of apps, too. But these are not as dramatic. If you’re trying to decide between different configurations, it’s worth considering which models rank among the best Macs for video editing to ensure you get the best performance for your needs.

Save a couple hundred bucks on Microsoft Audio Dock

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Microsoft Audio Dock
At these prices, you might as well try it.
Photo: Microsoft

If you take a lot of calls via Microsoft Teams, Google Meet or Zoom — and if you like to save big on gear — new discounts on the Microsoft Audio Dock might be hard to pass up. You can get up to 86% off the normal $250 price.

Both Amazon and its bargain site Woot! offer deep cuts on the price. The lower price is just $35.

Killer MacBook Pro misses top billing in monstrous AV rig [Setups]

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That's pretty pricey for 'cozy,' but we'll take it.
That's pretty pricey for 'cozy,' but we'll take it.
Photo: [email protected]

If you use an M1 Max MacBook Pro bristling with 64GB of unified memory to drive two of Apple’s top Pro Displays XDR as well as off-the-charts audio gear in a Mission Control-looking workstation, can your computer setup accurately be described as “cozy?” That’s what today’s featured setup user said, improbably.

And while the user’s MacBook is still formidable despite Apple moving on to M3 chips, it’s not necessarily the workstation’s star. It almost pales in comparison to the AV components, including two of Apple’s $5,000-plus displays, incredible headphones and mounted KEF speakers that bring massive audio.

CdkeySales’ 11.11 Sale: Bag Windows 10 Pro for $16, Windows 11 Pro for $22

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CdkeySales Windows logo
Ready to save on Microsoft Office, Word and more? Head to CdkeySales.com using the links below (and don’t forget to enter promo code CULT for extra savings).
Photo: CdkeySales.com

Between Halloween and Black Friday, you can still grab great deals on Microsoft crucial productivity software — Windows and Office. Bargains await on those products and more in the 11.11 Sale at CdkeySales.com.

SPONSORED
This post is brought to you by CdkeySales.
Software activation keys provider CdkeySales.com offers amazingly low prices. To get the most savings, enter promo code CULT. That cuts an additional 30% off the site’s low prices on software keys. And what’s more, when you buy Windows 10., you get a free upgrade to Windows 11.

Apple Watch Series 9 price drops to all-time low after $50 discount

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Apple Watch Series 9 with Mulberry Sport Band on desk
Apple Watch Series 9 gets an irresistible $50 discount.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

The Apple Watch Series 9 is down to its lowest price ahead of Black Friday. Amazon has knocked $50 off most of the smartwatch’s variants, bringing its price down to a new low of $349.

You can score a similar $50 off the Apple Watch Series 9 with cellular connectivity.

Snag a 5-piece iPhone accessories bundle for just $35

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Save $89 on this 5-piece Apple-compatible charging set.
This $35 bundle includes everything you need to keep your iPhone ready for action.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

You don’t need to empty your bank account at the Apple Store to fully accessorize your iPhone. In the run-up to Black Friday, you can grab a useful five-piece iPhone accessory bundle on sale at a special low price of $34.97.

Usually worth $129, you won’t need a coupon code to bag this deal on handy iPhone accessories. But you will need to be quick, as it’ll only be available through November 16.

Why iPhone videographers need this hard drive test app [Awesome Apps]

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OWC Drive Speed app for iPhone
This simple tool could be a life-saver. Or, at least, a video-saver.
Image: Other World Computing/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Awesome Apps

iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max can record ProRes video at 4K and 60 fps, but only if the handset is connected to an external drive that’s fast enough to handle it. To find out if your SSD is up to the job, there’s OWC Drive Speed.

This new app verifies transfer speeds between your iPhone and external drives. It displays the maximum frames per second a drive can handle. Because you don’t want to find out on the day of the shoot that the SSD you’re counting on is a dud.

iPhone SE 4 could look a lot like iPhone 14

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iPhone 14
The iPhone SE 4 might look very much like the iPhone 14.
Photo: Apple

A new report sheds light on the iPhone SE 4’s design and camera setup. Apple’s next budget iPhone will use a modified iPhone 14 chassis that’s slightly lighter.

Based on the current development status, Apple’s next budget iPhone is unlikely to launch before 2025.

Generate high-quality, custom AI images with Pixilio, just $20 for life

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Build your own AI image library with Pixilio, now under $20.
Feed this AI image generator your wildest ideas and it will crank out unique images.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Using AI to create images is all the rage these days, but you typically need to pay a monthly fee if you want to get serious about cranking out multiple custom visuals.

Not so with this deal on Pixilio, an AI-powered image generator that makes it simple to produce unique images. Through November 9, you can get lifetime access to Pixilio for just $19.97 (regularly $360)!

Humane unveils Ai Pin: Is it an iPhone killer or damp squib?

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Humane AI Pin
The Humane AI Pin goes on your clothing and may or may not replace your iPhone.
Photo: Humane

After months of cryptic hints and teasing demos, startup Humane finally put its supposedly iPhone-killing Ai Pin on sale Thursday for $700, plus subscription costs.

You pin it to your clothes and interact with it through voice, touch control, gestures, and laser projections on your hand. However, despite its ambitious goals, the reality of AI pins has been met with skepticism due to performance issues and limitations.

The question is, will this thing really kill the iPhone? To those who don’t like talking to devices except when absolutely necessary, it must seem unlikely.

Find Italy’s best restaurants with this must-have foodie app [Awesome Apps]

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Osterie d'Italia app on an iPhone with a fork.
The just-updated Osterie d'Italia app showcases Italy's most soulful slow-food restaurants.
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac
Awesome Apps

The best Italian restaurant app just got better. Osterie d’Italia 2024, the latest app version of Slow Food Editore’s killer guide to Italy’s most authentic restaurants, now serves up its piping-hot recommendations in English for the first time.

