MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide

Apple recently announced a major update for its high-end MacBook Pro models, adding the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, better battery life, Wi‑Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and an HDMI 2.1 port. Last year, Apple updated the MacBook Air with a complete redesign and the M2 chip, so how do the machines compare?


Despite now being similar in appearance, the ‌MacBook Air‌ and the MacBook Pro are very different machines, so should you consider purchasing the ‌MacBook Air‌, which starts at $1,199, to save money, or do you need one of the higher-end 14- or 16-inch MacBook Pro models, which cost at least $800 more? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two popular Apple silicon machines is best for you.

This guide focuses on the high-end, 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with the ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max chips rather than the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the ‌M2‌ chip. See our other buyer's guide to understand the differences between the 13-inch MacBook Pro and the 14- and 16-inch models.

Key Differences Overview

Design

Both the ‌MacBook Air‌ and MacBook Pro share the same basic design with a flat top and rounded edges on the bottom, but they do have several minor details that differ. For example, while both MacBooks have displays with a "notch" at the top to facilitate the built-in webcam, the MacBook Pro's bezels are noticeably slimmer. The keyboard area of the high-end MacBook Pro is also all-black.


The ‌MacBook Air‌ and MacBook Pro are available in Silver and Space Gray, but the ‌MacBook Air‌ is also offered in Starlight and Midnight color options, so if you are looking for a particular aesthetic with one of these finishes, you will need to get the ‌MacBook Air‌.




Dimensions are also a key area of difference between the ‌MacBook Air‌ and MacBook Pro. The 16-inch MacBook Pro is considerably larger and heavier than the ‌MacBook Air‌, but it is important to not understate the difference between the 14-inch MacBook Pro and the ‌MacBook Air‌. While the 14-inch MacBook Pro offers a larger display than the ‌MacBook Air‌, its marginally larger footprint, added thickness, and an additional 0.8 pounds of weight do make for a noticeably less portable machine if you prefer to travel light.

Even so, the 14-inch MacBook Pro offers a very good balance of portability and performance, so if you need its added capabilities, its size and weight should not hold you back.

Ports and Connectivity

The selection of ports is an area of major difference between the two machines. The ‌MacBook Air‌ features just two Thunderbolt 4 ports. The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, on the other hand, have three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and an SDXC card slot. Both machines feature a 3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones, but the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ can support only one external display, while the high-end MacBook Pro model can support up to four displays in total with the ‌M2‌ Max chip.


All in all, the MacBook Pro is much more versatile in terms of connectivity, even possessing newer Bluetooth and Wi-Fi specifications, offering useful features for professionals who use SDXC cards from digital cameras, multiple external displays, or even simply more USB peripherals.

Display Size

The ‌MacBook Air‌'s display is 13.6 inches in size, which is a little smaller than the 14.2-inch MacBook Pro, and markedly smaller than the 16.2-inch MacBook Pro. 13.6 inches is still bigger than the largest iPad Pro model, which comes in at 12.9 inches, and even all of the previous ‌MacBook Air‌ and smaller MacBook Pro models, meaning that it should be adequate for most users. The 14.2-inch MacBook Pro simply offers a little bit more screen real estate to those who need high-end capabilities.

The 16.2-inch display will be a better replacement for a desktop machine and provide much more screen space to arrange multiple windows and use professional applications that benefit from additional display area.

Display Technology

The display technologies of both machines are significantly different. Like most MacBooks in recent years, the ‌MacBook Air‌ has an LCD panel, but owing to its slim bezels and rounded corners, Apple calls it a Liquid Retina display. The 14- and 16-inch models feature Apple's more advanced mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR technology for deeper blacks, better dynamic range, and improved color accuracy.


The XDR display can get much brighter, reaching as high as 1,600 nits of brightness at its peak when showing HDR content. The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models also have ProMotion displays, allowing them to vary their refresh rate up to 120Hz. The ‌MacBook Air‌ does not have a display with a variable refresh rate.

It will be worth getting the high-end MacBook Pro models for viewing and editing HDR content, as well as watching high-framerate video such as sports. The display of the ‌MacBook Air‌ is sufficient for most users and some may not even notice a drastic difference. The MacBook Pro's deeper blacks and smoother on-screen motion simply offer a slightly better experience.

