The New Apple M3 Chip Enables Workflows Previously Unavailable on a Laptop

The next generation of silicon is coming to Apple computers. Announced in an uncharacteristically late-afternoon Apple Event on October 30, the three newest Apple chips (M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max) are packed with the tiniest transistors Apple has ever stuck into its laptop and desktop computers. The newest chips, which use Apple’s groundbreaking 3nm process, are first launching with the new M3 iMac and M3 MacBook Pro, and, boy howdy, Apple is certainly giving other laptop manufacturers a run for their money in the final quarter of 2023.

Designer: Apple

Apple makes a big deal over the fact its base 10-core M3 GPU can render graphics up to 2.5x faster than a comparable M1 GPU, while the base 8-core M3 CPU gets a 50% relative boost in performance to its M1 counterpart. In terms of raw performance alone, those two figures represent a massive upgrade over a chip that released alongside new Apple computers only three years ago. That’s just the tip of the iceberg; thanks to a bevy of new capabilities unlocked by M3’s ultra-compact transistor size, the upper performance limits of the M3 family are higher than ever — meaning, if you’re an AI developer, a game designer, or a visual designer of some sort, your next primary workstation may be a new Mac running on a hyper-powerful M3 Max, armed to the teeth with a 40-core GPU, 16-core CPU, 128 gigs of high-speed RAM, and a 8 TB SSD.

On a basic level, the standard 10-core M3 GPU is an impressive component, fitted with all-new features like hardware-accelerated ray-tracing, mesh shading, and Dynamic Caching to deliver, at a minimum, “65 percent more performance” over M1-based Macs when performing rendering-heavy tasks such as gaming and 3D imaging. It’s facilitated by the M3 chip’s new unified memory architecture (which is supposed to vastly speed up RAM while boosting power efficiency) and support for up to 24 gigs of RAM by default (or up to 36 gigs for the M3 Pro, or up to 128 for the M3 Max), which all make use of the aforementioned new unified architecture. Apple says this “unlocks workflows previously not possible on a laptop, such as AI developers working with even larger transformer models with billions of parameters.”

For the average user, that’s not a huge deal on its own. Sure, games are capable of running smoother and looking prettier as a result of the new hardware, and it sounds like macOS 14 is equipped to make use of the M3 chip design to enable things like Game Mode, which deprioritizes background tasks while a game window is active. But, another big draw of the new M3 architecture is the addition of integrated AV1 decoding. Built-in AV1 support means a new M3-powered iMac or MacBook Pro can smoothly stream 4k60 video from digital streaming services without a noticeable drop in quality if the connection starts to waver.

This also has work applications. For instance, two or more M3-powered Macs communicating with one another via Screen Share should have a buttery-smooth experience, even when both Macs are working on resource-heavy tasks.

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M3 MacBook Pro Boasts 11x Better Performance Than an Actual Intel Desktop

The October 30 Apple Event was exactly as “scary fast” as it was deemed to be, clocking in at no more than 30 minutes in total. That was more than enough time for Apple to show up and hammer out the most important details about its M3-powered next-gen upgrades for the MacBook Pro and the iMac, and admittedly there’s a lot to love. It’s worth noting the 2020-era M1 chip was the sole point of reflection for the company; Apple specifically noted a 60% upgrade in performance between the 14-inch M3 Pro-powered MacBook Pro and the 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro.

MacBook Pros featuring the M2 Pro and M2 Max launched in January, and so it’s probably too soon for an upgrade from those. But Apple’s point is clear: if you own anything earlier than an M1-powered MacBook Pro, or if you own even the most powerful Intel-based Mac on the market, you’re tailing behind the pack.

Designer: Apple

It’s hard to argue against the swath of powerful new features included in the late-2023 MacBook Pro lineup — equipped with the full array of hyper-powerful Apple M3 chips, which use a 3-nanometer process much like the A17 Pro chip included in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. These new M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max-powered MacBook Pros are the current flagship of the macOS fleet, and all models benefit from the vastly increased base performance, which Apple claims is “11x faster than the most powerful Intel-based MacBook Pro”.

If you’re a designer or a creator who needs all the horsepower you can get, the MacBook Pro M3 Max model is probably your best bet thanks to its 16-core CPU and 40-core GPU with Dynamic Caching, a feature that can evidently boost performance by dynamically allocating memory in real time. For even just the base M3 model, however, macOS Sonoma’s new features (like Screen Sharing between M3-powered Macs and Game Mode, which prioritizes framerates in games like Baldur’s Gate 3) make great use of all that computing power.

