In September, Apple's virtual stage was dominated by iPhones and iPads, but the company's October "Unleashed" event was all about Macs. Apple unveiled a redesigned MacBook Pro in two sizes today, both powered by the company's newest M1 Pro or M1 Max chips. Apple also unveiled the third generation of AirPods.
If you missed the event, here's a rundown of everything Apple said.
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New M1 Chips
Apple announced more than a year ago that it would be ditching Intel chips in favor of its own in-house silicon, the M1, which powers both the MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro. The M1 Pro and M1 Max are the two new chips that will succeed the M1.
The M1 Pro has a 10-core CPU with eight high-performance cores and two high-efficiency cores (up from eight on the M1). The M1 Pro has a 16-core GPU (with up to 32 GB of unified memory) that is twice as fast as the M1 in terms of graphics. The M1 Max, on the other hand, has the same 10-core CPU as the M1 but with a 32-core GPU (with support for up to 64 GB of unified memory). Apple claims that the M1 Pro and M1 Max are up to 70% faster than the M1 from last year, with the M1 Pro being two times faster and the M1 Max being four times faster in terms of graphics.
The M1 Pro and Max's performance remains to be seen, but these chipsets are exactly what on-the-go content creators, video editors, and graphic designers (who rely on their MacBook Pros to complete intensive tasks) have been waiting for since Apple began moving away from Intel.
Two New MacBook Pros
With the MacBook Pro redesign, Apple went all-in. It's available in either a 14-inch or 16-inch chassis, with slightly larger screens of 14.2 inches and 16.2 inches, respectively. Both have a Liquid Retina XDR screen with Apple's Mini LED display technology, which was first introduced in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro earlier this year. It doesn't produce the same deep blacks as OLED panels, such as those found on the iPhone, but it comes close and maintains incredible brightness with vibrant colors. Julian Chokkattu, WIRED's reviews editor, says he prefers watching movies on the iPad Pro with Mini LED to the larger LCD screen in Apple's iMac 2021.
It comes with Apple's 120-Hz refresh rate technology, which makes content on the screen look much smoother (as seen on the iPhone 13 Pro and 2017 iPad Pro).
A notch on top of the screen houses a 1080p video call camera with a wider aperture that lets in more light, so expect better video call performance in dim rooms. However, unlike the iPhone notch, there is no TrueDepth camera system here, which means Face ID isn't supported.
Because the keyboard has a Touch ID sensor, you can still use your fingerprint to lock and unlock the MacBook Pro. Apple also ditched the Touch Bar in favor of physical keys, a startling admission that the company's vision for the elongated digital screen didn't pan out.
The return of the ports, however, is arguably the most exciting upgrade to the MacBook Pro. There's an HDMI port, three Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, an SD card slot, and a high-impedance headphone jack. So, go ahead and toss all those unsightly dongles in the trash. Even better, for the first time since 2017, Apple has reintroduced MagSafe to its MacBooks. It's not an accessory ecosystem like the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, but the charger connects to the dedicated port magnetically, just like the old days. The USB-C ports can still be used to charge.
Both MacBook Pros have studio-quality microphones and a six-speaker sound system with two tweeters and four woofers for an 80 percent increase in bass. In terms of battery life, Apple claims that the 14-inch MacBook Pro can play video for up to 17 hours, while the 16-inch model can play for up to 21 hours. These devices can also be fast charged, gaining up to 50% battery in just 30 minutes.
The MacBook Pro comes standard with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage in both sizes. The 14-inch MacBook Pro costs $1,999, while the 16-inch MacBook Pro costs $2,499. Both models are currently on preorder and will be released on October 26. You have the option of getting the M1 Pro or upgrading to the M1 Max if you require more power. The most expensive configuration for the 16-inch screen comes in at $6,099.
AirPods 3
The third generation of Apple's standard AirPods arrives two years after the AirPods Pro and a little more than a year after the AirPods Max.
I don't recommend the older AirPods. Because they lack the security of silicone eartips and an IP rating against water or dust, they're not very ergonomic or good for workouts. Because there were no tips, you didn't always get a perfect seal in your ears, allowing sound to leak out at higher volumes to the outside world.
This new version has a lower distortion dynamic driver for improved bass and crisper high-end, but no eartips once again. Apple claims that the slightly redesigned earbuds, which are slightly more curvy and ergonomic than the previous version, will fit much better. We'll have to wait and see. Thankfully, they now have sweat and water resistance, so you can finally work out while wearing AirPods without fear of them breaking. It's also great to see spatial audio, which was previously only available on the AirPods Max and AirPods Pro models. You can watch movies in Dolby Atmos with standard AirPods, giving you a more immersive experience (a few music artists also mix in Atmos)
Apple increased the battery life from 5 to 6 hours and added the ability to charge wirelessly with a MagSafe charger. It charges quickly, so plugging it in for five minutes will give you an hour of power. That's all well and good, but in the wireless headphone market, 6 hours is still considered mid-tier battery life, especially without noise-canceling. For example, the latest Jabra model has an 8-hour battery life and the same quick-charge feature.
Why not spend $20 more on a pair of AirPods Pro? The new AirPods are currently available for $179, which begs the question: why not spend $20 more on a pair of AirPods Pro? You certainly can. However, Apple appears to have included MagSafe in the AirPods Pro case.
Apple Music Voice Plan
Apple's new voice-only Apple Music subscription plan was one of the more bizarre announcements. For $5 per month, subscribers can opt out of using Apple's popular streaming service's visual interface and instead use Siri to access their favorite artists and custom playlists.
It may appear strange at first, but it's a good option for anyone who enjoys internet radio, such as Pandora, or who wants to search for specific genres of music rather than scrolling through endless artists and playlists on their phone. You're saving half the cost of a regular subscription.
New HomePod mini Colours
Are you sick of staring at your gray HomePod Mini? Apple has some exciting news to share with you. It's now available in three vivid colors: orange, blue, and yellow. They won't do anything new, which is a shame. The HomePod Mini doesn't have any new features, but it does cost the same $99 as the original HomePod.