Chips

The ‌MacBook Air‌ contains the ‌M2‌ chip, while MacBook Pro customers can choose between the ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max chips. The ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max are scaled-up versions of the ‌M2‌ chip that offer additional CPU and GPU cores. See the ‌M2‌, ‌M2‌ Pro, and ‌M2‌ Max's Geekbench 5 scores below:




The ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max provide CPUs with up to four additional cores and GPUs with up to 28 additional cores. The ‌M2‌ chip in the ‌MacBook Air‌ is just as powerful as the ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max in single-core tasks, but the ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max are considerably better in multi-core and graphics tasks.


With significantly more transistors, performance CPU cores, and GPU cores, the ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max are powerful chips designed for professionals with demanding workflows. The ‌M2‌, on the other hand, is more of a consumer-oriented chip focused on delivering surprisingly impressive performance and excellent efficiency to keep temperatures down and prolong battery life.

It is also worth noting that the ‌MacBook Air‌ is passively cooled and contains no fan, which can slightly constrain peak performance compared to the MacBook Pro, since the high-end machines have large fans to actively cool the system and push the chips harder.

Memory and Storage

The ‌MacBook Air‌ can be configured with up to 24GB of unified memory and up to 2TB of storage, which should be more than enough for the vast majority of users. For those who need even more memory and storage, the MacBook Pro can be configured with 72GB more memory and 6TB more storage than the top-spec ‌MacBook Air‌.

The ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max chips in the MacBook Pro also provide 200GB/s and 400GB/s memory bandwidth respectively – an enormous increase over the 100GB/s memory bandwidth with the ‌M2‌ chip in the ‌MacBook Air‌.

Buyers should also be aware that the 256GB ‌MacBook Air‌ and 512GB MacBook Pro base models have up to 50 percent slower SSDs than configurations with more storage. This is because the base models only have a single SSD module inside, whereas models with larger amounts of storage have two SSD chips, significantly increasing the overall speed of the machine's storage.

Speakers and Microphones

The ‌MacBook Air‌ has a four-speaker sound system that is surprisingly full and balanced for such a small, slim device. The MacBook Pro takes things to the next level with a high-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers for dramatically bigger and deeper audio – something that may be invaluable to users who work in professional audio production or simply listen to a lot of music out-loud.


The ‌MacBook Air‌ has a three-mic array with directional beamforming that is perfect for activities like video calls and voice notes. The MacBook Pro has what Apple calls a "studio-quality" three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming. While they are not as good as a dedicated microphone, the MacBook Pro's microphones are impressive and, at a push, are suitable for production purposes like podcasting.

Battery Life

The ‌MacBook Air‌ has an 18-hour battery life, offering the same battery life as the 14-inch MacBook Pro and four hours less than the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

Other MacBook Options

If you are looking for a more affordable Apple silicon MacBook, there is the M1 ‌MacBook Air‌, which sports a 13.3-inch Retina display, Touch ID, two Thunderbolt ports, and more, for prices starting at $999. For users on a strict budget, the ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ is still a good option.

• M2 MacBook Pro vs. 14- and 16-Inch MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide

For just $100 more than the ‌M2‌ ‌MacBook Air‌, there is the ‌M2‌ MacBook Pro – an entry-level MacBook Pro model that has a 13.3-inch display and uses the same design that dominated all of Apple's MacBook Pro models from 2016 to 2021. It has the same chip as the ‌MacBook Air‌ but can push it slightly harder due to having a fan for active cooling, and offers a brighter display, the Touch Bar, better microphone and speaker quality, and two extra hours of battery life. If you cannot afford the 14-inch MacBook Pro's $1,999 price tag, but you think you will need slightly more than what the ‌M2‌ ‌MacBook Air‌ has to offer, the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ offers a good middle-ground option for some.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the ‌MacBook Air‌ is the best option for most users, offering an excellent balance of features and performance in a highly portable design. The ‌MacBook Air‌'s $1,199 price tag is affordable compared to the MacBook Pro, and with an education discount or an offer from our Apple Deals Roundup, it is possible to get that price down by at least $100. The additional $800 to get the MacBook Pro likely is not worth it for most users, and on the contrary, many will prefer the slimmer, lighter design of the ‌MacBook Air‌ and perhaps even its additional color options.