The new MacBook Pro color scheme, Space Black, is a gorgeous, metallic black chassis that marks a MacBook first since 2006. Apple considers it a “Pro” color, so it’s less likely we’ll see a similarly-colored M3-powered MacBook Air any time soon, and that’s a real shame because it does look quite sleek.

Both the 14-inch and 16-inch M3 MacBook Pro are now available to pre-order from Apple’s online store. The base M3-powered 14-inch MacBook Pro will begin at $1,599 while the M3-powered 16-inch is set to start at $2,499. Of course, you’ll need to shell out a bit more for the M3 Pro and M3 Max versions. Orders will begin shipping out on November 7.

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How this adjustable 360-degree laptop stand for MacBooks helps elevate your productivity

Laptops are extremely convenient in letting us bring the power of computing almost anywhere we go, sometimes even when we don’t have a flat surface to place it on. That portability, however, does come at a cost, taking a toll on our health because of the bad posture they enforce. Screens are well below our natural eye level, and keyboards are not only cramped but also very, very flat. There are laptop stands that try to raise your laptop to match your eye level or ones that tilt the keyboard a bit, but very few can do both. That’s the kind of flexibility that this innovative laptop stand brings to your table, literally and figuratively, and it goes beyond just raising your laptop to offer a new level of productivity and comfort.

Designer: ADAM elements

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Laptop Stand & Hub – The CASA Hub Stand Pro integrates stand, ergonomic adjustment, and USB-C hub functions.

Detachable Design – The lightweight hub works as either an integrated part of the stand or an independent device.

Designed with the MacBook in mind, the CASA Hub Stand Pro is able to raise any laptop up to 29cm in height, providing a more ergonomic position that won’t strain your neck. Of course, you can also set it a bit lower if you don’t have an external keyboard available, or if you want to use its inclined platform as an easel for drawing on a tablet. With a high-precision load-bearing mechanism that can handle weights of up to 3.5kg, this handsome laptop accessory can handle not just MacBook Pros but even heftier gaming laptops as well.

Fits Personal View Angles – With a maximum elevation angle of 180 degrees and a height of up to 11.4″ (29cm).

Suitable for MacBook and iPad – Compatible with the M2/M1 MacBook and iPad series.

Stable & Durable – Virtually no laptop the CASA Hub Stand Pro cannot support.

This Red Dot 2023 award winner carries an atmosphere of elegance and durability with its sleek, all-aluminum design and premium craftsmanship that fits perfectly with the MacBook’s own aesthetic. That design, however, isn’t just for show, because every part has a purpose and function to help increase your working efficiency. The plate, for example, is perforated to help dissipate heat and reduce its weight. The base can also rotate 360 degrees, so it only takes a swivel to get the laptop into a comfortable position or to share your screen with other people present.

4K High-resolution – The hub supports super-crisp 4K@60Hz resolution and HDCP 2.2 encoding for perfect video streaming.

6 Multi-function Ports – For charging, video and data transmission.

The surprises don’t end there, though. The CASA Hub Stand Pro is also home to a detachable USB-C hub that can extend the selection of ports on your laptop, including 4K 60Hz output to an external monitor and 100W pass-through charging to keep the laptop topped up. The hub perfectly fits the base when you’re at your desk, and when you need to go, you can easily remove it and take it with you so that you can have the same conveniences even when away from the laptop stand.

Your MacBook Pro might not be designed for the ultimate comfort, but that doesn’t mean you need to suffer the pain and injury all through your life. With the CASA Hub Stand Pro, you can raise, tilt, and swivel your MacBook or any laptop at any height and angle, letting your body decide your perfect working conditions. Best of all, with a detachable USB-C hub, you can also extend the power of your computer, whether at home or on the go, leveling up your productivity game in comfort, convenience, and style.

Click Here to Buy Now: $99 $129 (23% off with Coupon Code “23OFFYANKO”). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours!

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Corsair’s first-ever laptop embraces a divisive MacBook Pro feature

Gaming laptops are a dime a dozen these days, and many of them have started to look similar on the inside. The computing hot rods are often distinguished simply by their branding, but once in a while, you get a newcomer that tries to do more than just promise insane performance that won’t burn the house down. That’s somewhat the proposition that Corsair is making with the upcoming Voyager a1600 laptop. A veteran in gaming desktops, parts, and accessories, Corsair is leaping into the gaming laptop market that’s a little too crowded already at the moment. Its claim to fame, other than the first for a well-known brand, is a feature targeted at a very niche group of gamers and creators, one that takes a page out of Apple’s less than perfect book on MacBook Pro design.

