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These days, new phones come with brighter screens, more RAM, and increased durability, but there was also a time when an important aspect of considering a new phone involved checking its selection of ports. Quite a few ports came and went before Android phones settled on the one USB port to rule them all.

PREORDER NOW: Today is your last chance to preorder Pokémon Pokopia for the Nintendo Switch 2 before its March 5 release, and you can get a free canvas tote at Best Buy or an in-game gift at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Pokémon Pokémon Pokopia $69.99 at Best Buy
  Pre-order Here Opens in a new window Credit: Pokémon Pokémon Pokopia $69.99 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here

The highly anticipated Pokémon Pokopia officially launches tomorrow for the Nintendo Switch 2, which means today is your last chance to score a preorder bonus. Whether you want a physical freebie or an exclusive in-game perk, you have two options for grabbing the game before release day.

SEE ALSO: 'Pokémon Pokopia' is 'Minecraft' for Pokémon, and fans will lose hundreds of hours to it

As of March 4, you can preorder Pokémon Pokopia for $69.99 at both Best Buy and Amazon. Here are the deets:

• Best Buy ($69.99): Preordering here gets you a free canvas tote bag to carry around your real-world items. This is only valid while in-stock supplies last and excludes prior purchases.

• Amazon ($69.99): Preordering here scores you an exclusive in-game gift. More importantly, it qualifies for Amazon's Pre-order Price Guarantee — if the price drops before the end of release day, you automatically pay the lowest amount. (Just keep in mind this promotion expires tonight at 11:59 p.m. PT, and the game must be listed as "sold by Amazon.com").

As for the game itself, our own Tech Reporter Alex Perry recently went hands-on and called it the "best Pokémon spin-off I've ever played." Perry describes Pokopia as a mashup of Minecraft, Animal Crossing, and Stardew Valley. You play as a human-like Ditto tasked with rebuilding ruined settlements using the abilities of the Pokémon you befriend. The amount of mechanical depth is genuinely impressive — you can dig out creeks, power an entire town with utility poles, or just focus on becoming roommates with a Scyther (something Perry says he did at the "earliest opportunity, because Scyther is cool as hell.")

SAVE $600: As of March 4, Amazon has the Bluetti Elite 400 portable power station on sale for $1,298.98. That's 32% off its list price of $1,899 and its lowest price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bluetti Bluetti Elite 400 portable power station $1,298.98 at Amazon
$1,899 Save $600.02   Get Deal

Between off-grid adventures and unexpected power outages, portable power stations have become must-have gadgets. But they're definitely not cheap. So any chance you have to sweeten the deal, we recommend jumping on. For instance, Amazon has one of Bluetti's most premium power stations on sale for $600 off right now — its best price on record.

As of March 4, you can invest in the Bluetti Elite 400 portable power station for $1,298.98 at Amazon instead of dropping the usual $1,899. That's 32% in savings and the cheapest this particular model has ever been, according to our favorite price-tracking tool.

While the Elite 400 is technically considered "portable," thanks to its telescopic handle and wheels, it weighs over 80 pounds. So it's more like toting around a hefty suitcase. But there's a reason for that bulk; this baby is hella powerful. It has a 3840Wh capacity and 2600W output (3900W surge power), so it can reliably keep everything from a refrigerator to power tools to coffee makers up and running. It packs nine versatile ports, including four AC outlets, two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and a DC port.

You can bring the Bluetti Elite 400 back up to a full charge in just 2.5 hours using a regular outlet. If you're living off-grid, a solar panel or car port can also give you a power boost.

It may not be the most portable amongst power stations, but the Bluetti Elite 400 packs a huge punch. And at $600 off, it's a pretty stellar value.

SAVE UP TO $60: Walmart has the new iPad Air with M4 chip available to pre-order for up to $60 less than retail price. The 11-inch model with 128GB is available to pre-order for $559, down from the standard price of $599. The 11-inch model with 512GB is storage is selling for $839, down from the list price of $899.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad M4 (WiFi) from $549 Pre-order Here

Mashable's favorite iPad just got better. It used to come with the M3 chip, but the latest version (finally) comes with the zippy M4 chip, and we're thrilled. Pre-orders are live for the new Apple tablet and if you're interested, Walmart is likely your best retailer. Check out this deal on offer today.

