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2019 Mac Pro and original Macintosh 128K: Which cost more.
One of these two Macs cost a lot more than the other. Which one might surprise you.

Mac evolution: Becoming iconic

The history of Mac computers is marked by innovation, technological advancements and a profound impact on the computing industry.

From humble but hopeful beginnings in the 1970s, the Macintosh line of computers has pushed boundaries of design, user experience and technological prowess to become iconic and often imitated.

In early 1984 Apple’s vision of a user-friendly personal computer resulted in the launch of the original Macintosh. The Macintosh 128K, often referred to as the “Mac,” featured a graphical user interface and a mouse, setting a new standard for personal computing.

Technological milestones: 1990s and 2000s

PowerPC architecture

In the early 1990s, Apple transitioned to the PowerPC architecture, a collaboration between Apple, IBM and Motorola. This transition led to significant performance improvements, setting the stage for Apple’s expansion into new markets, including professional multimedia and design.

Mac OS X

The launch of Mac OS X in 2001 marked a pivotal moment in the history of Mac computers. The Unix-based operating system brought enhanced stability, performance, and a modern user interface to the Mac lineup, solidifying Apple’s position as a leader in software innovation.

Intel-based Macs

In 2006, Apple announced its transition from PowerPC processors to Intel processors, a move that not only bolstered performance but also facilitated the seamless integration of Windows through Boot Camp. This transition opened new possibilities for users and developers and contributed to the growing popularity of Mac computers.

Design and innovation: 2010s

Unibody construction

The introduction of the unibody construction in MacBook Pro models showcased Apple’s commitment to design and engineering excellence. The unibody design not only improved durability but also set a new standard for aesthetic appeal and build quality in the industry.

Retina display

Apple’s focus on display technology culminated in the introduction of the Retina display in 2012. Offering exceptional pixel density and image quality, the Retina display redefined visual clarity and became a hallmark feature of Mac computers, setting them apart from the competition.

M1 chip

The launch of the M1 chip in 2020 marked a significant technological leap for Mac computers. As Apple’s first custom silicon for Mac, the M1 chip delivered exceptional performance, power efficiency, and integration, further solidifying Apple’s position as a pioneer in processor architecture.

What are the top features of Apple computers?

When it comes to computing devices, Apple has long been at the forefront of innovation and design. From sleek hardware to intuitive software, Apple computers are known for their exceptional performance and user experience. Let’s delve into some of the top features.

What sets macOS (operating system) apart?

One of the key features of Apple computers is the macOS operating system. Known for its stability, security and user-friendly interface, macOS provides a seamless computing experience. Features such as Siri integration, iCloud synchronization, and Continuity features (which allows seamless work across Apple devices) contribute to the overall appeal.

What makes Retina displays so great?

Apple’s Retina display technology is renowned for its stunning visual clarity and sharpness. Whether it’s the vibrant colors, high resolution, or wide viewing angles, the Retina display enhances the overall user experience, making it a standout feature of Apple computers.

Solid build quality and gorgeous design

Apple is synonymous with elegant and robust design. From the slim and lightweight MacBook Air to the powerful and stylish MacBook Pro, Apple’s attention to detail in design and build quality sets its computers apart.

Trackpad and keyboard

The trackpad and keyboard on Apple computers are designed to offer a superior user experience. The trackpad, equipped with multi-touch gestures, provides precise control and navigation, while the keyboard offers a comfortable typing experience. Features such as the Touch Bar on certain MacBook Pro models further enhance functionality and user interaction.

Performance and battery life

Whether it’s the speed and responsiveness of the latest M1 chip or the extended battery life that allows users to work uninterrupted for hours, Apple computers excel in delivering high performance and long-lasting battery power.

Integration with other Apple devices

Apple’s ecosystem is designed to work seamlessly across its range of products. Features like Handoff, AirDrop, and Universal Control allow for effortless sharing and continuity between Apple computers and other devices such as iPhones and iPads.

Security and privacy

Apple places a strong emphasis on security and privacy. With features like FileVault encryption, Gatekeeper app security, and the privacy-focused approach to user data, Apple computers provide a secure computing environment, giving users peace of mind.

Customer support and software ecosystem

Apple’s strong customer support and extensive software ecosystem contribute to the overall appeal of its computers. Whether it’s access to a wide range of productivity and creative apps through the App Store or the reliable customer service offered through AppleCare, users of Apple computers benefit.

Today’s Macs

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on Mac:

MacBook Air deal makes it hard to resist

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MacBook Air deal
Get a sleek and speedy MacBook Air while its on sale!
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

The M4 MacBook Air is Apple’s best notebook for most people,  and a sweet deal takes 10% off the cost of both the 15-inch and the 13-inch variants.

