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M1 chip

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How many external monitors each MacBook Pro or MacBook Air supports

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MacBook external monitor guide
Don’t know how many external monitors your MacBook supports? We have the answer.
Image: Google ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

You can be excused if you don’t know off the top of your head how many external monitors your MacBook supports. The number varies by model, processor version, and even whether the laptop is open or closed. Still, there’s a good chance it’s more than you think.

Now that notebooks with the new M4 family of processors are available, here’s an updated guide to how many external screens you can attach to your MacBook.

Yamaha studio monitors power MacBook Pro rig’s sound [Setups]

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Yamaha studio monitors
This MacBook Pro setup features great speakers and other audio gear.
Photo: [email protected]

Today’s featured setup sports an M1 Max MacBook Pro still going strong, but the user posted the workstation on social media to show off a newly added Mchose mechanical keyboard — an unfamiliar but solid-looking brand. And I couldn’t help notice the stellar audio gear in the mix, including excellent Yamaha studio monitors for focused sound in the room, plus a surprising array of great headphones and audio interfaces.

MacBook Pro covers for aging Mac mini in picture-perfect rig [Setups]

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LG ultra-wide display
Cool wallpaper on that LG ultra-wide display, eh? There's also an old Mac mini hiding in this pic.
Photo: [email protected]

Some computer setups showed off on social media aren’t packed with the latest and greatest tech gear — they just look great. Today’s featured setup is a fine example. It packs two still-going-strong older Macs — a MacBook Pro from 2021 and a Mac mini from all the way back in 2012 — driving an LG ultra-wide display. But the subtle lighting and tasteful decor, including great use of plants, go a long way in this one.

Compact MacBook Pro station wins for best use of space [Setups]

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saving space with setup
It's not like it's an incomplete setup, either.
Photo: [email protected]

Today’s MacBook Pro setup so excels at saving space it fits more into its little nook under a staircase than many people, including me, fit in setups without that constraint. In addition to the usual, they’ve even got multiple game systems, two printers and a book collection in there. And the user still rocks a version of my previous laptop, the great M1 Pro MacBook Pro. No doubt it’s still good for a few more years.

Developer with dual Mac minis goes from 4 displays to 1 weirdly cool one [Setups]

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LG DualUp monitor
This developer runs a pair of Mac minis, but the setup's real conversation starter is that LG DualUp monitor.
Photo: [email protected]

In the world of high-resolution external displays, the LG DualUp monitor holds a special place. It’s a bit weird. The square-ish 28-inch display has an 18:16 aspect ratio, similar to two stacked displays. A developer swears by it because he no longer has to turn his head constantly, like he did when he used four 24-inch displays. And the monitor isn’t the only odd bit in his computer setup. He also uses two Mac mini desktop computers. He explains why below.

Get this guy’s ultra-wide curved gaming display for $700 off right now [Setups]

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Samsung Odyssey G9 monitor
You can get hundreds off that ultra-wide curved gaming monitor right now.
Photo: [email protected]

In the never-ending arms race for more and bigger external displays in computer setups, one distinct subset is the ultra-wide, curved gaming monitor. Samsung is big in that game, and today’s M1 Mac mini user likes his 49-inch Samsung Odyssey G9 monitor, which he pairs with a couple of 32-inch 4K flat displays. And by the way, the big curved gaming monitor is deeply discounted right now on Amazon.

The user also asked for feedback on his new setup. You can see that below, too.

Hackers can exploit flaw in Apple M-series processors

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Hackers can exploit flaw in Apple M series processors
A vulnerability in M series processors could lead to unauthorized access of encrypted data.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Security researchers have found a serious exploit in all Apple M-series processors. The hard-wired flaw could potentially could be used by hackers to get user credit card information or read encrypted messages.

The flaw exposes precious encryption keys, and it’s baked into the hardware — so it can’t easily be patched without a performance penalty. Here’s what you need to know.

M1 MacBook Air drops to all-time low price of $649

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MacBook Air M1 2020
2020 MacBook Air drops to $649 after a massive discount.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple discontinued the M1 MacBook Air following the debut of the M3 Airs earlier this month. But you can still get your hands on the first Apple silicon laptop for as low as $649.

Right now, Best Buy’s deal makes this very capable laptop insanely more affordable.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

Skip iPad Pro and get M1 iPad Air at this crazy low price

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Gift Guide: Best upgrade: iPad Air
With a massive $149 off, you can't miss out on this iPad Air deal.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Note: This deal appears to be sold out on Amazon (which may be temporary; items often get restocked), but is available at the same price at Best Buy.

There’s no better tablet than the M1 iPad Air for most users. It uses the same M1 chip as Apple’s previous-generation iPad Pro and Macs to deliver excellent price-to-performance. Amazon is taking a stellar $149 off the tablet, making it an even better deal.

With the discount, you can get the M1 iPad Air for only $449. At this price point, you cannot find a better option than Apple’s offering.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

M1 MacBook Air falls to its lifetime low price after $249 off

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MacBook Air M1 2020
Get the M1 MacBook Air at its all-time low price.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Macs are expensive, but their performance and build quality help justify their steep price tag. But what if you are on a tight budget? Amazon has a deal just for you, knocking a whopping $249.01 off the M1 MacBook Air.

With the discount, the 2020 MacBook Air is available for an all-time low price of $749. If you want to buy a new Mac for cheap, do not miss this deal.