As of March 4, Walmart is offering a preorder deal on the new iPad Air M4 that shaves between $40 and $60 off the list price. The 11-inch iPad Air M4 with 128GB of storage is sitting at $559, down from the list price of $599. That's a savings of $40. You can also save with the 128GB 13-inch version, which is at Walmart for $749, marked down from the standard price at Apple of $799.

We're not asking questions, but somehow, Walmart is offering deals on preorders for the brand new iPad Air. These sale prices aren't actually listed as discounted prices, so we're suspicious about these deals sticking around for long. Our advice would be to click "buy" as soon as possible if you're hoping to snag a sale price while pre-ordering a new iPad Air M4.

SEE ALSO: The iPad Air is finally getting the M4 chip: Preorder now

"With the M4 chip and $599 price tag, the new iPad Air is an exceptional value," writes Mashable Shopping Reporter Samantha Mangino. The upgrade from the M3 to the M4 chip means we can expect the new model of the iPad Air to come with zippier performance and processing. That'll be especially nice if you like to pair your iPad with a Magic Keyboard to use it as a laptop.

Apple lists the new iPad Air as being available on Wednesday, March 11. Preorders from Walmart currently indicate a delivery date of March 11, too. That means pre-ordering from Walmart will not only score you a sale price, you also won't have to take a trip to the Apple store.

Before this deal disappears, secure your new M4 iPad Air from Walmart. Both the 11-inch and 13-inch model are on sale, and you'll save in every storage size available.

SAVE UP TO $1,100: Sign up for a T-Mobile plan and get a free iPhone 17e with no trade-in required. T-Mobile is also offering any model of the iPhone 17 or iPad Air for free with an Experience More plan and an eligible trade-in. Pre-orders go live on March 4.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Get a free iPhone 17e   Pre-order Here

It's an exciting week in the Apple ecosphere. We have a fresh iPhone to swoon over and an iPad Air with the M4 chip (finally). Sure, the iPhone 17e is the brand's new budget-friendly phone option, but the price of $599 can still feel like a bit much. If you'd rather not dish out the funds for new Apple devices, T-Mobile has some nice deals in store.

T-Mobile pre-orders for the new iPhone and iPad Air go live tomorrow, March 4 and the carrier is offering various free deals to those who sign up for T-Mobile service. Snag a free iPhone 17e by signing up for almost any T-Mobile plan for 24 months. You can also get a free iPhone 17 Pro when trading in an eligible phone and signing up for an Experience Beyond plan. For all free Apple deals, T-Mobile will charge taxes and a $35 device connection fee.

SEE ALSO: Apple expects high demand from its March 4 releases

Who's not in the mood to get something for free? If you're already on the T-Mobile network or have plans to switch, you might as well take advantage of these free iPhone offers. Apple just launched the new iPhone 17e which is the brand's fresh budget phone and the first to come with MagSafe abilities. The new phone officially launches on March 11, but pre-orders start tomorrow, March 4.

Starting with 256GB of storage, the iPhone 17e comes with a price tag of $599. That's a major upgrade from the 128GB storage the iPhone 16e started at. It's even more impressive considering the iPhone 16e also started at $599.

If you're interested in pre-ordering the new iPhone 17e or iPad Air tomorrow, be sure to check out the benefits of T-Mobile's free deal. You might be in for some serious savings.

Preorder the Apple MacBook Neo: Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $599 Pre-Order Here Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $699 Pre-Order Here

Apple finally announced its long-rumored budget MacBook today, and it's called the MacBook Neo. Its starts at just $599, or $500 less than the latest 13-inch MacBook Air, and preorders are now open. Education buyers save $100 by ordering it directly through the Apple Store.