Professionals who require larger and more accurate displays, additional ports, more memory and storage, and a very high level of performance should look to the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro, and the $1,999 and $2,499 price points of these machines reflects this. These high-end MacBook Pros are not targeted at everyday consumers, being clearly tailored to creatives and professionals who rely heavily on the capabilities of their machines. As such, the MacBook Pro should only be a go-to option if you are a power-user or professional who can make use of its advanced features.

Alternatively, if you are a tech enthusiast who can afford to pay a lot more to get the MacBook Pro, aspects like its larger Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion and six-speaker sound system can be enjoyed by almost any user. If you simply want the best possible performance, connectivity, display technology, and speakers, the high-end MacBook Pro is the best option. The 16-inch MacBook Pro, in particular, is also potentially a good desktop replacement machine due to its large display.

If you configure the ‌MacBook Air‌ with its 10-core GPU option, 16GB of memory, and 512GB of storage to build a configuration that is closer to the 14-inch MacBook Pro, it costs $1,699 – just $300 less than the MacBook Pro. At this point, it may be worth paying the extra cash to get the 14-inch MacBook Pro, since that machine's performance, larger mini-LED display with ProMotion, additional ports and memory bandwidth, and better speakers and microphone deliver a big upgrade.
This article, "MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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M2 MacBook Pro vs. 14- and 16-Inch MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide

Apple recently announced a major update for its high-end MacBook Pro models, adding the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, better battery life, Wi‑Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and a HDMI 2.1 port. Last year, Apple updated the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 chip, so how do the machines compare?


Despite both being MacBook Pros, the ‌M2‌ model and the high-end models are very different machines, so should you consider purchasing the lower-cost MacBook Pro, which starts at $1,299, to save money, or do you need the higher-end 14- or 16-inch MacBook Pro, which costs at least $700 more? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two Apple silicon MacBook Pros is best for you.

Comparing the 13-Inch MacBook Pro and 14- and 16-Inch MacBook Pro

The 13-inch MacBook Pro and high-end MacBook Pro share a large number of important features such as an Apple silicon chip, wide stereo sound, and Touch ID. Apple lists these same features of the two devices:

Similarities

• Display with P3 wide color and True Tone


• Apple silicon System on Chip (SoC)


• Media engine with hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW, video encode and decode engines, and ProRes encode and decode engines


• 16-core Neural Engine


• 16GB unified memory option


• 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage options


• Ambient light sensor


• FaceTime HD camera with advanced image signal processor with computational video


• Wide stereo sound


• Studio-quality three-mic array with high signal-to-noise ratio and directional beamforming


• ‌Touch ID‌


• Backlit Magic Keyboard


• Force Touch trackpad


• 3.5mm headphone jack with advanced support for high-impedance headphones


• At least two Thunderbolt 4 ports


• Available in Space Gray and Silver

Apple's breakdown shows that the two MacBooks share a large number of key features. Even so, there are some meaningful differences between the ‌M2‌ MacBook Pro and the 14- and 16-inch models that are worth highlighting, including design, chip options, battery life, and display brightness.

Differences

Design

Both the entry-level and high-end MacBook Pro models are available in Silver and Space Gray, but their designs vary. Although the machines are around the same thickness, the 14-inch and 16-inch models do not feature tapered edges, making them appear thicker and bulkier. The keyboard area of the high-end MacBook Pro is also all-black. The dimensions of the three machines are listed below:




The 13-inch and 14-inch MacBook Pro are very similar in size, so the dimensions of these two machines should not heavily influence your decision. Instead, you may wish to consider that the 13-inch MacBook Pro features a much older design with a tapered look, compared to the rounder appearance of the high-end models. The high-end MacBook Pro's design has since spread to the ‌M2‌ MacBook Air and offers a more modern look, while the 13-inch MacBook Pro uses a design from 2016.

Touch Bar

The Touch Bar is an OLED Retina multi-touch display strip built into the keyboard where the function keys traditionally go. It is contextual and can perform a range of different functions on the Mac depending on which app is in use.


