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The latest and most important Laptops news.

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Honor reveals the first laptop with 24GB RAM, also packs Intel Core Ultra 'Meteor Lake' CPU

Anthony Garreffa | Mar 18, 2024 10:08 PM CDT

It looks like Honor is the first to market with a new laptop featuring 24GB of DDR5 memory, with its new MagicBook Pro 16 AI laptop teased on Geekbench. Check it out:

Honor reveals the first laptop with 24GB RAM, also packs Intel Core Ultra 'Meteor Lake' CPU

The new Honor MagicBook Pro 16 AI laptop features 24GB of LPDDR5X memory, versus the usual SO-DIMM memory modules. Inside, there are 8 individual memory chips, each packing 3GB for a total of 24GB of LPDDR5X-6400 memory. This is great to see, as 24GB of RAM is a fantastic step up from 16GB, and while it's not quite 32GB, it's once again, not 16GB. Great stuff.

We should see 12GB SO-DIMM memory modules in the near future, which will allow for up to 48GB of DDR5 memory as long as the laptop of choice has four DIMM slots, of course.

Continue reading: Honor reveals the first laptop with 24GB RAM, also packs Intel Core Ultra 'Meteor Lake' CPU (full post)

The M1 MacBook Air lives on for $699 at Walmart of all places

Oliver Haslam | Mar 16, 2024 10:00 AM CDT

When Apple announced the new M3 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air laptops the company took the decision to keep the M2 13-inch model around as the new entry-level option, priced at $999. That meant that there was no space in the lineup for the older M1 MacBook Air with Apple choosing to discontinue it entirely. However, those who still want to pick up the older 2020 model still can, and it's at an incredible price from an unlikely source.

The M1 MacBook Air lives on for $699 at Walmart of all places

That source is Walmart, making this the first time that the MacBook Air has been available from the company as a first-party sale. There were third-party sellers offering the laptop via the Walmart website but this is a first for Walmart proper. But that isn't even the most interesting part here - that distinction goes to the price that buyers will pay. At just $699, the M1 13-inch MacBook Air is a bargain and one that might be enough to get more than a few people to switch.

Switching from Windows to macOS is of course easier to do when you can get your hands on a bargain laptop at this kind of price and that could be a real benefit to Apple here. But this special price could also prove to be just low enough to get any Intel stalwarts to upgrade from their older model to a new Apple silicon Mac for the first time.

Continue reading: The M1 MacBook Air lives on for $699 at Walmart of all places (full post)

iFixit's M3 MacBook Air teardown confirms how Apple made its SSD so much faster

Oliver Haslam | Mar 14, 2024 8:30 AM CDT

When Apple released the new M3-powered 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro laptops earlier this month it shared plenty of details about the new machines. We know that on the outside at least, not much had changed while the M3 chip was of course the big improvement on the inside. However, as people quickly began to notice when they started to receive their new laptops, there's also a big SSD speed boost to be enjoyed - specifically when you buy the entry-level 256GB version.

iFixit's M3 MacBook Air teardown confirms how Apple made its SSD so much faster

People who have been using the new M3 MacBook Air have noticed that the 256GB model is significantly faster when moving files around than the older M2 model with the same configuration. When Apple launched the 256GB M2 MacBook Air it was noted that its SSD file transfer speeds were hampered by the use of a single NAND chip whereas those with more storage had two chips, allowing for faster read and write speeds. Now, it seems Apple has gone a different route with the M3 version.

As confirmed by the iFixit video above, Apple has chosen to use two 128GB NAND chips rather than a single 256GB one for the M3 MacBook Air, allowing for read speeds of up to 82% faster and write speeds of up to 22% faster than the M2 version with the same amount of storage.

Continue reading: iFixit's M3 MacBook Air teardown confirms how Apple made its SSD so much faster (full post)

An upgraded MacBook Pro with unconfirmed M4 chip is reportedly already being tested

Oliver Haslam | Mar 12, 2024 5:45 AM CDT

Apple's latest M3-powered MacBook Pro laptops are available in both 14- and 16-inch configurations and are undoubtedly the best MacBook Pros that the company has ever made. But there's no rest for Apple's engineers and plans were always going to eventually turn to what comes next in the never-ending need for more power. Now, a new report suggests that Apple is hard at work on getting its next MacBook Pro ready for its debut - although it isn't yet clear when we should expect that to happen.