The MacBook Neo will begin shipping on March 11 alongside a slew of other new devices, including new iPhone 17e, M4 iPad Air, M5 MacBook Airs, M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pros, and Studio Displays. Apple announced them earlier this week, and their preorders also start today.

We're still waiting to get our hands on a MacBook Neo for testing, but in the meantime, let's take a closer look at its specs. They were heavily leaked ahead of time, so if you've kept up with the rumors, most of what you're about to read will sound very familiar.

Meet the MacBook Neo The MacBook Neo comes in (left to right) blush, indigo, citrus, and silver finishes. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

The MacBook Neo is technically Apple's first dedicated budget laptop. It informally succeeds the M1 MacBook Air, which Apple sold through Walmart for around $699 from March 2024 to early this year. But instead of an M-series chip, the MacBook Neo runs on the A18 Pro chip, the same processor inside the iPhone 16 Pro. This is the first time Apple's ever put an iPhone chip inside a laptop.

The MacBook Neo has a 13-inch Liquid Retina display with a 60Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of brightness chassis. It's configurable with 256GB of storage or 512GB of storage and Touch ID; both options have 8GB of memory.

The MacBook Neo includes WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 6, two USB-C ports, a MagSafe charging port, and a headphone jack. Its aluminum chassis comes in four colors: silver, indigo, blush, and citrus.

The new MacBook Neo is available for pre-order now at Amazon and Apple.

Apple's MacBook Neo is the sort of device that's sure to cause ripples in the market: An elegant, colorful laptop with a surprisingly low starting price for Apple standards: $599 ($499 for educators and students).

Before you splurge, however, you need to take a close look at MacBook Neo's specs.

For example, MacBook Neo runs on Apple's A18 Pro chip, the chip powering Apple's iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, which came out in 2024. Not only that, it's running a slightly less powerful version of said chip, with one less GPU core (five vs. six).

A phone chip inside a computer, you may ask, what kind of travesty is this? Well, it's easy to forget just how powerful Apple's mobile chip are; just consider that Apple's current iPad is running on an even older A16 Pro chip. You definitely shouldn't expect M-chip level performance, though.

Touch ID is optional. Credit: Apple

The amount of storage memory is reasonable for the price; 256GB for starters and 512GB if you pay a hundred bucks extra. But the amount of RAM you get in the MacBook Neo is fixed at 8GB; no upgrades are available.

Oh, and if you haven't noticed, Touch ID is optional; you need to pay $100 extra to get it.

SEE ALSO: Apple announces new Studio Display and Studio Display XDR — preorders now live

The caveat here, of course, is that the MacBook Neo only just launched, and we don't know how it performs in the real world. We don't know how well it'll run demanding software such as Logic Pro or Final Cut Pro, for example, or whether it can handle graphically intensive games at high resolutions. Apple is extremely good at optimizing software to run on its own hardware, so the results might be surprising, but if you're the kind of user that simply has to have more RAM, you might have to step up and get a MacBook Air.

On the flip side, some of the MacBook Neo's specs are really good for the price. This includes the 13-inch LED display with a 2,408x1,506 pixel resolution, and two USB-C ports, one of which supports connecting a 4K external display while running the device's own display at the same time.

As for the 36.5-watt-hour battery that provides up to 11 hours of wireless browsing and up to 16 hours of video streaming, it's also a pretty big step down from the 13-inch MacBook Air, which comes with a 53.8-watt-hour battery.

SEE ALSO: Apple just announced the new M4 iPad Air, coming March 4 for $599

We'll have to spend some more time with the MacBook Neo to give it a full verdict. It's a lot cheaper than other Apple MacBook computers (MacBook Air starts at $1,099), but also very different in many regards. It'll take some testing to see how well, and for how long, it can handle demanding tasks.

Your smart home going down can be a real pain. There may be automations you rely on daily that suddenly no longer work. If there's a power outage, your smart home doesn't have to give up the ghost.

