Macworld April 2024

Apple introduced the 14-inch MacBook Pro with a base M3 chip as a replacement for the 13-inch MacBook Pro that served as the company’s most affordable pro laptop. Generally, the M3 MacBook Pro succeeds in that role, offering a combination of features that improve upon its predecessor. However, for a “pro” laptop, a question of performance value arises. Is it really up to the professional-level tasks that are associated with pro usage? SPECIFICATIONS The laptop in this review is the base model 14-inch MacBook Pro with a base M3 System on a Chip (SoC). CPU: M3 with an 8-core CPU (4 performance cores, 4 efficiency cores), 16-core Neural Engine GPU: 10-core GPU Memory: 8GB unified memory (100GBps memory bandwidth) Storage: 512GB SSD Display: 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display; 3024×1964 native resolution…

We here at Macworld used to complain that the MacBook lineup was too complicated, but Apple has now simplified it so it makes more sense. But what if Apple had gone even further—what if there was only one laptop line, the MacBook Pro, and nothing else? That’s what former Apple design guru Jony Ive wanted to do, according to journalist Walt Mossberg. In a recent episode of The Vergecast podcast, Mossberg talks about one of the ideas that Ive had while working with Tim Cook at Apple. (It’s at the 26:30 mark of the show.) Ive wanted to whittle down the MacBook lineup to one model, the MacBook Pro. “He decided there didn’t need to be an Air and a Pro,” said Mossberg. “He decided he could do the Pro…

Sitting on a shelf in my garage is a 2012 13-inch MacBook Pro. I keep it around because it has an optical drive—it was the last Apple laptop with the feature. Since I’m the go-to tech support guy in the family, I’ve used that laptop more than I expected to get data from old vintage discs. (For you young’uns, an optical drive is used to read data from things called CDs, DVDs, and in some instances—but not this one—Blu-ray discs.) However, that 2012 MacBook Pro is now dead to Apple. As spotted by Ars Technica, the company officially put it on its obsolete list, which means that “all hardware service” has ceased and that “service providers cannot order parts for obsolete products,” according to Apple’s support document about vintage and…

Do you have an older Mac you want to sell? There are various ways to do it with the minimum amount of hassle. But there’s more to selling your Mac or MacBook than picking how you will sell it. This guide covers everything you need to do, from evaluating the market and choosing the right price to making sure you aren’t ripped off, and being prepared for hagglers. First things first—probably the most pressing question you have is, how much is your Mac worth? We’ll address that first. Then we will look at all the ways to sell your Mac: from selling it on eBay or other marketplaces, to trading it in at Apple, or selling it to a service that specializes in selling refurbished Macs. We also discuss the…

One of our favorite third-party displays is Alogic’s Clarity, a great-looking premium 27-inch 4K monitor that can pivot from landscape to portrait orientations and boasts an excellent versatile stand and a back-mounted USB hub. Last year, Alogic announced Pro and Touchscreen Clarity models, with retractable webcam, and in 2024 there are three new versions, including the world’s first 32-inch glossy display touchscreen for Mac. Where the 27-inch Clarity Pro added an all-important webcam to the display, and the Clarity Pro Touch added a touchscreen display, the new 32-inch Clarity Max displays stretch wider. We particularly appreciate the Touch model, where you can tap, swipe, slide and pinch onscreen over a space three times larger than an iPad. DESIGN The main difference between the 27-inch and 32-inch Clarity displays is the…

It’s not uncommon nowadays to have thousands of dollars’ worth of gear that you carry around with you when you’re on the go. So it follows that you should use a carryall or holdall that securely protects your stuff. The Pacsafe X Anti-Theft 16-inch Commuter Backpack has several mechanisms to prevent theft when you’re out and about. The Pacsafe X has a few features to protect it from being quickly slashed open with a blade. The straps have wires built in, the body of the backpack has a steel mesh lining, and the zippers are made to resist punctures. In addition to the slash protection, the Pacsafe X has other safety features. The zippers in the two main compartments are protected with a lock-like system, and in the secondary compartment with…