The Touch Bar is a matte-style display that blends in with the rest of the keys on the keyboard and it supports True Tone, allowing the white balance to be adjusted to match the ambient lighting conditions. Interacting with the Touch Bar is done through taps, swipes, and other multi-touch gestures, with support for up to 10 fingers at a time.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro features the Touch Bar, while the 14- and 16-inch models simply have full-sized function keys. The 13-inch MacBook Pro is now the only remaining device with the feature, but if you enjoy the experience of the Touch Bar, you may prefer the 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Ports and Connectivity

The selection of available ports is an area of major difference between the two machines. The 13-inch MacBook Pro features just two Thunderbolt 3 ports. The 14-inch and 16-inch models have three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and an SDXC card slot.


Both machines feature a 3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones, but the 13-inch MacBook Pro can support only one external display, while the high-end model can support up to four displays in total with the ‌M2‌ Max chip. This all makes the high-end models much more versatile in terms of connectivity, and will be of particular value to professionals who use digital cameras or need to connect to external displays.

Display Size

The entry-level MacBook Pro's display is exactly 13.3 inches in size, which is considerably smaller than the 14.2 inches and 16.2 inches of the high-end models. 13.3 inches is still bigger than the largest iPad Pro model, which comes in at 12.9 inches, and will be adequate for most users.

The 16.2-inch display will be a better replacement for a desktop machine and provide much more screen space to arrange multiple windows and use professional applications that benefit from additional display area. The 14.2-inch display is still larger than the 13.3-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ and MacBook Pro models from recent years, but still adds to the overall size of the machine. The larger MacBook Pros also feature slimmer bezels, a notch, and rounded top corners.


While the notch containing the webcam does eat into the display space very slightly, both high-end MacBook Pro displays are larger than previous models, so there is still more display area overall. In addition, the display area below the notch has an aspect ratio of exactly 16:10, just like previous MacBook Pro models, to ensure that the notch does not impede normal display views or watching media.

On this basis, if you are concerned about the notch, you should not necessarily feel obliged to get the larger, 16-inch MacBook Pro. That being said, since the notch is the same size on both models, it may be slightly less noticeable on the 16-inch model. If you strongly dislike the notch, it may simply be easier to opt for the 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Display Technology

The display technologies of both machines are also significantly different. Like most MacBooks in recent years, the 13-inch model has an LCD Retina display. The 14- and 16-inch models feature Apple's newer mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR technology for deeper blacks, better dynamic range, and improved color accuracy.


The XDR display can get much brighter, reaching as high as 1,600 nits of brightness at its peak when showing HDR content. The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models also have ProMotion displays, allowing them to vary their refresh rate up to 120Hz. The 13-inch model does not have a display with a variable refresh rate.

It will be worth getting the high-end MacBook Pro models for viewing and editing HDR content, as well as watching high-framerate video such as sports. The display of the 13-inch MacBook Pro will still be more than adequate for normal daily use, but the high-end model, offering deeper blacks and smoother on-screen motion, simply offers a better experience.

Chips

The 13-inch MacBook Pro has the ‌M2‌ chip, while with the 14-inch and 16-inch models, you can choose between the ‌M2‌ Pro or ‌M2‌ Max chips. The ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max are scaled-up versions of the ‌M2‌ chip.




The ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max allow for a CPU with up to four additional CPU cores, 28 additional GPU cores, 80GB more memory, and 6TB more storage, compared to the ‌M2‌ chip. The ‌M2‌ chip is just as powerful as the ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max in single-core tasks, but the ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max are considerably better in multi-core and graphics tasks.

With significantly more transistors, performance CPU cores, and GPU cores, not to mention larger quantities of unified memory and higher memory bandwidth, the ‌M2‌ Pro and ‌M2‌ Max are powerful chips for professionals with demanding workflows. The ‌M2‌, on the other hand, is more of a consumer-oriented chip focused on delivering impressive performance for day-to-day tasks and excellent efficiency to keep temperatures down and prolong battery life.

Camera

The high-end MacBook Pro has a considerably better 1080p webcam compared to the 13-inch model's 720p camera. If you frequently use the built-in webcam for video calls, you will have a noticeably better experience with the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro.