Designer: Corsair

Despite being famous for its design acumen, it’s hard to deny that Apple made a few missteps in some of its products, including the venerable MacBooks. Its adoption of problematic keyboard switches, for example, led to numerous class action lawsuits before Apple returned to tried and tested designs. It was also heavily criticized for throwing away almost all ports, forcing people to spend more money on USB-C hubs and docks to fill in the need. There is also the case of the ill-fated Touch Bar that replaced the entire row of function keys. These three were all instances where Apple backtracked on its design, but it seems to have also opened the door for others to follow in its footsteps.

The Corsair Voyager a1600 has your typical gaming laptop features, from the top-of-the-line hardware to the RGB lighting that gamers seem to adore. One thing that sets it apart from the competition, however, is a row of capacitive buttons sitting on the edge of the laptop, right where the hinge should be. These programmable buttons are inspired and powered by the Elgato Stream Deck, a popular accessory aimed at live streamers. In a nutshell, both the Stream Deck and its incarnation in this laptop allow owners to assign different shortcuts to those buttons, automating much of the work that’s needed in a smooth live broadcast.

This will undoubtedly call to mind the Touch Bar that Apple just killed, starting with the latest MacBook Pros. This feature split Apple fans into camps, but lukewarm reception and technical problems eventually spelled the end of the Touch Bar. Criticized as it may have been, Apple’s Touch Bar has one huge usability advantage over the Corsair laptop’s version. The Voyager a1600’s shortcut bar only shows buttons numbered S1 to S10, and it will be up to the user to remember which buttons map to which actions. Ironically, the Elgato Stream Deck on which this feature is based actually lets you customize the icons that each button shows, creating a better mnemonic for programmed actions.

The Corsair Voyager a1600 does have one other unique feature that very few laptops have, if any have it at all. It has an integrated receiver for its CORSAIR SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS system, which means you can connect up to three wireless peripherals to the laptop without having to plug in their USB receivers. Not only does this free up the USB ports for other uses, it also makes for a cleaner look. Of course, that only works if you’re using compatible Corsair peripherals, which is probably the point of this particular feature. Maybe other PC makers will wise up and adopt something similar, though it runs the risk of creator vendor lock-in in the long run.

Corsair is making a daring entry into the congested gaming laptop market in more ways than one. While the S-key shortcut bar can be programmed for any use, it is primarily designed for streamers and content creators, just like the Elgato Stream Deck. It’s a rather niche market, even among gamers, so it remains to be seen if it will actually appeal to that crowd or if Corsair will kill off the feature after just one try. It’s definitely a big risk for its first laptop, considering it won’t be inexpensive. The Corsair Voyager a1600 will start at $2,700, though the company hasn’t yet announced when it will be available.

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A new Apple patent suggests that future MacBooks could have “self-opening” and “self-angling” screens

The best way to preserve a MacBook’s hinge is to make sure you never have to touch it…

Titled the “Self-Actuating Hinge Mechanism for Electronic Device”, the new patent filed by Apple at the USPTO discusses how the Cupertino giant is potentially working on a line of notebooks that have motorized lids that open and close on their own. Designed so you never have to fiddle with a laptop lid again, constantly adjusting it to suit your angle needs, this potential new device would simply use the machine’s on-board webcam to track your face and angle the screen appropriately, so the display’s facing you at the right angle, and the webcam’s PoV has your face right in the center of its frame. I can just imagine Craig Federighi recreating his 2020 meme to show this new hands-free feature!

The patent images (showcased below) are quite primitive, but they do a pretty decent job of highlighting exactly what Apple means while solving their main purpose – effectively protecting Apple’s own intellectual property. It’s common practice for companies to patent designs and technologies with the full intention of never releasing them (like the MacBook concept with a dock for an Apple Pencil), just so that they then own the IP on the product and its underlying technology… which means the chances of having an ‘autonomous MacBook lid’ may be close to zero, but it’s fun to see that Apple’s actually tinkering with the technology.

There’s a case to be made that this complicated little feature could potentially make the MacBook more accessible, allowing disabled people to use Apple’s laptops too, or more realistically, promoting hands-free use so you could use your hands to sketch on an iPad or engage in other activities… like driving an Apple Car?? Although the most realistic application of this patent filing, as AppleInsider reports, is to further help Apple develop their Gaze Detection feature that lets cameras locate and fix on a person’s gaze – something that the company showcased with the iPhone 13’s Cinematic Mode, and could potentially even allow MacBooks to support FaceID, allowing them to unlock when the camera notch detects the right face.