Preorder the new Studio Display and Studio Display XDR Pre-order the Studio Display Studio Display $1,599 at Amazon Pre-Order Here Pre-order the Studio Display XDR Studio Display XDR $3,299 at Amazon Pre-Order Here Pre-order at Apple Studio Dispaly & Studio Display XDR Starting at $1,599 Pre-Order Here

A day before its "Special Experience" event, Apple announced a new line of premium Studio Display monitors. In a press release, the company dropped details on both the Studio Display and an all-new Studio Display XDR.

The new Studio Display starts at $1,599, while the Studio Display XDR starts at $3,299. Both can be pre-ordered starting Wednesday, March 4, with availability starting on March 11.

Studio Displays are premium monitors designed for creative professionals such as video editors and 3D artists. Apple says the more advanced Studio Display XDR features the "world’s best pro display," and it has a 27-inch 5K mini-LED backlight display.

Introducing the new Studio Displays Credit: Apple

The Studio Display features a 12MP Center Stage camera, improved image quality, a three-microphone setup, and a six-speaker sound system with spatial audio.

“Apple has led the industry in delivering the world’s most advanced displays for pros to do their life’s best work, and today we do that once again with the introduction of the new Studio Display family,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, in a press release.

The Studio Display needs to be connected to a MacBook or Mac Mini. Credit: Apple

The new XDR is an even more premium offering with a 27-inch 5K Retina XDR display. Apple noted it had a 120Hz refresh rate, making it more responsive to content in motion.

Ternus called the Studio Display XDR "a huge leap forward for XDR technology," dubbing it the best in the world. In addition to its 120Hz refresh rate, it also has a peak brightness of 2,000 nits for HDR content and more than 2,000 local dimming zones.

The new Studio Display XDR is designed for professional editors, developers, and designers. Credit: Apple

The new Studio Display line is just one of many big announcements from Apple this week. The tech giant has already dropped the details on its new, budget-friendly iPhone and new M4 iPad Air, for instance.

The budget MacBook is here. Today, Apple announced the all-new MacBook Neo during "special Apple experiences" in New York, London, and Shanghai. The 13-inch laptop comes in four fun colors and starts at just $599 (or $499 for students), making it $500 cheaper than the MacBook Air. It tees up fierce competition for Chromebooks and entry-level Windows laptops — a new frontier for Apple.

Preorders for the MacBook Neo opened Wednesday, March 4, ahead of its formal launch on March 11. The new iPhone 17e, M4 iPad Air, M5 MacBook Airs, upgraded MacBook Pros, and Studio Displays, which Apple unveiled earlier this week, are also now up for preorder. The company is reportedly anticipating high demand for this wave of new devices.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $599 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here

The MacBook Neo marks Apple's first dedicated entry in the low-cost laptop space. It replaces the M1 MacBook Air that Apple started selling through Walmart for $699 in March 2024, then eventually discounted to $649. That model has been out of stock in new condition since early 2026, fueling reports of the MacBook Neo's arrival.

Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

Speaking of: The MacBook Neo's announcement comes after months of spec leaks and rumors, which were pretty much spot-on. Here's everything we know about it so far.

MacBook Neo specs Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

The MacBook Neo has an aluminum design and runs on an A18 Pro chip, the same processor powering the iPhone 16 Pro. (It's the first MacBook with an iPhone chip.) In a press release, Apple said it "can fly through everyday tasks, from browsing the web and streaming content, to editing photos, exploring creative hobbies, or using AI capabilities across apps." The company claimed it's 50 percent faster in everyday tasks and up to three times faster running local AI workloads compared to bestselling Windows laptops with the latest Intel Core Ultra 5 chip.

Here's a closer look at the MacBook Neo's spec sheet. It's only available in two configurations: one with 256GB of storage, and another with 512GB of storage and Touch ID.