The sale knocks $119 off the price of the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air. That’s a wicked deal on a beautiful and powerful macOS notebook. Plus, the 13-inch variant receives a $100 off discount, so it costs less than $900.

Today in Apple history: The elusive Macintosh Color Classic II ships

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The Macintosh Color Classic II never shipped in the U.S., which makes it hard to find today.
The Color Classic II never shipped in the U.S., which makes it hard to find today.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

October 10: Today in Apple history: The elusive Macintosh Color Classic II ships October 10, 1993: Apple ships its Macintosh Color Classic II, the last of the 9-inch compact Macs.

Also known as the Performa 275, the Color Classic II will eventually become something of a collector’s item, since Apple released it only in Canada, Asia and Europe.

These amazing Amazon Prime sales on Apple gear refuse to die [Updated]

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Apple deals Prime Big Deal Days 2025: Still Going!
You haven’t missed your chance at great deals on Mac, iPad and more!
Photo: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Shockingly, many of the amazing discounts on Apple gear that we saw during Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days remain available for anyone who blinked and missed them. Some disappeared, but some actually got better!

We double-checked the deals early Thursday. Below, you can see all the best Prime Big Deal Days sales still going on Apple gear, from AirPods to iPads to MacBooks to the Studio Display. And that includes Apple audio subsidiary Beats, too.

Be aware that Amazon’s pricing often changes, and we have no idea how long any of these amazing Apple deals will last.

The Underdogs learn about Mac security in funny new Apple film

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The Underdogs in BSOD video
A new video shows the hapless Underdogs discovering the advantages of Mac security.
Screenshot: Apple

The Underdogs are back in BSOD (Blue Screen of Death)! The fictitious team of nerdy Apple users once again star in a video demonstrating how Macs and iPhones get real work done. This time, the focus is on Mac security.

Watch the shortfilm now and have fun while learning about what your Apple gear can do for you.

These 6 apps will change how you use your Mac

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Photo of an M4 MacBook Air sitting on a desk with lights glinting off it, used to illustrate a guide to best Mac utilities.
I can't use my Mac without these utilities.
Photo: Cult of Mac

The best Mac utilities can make a great computer even better. From smarter window management to easier automation and cleaner navigation, a few well-chosen tools can dramatically improve your workflow.

I’m a longtime Mac user, and I can’t do my job without these six essential Mac utilities. In this guide, I’ll show you how they can make everyday tasks faster and simpler.

This MacBook subscription program is built for businesses and professionals

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MacBook with the words
Outfit your team with the latest MacBooks, without big upfront costs and other hassles.
Photo: Upgraded

MacBooks make you faster, sharper and more productive. But they’ve always come with one big problem: price. Upgraded’s affordable MacBook financing program changes that.

Whether you’re buying a MacBook for yourself or outfitting an entire company, it usually means a huge upfront bill, a complicated reselling process, or headaches when managing devices for remote employees.

Upgraded solves this with simple monthly MacBook subscriptions, starting at just $33.28 per month. For businesses, Upgraded’s innovative MacBook financing also means turning big upfront capital expenses into smaller operating expenses you can write off, while handing off the hassle of device management.

Today in Apple history: The first portable Macintosh arrives

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The Macintosh Portable presaged Apple's move into mobile
The Macintosh Portable offered a (really heavy) glimpse of the future.
Photo: Macworld

September 20: Today in Apple history: Macintosh Portable, the first battery-powered Mac, arrives September 20, 1989: Apple releases the Macintosh Portable, the first battery-powered Mac you could take on the road.

At a time when Tim Burton’s Batman is flying high in theaters, and Madonna is shocking audiences at the MTV Video Music Awards, this ahead-of-its-time product lays the groundwork for Apple’s looming laptop revolution.

Everything new in macOS 26 Tahoe: Supercharged Spotlight and 40+ other features

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macOS 26 Tahoe hero image.
A fresh new look for Mac.
Image: Apple

macOS 26 Tahoe is a milestone update with a dramatic new look, new power tools for pro users — and over 45 new features. It’s still recognizably Mac, but with a fresh coat of paint (or, should I say, glass). And there’s plenty to dive into once you get settled.

Spotlight has picked up lots of new features, replacing Launchpad and adding a native clipboard manager. There are loads of great enhancements to group chats in Messages. Other great enhancements are in Safari, Passwords, Maps, Photos, Journal and more. And a few new apps come over from iOS: Phone, Journal, Magnifier and the all-new Games app.

The update is out now; here’s what to expect.