An upgraded MacBook Pro with unconfirmed M4 chip is reportedly already being tested

Writing as part of a Q&A session, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple has started formal development of an M4 MacBook Pro machine, saying that he currently uses a 16-inch M1 Max MacBook Pro and will look to upgrade to the M4 once it is available. Information on what the M4 will have to offer is hard to come by right now, but it's possible that a chassis design change is in the cards given the lack of any tweaks in the last couple of generations.

Apple updated the MacBook Air to add M3 chips very recently but it could be some time before we see the M4 devices make their appearance. The current M3 MacBook Pro models start at $1,599 for the 14-inch laptop with an 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD but there are upgrades available. Additional RAM and more storage are all offered, while the top-of-the-range 14-inch model comes with an M3 Max with a 14-core CPU, 30-core GPU, 36GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD. The RAM and storage can also be upgraded here, but the starting price for that configuration is an eye-watering $3,199.

Continue reading: An upgraded MacBook Pro with unconfirmed M4 chip is reportedly already being tested (full post)

A custom chip based on four M2 Ultras was set for the Apple Car, could it switch to the Mac?

Oliver Haslam | Mar 12, 2024 5:30 AM CDT

The Apple Car project first began as Project Titan way back in 2014 and it's struggled ever since. Apple finally took the decision to cancel the project recently in a move that meant finding a home for its 2,000-strong team. Now, more details about the ill-fated project have started to leak and it seems that Apple's much-vaunted silicon team was heavily involved.

A custom chip based on four M2 Ultras was set for the Apple Car, could it switch to the Mac?

Writing as part of a Q&A session Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has confirmed that Apple was working on bringing some serious processing power to an electric vehicle that was expected to offer self-driving capabilities among other things. The chip that would power the whole thing, Gurman says, was equal to about four M2 Ultras combined, and its development was almost finished when the project was canceled.

Gurman says that Apple's most important focus in terms of the Apple Car was on its AI brain which might explain why it was keen to use a chip that would theoretically be fourth times as powerful as anything that it has shipped in a Mac. The M2 Ultra currently powers the Mac Studio and Mac Pro, while an M3 Ultra is surely going to be unveiled later this year. The M2 Ultra is a highly capable chip and the idea of four of them bonded together could potentially make for interesting implementations in the future. Could such a chip one day find its way into a high-end Mac?

Continue reading: A custom chip based on four M2 Ultras was set for the Apple Car, could it switch to the Mac? (full post)

Apple's base model M3 MacBook Air is now way faster thanks to an SSD upgrade

Oliver Haslam | Mar 11, 2024 6:00 AM CDT

Apple's new M3 MacBook Air went on sale last week and it's quickly proven to be a fast, quiet, and capable machine. And as people are starting to spend more time with the new laptop in its 13- and 15-inch guises we're starting to learn more and more about it. And one of those things will be music to the ears of those who plan on buying the entry-level 256GB configuration.

Apple's base model M3 MacBook Air is now way faster thanks to an SSD upgrade

That's because while previous versions of the 256GB model of MacBook Air have offered slower SSD performance than those with more space, things seem to have been changed up this time out.

The issue that was experienced with previous MacBook Airs surrounded a slower SSD performance due to Apple's decision to ship those machines with a single 256GB NAND chip. That meant that the storage was limited to how quickly that chip could process data in an attempt to read and write files. Those who chose the 512GB storage option or higher received a different configuration. Those buying 512GB for two 256GB NAND chips while those buying 1TB got two 512GB chips, and so on. Now, Apple's M3 MacBook Air has changed things for those buying the 256GB SSD - it comes with two 128GB NAND chips.

Continue reading: Apple's base model M3 MacBook Air is now way faster thanks to an SSD upgrade (full post)

Apple is working on its biggest MacBook yet and it's unquestionably unique

Jak Connor | Mar 9, 2024 12:17 AM CST

Rumors have been circulating about Apple releasing a foldable product for many years now, but in Apple fashion they have been officially airtight on the foldable situation, seemingly until a few hurdles of the new technology are overcome.