• Processor: A18 Pro chip with 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU

• Memory: 8GB RAM

• Storage: 256GB to 512GB SSD

• Display: 13-inch 2,408 x 1,506 Liquid Retina display with 500 nits of brightness, 60Hz refresh rate, and an anti-reflective coating

• Battery life: Up to 16 hours

• Webcam: 1080p camera

• Ports: Two USB-C ports and a headphone jack

• Connectivity: WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 6

• Audio: Dual side speakers with Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio support

• Keyboard: Magic Keyboard with optional Touch ID

• Colors: Silver, indigo, blush, and citrus

• Weight: 2.7 pounds

Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth is on the ground at Apple's "special experience" in New York, where Apple is showcasing the MacBook Neo for the first time. Stay tuned for his initial hands-on impressions.

For now, the new MacBook Neo is available for preorder now at Amazon and Apple starting at $599; it will be released on March 11.

PREORDER NOW: As of March 4, the iPad Air with M4 chip is now available for preorder. Models starts at $599 and ship by March 11. Plus, save $40 on the new iPad Air when you preorder at Walmart for $559.

Where to preorder iPad Air (M4) Apple Apple iPad Air (M4, WiFi) From $599 Pre-Order Here Best Buy Apple iPad Air (M4, WiFi) From $599 Pre-Order Here Walmart Apple iPad Air (M4, WiFi) From $559 (Save $40) Pre-Order Here Verizon Apple iPad Air (M4, WiFi + Cellular) From $749.99 Pre-Order Here T-Mobile Apple iPad Air (M4, WiFi + Cellular) From $749.99 Pre-Order Here AT&T Apple iPad Air (M4, WiFi + Cellular) From $749.99 Pre-Order Here

A big upgrade is coming to our favorite iPad. The iPad Air, Apple's best blend of performance and price, now comes with the M4 chip. This announcement comes ahead of a "special Apple experience" scheduled for 9 a.m. ET on Wednesday, March 4. Apple CEO Tim Cook teased the experience on social media, and he also referred to a Monday, March 2 announcement.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

We now know the Monday announcement was the new iPad Air with M4 chip and iPhone 17e. Previously, the iPad came with the M3 chip, making it a well-rounded device with the potential to compete with any laptop. So, are you ready to preorder the new tablet? Here's how.

When can you preorder the new iPad Air M4?

The iPad Air with M4 chip is available for preorder as of Wednesday, March 4 at 6:15 a.m. PT. Preorders are available at Apple, Best Buy, Walmart, Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Air (M4) Starts at $599 Pre-order Here When does the new iPad Air M4 tablet arrive?

While preorders for the new iPad Air are live, the device will be available beginning Wednesday, March 11. Luckily, that means you just have to wait one week between preorder and pickup.

What's the new price for the iPad Air with M4 chip?

With a new device, especially one receiving an upgrade like the iPad Air with M4 chip, you'd expect an increase in the starting price. However, Apple is continuing its trend of maintaining its devices' starting prices even with a new generation.

The iPad Air with M4 chip starts at $599, the same price as the current iPad Air with M3 chip.

Remember when cord-cutting and canceling cable were all about saving money? It's no secret that streaming services just keep getting more expensive. Sling TV started at $20 per month and now costs double that, and YouTube TV launched at $35 but slowly ballooned to over $80. Last spring, I canceled my service and went a different route that only cost me around $40 for the entire year.

Apple has lightly refreshed its MacBook Air with the M5 chip, and it's available for preorder from March 4 ahead of its formal launch on March 11.

The M5 MacBook Air is available in 13- and 15-inch sizes, with starting prices of $1,099 and $1,299, respectively. Those numbers dip to $999 and $1,199 with Apple's education discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Airs (M5) Starting at $1,099 Pre-order Here

The base M5 MacBook Airs come with 512GB of storage, or double that of their M4 predecessors. (The 256GB configuration option is no longer available.) They'll max out with 4TB of storage, up from a limit of 2TB.

Notably, the base M5 MacBook Airs are $100 cheaper than the M4 models with 512GB of storage, making them a better value than before. In the previous generation, you'd pay $1,199 or $1,399 for that much SSD space.

Here's a complete rundown of the new M5 MacBook Airs' spec sheets. Chip and storage aside, their only other upgrade is a connectivity bump to WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 6. Otherwise, they're basically the same laptops as the M4 MacBook Airs (which isn't necessarily a bad thing — we loved them).