Speakers

The 13-inch MacBook Pro has high dynamic range stereo speakers. With the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros, Apple completely redesigned its speakers with a new six-speaker system that supports spatial audio when playing music or video with Dolby Atmos.


Both speaker setups are very capable for a laptop, but if you rely heavily on the built-in speakers, you will have a better experience with the high-end MacBook Pro models.

Battery Life

The 13-inch MacBook Pro offers two extra hours of battery life over the 14-inch MacBook Pro, but two hours less than the 16-inch MacBook Pro. According to Apple, the 13-inch MacBook Pro can deliver up to 20 hours of battery life during video playback. One the other hand, the 14-inch MacBook Pro can deliver 18 hours of battery life and the 16-inch model can deliver 22 hours of battery life.

Charging

The high-end MacBook Pros feature ‌MagSafe‌ 3 for easily connecting and disconnecting the charging cable from the machine using magnets. The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros are also capable of fast charging.

Other MacBook Options

If you are looking for a more affordable Apple silicon MacBook, there is the M1 ‌MacBook Air‌, which sports the same processor as the ‌M1‌ MacBook Pro, a 13.3-inch display, ‌Touch ID‌, and ports, as well as most other hardware features, for a price starting at $999. For casual users, this means that the additional $300 to get the ‌M1‌ MacBook Pro may be difficult to justify. It is a more consumer-oriented and slightly less capable machine compared to the MacBook Pro, but is more than adequate for most users.

‌M2‌ MacBook Pro still has a number of improvements over the ‌MacBook Air‌, offering slightly better performance, a brighter display, the Touch Bar, improved microphone and speaker quality, two extra hours of battery life, and an active cooling system. If you want slightly better performance than the ‌M1‌ ‌MacBook Air‌, as well as better battery life, display brightness, and speaker and microphone quality, the MacBook Pro is the better option.

Likewise, users who intend to perform a lot of graphics-based tasks should skip the ‌MacBook Air‌ entirely and buy the ‌M2‌ MacBook Pro because the eight-core GPU ‌MacBook Air‌ configuration is only $50 less than the MacBook Pro, which offers ten GPU cores, but this is only the case if you don't need more than 256GB of storage, because a storage upgrade would further push up the MacBook Pro's price.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is the best option for normal consumers. The 13-inch MacBook Pro is actually more akin to a ‌MacBook Air‌ than its high-end siblings, being more than good enough for the needs of casual users. It is lighter, smaller, and more portable than the 14-inch MacBook Pro. Starting at $1,299, the 13-inch MacBook Pro should be the default choice for the average consumer who is looking for something that is a little more than the ‌MacBook Air‌.

• 14-Inch MacBook Pro vs. 16-Inch MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide


• M1 Pro vs. M1 Max Buyer's Guide


• 16GB vs. 32GB MacBook Pro: How Much is Enough?

Professionals who require larger and more accurate displays, additional ports, more memory and storage, and a very high level of performance should look to the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro, and the $1,999 and $2,499 price points of these machines reflects this. These high-end MacBook Pros are not targeted at everyday consumers, being clearly tailored to creatives and professionals who rely heavily on the capabilities of their machines.


If you want the best possible performance, connectivity, display technology, and speakers, the high-end MacBook Pro is the best option. The 16-inch MacBook Pro in particular is also potentially a good desktop replacement machine due to its large display.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,999, which is $700 more than the $1,299 starting price of the 13-inch MacBook Pro. That being said, if you are looking to configure the 13-inch MacBook Pro with 16GB of memory and at least 512GB of storage, which brings it closer to parity with the 14-inch base-level model, it costs $1,699. For the additional $300, it will be worthwhile for these users to get the 14-inch MacBook Pro instead.
This article, "M2 MacBook Pro vs. 14- and 16-Inch MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Mac Mini vs. Mac Studio Buyer's Guide

The Mac Studio debuted in 2022 as Apple's most powerful custom silicon standalone desktop computer. Now, with the launch of the latest Mac mini models, the ‌Mac Studio‌ faces a formidable competitor that offers "Pro" capabilities at a substantially lower price point.


