Latest news with #MacBookPro
Tom's Guide
4 hours ago
- Business
- Tom's Guide
I review MacBooks for a living — here's the 9 best deals to get before Prime Day
I review the best laptops for a living, and the best MacBooks rank among them. While these notebooks have a reputation for being pricey, you can often find them discounted at major retailers like Amazon, B&H Photo, and Best Buy. Because of that, it's almost always a good time to buy one of Apple's laptops. Some of the best MacBook deals I've found include a 13-inch MacBook Air M4 for $849 at Amazon, which is a nice $150 discount. If you want something slightly larger and with more ports, the 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 is currently $1,399. The 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Pro is also on sale for $200 off. Whether you're looking for a lightweight MacBook Air or a powerful MacBook Pro, I've got you covered. Below are some of the best MacBook deals I've found. And if you don't see the listed sale price, try checking different color models for hidden deals. Also, be sure to follow our guides for the best early Prime Day deals, best Apple promo codes and best laptops for college students. The M4-based MacBook Pro M4 is pretty close to being the perfect laptop. You get fantastic performance from the M4 chip, useful Apple Intelligence features, a better webcam and obscenely long battery life (18:31). In our MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 review, we said it's the best laptop for power users, now with more AI features. The base model features a 14.2-inch 3024 x 1964 Retina display, Apple M4 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB check: $1,599 @ Best Buy | $1,399 @ B&H If you're looking for raw horsepower, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro chip is for you. It offers blistering performance and will likely speed through most of your daily tasks without so much as a hiccup. The base model features a 14.2-inch 3024 x 1964 Retina display, Apple M4 Pro CPU, 24GB of RAM, and a 512GB check: $1,779 @ Best Buy | $1,749 @ B&H The new 16-inch MacBook Pro can be configured with the M4 Pro or M4 Max chipset to deliver record-breaking speeds. In our MacBook Pro 16-inch review we said it's a powerful laptop with a vivid display, sensible design, fast performance, comfortable keyboard, and epic 20:46 battery life. The base model features a 16.2-inch 3456 x 2234 Retina display, Apple M4 Pro CPU, 24GB of RAM, and a 512GB check: $2,299 @ B&H | $2,249 @ Best Buy It'll cost you a small fortune, but this is the ultimate MacBook Pro you can buy right now. The base model features a 16.2-inch 3456 x 2234 Retina display, Apple M4 Max CPU, 36GB of RAM, and a 1TB check: $3,149 @ B&H | $3,149 @ Best Buy The MacBook Air M1 offers fantastic performance and value. The M1 CPU never stuttered in our tests and also helped it reach over 14 hours of battery life. It features a 13.3-inch Retina display, Apple M1 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. In our MacBook Air M1 review, we said it offers amazing endurance and shockingly good check: sold out @ Best Buy | sold out @ Amazon It's no longer Apple's flagship, but the MacBook Air M2 is one of our most recommended laptops because it's remarkably light and thin yet sports a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, a speedy Apple M2 CPU w/ 8-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, and a great 1080p FaceTime camera. In our MacBook Air M2 review, we lauded this Editor's Choice laptop for its versatility and battery life, so don't miss your chance to get one at a great discount. Note: This model includes an upgraded 512GB check: sold out @ B&H | sold out @ Amazon This MacBook Air is powered by Apple's M3 silicon. The laptop can support up to two external displays (when the laptop lid is closed) and Apple also claims its 60% faster than the M1-based MacBook Air. It boasts up to 18 hours of battery life. In our MacBook Air 13-inch M3 review, we called the Editor's Choice laptop a small wonder. It packs a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display (2560 x 1664), Apple's M3 CPU w/ 8-core GPU, 24GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD. The new MacBook Air is powered by Apple's latest M4 chipset. The new Mac upgrades the camera from 1080p to 12MP with Center Stage support. The M4 chipset also supports dual external monitors, even when you have the laptop's lid open. It packs a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display (2560 x 1664), Apple's M4 CPU w/ 10-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD. In our MacBook Air M4 review, we said the Editor's Choice laptop is irresistible thanks to its speedy performance, sharper camera, and lower starting price. Prefer a bigger screen? The 15-inch model is also on sale. It packs a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display (2880 x 1864), Apple's M4 CPU w/ 10-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD.