As a counter-argument, the idea of a motorized hinge (as absolutely cool as it sounds) just makes the MacBook an incredibly complicated machine. It’s common knowledge in the consumer-tech world that mechanical moving parts on gadgets are always the first to fail, and the idea of putting a motor inside a sleek laptop just creates a major point of failure… just ask the companies who briefly integrated pop-up cameras in their phones just to avoid putting a notch on them.

Designer/Visualizer: Sarang Sheth

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Why the notch on the new Apple MacBook is a TERRIBLE idea from a User Interface perspective…

The upper part of a laptop screen is often reserved for mission-critical digital elements like menus and toolbars, search bars, filenames, internet browser tabs, and other crucial information. Putting a notch there is just counterintuitive and downright senseless.

The notch was supposed to be temporary. It was supposed to eventually be replaced by a hole punch camera, or by a transparent display, but it was never supposed to stick around for so long that it manifested itself onto another range of products. Putting a notch on the iPhone could be classified as innovation back in 2017 (complex facial mapping and recognition on a handheld device… pretty impressive), however, carrying it to the laptop feels lazy. Moreover, the notch on Apple’s M1 Pro MacBooks doesn’t even do FaceID, there’s a TouchID Key on the Keyboard for authentication. It’s there because someone at Apple thought slimmer bezels would look nice, echoing a rare Jony-Ive-level of narrow-minded thinking that gave us the iPhone Bendgate, the odd Magic Mouse charger, and the lightning connector on the backside of the 1st Gen Apple Pencil.

Now Apple’s most obvious solution was to simply turn the upper bar into a black no-go zone while using programs in full-screen, so the notch doesn’t eat into the software’s interface elements. You don’t need viral internet star bastion-of-human-sensibility Khaby Lame to tell you that this basically proves that the notch wasn’t necessary to begin with. Through the duration of the keynote, Apple’s team spent a grand total of 9 seconds highlighting the notch (without ever using the word ‘notch’), and even in those 9 seconds, all that VP of Product Design Kate Bergeron ever mentioned was that the upper bezel was made 60% thinner… a feature that’s only purpose was to make the overall screen on the MacBook Pro bigger. Nothing else.

So what’s inside that notch? Well, just a camera. One single 1080p camera. This means the MacBook Pro has a notch, but doesn’t have the benefits of it, i.e., FaceID or Memojis. One can’t help but feel baffled and slightly short-changed here. From what I can tell, the notch is visible ONLY on your desktop and when you have multiple windows open… but when you maximize a task or program, the top of your display turns into a black bar, making that entire strip of screen useless for 99% of your time using the laptop. Apple does this with its own apps too – Safari, Logic, Facetime – going to show that even its own apps can’t account for the notch.

It’s a shame that the notch is the only glaring problem I have with the laptop. It sits there continuously triggering me like talking to someone who is blissfully unaware that they have spinach stuck in their teeth. If you can look past the notch, the laptops are great. The new M1 Pro and M1 Max chips push the laptop’s performance and efficiency off the charts, giving you a laptop that’s VOLUMES faster than even its older iterations. The new laptops use Liquid Retina XDR displays and come with powerful speakers that fire both upward and downward for stellar audio. The ports finally make a comeback too, and the TouchBar’s gone the way of the dodo, being replaced by a row of function keys. The laptops come with up to 8 mind-numbing terabytes of storage and 64 GB of memory, with the M1 Max chip having 10 CPU cores and 32 GPU cores, making the laptop an absolute beast of a machine while still having a respectable 21 hours of battery life thanks to how efficient the new chips are. If you can look past the notch… the new Apple MacBook Pros have a lot to offer. I for one, am patiently waiting for the notch’s demise.

Watch the 2021 MacBook Pro introduction video below.





This Apple MacBook Pro concept is the closest we have seen to the design expected in September 2021!





As we await the launch of conspicuously distinct MacBook Pros for 2021, which will bring the M1 chip-powered machines in a new chassis, a designer gives us a glimpse of what to expect – and the images are a treat to the eyes.