Apple is working on its biggest MacBook yet and it's unquestionably unique

It was only late last month that reports surfaced that Apple has halted development on its rumored foldable iPhones, following reports that stated Apple was working on two iPhone prototypes that featured a similar design to Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip. These rumored iPhones were rumored to come with a severe thickness reduction, but engineers working on the projects were struggling to implement batteries as well as completely remove the dreaded crease that plagues all foldable devices currently on the market today.

Now, reports indicate that Apple hasn't completely given up on its foldable future as a new X post from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reveals a new "20.3-inch MacBook" is Apple's "only foldable product with a clear development schedule." Notably, this wasn't the only rumor to come out about a foldable laptop, as display expert Ross Young said on February 1, 2023, that he's heard about a 20.5-inch foldable notebook scheduled for 2025.

Continue reading: Apple is working on its biggest MacBook yet and it's unquestionably unique (full post)

The M3 MacBook Air is now on sale and you can pick yours up at a local Apple Store

Oliver Haslam | Mar 8, 2024 12:29 PM CST

After months of rumors and a launch earlier this week, Apple has today made the M3 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air laptops available to buy which means that those who placed an order earlier in the week will have started to receive their notebooks today today. It also means that those who prefer to pick their new laptop up in-store can do just that.

The M3 MacBook Air is now on sale and you can pick yours up at a local Apple Store

Both 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air laptops are available to buy at a local Apple Store today with stocks also offered in various colors as well. The base configurations are also available but those who want to upgrade to a more powerful device will have to choose a built-to-order model which won't be available for immediate in-store collection.

In its base configuration, the M3 MacBook Air comes with an M3 chip with an 8-core CPU and an 8-core GPU paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. You'll get two Thunderbolt / USB-4 ports which can be used for charging. Alternatively, the laptops also ship with a MagSafe 3 charging port as well. The 13-inch model comes with a 30W USB-C power adapter while those who choose the larger 15-inch model will get a slightly more capable 35W charger instead.

Continue reading: The M3 MacBook Air is now on sale and you can pick yours up at a local Apple Store (full post)

Apple just kinda admitted Macs should have at least 16GB of RAM but still sells them with 8GB

Oliver Haslam | Mar 6, 2024 11:43 AM CST

Apple might have just announced the new M3 MacBook Air with a starting configuration of 8GB of RAM and the 14-inch MacBook Pro might start with the exact same amount of memory, but the company has today come closer than ever to admitting that perhaps those machines should come with more - especially the MacBook Pro. And while the company hasn't come close to actually saying that, its actions have suggested that it is well aware of the situation.

Apple just kinda admitted Macs should have at least 16GB of RAM but still sells them with 8GB

That's after Apple decided to begin offering the 14-inch MacBook Pro with 16GB of RAM as an in-store pickup option for those who want to buy the pro-level laptop with a pro-level amount of memory. Normally, those who wanted to buy a MacBook Pro with 16GB of RAM would have had to place their order as a built-to-order model and wait for it to arrive.

The move now means that the 16GB 14-inch MacBook Pro is being offered as a standard option on Apple's website with a price of $1,999. That means that the same configuration will also be stocked in physical Apple Stores for the first time.

Continue reading: Apple just kinda admitted Macs should have at least 16GB of RAM but still sells them with 8GB (full post)

Early super-fast M3 MacBook Air benchmarks offer little in the way of surprises

Oliver Haslam | Mar 6, 2024 11:15 AM CST

Apple finally announced the M3 MacBook Air in both 13- and 15-inch configurations earlier this week and the new tablets are now available for preorder. They'll begin arriving on the doorsteps of people who placed their orders early starting on Friday, March 8, and they should also become available in Apple Stores around the globe on the same day. But we don't have to wait that long to find out just how capable these machines are, with early benchmarks having already started to appear online.

Early super-fast M3 MacBook Air benchmarks offer little in the way of surprises

As spotted by the folks at MySmartPrice, Apple's M3-powered MacBook Air has already popped up in the online Geekbench database of results which means that we can get a feel for how fast the new laptops are. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, these machines are just as quick as other M3 Macs that are already on sale.

The MacBook Air currently available in the Geekbench database is an M3 model with 16GB of RAM which manages a single-core score of 3,157 and a multi-core score of 12,020. The machine has the model identifier of Mac15,3 which suggests that it is a 15-inch model.

Continue reading: Early super-fast M3 MacBook Air benchmarks offer little in the way of surprises (full post)