Tag Archives: author_name|Jeff Dunn

How to pre-order the new Apple MacBook Pro M3 and iMac M3

Posted on by

Apple's "Scary Fast" event is in the books, and a new set of Macs have arrived in its wake. The company unveiled three new computers on Monday, including refreshed versions of the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro and an updated 24-inch iMac. Each device is mostly a spec bump, but all of them run on one of Apple's new 3nm M3 chips, which the company claims will deliver "dramatically increased" CPU and (especially) GPU performance compared to past Apple silicon. We'll have to put the new hardware through its paces to verify just how true that is, but if you're already sold on Apple's latest, here's where you can pre-order the M3 MacBook Pros and iMac.  

Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch)

As noted above, the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros' biggest upgrades come on the inside. Apple is introducing three new M3 chips alongside the notebooks: the standard M3, the M3 Pro and the M3 Max. The 14-inch Pro will be available with all three, with prices starting at $1,599 for the base M3 configuration and rising all the way up to $6,899 for a fully specced-out M3 Max model. The notebook is available to order now at Apple's online store. The company says the M3 and M3 Pro models will begin shipping on November 7, while the M3 Max models will start later in November. Other retailers such as Amazon, B&H Photo and Best Buy have the notebooks up for pre-order as well.

Here's an overview of the configurations available for the new notebook at Apple's store:

  • $1,599: M3 chip with 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 8GB unified memory (configurable up to 24GB), 512GB SSD (configurable up to 2TB), 2x Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports, 70W USB-C power adapter

  • $1,999: M3 Pro chip with 11-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 18GB unified memory (configurable up to 36GB), 512GB SSD (configurable up to 4TB), 3x Thunderbolt 4 ports, 70W USB-C power adapter

  • $2,199: M3 Pro chip with 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU, 18GB unified memory (configurable up to 36GB), 512GB SSD (configurable up to 4TB), 3x Thunderbolt 4 ports, 96W USB-C power adapter

  • $3,199: M3 Max chip with 14-core CPU, 30-core GPU, 36GB unified memory (configurable up to 96GB), 1TB SSD (configurable up to 8TB), 3x Thunderbolt 4 ports, 96W USB-C power adapter

  • $3,699: M3 Max chip with 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, 48GB unified memory (configurable up to 128GB), 1TB SSD (configurable up to 8TB), 3x Thunderbolt 4 ports, 96W USB-C power adapter

The new 14-inch Pro technically starts at a lower price than its predecessor, though that model started with an M2 Pro chip instead of the base M2. Instead, the M3 config replaces the 13-inch MacBook Pro, which we've long considered an awkward middle child in the Mac lineup. To that point, Apple claims the M3-powered Pro is up to 60 percent faster than the 13-inch M1 model in terms of render performance in Final Cut Pro, with larger gains compared to older Intel-based models. (More broadly, Apple is heavily pushing all of its new devices as worthy upgrades for those hanging onto Intel-powered Macs ahead of the holidays.)

Higher-end configs powered by the M3 Pro and M3 Max chips promise similar performance leaps. For example, Apple says a M3 Pro model is up to 40 percent faster than an equivalent M1 Pro config when it comes to filter and function performance in Photoshop. M3 Max systems, meanwhile, now support up to 128GB of unified memory, which Apple says can help it deliver more than twice the speeds of an M1 Max model with certain pro-level software like Maxon Redshift. In general, Apple is positioning M3 systems toward the likes of students and aspiring editors, M3 Pro systems toward coders and creative types and M3 Max systems toward 3D artists, video editors and those with more extreme workflows.

Almost everything else about the notebook is virtually identical to before, with the main differences being a new "space black" color option for the M3 Pro and M3 Max models — which Apple says is particularly resistant to fingerprints — and a higher peak brightness of 600 nits with SDR content (up from 500 nits on the last model). Other than that, you're still looking at a Liquid Retina XDR display, a six-speaker sound system, a 1080p FaceTime camera and a similar port selection. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as we liked the previous MacBook Pro's design, but it means owners of that 10-month-old device shouldn't feel any pressing need to upgrade.

Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch)

Just about all of the details above apply to the new 16-inch MacBook Pro as well, only this notebook won't be available with the base M3 chip. Instead, it'll start at $2,499 for a config with an M3 Pro chip and go up to $7,199 for a fully decked-out M3 Max model. That's the same starting price as the previous generation. Alongside its larger display, the 16-inch Pro is still rated for up to 22 hours of battery life. That matches the 14-inch M3 Pro's rating but comes in a few hours higher than the 18-hour estimate of the 14-inch M3 Pro and M3 Max models.

Again, the 16-inch Pro is available to order today directly from Apple or third-party retailers like Amazon, B&H Photo and Best Buy. M3 Pro models will start shipping next week, while M3 Max shipments will commence later in November. Below is an overview of the configurations on sale at Apple's online store. Note that, unlike the 14-inch model, each 16-inch Pro option includes three Thunderbolt 4 ports and a 140W power adapter.

  • $2,499: M3 Pro chip with 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU, 18GB unified memory (configurable up to 36GB), 512GB SSD (configurable up to 4TB)

  • $3,499: M3 Max chip with 14-core CPU, 30-core GPU, 36GB unified memory (configurable up to 96GB), 1TB SSD (configurable up to 8TB)

  • $3,999: M3 Max chip with 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, 48GB unified memory (configurable up to 128GB), 1TB SSD (configurable up to 8TB)

Apple iMac (24-inch)

As with previous iterations, the new 24-inch iMac is aimed at a more casual audience than the MacBook Pro. The all-in-one PC is only available with the base M3 chip, but Apple says that can make it up to twice as fast as the last-gen model, which arrived in 2021 and runs on an M1 chip. The M3 supports up to 24GB of memory as well, up from the previous max of 16GB. 

The rest of the hardware is largely unchanged. There's still a 4.5K Retina display that can reach up to 500 nits of brightness; up to four USB-C ports, including two Thunderbolt ports; a 1080p front camera and a similar range of color options (green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue and silver). Wireless support has jumped to Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, though.

The 24-inch iMac starts at $1,299 for a config with an eight-core CPU, eight-core GPU, two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports and Apple's Magic Keyboard. It's still saddled with a paltry 8GB of memory and 256GB SSD by default, though you can upgrade those up to 24GB and 1TB, respectively.

Starting at $1,499, you can get a model with a 10-core GPU, two extra non-Thunderbolt USB-C ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a Magic Keyboard with a Touch ID reader and the full range of color options. That one is configurable with up to 2TB of SSD storage as well. 

Like the new MacBook Pro, the updated iMac is available to order now at Apple's online store and will begin shipping on November 7. It's also available at Amazon, B&H Photo and Best Buy.

Follow all of the news from Apple’s "Scary Fast" October event right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-pre-order-the-new-apple-macbook-pros-and-imac-with-m3-013325603.html?src=rss

Google’s Pixel Tablet is on sale for a new low of $399

Posted on by

Google's Pixel Tablet is one of the more compelling options for those in the market for an Android tablet, as it's designed to double as a smart display when you aren't holding it. If you've been thinking of picking one up, now looks like a good time to do so: The 11-inch slate is on sale for $399 at multiple retailers, including Amazon, Target, Best Buy and Google's own online store. While there's always a chance we see a better offer on Black Friday, this $100 discount marks a new all-time low. It's also $10 less than the previous low we saw during Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days sale earlier this month. This price applies to the base models with 128GB of storage; if you need more space, the 256GB versions are also $100 off at $499. Google says the offer will run through November 5.

