All posts tagged: MacBook Pro 14" & 16"

New MacBook Pro Speakers Are Most Affordable to Repair Since 2015

New MacBook Pro Speakers Are Most Affordable to Repair Since 2015

For the first time in nearly a decade, Apple is able to repair individual MacBook Pro speakers without replacing other components too. In a memo shared with Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers this week, Apple said it is offering speakers as standalone repair parts for the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips. This is the first time Apple has made individual MacBook Pro speaker parts available since 2015. For all MacBook Pro models released between 2016 and 2023, Apple replaces the entire “top case” with the battery and other components for speaker repairs. This results in out-of-warranty speaker repairs costing hundreds of dollars more than they should, so standalone speaker parts will make these repairs far more affordable. Even better, the speaker parts will not be limited to technicians at the Genius Bar and Apple Authorized Service Providers. Apple has already shared speaker repair manuals for the new MacBook Pro models on its website, so it should make the standalone speaker parts available …

Macs to Get AI-Focused M4 Chips Starting in Late 2024

Macs to Get AI-Focused M4 Chips Starting in Late 2024

Apple will begin updating its Mac lineup with M4 chips in late 2024, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. The M4 chip will be focused on improving performance for artificial intelligence capabilities. Last year, Apple introduced the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips all at once in October, so it’s possible we could see the M4 lineup come during the same time frame. Gurman says that the entire Mac lineup is slated to get the M4 across late 2024 and early 2025. The iMac, low-end 14-inch MacBook Pro, high-end 14-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini machines will be updated with M4 chips first, followed by the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models in spring 2025, the Mac Studio in mid-2025, and the Mac Pro later in 2025. Apple is said to be nearing production of the M4 processor, and it is expected to come in at least three main varieties. Chips are codenamed Donan for the low-end, Brava for the mid-tier, and Hidra for the top-end. The Donan chip will be used …

Video Comparison: M3 MacBook Air vs. M3 MacBook Pro

Video Comparison: M3 MacBook Air vs. M3 MacBook Pro

With the refresh of the MacBook Air models in March, Apple now has M3 versions of the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, 14-inch MacBook Pro, and 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, all with the same chip inside. For those trying to decide between the MacBook Pro and the ‌MacBook Air‌, we did a comparison video to highlight what you’re getting with each machine. While the ‌MacBook Air‌ and the 14-inch MacBook Pro have the same M3 chip, there is a difference with the low-end ‌MacBook Air‌. At the entry-level $1,099 price, the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ has an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU. The more expensive $1,299 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ has an 8-core CPU and upgraded 10-core GPU, with all 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ and 14-inch MacBook Pro models also starting with the upgraded 10-core GPU. So you can get a ‌MacBook Air‌ for as little as $1,099, but at that price point, the GPU is downgraded. That won’t matter for general day-to-day use, but it’s something to keep in mind. The 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ is priced starting at $1,299, and …

Apple Reportedly ‘Just Started Formal Development’ of M4 MacBook Pro

Apple Reportedly ‘Just Started Formal Development’ of M4 MacBook Pro

Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman today held a Q&A session focused on the Apple Car, in which he revealed that the vehicle’s chip would have been equivalent to four M2 Ultra chips combined. He also said the vehicle had an underlying “safetyOS” system that was one part of the overall operating system, but he did not elaborate. Gurman also briefly touched on a few other topics, including that Apple apparently “just started formal development” of a new MacBook Pro with an M4 chip. He did not provide any additional details about the chip, which has yet to be announced by Apple. Apple announced the M1 chip for Macs in November 2020, followed by the M2 chip in June 2022 and the M3 chip towards the end of October 2023, so there has been around a year-and-a-half gap between each of the chips being introduced. If that pattern continues, the M4 chip would be released in the first half of 2025. However, a late 2024 release is also possible if the interval shrinks to one year. Apple last …

Is 8GB of RAM Enough for a Mac in 2024?

Is 8GB of RAM Enough for a Mac in 2024?

The debate over whether 8GB of RAM is sufficient for a Mac has long been a topic of contention. The controversy goes back to at least 2012, when Apple launched the first MacBook Pro with Retina display, which started with 8GB of RAM. Apple still offers 8GB as the base configuration for its 14-inch MacBook Pro, not to mention its M3 iMac and the latest MacBook Air models. Coupled with the significant cost of upgrading to higher memory options, Apple’s decision has once again sparked discussions about the adequacy and value of this configuration. Of course, Macs have changed a lot over the last decade. For one, Apple no longer relies on Intel processors to power its machines, having developed its own Apple silicon, which is faster and more power efficient. This is because Apple’s custom chips use “system-on-a-chip” (SoC) architecture, which integrates several processing cores (CPUs), graphics cores (GPUs), cache memory, and several other components within a single physical package. Apple’s M-series of chips also use something called “unified memory,” which sits alongside the …

MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro Buyer’s Guide: 30+ Differences Compared

MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro Buyer’s Guide: 30+ Differences Compared

Apple recently updated the MacBook Air by adding the M3 chip, so how do the new machines compare to its latest MacBook Pro models? Despite now being similar in appearance, the ‌MacBook Air‌ and the MacBook Pro are very different devices, so should you consider purchasing the 13- or 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌, which start at $999, to save money, or do you need one of the higher-end 14- or 16-inch MacBook Pro models, which cost at least $600 more? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two popular Apple silicon machines is best for you. ‌MacBook Air‌ MacBook Pro M2: 13.6-inch displayM3: 13.6- or 15.3-inch display 14.2- or 16.2-inch display LCD Liquid Retina display Mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display 60hz refresh rate ProMotion for refresh rates up to 120Hz 500 nits brightness Up to 1,000 nits sustained (full-screen) brightness and 1,600 nits peak brightness Apple M2 or M3 chip Apple M3, M3 Pro, or M3 Max chip M2: Enhanced 5nm node (N5P) based on A15 Bionic chip from …

Apple Stores Now Stock 14-Inch M3 MacBook Pro With 16GB of RAM

Apple Stores Now Stock 14-Inch M3 MacBook Pro With 16GB of RAM

Apple retail stores now stock a configuration of the entry-level, M3 MacBook Pro with 16GB of unified memory. The configuration, spotted by French website Consomac, is now highlighted as a standard option on Apple’s website for $1,999. While the configuration itself is not new, since customers can upgrade from 8GB to 16GB of memory with a $200 build-to-order upgrade, the presence of a new default option offering this configuration allows customers to purchase an M3 MacBook Pro with 16GB of memory without any hardware upgrades. Most notably, it also means that the 16GB machine will be stocked by Apple retail stores and third-party retailers for the first time. Popular Stories Source: Apple to Announce New Products This Week Apple plans to announce new products with press releases on its website this week, a proven source familiar with the matter told MacRumors. While the products that Apple plans to announce have not been disclosed, there are rumors about new iPads, Macs, and accessories. It is unclear exactly what will be announced this week. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman …

M3 MacBook Pro to Get Multi-Display Support With Software Update

M3 MacBook Pro to Get Multi-Display Support With Software Update

Apple is planning a software update that will add multi-display support to the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro model, the company confirmed to 9to5Mac. The M3 MacBook Air models that were introduced today include support for up to two 5K external displays when used in clamshell mode, a feature that is not currently available on the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the same M3 chip. With the two machines using the same M3 chip, it was not clear why the ‌MacBook Air‌ has the feature while the MacBook Pro does not, but it is an issue that Apple plans to rectify. In the near future, a software update will add the option for the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro to drive two external displays when the lid of the machine is closed. Both the M3 ‌MacBook Air‌ and the M3 MacBook Pro offer support for one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz when the display is open, and with the update, the M3 MacBooks will also be able to power two 5K external displays with …

M3 MacBook Air Supports More External Displays Than M3 MacBook Pro

M3 MacBook Air Supports More External Displays Than M3 MacBook Pro

If you frequently work with external displays, it’s worth noting that Apple’s just-announced M3 MacBook Air models support two external displays – one more than the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the same M3 chip. Launched last October, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 chip simultaneously supports one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz. In contrast, both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air with M3 chip support one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz, and two external displays with up to 5K resolution at 60Hz when the laptop lid is closed, also known as clamshell mode. Given that the machines use identical chips, it could be that the additional external display support on the MacBook Airs has been made at the software level. If so, there would seem to be no reason that it could not be added to the M3 MacBook Pro in a future software update. However, it could also be a hardware-based change, and we might not know for sure until a teardown is performed on the …

Apple Now Selling Refurbished M3 Pro and M3 Max MacBook Pro Models in More Countries

Apple Now Selling Refurbished M3 Pro and M3 Max MacBook Pro Models in More Countries

Apple today added 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with the M3 Pro and/or M3 Max chips to its certified refurbished store in Canada and select European countries, such as the UK, Germany, and Italy, for the first time since the laptops debuted in October. Availability in the U.S. began earlier this month. As usual for Apple’s refurbished products, these refurbished MacBook Pro models are discounted by approximately 15% compared to the equivalent brand new models. A variety of configurations and color options are available in Canada, but inventory is currently more limited in Europe. The stock changes frequently, so check back often. Apple says it puts refurbished Macs through “full functionality testing” and a “thorough cleaning process and inspection,” and they are covered by Apple’s one-year limited warranty and eligible for extended AppleCare+ coverage. In our view, Apple’s refurbished Macs are virtually indistinguishable from brand new ones, providing a good opportunity for savings directly from Apple. However, larger discounts are often available from resellers like Amazon. In related news, Apple began selling refurbished iMac …