2022 M1 iPad Air gets a big $149 discount

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iPad Air
Get the M1 iPad Air with cellular connectivity at a fantastic price.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s iPad Pro lineup is too expensive for regular users. Opting for the Pro model makes little sense if you want a tablet for everyday use.

This is where the iPad Air comes in, which offers almost the same internals as its Pro siblings at a lower price point. And if you take advantage of Amazon’s latest deal, you can save up to $149 on a new M1 iPad Air.

Here’s your chance to grab refurb MacBooks on the cheap

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Woot's latest sale offers a selection of reconditioned MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models.
Woot's latest sale offers a selection of reconditioned MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Amazon bargain website Woot! is offering a sale on factory-reconditioned and refurbished MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models — with prices as low as $280!

That low price is for a 2017 MacBook Air, but you can also score hot deals on 2022 M2 models. See below. The sale ends Tuesday, August 22, at 10 p.m. Pacific.

M1 MacBook Air drops back to its amazing Prime Day price

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Apple_new-macbook-air-new-magic-keyboard_03182020
You won't find a better deal on the M1 MacBook Air than this.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s M1 MacBook Air was available for just $749.99 on Prime Day earlier this month. In case you missed that deal, Amazon is again discounting the machine to $749, knocking a staggering $250 off its retail price.

If you need a new laptop, this is the deal you should not miss. At $749.99, the M1 MacBook Air provides one of the cheapest ways to get into Apple’s ecosystem.

M1 MacBook Air is a total steal at just $749

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M1 MacBook Air in gold
The M1 MacBook Air is a screaming deal at this new low price.
Photo: Apple

The M1 MacBook Air just dropped to an extremely affordable $749 from its $999 MSRP. If you need a lightweight laptop with excellent battery life that can handle everyday tasks like a champ, don’t miss this deal.

This is the lowest price the machine has dropped to, besting even the price it was available for during last year’s Black Friday. Best Buy has the same deal, knocking $250 off the M1 MacBook Air.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

Why the Mac Pro lacks upgradable RAM and support for eGPUs

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2023 Mac Pro with Apple M2 Ultra
The 2023 Mac Pro has an inescapable limitation.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

The just-launched 2023 Mac Pro lacks features considered critical for workstations: upgradable RAM and support for eGPUs. But this isn’t Apple blindly making an error — it’s an inescapable fact of the M-series’ unified memory architecture.

The limitation isn’t new: it’s been known since the M1 processor was announced. But Tuesday’s release of a top-tier macOS workstation shines a spotlight on the problem.

For those who weren’t paying attention back in 2020, here’s an explanation of why RAM upgrades and plug-in GPU aren’t an option for the 2023 Mac Pro.

Get the M1 iPad Air at its lowest price so far

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iPad Air 5
The 2022 M1 iPad Air has never been this cheap.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s 2022 iPad Air with M1 chip is down to its lowest-ever price on Amazon. It is available for $519 after a whopping $80 discount.

This deal is on the entry-level iPad Air with 64GB storage. You can score a similar $80 off on the 256GB variant of the tablet.

Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale knocks $200 off M1 MacBook Air price

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MacBook Air M1 2020
The M1 MacBook Air is once again available for its lowest price ever.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple’s older but still powerful M1 MacBook Air is discounted by a whopping $200 for Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale. The laptop carries an MSRP of $999, but you can save $200 and get it for $799 after the discount.

This is among the lowest prices Apple’s M1 MacBook Air has dropped to in recent months. Despite its age, the machine promises all-day battery life and has enough power for everyday use.

M1 Mac mini marshals 3 dazzling displays [Setups]

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Using Running two ultra-wide displays and a portable monitor with an M1 Mac mini isn't very difficult.
Using Running two ultra-wide displays and a portable monitor with an M1 Mac mini isn't very difficult.
Photo: [email protected]

We’ve covered many computer setup with multiple displays, even as many as six. But we don’t come across many purpose-built portable displays, perhaps because iPads often serve that purpose.

But today’s featured gaming setup uses an M1 Mac mini to drive two LG UltraWide monitors and a 15.6-inch Full HD portable screen, claiming no lag or latency. If you’re searching for the best monitor for Mac mini, check out this guide on top display options.

The secret? Well, as is often the case, it’s in the hub.

Microsoft Teams adds native Apple silicon support at long last

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Microsoft Teams is getting native support for M1 and M2 Macs ... pretty soon.
Microsoft Teams is getting native support for M1 and M2 Macs ... pretty soon.
Photo: Microsoft

Apple first said it would transition from Intel chips to Apple silicon more than 2 years ago. Then Cupertino launched the first M1 Mac in November 2020. And, finally, today Microsoft said its Teams app will now run natively on M1 and M2 Macs.

So it’s about time.

But don’t get greedy and expect the upgrade immediately. The Redmond tech giant said the rollout to users will be incremental.

Apple M2 is fast, but not faster than M1 Pro or M1 Max

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Apple's M1 vs. M2.
The Apple M2 outperforms the M1, but not the other processors in the M1 series.
Photo: Apple

The first real-world benchmark tests of Apple’s M2 chip show that the just-launched processor is about 20% faster than the original M1. That’s welcome news for anyone in the market for a MacBook or iPad in the next few years.

But the newest chip does not offer better performance than Apple’s M1 Pro or M1 Max from 2021. That will have to wait for advanced versions of the M2 expected to launch in 2023.