The ‌Mac Studio‌ starts at $1,999, dwarfing the $599 starting price of the M2 ‌Mac mini‌ and even the $1,299 starting price of the ‌M2‌ Pro ‌Mac mini‌, so do you need the highest-end Apple silicon Mac, or is the humble ‌Mac mini‌ sufficient for your needs? Our guide helps to answer the question of how to decide which of these two desktop Macs is best for you.

Comparing the Mac Mini and the Mac Studio

The ‌Mac mini‌ and the ‌Mac Studio‌ share some fundamental features, including a familiar, boxy silver aluminum design, Apple silicon chipsets, and two USB-A ports. That being said, the two machines have much more in contrast than they do in common, including different chip options, memory capacities, ports, and external display support capabilities.

Key Differences

Desktop Apple Silicon Chips Compared

In single-core tasks, the ‌M2‌ and ‌M2‌ Pro ‌Mac mini‌ models perform distinctly better than either of the ‌Mac Studio‌ configurations. In multi-core, the picture is less clear-cut. The ‌M2‌ ‌Mac mini‌ is less powerful than either of the ‌Mac Studio‌ models, but the ‌M2‌ Pro ‌Mac mini‌ is more powerful than the ‌M1 Max‌ ‌Mac Studio‌. The ‌M1 Ultra‌ ‌Mac Studio‌ remains the most powerful in multi-core tasks. In GPU tasks, the chips scale as one would expect, with progressively better performance through the ‌M2‌, ‌M2‌ Pro, ‌M1 Max‌, and ‌M1 Ultra‌. As such, users who need maximum GPU power should still buy the ‌Mac Studio‌ over the ‌Mac mini‌.

See the approximate Geekbench 5 scores for each ‌Mac mini‌ and ‌Mac Studio‌ below, including the scores for the now-discontinued M1 ‌Mac mini‌ for reference:




Unless you plan on buying the ‌M1 Ultra‌ ‌Mac Studio‌ with a focus on multi-core and GPU performance, the ‌M2‌ Pro ‌Mac mini‌ should be the best all-round choice in terms of performance for most users.

Memory

If you need more than 32GB of memory, the ‌Mac Studio‌ can provide greater quantities up to 128GB. Likewise, the ‌Mac mini‌'s memory bandwidth maxes out at 200GB/s memory bandwidth. The ‌Mac Studio‌, on the other hand, offers up to 400GB/s or 800GB/s memory bandwidth. As such, if you need extreme quantities of memory and a large amount of memory bandwidth for professional tasks, only the ‌Mac Studio‌ can meet these requirements. It is still worth noting that the ‌M2‌ Pro ‌Mac mini‌'s 32GB memory option, along with 200GB/s memory bandwidth, should be more than enough for most users.

Ports and External Display Support

The ‌Mac Studio‌ offers a more versatile selection of ports, with two extra Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports and a SDXC card slot compared to the ‌M2‌ Pro ‌Mac mini‌, which could be an important consideration for users with a lot of peripherals.

The ‌Mac mini‌ has an HDMI 2.1 port, meaning that it will be better for a small number of users who work with 8K and high refresh-rate external displays, but otherwise the ‌Mac Studio‌ offers better external display support.

Final Thoughts

To some extent, purchasing decisions should be driven by budget, but it is worth bearing in mind that any savings on the desktop computer itself can be put toward a good external display such as Apple's Studio Display, which starts from $1,599. For example, an ‌M2‌ Pro ‌Mac mini‌ paired with a Studio Display comes to $2,898, which is just $899 more than a lone base model ‌Mac Studio‌ and $1,101 less than the ‌M1 Ultra‌ ‌Mac Studio‌ with no display.




You should only consider the ‌Mac Studio‌ if you have a professional workflow that can leverage the extreme power of ‌M1 Ultra‌, as well as its additional ports and memory options. If you need the ‌Mac Studio‌, you will likely know that you are looking for a highly powerful machine that is capable of supporting specific intense workflows. Most customers should choose the ‌M2‌ Pro ‌Mac mini‌ over the ‌M1 Max‌ ‌Mac Studio‌, saving $700 when looking at the base models. There will likely still be substantial savings when it comes to custom configurations.
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Old vs. New HomePod Buyer's Guide

Following Apple's reintroduction of the full-size HomePod, how does the new model compare to the divisive original model that the company introduced in 2017 and discontinued in 2021?