Refinery29
10 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- Refinery29
The Soft Life Is Over — This Year We're 'Locking In'
The ' locking in ' side of TikTok is unrelenting. Early morning alarm clocks followed by a montage of to-do lists, meal-prepped oats, and speed typing on the latest MacBook Pro. Sound bites from motivational speaker Mel Robbins play in the background. 'The bottom line is, no one is coming,' she says. 'Unless you understand that you've got to push yourself, you're not gonna make your dreams come true.' If you're familiar with the above, you've seen how people swear by 'locking in'. Locking in, for the uninitiated, is a trend which sees TikTokers pursue discipline, cut out distractions, and chase long-term goals with near-military focus, be it in their professional lives, academic careers, or simply their workout routines. From dopamine detoxes to grind playlists, locking in marks a sharp pivot from the ' soft life ' trend that once dominated feeds. Soothing videos promoting slow mornings and self-care are now completely outnumbered, with all-time figures showing there's just over 460 thousand posts using the soft life hashtag on TikTok compared to millions using locked in and locking in. The question is, what triggered this collective switch? 'I think a big part of this shift is economic reality finally catching up with softness,' says Hali, a 22-year-old from Minnesota. ' Rent is up, [school] tuition is wild, and social mobility feels like it's shrinking, so naturally there's this urgency, especially among young people, to do something about it.' For Hali, who's built a following of over 130,000 followers on TikTok by sharing career, lifestyle, and personal development videos, locking in means aligning her actions with the life she wants. 'It's not just about working,' she tells me, 'it's about reclaiming power in a system that often leaves us feeling powerless.' Although she's always been productive, Hali 'amplified' this nine months ago. With a growing list of responsibilities (see: school studies, running a new business, and creating social content), she realised that 'coasting was not productive' and there was more 'potential' to be unlocked. 'I live by my Google Calendar,' she says of how she applies herself to achieve this. 'I time-block everything – from classes to content editing to deep work on my projects. I wake up early, plan my weeks, and treat my goals like they're due tomorrow.' @haliijama I said this before and I'll say it again!! Do the hard work now so future you can live off the fruits of your labor. You are never going to be this energized, motivated & young again and it's better to work on these things now rather than later. #discipline #selfdiscipline #motivationalvideo #lifeadvice #chooseyourhard #motivationalclip ♬ original sound - Hali Jama Hali isn't alone in that thinking or way of life. 'With the unending uncertainty of the world, economically, politically, and culturally, I believe people are turning inward and focusing on what they can control: their mindset, their habits, and their goals,' says Chloe, a 26-year-old from Los Angeles who locked in two years ago – well before the trend made it to our TikTok feeds. After a series of job swaps and a failed business venture, Chloe reached a 'turning point' and took a 'hard, honest look' at her situation. 'I knew I had to change the way I was living – starting with my mindset and daily habits.' Fast forward to 2025 and things are totally different for Chloe, who's now a qualified personal trainer and founder of a start-up. 'I've been deeply committed to personal growth,' she says, pointing to the 'transformative' practices – like meditating, journaling, working out, and meal-prepping – that help her be 'a little kinder, hotter, smarter, and richer, and more radiant every single day.' 'In periods of scarcity or instability, we often react by narrowing our focus and over-indexing on behaviours we can influence, like budgeting, working harder, or hyper-planning our futures,' explains Samantha Rosenberg, behavioural economist and co-founder of wealth-tech platform, Belong. 'This urgency is also driven by anticipatory regret: the fear of looking back and wishing you'd done more, earlier.' 'Self-discipline becomes a kind of psychological safety net,' she adds. 'It's why we're seeing a shift from 'treat yourself' to 'train yourself'. It feels safer.' With that in mind, it makes sense that so many people are resonating with this stricter approach to life, and a quick look at Google Trends backs this up. Over the past three months, searches for 'locked in' have shown a steady increase globally, particularly in the UK (with a growth of over 30%) and the US. Meanwhile, searches for soft life have plateaued. 'The 'soft life' was about rest and protecting peace, but I think a lot of us realised that soft living isn't sustainable long-term without some structure or achievement to back it,' says 23-year-old Samia, a London-based student. The soft life doesn't lend itself goals that require some level of grit to achieve. 