By the time September arrives, you have the Apple rumors flying all over the place – it’s crazy the amount of time we dedicate to scouring every little detail Apple may have inadvertently leaked. The September 2021 event plans to unleash the full power of the M1 chip by applying it to their heavy-duty range – the 16″ version (the one I have been waiting on for a year now!). Rumors are already out with plans of a new, sleek body, slimmer bezels, the return of the MagSafe charging pin, and the exit of the glitzy touch bar. The render by designer Marc W Avellanet comes the closest to this MacBook Pro we are sure to see in a month!

This year, the new Apple MacBook Pro is expected to feature the biggest design overhaul since the 2016 design. The notebook will feature a flat-edged design, doing away with the curved edges for a more iPhone 12-like form factor. The designer here sways from the thought and envisions the design identical to how we have come to recognize the MacBook Pro in recent years, and it looks splendid nonetheless.

The most notable difference this year is expected to be in the display. The MacBook will have brighter panels, supposedly with mini-LEDs, the first for the MacBook. Mini-LED display means there will be a significant improvement in the screen’s picture quality, contrast, and brightness. Marc’s vision suggests thinner bezels – whereas, I, for one, want Apple to shed the thick bezels to give us more screen real estate and also step up the MacBook Pros case in 2021.

More distinguishing in these design renders are the additional ports on the sides of the machine. This adaptation is in line with the rumors suggesting that Apple could roll out the MacBook Pro with at least an SD card reader and a MagSafe connector with the existing USB-C, Thunderbolt, and the 3.5mm headphone jack. While MagSafe charging will facilitate faster-charging speeds, the card reader will allow people to easily transfer photos/videos captured with drones and cameras to the MacBook.

So far, these renders are on point with the rumors we have been following about the 2021 MacBook Pro models. If you look closely, the designer’s interpretation of the keyboard without the Touch Bar – believed to be left out in the 2021 MacBook Pros – is another fine example of his vision, a true adaptation of how we want the MacBook Pro to be in 2021!

Designer: Marc W Avellanet

This tiny cubic USB-C hub doubles as a laptop stand, effectively cooling and charging your MacBook Pro!

When we’re on a roll at work or on our own creative projects, we depend on our laptops to bring us to the finish line, or at least to lunch. That means the WiFi connection has to be consistent, the battery better last, and we gotta have the best seat in the coffee shop (next to the outlets). Jimlo Z Studio recently debuted their pocket-sized, eight-in-one USB-C Hub and MacBook Stand, HUB–OX, that gives us the power boost we need to meet our deadlines before lunch.

Designed to be portable and compact, HUB–OX initially comes as a lightweight, palm-sized USB-C hub, which splits into two halves, both equipped with plenty of charging slots, HDMI connections, and ethernet ports. HUB–OX is compatible with MacBook Pro models that have four USB-C ports, generally any MacBook Pro from 2016 or any of its succeeding generations. When HUB–OX is split in two, users can plug the USB-C chargers into all four of their MacBook Pro’s ports, lifting their laptops to an angle of 7.7° to keep them charged and at eye level for the rest of the day. Working at our laptops for long periods of time often makes us want to crane our necks and spines to meet our screens. The small hoist HUB–OX gives our MacBook Pros is just enough to keep our necks straight and spines against our chairs. In addition to helping our posture while working, the built-in laptop stand allows for better heat dissipation from our laptops’ heat sinks, keeping our laptops cool and their fans low.

Equipped with 100W of power and an HDMI port that can project 4K pictures at 30Hz, HUB–OX makes an ideal computer accessory for business projects and extended work periods. Then, when you feel like working at that cafe without any WiFi, HUB–OX has an RJ45 ethernet port with internet speeds ranging from 10 to 1,000Mbps. As soon as the workday is done and all that’s left to do is finish your cup of coffee, HUB–OX clicks back into its initial box form with magnetic snapping, so you can hit your lunch break.

Designer: Jimlo Z Studio

HUB—OX comes as a palm-sized laptop hub, equipped with USB-C, HDMI, and ethernet ports.

HUB—OX can also split into two halves that plug into MacBook Pro’s USB-C ports, giving your laptop a good boost.

The USB-C chargers built into HUB—OX plug into the MacBook Pro’s ports, providing a laptop stand as well as 100W worth of charge.

When used as a laptop stand, HUB—OX provides better heat dissipation for your laptop’s heat sink.

Multiple devices can be connected to HUB—OX at once.

Early sketches of HUB—OX.

Prototyping and multiple ideations led to HUB—OX’s final form.

HUB—OX was designed to fit in the palm of your hand to be as portable and compact as possible.

HUB—OX’s built-in HDMI port projects 4K pictures at 30Hz.