Plus, a much-improved search functionality makes it easier than ever to find a great place to eat in Italy. And a new feature lets you store your notes and photos about particular restaurants in the cloud so you can access them in subsequent versions of the annually updated app.

First Masters of the Air trailer reveals toll on pilots of WWII bombing runs

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'Masters of the Air' won't be a romanticized view of war.
Masters of the Air won't be a romanticized view of war.
Screenshot: Apple TV+

Those eager to watch Masters of the Air should be thrilled by the first teaser trailer for the upcoming WWII drama series from Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.

It’ll hit Apple TV+ in January and will be a gritty look at the perilous air war in the skies over Germany — as the trailer makes clear.

Keep your old NVMe SSD useful with this rugged enclosure [Review] ★★★★★

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HyperDrive Next USB4 NVMe SSD Enclosure review★★★★★
Quickly repurpose an NVMe SSD into a Mac external drive with this enclosure from Hyper.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Have an M.2 NVMe drive you want to use with your MacBook or iPad? Put it in the HyperDrive Next USB4 NVMe SSD Enclosure and you can access the contents at speeds up to 40Gbps.

I plugged a solid state drive of mine into this very rugged enclosure to put it to the test.

See gorgeous shots from Paris iPhone photo exhibition

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“I Remember You,” a two-day photography exhibition highlighting original work shot on iPhone 15 Pro Max, opens in Paris Friday.
Photo: Apple

An iPhone photography exhibition called “I Remember You” debuts Friday in Paris — but here’s your chance to scope out some of the fantastic iPhone 15 Pro Max photos online.

The two-day exhibition at the Salon Corderie showcases work by five esteemed photographers, Apple said Thursday.

Here’s how Apple is changing the next Swift Student Challenge

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Swift Student Challenge 2024
A new category in Apple’s February 2024 Swift Student Challenge will recognize 50 Distinguished Winners.
Photo: Apple

Not only did Apple announce next year’s Swift Student Challenge early to give coders more time to prepare — it put the word out Wednesday for the February 2024 competition — it also added a new “Distinguished Winners” category and a raft of new coding resources in “Everyone Can Code Projects.”

Last day to get two 4K drones for the price of one

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If you buy by today, you can get two 4K drones for under $160.
Why settle for one drone when you can score a twofer?
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

We’re not recommending that you buzz Apple Park or anything, but owning a 4K drone makes capturing exquisite aerial footage simple. Owning a pair of them gives you extended flight time, as well as a wider array of features.

Now through November 9, you can score two drones for the price of one. Get the Ninja Dragon Phantom K Pro and Alpha Z Pro — two 4K drones that are easy to use, even for beginners — for only $159.97 (regularly $369).

They make great gifts, too.

iPhone 15 Pro Max costs Apple 8% more to make

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iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are the first smartphones to include Thread mesh networking. But why?
The iPhone 15 Pro Max's new camera system is 34% more expensive.
Photo: Apple

A bill of materials (BoM) analysis of the iPhone 15 Pro Max provides insight into the prices of the individual components and how they have changed over the previous year.

Apple is charging $100 more for its flagship iPhone this year. And yet, the device only costs the company an additional $37.7 to manufacture over the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Master PDFs with highly rated PDF Expert for Mac

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Take $70 off the PDF editor that makes it simple to work with PDFs on Mac.
Manage, edit and organize PDFs more easily on Mac with PDF Expert, just $69.99 for life.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Working with PDFs on your Mac can really suck. Even just adding your signature to a PDF document can be an ordeal. Luckily, there’s a great Mac app that can simplify the experience of PDF signing, editing, merging, annotating and much more.

And now it’s on sale for a very limited time. Now through November 9, you can grab the popular and award-winning PDF Expert app for only $69.99 (regularly $139).

Backbone One USB-C game controller updated for iPhone 15

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BackBone One USB-C version 2
The BackBone One game controller is ready for your iPhone 15.
Photo: Backbone

Backbone updated the USB-C version of its popular game controller just in time for the iPhone 15 series, Apple’s first handsets with a USB-C port.

Like earlier versions, this wraps around an iOS or Android handset to put a collection of buttons, sticks and triggers on either side of the landscape screen.

Resident Evil 4 bleeds onto iPhone and iPad in December

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Capcom Resident Evil 4 for iPhone and iPad
Resident Evil 4 helped define the horror game genre.
Screenshot: Capcom

The classic horror game Resident Evil 4 will make its iPhone and iPad debut on December 20. It’s a demonstration of the gaming capabilities of Apple’s most powerful mobile devices.

This is one of multiple console titles being ported to Apple handsets and tablets thanks to their highly capable processors.

Ted Lasso star belts out classics in Home for Christmas trailer

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It really looks like a song-and-dance extravaganza, if that's your thing.
It really looks like a song-and-dance extravaganza, if that's your thing.
Photo: Apple TV+

Any fan of old-school song-and-dance numbers has a lot to look forward to this Yuletide season, judging by the trailer Apple TV+ dropped Wednesday for its upcoming special, Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas.

The big, star-studded show debuts November 22, along with a companion album on all music streaming platforms, Apple said.

Taylor Swift named Apple Music’s Artist of the Year

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Taylor Swift named Apple Music’s Artist of the Year
This seems inevitable.
Image: Apple

Apple Music joined the ranks of the Swifties. Taylor Swift was picked to be Apple Music’s Artist of the Year for 2023.

“I am so honored to be Apple Music’s Artist of the Year,” said Swift. “Thank you to every single one of you for making this year the most incredible, joyful, celebratory year ever. From streaming the music nonstop to screaming it together in real life at the shows, dancing chaotically in movie theaters, none of this would have been possible without you. Thank you so much.”