'Eventually, I felt stuck,' agrees Weirong, a 25-year-old communication expert and podcaster who swapped the 'soft life' for one that's 'locked in'. 'The pause that once felt like healing started to feel like avoidance,' she continues. 'I noticed myself delaying goals in the name of 'alignment,' when really I was afraid of failing.' ''Locking in' became my way of honouring the growth from the 'soft life' while re-engaging with the world, this time with clarity and purpose,' Weirong adds of this lifestyle transition. 'I show up with consistency even when it's uncomfortable – I wake up earlier to journal, prioritise deep work, say no to distractions. It's about combining self-awareness with strategy.' Since 'locking in', all four women say they've noticed financial and professional improvements. Hali tells me of her business' growth and the brand deals she's secured, Samia points to the quality of her academic performance, Weirong is celebrating new projects and a podcast while Chloe says she's found 'true purpose' in her start-up. This sounds great, but has it come at a cost to other areas of their lives? Dr Audrey Tang, a psychologist specialising in resilience, burnout, and performance culture, tells me 'locking in' can be positive when it means 'listening to what your body needs and feeding your soul in a healthy way,' but that's not always the case. She explains that when behaviours become 'performative' and 'inauthentic', we see instances of burnout. This idea of performance ties directly into the online worlds we occupy, where our behaviours are increasingly shaped by what we see and how we want to be seen. 'We're constantly exposed to curated versions of success, which can trigger what we call 'relative deprivation' and fuel an internal race to catch up,' adds Rosenberg. 'Our brains aren't wired for this kind of always-on comparison. Even rest becomes performative – so these social platforms amplify both the extremes of self-care and hustle culture.' @chloeegaynor and I'm LOCCCKKKINNNGGG in. who's locking in too ;) #lockedin #mindset #wellness #fitness #health #sprint #routine ♬ Let it happen by Tame impala - Elldzs★ Chloe admits she's felt this at times. 'I started locking in to build a life I was proud of, one where I didn't have to work myself to total exhaustion. But I've experienced burnout from being too locked in,' she says, explaining this caused her to 'miss out on joy, peace, and time with loved ones.' Now, Chloe makes an effort to carve out time for the things she enjoys day-to-day, as well as long-term. 'I make it a goal to do at least 20 minutes of something I thoroughly enjoy every day,' she points out. 'Even when my schedule is packed, I do my best to stay consistent, and lately I've been more intentional about making plans, taking trips, and allowing myself to feel excitement.' Similarly, Samia says locking in too much triggers feelings of guilt. 'You feel like you're falling behind if you're not productive every minute,' she says. 'I've been there and I'm still trying to find my way around it, but I've learnt to build flexibility into my schedule and to reframe rest as part of the process, not a sign of weakness.' 'Being self-aware is important,' advises Dr Tang. 'If you find your reaction to missing a workout (or whatever your routine is) is out of proportion to the event itself, then you would do well to engage in self-reflection to see if 'motivation' has turned into overly rigid discipline, which may not be healthy.' 'The key is knowing when to push and when to pause,' adds Samia, 'Rest isn't a reward but a requirement,' adds Weirong, who points to the soft life lessons she still holds on to. 'Locking in, for me, is soft life with purpose – it includes rest, but also requires discipline. It's the integration of stillness and structure.' To that end, here's a reminder that purpose doesn't have to be punishing, and peace doesn't mean giving up. Yes, your career might skyrocket during a season of locking in – but if it comes at the cost of your mental health, relationships, or happiness, it's worth asking: success by whose definition? The pursuit of success is seemingly driving the collective shift toward structure, however that looks for individuals). 'When people sense that long-term opportunities – like home ownership or financial freedom – are slipping out of reach, doubling down on discipline offers a sense of agency,' Rosenberg reminds us, adding that by focusing on 'immediate actions' we feel like we can 'shift the long game.' Both the soft life and locking in trends offer that illusion of control, and these social media-friendly frameworks promise fulfilment, even if by different routes. But they risk becoming performative obligations than actual choices. Perhaps, then, we needn't choose a side, but step back from the cycle altogether and accept that a successful life doesn't have to be optimised, aesthetic, or For You Page-approved. A successful life is whatever you make it.