• Sizes: 13- and 15-inch models

• Starting prices: $1,099 and $1,299, respectively

• Processor: M5 with 10-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU

• Display: Liquid Retina display with 60Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of brightness

• Memory: 16GB to 32GB RAM

• Storage: 512GB to 4TB SSD

• Connectivity: WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 6

• Battery life: Up to 18 hours

• Webcam: 12MP Center Stage camera

• Ports: Two Thunderbolt 4 ports, MagSafe 3 charging port, and a headphone jack

• Colors: Sky blue, midnight, starlight, and silver

Preorders for Apple's just-announced iPhone 17e, M4 iPad Air, Studio Displays, and upgraded MacBook Pros will also open tomorrow. Additionally, the company is expected to announce a new budget MacBook that costs around $599 to $799.

Apple kicked off its "big week" by announcing the latest budget iPhone, its first with MagSafe, alongside an updated iPad Air. The new iPhone 17e is set for release next Wednesday, March 11, and preorders open from March 4.

The iPhone 17e is priced at $599 with 256GB of storage to start. That's double the base storage of last year's iPhone 16e, which cost the same.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPhone 17e Starting at $599 Pre-order Here

Apple says the iPhone 17e runs on its A19 chip, the same processor as the standard iPhone 17. It packs its new C1X cellular modem, which is supposedly up to twice as fast as the iPhone 16e's C1 modem. It also features support for MagSafe wireless charging — a first for Apple's budget smartphone line.

The iPhone 17e is the smallest, cheapest, and pinkest member of the iPhone 17 family. Credit: Apple

The iPhone 17e sports the same 6.1-inch OLED display as its predecessor, but an improved Ceramic Shield 2 front cover like its iPhone 17 series siblings. Additionally, it has a new 48MP Fusion rear camera system and a new soft pink finish. It's slightly heavier than the iPhone 16e to accommodate these upgrades (5.96 ounces versus 5.88 ounces).

SEE ALSO: Apple announces new iPhone 17e, a $599 budget smartphone with MagSafe

Here's a quick overview of its full spec sheet:

• 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display

• Ceramic Shield 2 front cover

• A19 chip

• Up to 26 hours of video playback

• 12MP TrueDepth front camera

• 48MP Fusion rear camera system (48MP Fusion Main camera)

• Emergency SOS and Crash Detection

• MagSafe wireless charging

• 256GB or 512GB of storage

• Rated IP68

• Apple Intelligence

Mashable's Stan Schroeder thought the iPhone 16e was "pretty great when compared to other members of the iPhone 16 family," but dinged it for lacking MagSafe and being pricier than the old iPhone SE. (That was Apple's prior budget iPhone offering.) In the iPhone 17e, Apple has made several upgrades that bump its value on top of resolving the MagSafe issue. Stand by for our full review, but on paper, it looks incredibly promising.

If you run a Pi-Hole server, you probably, like me, have experienced downtime when updating or rebooting the server. To fix this, I started running two Pi-Hole instances. Here's how I did it, and how I keep them in sync, too.

Whether you're a beginner or a hardened Bash-writing veteran, there's always room for picking up new tips. Some of the best ones take only moments to learn but are so transformative that they change your entire approach. I have four that will unscramble your Bash spaghetti into a well-formatted work of art.

Apple is launching updated MacBook Pros with new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips and double the starting storage, the company announced Tuesday. The new models will be available for preorder starting Wednesday (March 4) and start shipping March 11; stay tuned for links to their listings on the Apple Store and third-party retailers.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro (M5 Pro) Starting at $2,199 Pre-order Here Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro (M5 Max) Starting at $3,599 Pre-order Here

The new MacBook Pros will be available in 14- and 16-inch sizes. The M5 Pro variants will start at $2,199 and $2,699, respectively, with discounts of up to $200 for education shoppers who buy direct. They come with 1TB of base storage. Apple recommends them "for users running complex workflows, like coders optimizing algorithms and photographers processing massive image libraries," according to a company press release.