The new ‌HomePod‌ is priced at $299. The original model debuted at a $349 price point, before being dropped to $299 in 2019. Following a period of appreciation last year, prices for the original ‌HomePod‌ on sites like eBay are now falling and it may still be possible to pick up a unit at a price well below $299.

First-time ‌HomePod‌ customers, those considering upgrading from the original, or anyone considering adding another ‌HomePod‌ to their setup to create a stereo pair may be wondering whether it is worth buying an original model or the new one, so it is important to weigh up exactly what was added with the reintroduced ‌HomePod‌.

See the detailed breakdown below for each new feature, change, and improvement that was added with the new ‌HomePod‌ compared to the original model:

New HomePod

• Refined design with acoustically transparent mesh fabric


• Larger backlit touch surface that illuminates from edge to edge, matching HomePod mini


• S7 chip from 2021's Apple Watch Series 7


• U1 ultra wideband chip


• Five horn-loaded tweeters


• Four far-field beamforming microphones


• 6.6 inches tall


• Weighs 5.16 pounds


• Removable power cable


• Wi-Fi 4 connectivity (802.11n)


• Thread support


• Temperature and humidity sensor


• Sound Recognition


• Available in White and Midnight

Original HomePod

• Design with acoustically transparent mesh fabric


• Backlit touch surface


• A8 chip from 2013's iPhone 6 and ‌iPhone‌ 6 Plus


• Seven horn-loaded tweeters


• Six far-field beamforming microphones


• 6.8 inches tall


• Weighs 5.5 pounds


• Wi-Fi 5 connectivity (802.11ac)


• Fixed power cable


• Available in White and Space Gray

Final Thoughts

If you already have an original ‌HomePod‌, most users will not gain much by replacing it with a new model. In fact, in some senses, the new ‌HomePod‌ is a step back from the original, with fewer tweeters, microphones, and downgraded support for Wi-Fi 4. The original ‌HomePod‌ still receives software updates with new features and improvements, and the new model is unlikely to sound better owing to its scaled down audio hardware, so you may be better off waiting for your current ‌HomePod‌ to reach the end of its usable life before upgrading to a future HomePod model that has more to offer.

A minority of users who specifically want a better handoff experience with the U1 chip, the temperature and humidity sensor for smart home automations, Thread support, and perhaps even the new Midnight color option and tweaked aesthetic may have justifiable reasons to upgrade – but this certainly won't be the case for most existing ‌HomePod‌ owners.

• Original ‌HomePod‌ user: Don't upgrade to new ‌HomePod‌ unless you want specific new features


• Original ‌HomePod‌ user looking to create stereo pair: Get discounted original model or buy two new models


• Prospective ‌HomePod‌ customer: Buy new ‌HomePod‌, don't buy discounted original model

The new ‌HomePod‌ cannot be stereo-paired with the original model, so if your intention in buying another ‌HomePod‌ is to create one, you will need to track down another original model. If you can afford it, it may be easier to simply replace your original ‌HomePod‌ with a new one and create a whole new stereo pair with two of the reintroduced models.

If you are simply looking to add a ‌HomePod‌ to your smart home and audio setup, it will be much better to get the new model over the original. The new model offers improved performance, a significantly better handoff experience, a more modern design, is unlikely to sound much different from the original model, and should have much better longevity.
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2020 vs. 2023 Mac Mini Buyer's Guide

Following the Mac mini's recent hardware refresh that added the M2 and ‌M2‌ Pro chips, what exactly do the latest machines bring to the table and is it worth upgrading from the previous generation?


The current ‌Mac mini‌ with the ‌M2‌ chip starts at $599 and model with the ‌M2‌ Pro chip starts at $1,299. Upon the launch of the latest models, the M1 and Intel-based Mac minis were discontinued and are no longer available from Apple's main storefront. Units of these slightly older machines are likely to still be available via Apple's refurbished store and third-party retailers for reduced prices in the coming months. Buying an older model second-hand is also an option.

First-time ‌Mac mini‌‌ customers or those upgrading from a much older, Intel-based device may be wondering whether it is worth buying a previous-generation ‌Mac mini‌, so it will be important to weigh up exactly what was added with the latest models. Likewise, existing users of the ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ may be wondering if it is worth upgrading to the latest model or sticking with their current device.