Tom's Guide
13 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
I've kept iPhones for 5 years and Nutribullets for 8 — here's how I nurture my tech and stretch its lifespan
Yes, it's true. Tech is expensive and I am poor. Luckily, I've been able to keep iPhones going for over 5 years (multiple times!), Nutribullets for 8 years, and I'm into my third year with my beloved MacBook Pro (and it runs just as well today as it did when I unboxed it). So how do I do it? Well, I follow the guidelines set out by the manufacturers — I don't push my gadgets to the limits and I respect their desire to rest. Secondly, I ensure I future-proof my gear by getting the best specs for my personal requirements, which means I don't have to upgrade very often. And the most important one of all? I take care of my stuff. I clean it and store it properly. If you follow my tips, I'm sure you'll be able to keep tech going for as long as possible. If a phone's instructions say "don't submerge in water", then don't submerge your phone in water. All jokes aside, this is actually a really important point. It's the most important point in this article. Nutribullet advises against blending dry ingredients as it can damage the blades. More often than not, home appliances like coffee machines and air fryers specify "suitable for private domestic use only." Products like these are only intended to be used a few times a day. Think of it like this: if a coffee machine is used thirty times a day for a year, that's almost 11,000 coffees. However, if a coffee machine is used twice a day for a year, that's only 730 coffees, meaning it would take 15 years to make the same amount of beverages. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. As a result, I don't expect my tech to do more than it promises. My iPhone 11 lasted 5 years before I upgraded. I didn't even need to upgrade (it still worked perfectly fine). I upgraded to my current phone because I'd just sold my car and I had a bit of spare cash (for the first time ever). Why did my iPhone last so long? I don't overuse it. My screen time is maximum 4 hours a day and I tend not to use my phone for hours on cellular. However, if you use your phone for work, you obviously won't have this luxury. I recommend following the phone manufacturer's advice in this case: Apple, for instance, recommends updating software often and using low power mode. This advice may change based on manufacturer. This is the Nutribullet I've had since 2016. It's still going strong today because I look after it. I follow all Nutribullet's instructions, I clean it well, and I store the blades properly. Now, I would recommend getting the Nutribullet 900W to last even longer. To illustrate this point, I'm going to take you back to 2017. I needed a new MacBook, seeing as I was at college and taking my incredibly heavy laptop into school was too laborious and gave me permanent backache. I was also a student, so I wasn't exactly rolling in cash. I went to the Apple Store and bought the cheapest MacBook there — it cost me about £900 ($1,200 roughly). It also had a 128GB SSD and just 8GB of RAM. Did this MacBook last me a long time? Yes and no. I ended up using this laptop until 2022 when it quite literally died. It only worked while plugged in and if I tried to run more than one app at once it sounded like a jet engine. I also had to have an external hard drive plugged in at all times to access my files. Just because something is expensive doesn't mean it'll last a long time. It's about evaluating what you need for the future. So in 2022, when I finally had scrounged enough money to upgrade, I got the top-of-the-range model. I upgraded from an M1 chip to an M1 Max, upgraded to 1TB of storage, and upgraded the RAM. And now? Three years later, my MacBook Pro still runs like the day I unboxed it. It runs games, video editing software, and other demanding apps without breaking a sweat. So I would recommend getting the top end product (if you can afford it, of course). In other cases, this would look like getting a (highly-rated) $800 espresso machine instead of an "it'll do" $200 one. If you don't need to replace something as often, you'll save money in the long run. Just because something is expensive, though, doesn't mean it'll last a long time. It's about evaluating what you need for the future. I learned from my 2017 mistake and I didn't impulsively buy my new MacBook. I consolidated all the information available to me, researched my specs, and made the purchase only once I was 100% certain. I know this one seems obvious, but it's actually really important. Maintenance encompasses loads of stuff: cleaning, storing in the appropriate place and replacing faulty parts. For example, if your screen cracks, you should probably go and get a replacement before the crack gets worse. Similarly, if you throw your headphones on the floor instead of keeping them in the case, they probably won't last for very long. My iPhone 11 screen never cracked because I had a really good phone case and screen protector. Now, with my iPhone 16, I have the best iPhone 16 phone case to ensure my phone doesn't smash again. This goes for everything I own: I empty and clean my Dyson Gen5Detect vacuum regularly, I descale my De'Longhi La Specialista Opera every month (I live in a hard water area), and I dust my Bose Smart Soundbar every few days (this prevents particles getting in the speaker mechanism). If you follow these three tips, then you'll probably end up saving money in the long run. Your tech will last longer and, in time, save you $$$.