Today in Apple history: Macintosh 512K, aka the ‘Fat Mac,’ quadruples the memory

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Apple Mac
The "Fat Mac" solved one of the original Mac's biggest problems.
Photo: Apple

September 10: Today in Apple history: Macintosh 512K, aka the 'Fat Mac,' quadruples the memory September 10, 1984: Apple ships the Macintosh 512K, the first upgrade to the first-gen Macintosh 128K.

Coming less than eight months after the original Macintosh, the 512K Mac makes no sweeping changes to the computer’s form factor. Instead, the big upgrade is quadrupling the RAM. This leads Apple fans to refer to the computer as the “Fat Mac.”

How to translate an entire website to English directly from Safari

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Translate With One Button
Get the whole page in your native language with a single button.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

If you stumble across a webpage or a link in a different language, you can instantly translate the website to English directly from Safari. Unlike Google Chrome, Safari even translates the text inside images using Live Text.

And, if you accidentally change the language of a website to one you don’t speak, you can turn this feature on to help you change it back. At Cult of Mac, we use the feature to translate rumors or blog posts often written in Chinese, Korean or Japanese, like this.

You don’t need to select the words paragraph by paragraph and copy them into Google Translate (or even Apple’s own Translate app). Get the entire page in English at the tap of a button. Here’s how to make the most out of this handy Safari feature.

How to use the all-new Spotlight in macOS 26 Tahoe

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Try The All-New Spotlight
Great news for people who like finding things.
Image: Apple/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Spotlight on the Mac is a universal search bar, available everywhere, ready to quickly launch an app or find a file. And in macOS 26 Tahoe, Apple supercharged Spotlight by adding many advanced features.

Spotlight has a new visual interface for browsing apps on your Mac. It’s also a powerful tool for running Shortcuts and actions inside the apps you use. And, finally, it’s a clipboard manager, too.

Here are the ins and outs of Spotlight on the Mac.

Today in Apple history: Meet the ‘world-saving’ PowerBook 5300

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Today in Apple history: The top-spec PowerBook 5300 remains the priciest (and most famous) laptop in Apple history.
The top-spec PowerBook 5300 remains the priciest (and most famous) laptop in Apple history.
Photo illustration: Cult of Mac/Serged

Aug25August 25, 1995: Apple releases the PowerBook 5300, the Mac laptop that will save the world from alien invaders in the 1996 blockbuster movie Independence Day.

The computer will make many more big-screen appearances, too. See some of the laptop’s most high-profile Hollywood cameos below.

How to use the new Games app for iPhone, iPad and Mac

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Image of Apple Games with the caption, “Got Any Games On Your Phone?”
Launch games and find new ones in Apple Games.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

The Games app is a new all-in-one destination for gaming on your Apple devices. You can create a custom profile, track your achievements, and add friends (and set challenges for them). It’s also a quick way to launch games you’re playing and discover new ones.

It doesn’t entirely replace Game Center, a few vestiges of which reamin in the Settings app. But if you care at all about iPhone gaming, you should check out the new Games app. It’ll help you find new games to play and let you know about exciting events in your old favorites.

Here’s everything you need to know about Apple’s new Games app.

Today in Apple history: PowerBook 165 becomes Apple’s most affordable laptop

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Photo of a PowerBook 165, Apple's most affordable laptop in 1993.
A less-remembered PowerBook, but an important one.
Photo: Miguel Durán/Wikipedia CC

August 16: Today in Apple history: PowerBook 165 becomes Apple's most affordable laptop August 16, 1993: Apple ships the PowerBook 165, a lower-cost, grayscale version of the PowerBook 165c, which was the company’s first laptop to offer a color display.

The new model lacks the most attention-grabbing feature of the 165c, but it also brings its own claim to fame. The PowerBook 165 is Apple’s most affordable laptop yet.

Today in Apple history: Original iMac arrives to save Apple

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On this day in 1998, the world says
On this day in 1998, the world said "hello" to the computer that would save Apple.
Photo: Apple

August 15: Today in Apple history: iMac G3 arrives to save Apple August 15, 1998: The original iMac — Apple’s brightly colored, translucent Macintosh relaunch — goes on sale to a rabid audience. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs‘ first major new product since returning to Cupertino, the internet-ready iMac G3 line will cement his legacy as a forward-thinking tech visionary.

The all-in-one computer also introduces the world to the design talents of Jony Ive — and pretty much saves Apple in the process.

Just another day at the office, eh?

