Miles produces reviews, tests and comparisons. He focuses on trying to find the true value of a product.
Email: miles@9to5Mac.com
Twitter: Twitter.com/someofmiles
YouTube: YouTube.com/milessomerville
The new M1 MacBook Pros are finally here. And while the fully specced M1 Max model may be dominating the headlines; I think it’s arguably a lot more important to see how the base level MacBook Pro performs. If you spend the least amount of money you can on a new MacBook Pro, what’s the experience going to be like?
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Every year we look forward to the new flagship iPhone. We expect it to bring something new to the table that revolutionizes the smartphone industry. But like it or not, iPhone 13 Pro & Pro Max are here to do something different. This year’s updates are far from revolutionary, and many users believe that the iPhone 13 Pro is what the 12 Pro should have been. But with everything Apple’s brought to the table this year, I think these are easily the best overall flagship smartphones you can buy right now.
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It seems like companies are finally starting to put out convenient and functionally useful MagSafe accessories because Apple certainly isn’t thus far. This is the ChargeFast MagSafe battery pack. It’s a 5000 mAh portable battery pack that can charge via either MagSafe or with a cable. For $55 from ChargeFast, this is a pretty convenient accessory, and it works very well with my iPhone.
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The iPad Air 4 was a tablet that came and went. I personally believe a lot of people spent time comparing this tablet to the iPad Pro, simply because they share the same design language. But when you remove the comparison aspect and evaluate the tablet on its own, it’s a really compelling device. And more than anything, it doesn’t make me miss my iPad Pro. Here’s why.
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I’ve been using AirPods Max all week, and I’ve got a lot of thoughts. My biggest takeaway is that these headphones are overpriced. I like them a lot for various reasons, but they are 100% overpriced. The reasons you would buy this pair of headphones could be quite similar to the same reasons someone buys a $500+ pair of shoes — it’s just because you like what you like. And while $550 is a lot to command, the vast majority of consumers these headphones are being marketed to are absolutely going to enjoy these headphones. Here’s why.
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The iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max are solid refinements to last year’s 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, but there have been some let downs. There’s no high-refresh-rate display to be found, battery life has gotten worse, and Apple’s making the phone more expensive for those of you who don’t already own a USB-C power adapter and earphones. But is it still worth it?
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The iPhone 12 Pro has finally arrived and brings a bunch of new features into play with the inclusion of a new processor, camera system, and MagSafe charging. Watch our hands-on video inside for all the details!
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The iPad 8 has been out for a few weeks now. I’ve gotten the chance to daily drive it and put it through the ringer. I’ve concluded that this is the best value tablet you can buy, and here’s why.
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Corsair’s recently released a new Thunderbolt 3 dock, the TBT100. This dock aims to deliver a lot of the same features found in the Elgato Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock in a more affordable package. Read below for my thoughts.
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The 8th generation 10.2-inch iPad brings some minor updates for this year. While it may not be the most exciting iPad of this year. It’s still probably the best value iPad you can get and the best iPad for most people. Here are its best features.
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With the recent release of iPadOS 14, there’s been a bunch of new additions to the iPad’s feature set. Additional Apple Pencil features, improved menus, and general bug fixes are all present here on this update. Here are some of the best features now available for the iPad.
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The DJI OM4 is the successor to the Osmo Mobile 3, and what I’d consider to be the gold standard for smartphone gimbals. With every generation, DJI refines their gimbals further, making it easier for daily use in all of the important areas: portability, durability, and functionality. The OM4 is no different, as it introduces some innovative features.
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Wireless charging technology development-wise has been fairly stagnant on a mainstream front since its introduction. Besides incremental speed improvements, the technology itself hasn’t fundamentally changed much since its debut. The mode of operations for most manufacturers in recent years has been simply taking the same parts off the shelf and throwing it in new and fancy housing.
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I’ve been doing some thorough testing with the baseline ($1,800) 27-Inch 5K iMac. We’re really trying to determine what demographic should be going after this refreshed model. I wanted to specifically focus on testing the graphical performance of the machine for high-quality photo and video editing.
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The Mac mini, while a great device, has lacked some essential I/O since the 2018 refresh. The SD card slot in particular has been missed on this latest-generation mini. Thankfully, Satechi has designed a sleek and functional USB-C Hub for the new Mac mini.
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In recent months, I’ve been looking to upgrade my Final Cut Pro desktop editing rig. I wanted something that could last me at least the next two to three years and provide me with a smooth workflow; I also wanted to spend less than $2,000 total. If you’re in a similar predicament, then read further. For less than $2,000 I put together a Mac mini video editing setup that works great with Final Cut Pro X.
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We all know that the UltraFine displays from LG are some of the best out there for those looking for a high-end Mac display, but if you’re looking for something more tailored for graphic design or a display with more port flexibility, the 27-inch 4K BenQ Thunderbolt 3 display is worth looking into.
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Trying to work with USB-C/Thunderbolt devices like the MacBook Pro or iPad Mini can typically require dongles to use accessories you use fairly often.
Here are four of my favorite current USB-C accessories that obviously don’t require an adapter to use, and are well-valued accessories. Watch our hands-on video to see each of these products in use.
Live Streaming content can require a lot of moving parts and can sometimes be challenging to manage. Elgato had these same concerns and decided to create the Stream Deck.
The Stream Deck is a live content creation controller with 15 customizable LCD keys. These keys are used for creating quick and easy shortcuts to make streaming easier and more efficient. I, however, am not a heavy gamer nor streamer.
I decided to test out the Elgato Stream Deck for my own workflow. Surprisingly, I’ve found a lot of functionality out of the Stream Deck for my personal use.
Watch our hands-on video for a look at the Stream Deck Controller in action.
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If you’ve been looking for a dedicated editing console for creative programs like Final Cut Pro, Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, and more, then the Loupedeck + Editing Console might satisfy your needs.
The Loupedeck + was designed specifically for those looking to improve their editing workflow and efficiency through a board with customizable controls. For heavy Lightroom users in particular, this is the way to go if you’re no longer interested in editing with a traditional mouse and keyboard.
Watch our hands-on video for a look at the Loupedeck + Editing Console in action.