See the detailed breakdown below for each new feature, change, and improvement that was added with each Apple silicon ‌Mac mini‌ compared to its direct predecessor:

2023: M2 and M2 Pro Mac Mini

• ‌M2‌ or ‌M2‌ Pro chip


• Eight-core CPU with four performance cores and four efficiency cores with ‌M2‌ or up to 12-core CPU with eight performance cores and four efficiency cores with ‌M2‌ Pro


• 10-core GPU with ‌M2‌ or up to 19-core GPU with ‌M2‌ Pro


• Media engine with video decode engine, video encode engine, and ProRes encode and decode engine for hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes and ProRes RAW


• 100GB/s memory bandwidth with ‌M2‌ or 200GB/s memory bandwidth with ‌M2‌ Pro


• 8GB, 16GB, or 24GB unified memory with ‌M2‌ or 16GB or 32GB unified memory with ‌M2‌ Pro


• 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB SSD storage with ‌M2‌ or 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB SSD storage with ‌M2‌ Pro


• Wi‑Fi 6E (802.11ax)


• Bluetooth 5.3


• Two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports with ‌M2‌ or four Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports with ‌M2‌ Pro
  
• HDMI 2.1 port


• 3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones


• With ‌M2‌ models, support for one display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz via Thunderbolt and one display with up to 5K resolution at 60Hz via Thunderbolt or 4K resolution at 60Hz via HDMI with ‌M2‌. With ‌M2‌ Pro models, support for two displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz via Thunderbolt and one display with up to 4K resolution at 60Hz via HDMI, one display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz via Thunderbolt and one display with up to 4K resolution at 144Hz via HDMI, or one display with up to 8K resolution at 60Hz or 4K resolution at 240Hz via HDMI.

2020: M1 Mac Mini

• ‌M1‌ chip


• Eight-core CPU with four performance cores and four efficiency cores


• Eight-core GPU


• Media engine with video decode engine and video encode engine for hardware-accelerated H.264 and HEVC


• 66.67GB/s memory bandwidth


• 8GB or 16GB unified memory


• 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB SSD storage with ‌M1‌


• 802.11ax Wi‑Fi 6


• Bluetooth 5.0


• Two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports


• HDMI 2.0 port


• 3.5mm headphone jack


• Support for one display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz via Thunderbolt and one display with up to 5K resolution at 60Hz via Thunderbolt or 4K resolution at 60Hz via HDMI

Final Thoughts

If you can get an ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ for a sufficiently low price compared to the ‌M2‌ model, it may still be worth buying, but given Apple's price drop for the new ‌M2‌ version to just $599, significantly better prices may be difficult to find. In most cases, it will be better to get the ‌M2‌ ‌Mac mini‌ over the ‌M1‌ one, especially if you want a future-proof device to keep for the long term, where slightly better performance, more memory bandwidth, and specifications like Wi‑Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and HDMI 2.1 are likely to be more beneficial through successive software updates and as connectivity needs with other devices evolve. That being said, existing ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ users are unlikely to get much out of upgrading to an ‌M2‌ model.

• New to Apple silicon ‌Mac mini‌ with no need for "Pro" capabilities: Buy ‌M2‌ model over discounted ‌M1‌ model


• New to Apple silicon ‌Mac mini‌ with need for "Pro" capabilities: Buy ‌M2‌ Pro model over discounted ‌M1‌ model


• ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ user with no need for "Pro" capabilities: Don't upgrade to ‌M2‌ or ‌M2‌ Pro models


• ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ user with need for "Pro" capabilities: Upgrade to ‌M2‌ Pro model

‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ users who definitely need a more advanced machine will get a major upgrade with ‌M2‌ Pro configurations of the latest model. The ‌M2‌ Pro ‌Mac mini‌'s added performance and markedly more powerful GPU, doubled memory bandwidth, 32GB memory option, up to 8TB of storage, and two extra Thunderbolt ports make for a sizeable difference. For similar reasons, those considering the ‌M2‌ Pro ‌Mac mini‌ should not buy the ‌M1‌ model, even if it can be found for a much lower price.
This article, "2020 vs. 2023 Mac Mini Buyer's Guide" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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