Today in Apple history: Power Mac G4 gets a mirrored redesign

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Product shot of the Power Mac G4 Mirrored Drive Doors model.
This was the ultimate Mac power setup in 2002.
Photo: Apple

August 13: Today in Apple history: Power Mac G4 gets a Mirrored Drive Doors redesign August 13, 2002: Apple unveils the final face-lift for its Power Mac G4, the Mirrored Drive Doors model.

The distinctive-looking computer borrows visually from the previous QuickSilver G4, released a year earlier. However, it adds a different front panel, with a mirrorlike finish for the media drive doors. It’s the last visual redesign of Apple’s Power Mac G4.

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.

Why we shouldn’t expect the M5 MacBook Pro until 2026

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M5 MacBook Pro rumors
The latest M5 MacBook Pro rumor says the updated macOS notebook won’t be out until next year.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Don’t set your heart on a MacBook Pro with a speedy new Apple M5 processor under the Christmas tree this year. A growing body of evidence indicates the next version of Apple’s premier laptop won’t arrive until 2026.

But the M5 processor should be available before then.

6 tricks to master Preview on the Mac

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Image of the Mac's Preview app icon, with the words
Make the most of the built-in Mac app. It can edit PDFs, remove backgrounds from photos, and more.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

You might only use the Mac’s built-in Preview app when you need to read a PDF or zoom in on a picture, but there’s much more to the software than meets the eye. It’s a pretty handy image editor for Mac, too.

In this how-to, I’ll go over six features that will let you make the most of Preview, a handy tool that’s an overlooked benefit to using a Mac. I have three tips for working with documents and three for editing pictures.

Today in Apple history: MultiFinder brings multitasking to Mac

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MultiFinder running on the Macintosh
MultiFinder let you switch between running applications from the Apple menu — you could even see two apps side by side on your desktop!
Screenshot: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

August 11: Today in Apple history: MultiFinder brings multitasking to Mac August 11, 1987: The MultiFinder app brings the biggest software update to the Mac since the computer’s launch. Baked into Macintosh System Software 5, MultiFinder allows multitasking with two apps on screen for the first time.

While MultiFinder brings an undeniable boost to the Macintosh’s technical capabilities, it is built on a shaky foundation that soon begins to show its age.

Play-Doh World and 3 other exclusive games hit Apple Arcade [Now available!]

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exclusive games join Apple Arcade
Four exclusive games come to Apple Arcade August 7.
Photo: Apple

Everybody’s favorite gaming service, Apple Arcade, expanded its library Thursday as four new exclusive games joined. We knew they were coming — and now you can play them. That brings the subscription service’s catalog to over 200 ad-free games, Apple said.

Here are the latest additions: Play-Doh World, a creative digital playground; Worms Across Worlds, the newest entry in the beloved strategy series; Let’s Go Mightycat!, a whimsical puzzle adventure; and Everybody Shogi, a colorful take on the traditional Japanese board game.

Today in Apple history: Original Mac Pro packs serious Intel power

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Mac Pro
The original Mac Pro took productivity to new levels.
Photo: Apple

August 7: Today in Apple history: Original Mac Pro packs serious Intel power August 7, 2006: Apple unleashes the first Mac Pro, a high-end desktop computer that completes the company’s transition from PowerPC to Intel processors.

Built for computation-heavy tasks like 3D rendering and professional audio and video editing, the quad-core, 64-bit Mac Pro serves as a replacement for the Power Mac G5 (from which it borrows its aluminum “cheese grater” design).

5 reasons to use Safari instead of Chrome

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Chrome isn't as good as you think
You should reconsider using Safari
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

A lot of Mac owners use Google Chrome as their web browser, and personally, I don’t get it. For Apple fans, it seems like a total disconnect not to use Safari vs. Chrome.

For starters, Apple markets its products as privacy-forward and seamlessly integrated with each other. And the web browser is an essential component of your computer, whether we’re talking Mac, iPhone or iPad. You have a lot to gain by using Safari on all your devices.

But look at the numbers: Apple’s web browser Safari only captures 18% of the market, a distant second to Google’s Chrome. Here’s my attempt to sway it the other way — the top five reasons I use Safari instead of Chrome.

6 cool things you can do with an old Mac

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6 Things To Do With An Old Mac
What can you use it for? Quite a lot, actually.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

There are lots of things you can do with an old Mac. No one will fault you for upgrading to Apple’s latest and greatest, but your old Mac can still find a job to do, too.

It used to be that when your old iMac kicked the can, you hollowed it out and made an aquarium or a desk lamp. These days, Macs have a much longer shelf life. The right model can give you years upon years of loyal service. (Not to mention, modern Macs are too thin to house a fish.)

Here are the six best things you can do with an old Mac. Watch our latest video or keep reading below.