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Take $500 off 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro inside

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If you've been wanting an M1 Pro MacBook, don't miss this opportunity.
Forget the 2023 MacBook Pro! Get the M1 Pro MacBook Pro instead with $500 off.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro might not be the latest MacBook around. But it is still more than powerful for almost any task you can throw at it.

If you don’t mind going for the 2021 model, you can save a whopping $500. The deal brings the price of the entry-level 16-inch MacBook Pro down to just $1,999 from $2,499.

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Apple expands Mac processor development in Israel

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Apple M1 Max and M1 Pro chips
The Apple M1 Max and M1 Pro chips were designed in Israel.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple will reportedly design future Mac processors at a new R&D center in Jerusalem.

The company already does chip development in Israel. Some of the more powerful M1 variants were designed in the country.

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.

Mac mini with Apple M2 processor appears on retailer website

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Apple M1 Mac mini
A Mac mini with a faster M2 chip could be right around the corner.
Photo: Apple

An unannounced Mac mini is now listed on the B&H website, though without full product details. The desktop’s most eye-catching feature is an Apple M2 processor, which also has not yet been announced.

In addition, the retailer lists a “Mac mini Tower” running an M1 Pro. Both products are labeled as “New Item – Coming Soon.”

Recovering PC gamer converts to Mac and loves it [Setups]

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This M1 Pro MacBook rig runs with an ultra-wide display and a 50-inch TV.
This M1 Pro MacBook rig runs with an ultra-wide display and a 50-inch TV.
Photo: 5ubie@Reddit.com

“Conversion” stories are fairly common in computing, with people deciding to switch from one “ecosystem” or another. Given Apple’s recent rash of hugely popular products, a fair number of folks are switching from PC-and-Windows-based setups to Apple-centric ones.

An avid PC gamer — strike that, a former avid PC gamer — owns today’s featured setup. In it, a new M1 Pro MacBook drives a couple of big displays. And an Elgato Stream Deck and killer audio components also enter the mix.

Don’t miss this $250 discount on the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro [Updated]

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2021 MacBook Pro with M1 Pro, M1 Max
$249 off on the 16-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro? That's a sweet deal
Photo: Apple

Apple’s excellent 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M1 Pro chip, 16GB of RAM and 512GB storage is discounted by $250 to just $2,249 on Amazon.

That’s 99 cents cheaper than the price when we originally spotted this deal last week. And the discount on the MacBook Pro with 1TB storage is bigger now, too. If you’re looking for a sale price on a 16-inch MacBook Pro, what are you waiting for? As with all Amazon deals, who knows how long this will last …

First M1 Max and M1 Pro MacBooks hit Apple’s refurb store

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2021 MacBook Pro review roundup: Just what we hoped for
New isn’t always the best option. Save big by buying a refurbished 2021 MacBook Pro from Apple.
Photo: Apple

Just added to Apple’s refurbished offerings are the MacBook Pro models that in launched fall of 2021 with the blazing fast M1 Max and M1 Pro processors. These refubs offer welcome cost savings — especially on such recent notebooks — but they can not be reconfigured. Buyers can only choose from the configurations Apple has in stock.

But again, savings are considerable: a refurbished 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Max is up to $350 off.

Dropbox update finally brings Apple silicon support

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Dropbox tests native Apple M1 app
A smoother, more efficient Dropbox experience.
Image: Dropbox/Cult of Mac

Dropbox this week rolled out the first stable update that optimizes its app for Apple silicon chips. The version 143.4.4161 release should be significantly snappier and more efficient on M1, M1 Pro and M1 Max machines.

The update, which should also fix a kernel extensions issue that prevents Dropbox from working properly under macOS 12.3, comes hot on the heels of a similar release for Dropbox competitor Microsoft OneDrive.

Intel leak reveals plans for more efficient chipsets to take on Apple silicon

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M1 Max chip
Intel is targeting today's M1 chips, but it's not ready to compete yet.
Photo: Apple

Intel is planning to build more efficient mobile chipsets that will better compete with Apple silicon, according to a leaked internal roadmap.

The document outlines plans to take on the 14-inch MacBook Pro specifically with upcoming Arrow Lake processors that are scheduled to launch in late 2023 or early 2024. There just one (rather large) problem with that plan.