We gave the Pixel Tablet a score of 85 in our review this past June, and we highlight it in our guide to the best tablets. While we don't think it's better purely as a tablet than our top Android pick, the vibrant Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, it's a good ways cheaper, and it's still more than competent for streaming video, playing games and doing most of the other casual things people do with a tablet. Its 2,560 x 1,600 LCD is crisp and punchy, its Tensor G2 chip is fast enough, its 5,000mAh battery should last a full day and the hardware doesn't feel cheap. This is still an Android tablet, so some apps aren't as optimized for this large display as they are on an iPad, but Google at least promises to supply the device with OS and security updates through June 2026 and June 2028, respectively.

That smart display functionality is the Pixel Tablet's big selling point, though. Included with the device is a dock that both charges the device and provides a dedicated speaker — plop the Pixel Tablet on, and the slate becomes something like a detachable Nest Hub Max. You can use it to control and monitor smart home devices, access the Google Assistant, cast video from your phone, display photos, stream music and so on. 

There are still issues: There's no headphone jack, the display is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and we had a few software quirks with the tablet's "Hub Mode" during the review process. Generally speaking, though, the Pixel Tablet is a clever melding of two useful devices. A few other Google devices are also on sale this week, including the unlocked Pixel 7a for $374, the Pixel Buds Pro for $119 and the indoor Nest Cam for $70, among others.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-pixel-tablet-is-on-sale-for-a-new-low-of-399-161521267.html?src=rss

iRobot’s Roomba Combo vacuum-and-mops are up to $300 off right now

Posted on by

The iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ is the top 2-in-1 pick in our guide to the best robot vacuums, as it adds a retractable mop for cleaning hard floors onto a powerful robovac for carpets and other surfaces. It's expensive at its usual list price of $1,000, but right now you can get it for $699 at Wellbots. Just use the code ENGROOMBA300 at checkout. While that's still far from cheap, it does mark the largest discount we've tracked.

The Roomba Combo j7+ is undoubtedly a luxury purchase, but we found its vacuuming and mopping capabilities to mostly work as advertised. As a robot vacuum, it offers strong suction power, accurate home mapping and intelligent obstacle avoidance, including a strong knack for avoiding pet waste. In its "vacuum and mop" mode, it's smart enough to know when it's rolling over hard floors instead of carpet, then only mop the former. The battery generally lasts between 90 to 180 minutes depending on how often you mop, and the whole thing works with Alexa and the Google Assistant. This model also comes with a (noisy) self-emptying base station, which the vacuum automatically retreats to when it's done cleaning.

It's not perfect: You'll have to refill the water tank fairly often, there's no mop-only mode and the mopping functionality isn't as efficient as just using a Swiffer. iRobot's Home app remains easy to use, but all robovacs require the occasional maintenance and intervention. Still, a device like this makes cleaning more hands-off than it'd be otherwise, so the Combo j7+ could be worth it if your home has a mix of carpet, hardwood, laminate and other surfaces. For more details, check out Engadget Senior Editor Daniel Cooper's write-up of his experience with the device. Just note that, like many robot vacuums with obstacle avoidance, the j7+ comes with a built-in camera. That may raise privacy concerns for some, particularly with Amazon in the process of acquiring iRobot.

A couple of less expensive Roomba 2-in-1s are also on sale. The Roomba Combo j5+ is down to $499 with the same ENGROOMBA300 code, while the standard Roomba Combo j5 is available for $349 with the code ENGROOMBA250. Those are $300 and $250 discounts, respectively, and both represent all-time lows. The Combo j5+ is a newer midrange alternative to the Combo j7+: It has most of the same features, but it lacks the j7+'s retractable mop arm and ability to automatically avoid carpets while mopping. Instead, you have to swap in a vacuum-only bin (or just move your rugs) when you want to clean a carpeted room. You also have to empty its vacuum/mop combo bin manually. The standard j5 is essentially the same device but doesn't come with a self-emptying base station.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/irobots-roomba-combo-vacuum-and-mops-are-up-to-300-off-right-now-130031081.html?src=rss