SEE ALSO: Apple announces new MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, raises MacBook starting prices

The 14-inch M5 Max model starts at $3,599 (or $3,299 for students), while the 16-inch size starts at $3,899 (or $3,599 for students). Both models have 2TB of base storage. They're aimed at "those pushing the absolute limits, such as engineers running rigorous simulations," Apple said.

Credit: Apple

While the starting prices of both new MacBook Pro variants are higher than their predecessors', the latter's base models had half the storage. When configured identically, with the same amount of storage and RAM, their prices haven't changed:

• 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro/M5 Pro, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,199

• 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Pro/M5 Pro, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,699

• 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Max/M5 Max, 36GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $3,599

• 16-inch MacBook Pro (M4 Max/M5 Max, 36GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $3,899

In keeping with this pattern, Apple has also announced that it's updating the starting configuration of its entry-level MacBook Pro, the 14-inch model with the regular M5 chip (an October 2025 release). It now has 1TB of base storage and a starting price of $1,699. It used to start at $1,599 with 512GB of storage, with a 1TB bump costing $200 extra, so that's actually a better deal than before.

The updated MacBook Pros won't be the only new Apple gadgets that go up for preorder on Wednesday (and launch the following week). We're also getting new M5 MacBook Airs, a new budget iPhone 17e, an M4 iPad Air, and new Studio Displays. A still-unannounced budget MacBook is reportedly joining the party, too. If the rumor mill is correct, it could cost $599 to $799 — giving Chromebooks and cheap Windows laptops some fresh competition.

M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro specs: What else is new Credit: Apple

Both updated variants of the MacBook Pro feature Apple's N1 chip, which adds support for WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 6, some newer wireless connectivity standards. Other than that, they're basically identical to their predecessors. Here's a rundown of the M5 Pro models' spec sheets:

• Sizes: 14- and 16-inch models

• Starting prices: $2,199 and $2,699, respectively

• Processor: M5 Pro with up to an 18-core CPU and up to a 20-core GPU

• Display: Liquid Retina XDR display with up to a 120Hz refresh rate and 1000 nits of SDR brightness (1,600 nits peak for HDR content); optional nano-texture finish

• Memory: 24GB to 64GB RAM

• Storage: 1TB to 4TB

• Connectivity: WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 6

• Battery life: Up to 24 hours of video streaming

• Webcam: 12MP Center Stage camera

• Ports: Three Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) ports, HDMI port, SDXC card slot, MagSafe 3 charging port, and a headphone jack

• Colors: Space black and silver

And here's a breakdown of the M5 Max variants' components:

• Sizes: 14- and 16-inch models

• Starting prices: $3,599 and $3,899, respectively

• Processor: M5 Max with an 18-core CPU and 32-core GPU

• Display: Liquid Retina XDR display with up to a 120Hz refresh rate and 1000 nits of SDR brightness (1,600 nits peak for HDR content); optional nano-texture finish

• Memory: 36GB to 128GB RAM

• Storage: 2TB to 8TB

• Connectivity: WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 6

• Battery life: Up to 22 hours of video streaming

• Webcam: 12MP Center Stage camera

• Ports: Three Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) ports, HDMI port, SDXC card slot, MagSafe 3 charging port, and a headphone jack

• Colors: Space black and silver

National Vehicle Safety Recalls week is March 2nd through the 8th here in the United States, raising awareness of the importance of checking for open recalls on our vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) organizes the campaign, which coincides with the spring-cleaning season, but it's good practice to check for recalls on your car year-round.

Magnetic USB-C cables (the kind that use a dongle to connect) sound like the perfect convenience hack for ultra-fast wired charging, especially if you're not on the wireless charging bandwagon or if we're talking about a device that doesn't support it, like a laptop.

There was a time when saving a computer program sounded like a modem arguing with a fax machine. Before floppy drives were crunching and grinding away in our homes, the humble cassette was an affordable and effective way to sell, store, and record data.