New York Post
a day ago
- Business
- New York Post
Everything looks better on a 16-Inch Retina display—especially when it's just $480
Discover startups, services, products and more from our partner StackCommerce. New York Post edits this content, and may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you buy through our links. TL;DR: Score a near-mint 16″ Apple MacBook Pro (2019) with i7, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD for just $479.99 (reg. $2,399) while supplies last. Here's a little-known tech truth: the best Apple deals aren't always brand new—they're refurbished and shockingly affordable. Case in point: this 16-inch Apple MacBook Pro (from 2019) is on sale for just $479.99, down from $2,399. (Yes, really.) Whether you're editing video in your apartment, designing on the go, or just streaming Succession with 15 tabs open, this MacBook Pro has the power and screen space to handle it all. With a 2.6GHz Intel Core i7, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD, this machine is built for pros—but priced for the rest of us. Advertisement The 16-inch Retina display with True Tone makes every pixel pop, whether you're designing, coding, or doomscrolling with style. The AMD Radeon Pro 5300M GPU handles heavy visuals like a champ, while the Magic Keyboard (yes, the improved one) gives your fingers a break from frustration. Add in 11 hours of battery life, the Touch Bar's easy shortcuts, Touch ID, a six-speaker sound system, and macOS synergy, and you've got a productivity machine that feels premium from the moment you power it on. And since it's Grade-A refurbished, you're getting all the Apple goodness in near-mint condition, without dropping $2,000+. Basically? It's the laptop your creative hustle deserves—whether you're working from a tiny desk in Queens or editing your next passion project from a rooftop café. Don't miss getting this grade-A refurbished MacBook Pro while it's available for just $479.99, down from $2,399. StackSocial prices subject to change.
Tom's Guide
a day ago
- Business
- Tom's Guide
I can't believe how cheap the M4 Pro MacBook Pro just got — $250 off in early Prime Day deal
Prime Day isn't set to start until July 8, but clearly Apple didn't get the memo, as this is a deal worthy of even Black Friday, let alone Amazon's big event! Even better? It's one of the best laptops you can buy, and my personal favorite. Right now, the M4 Pro MacBook Pro is $250 off at Amazon. That drops it to the lowest ever price of just $1,749, which is insane value for money! Let me tell you why. This is the lowest price on one of the best pro laptops you can buy right now — packing a seriously performant M4 Pro chip for any heavy workload, 24GB of RAM, 512GB SSD, a gorgeous 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display and an alluring Space Black to that utilitarian shell. Oh, and don't forget the mindblowing battery life, too! Normally, in this situation, I'd go ahead and point most of you towards the M4 MacBook Pro — that standard chipset is more than enough for most of you reading this. But with this massive discount on M4 Pro, it would actually be better to upgrade. Why? Well, if you read our M4 Pro MacBook Pro review, you'll see the answer comes down to three key things: performance, battery life and display. Because sure, the more things change, the more they stay the same with Apple. You're getting that same uber-premium aluminum unibody shell that is styled into a flatter utilitarian form, along with the same port configuration — though the Thunderbolts are now 5th generation for immensely faster data transfer speeds. But that 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR display is now brighter and packs a whole lot more color reproduction for better accuracy in your creative workload. MacBook Pro 16-inch M4 Pro Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Ultra Nits (brightness) 584 (SDR) | 1,116 (HDR) 384 (SDR) | 523 (HDR) sRGB 115% 115.4% DCI-P3 81.4% 81.1% Delta-E 0.27 0.19 And for those workloads, you need an equally crazy-fast chip to match, which is where that screamer of an M4 Pro comes in — delivering insane speeds on Final Cut Pro exports and even some great AAA gaming performance with ray tracing thrown in, too. Plus, with that advanced Neural Engine, on-board AI tasks get a speed boost, like neural filters on Photoshop are almost as fast on here as they are on my RTX 5070 Ti gaming PC! MacBook Pro 16-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge Geekbench 6 (single-core) 3,910 3,807 2,935 Geekbench 6 (multi-core) 22,822 15,114 15,818 Handbrake 2:38 (mins:secs) 4:27 4:52 PugetBench (PhotoShop) 12,292 (score) | 10.94 secs (time) 10,542 | 11.74 5,830 | 20.67 Then we come to the battery life. And if the 20 hours and 46 minutes the 16-inch model got in our review is anything to go by, you're in for a treat! More realistically, you're getting closer to the standard 14-inch, which got just over 18.5 hours on one charge in our lab testing. That is still crazy good! So what are you waiting for? Snap this up now before it's gone!
