With the arrival of Apple silicon in 2020, Apple introduced its memory innovation - Unified Memory. But what is Unified Memory, and how does it differ from other forms of memory?
With the arrival of Apple silicon in 2020, Apple introduced its memory innovation - Unified Memory. But what is Unified Memory, and how does it differ from other forms of memory?
To grasp the concept of Unified Memory, it’s essential to comprehend the role of RAM and its influence on device performance. RAM, or Random Access Memory, is a vital component present in all types of computer devices, whether it’s a Mac mini, iMac or MacBook. In older Intel Mac models, for instance, you would typically find traditional memory such as DDR3 or DDR4.
DDR3 SODIMM memory module and a DDR4 memory module.
How Does memory work?
Memory collaborates closely with the CPU in processing or orchestrating tasks. For instance, when you launch an application, it’s data is temporarily stored in memory rather than storage. As the connection between the CPU and memory is faster than that between the CPU and storage, the CPU can process the tasks held in memory more efficiently. Increasing memory capacity enhances multitasking capabilities and enables the CPU to handle more data at once. Unified Memory fulfils the same role, however it’s construction allows for faster data transfer and more efficient usage.
Traditionally computers have seperate memory for the CPU and GPU, which are located on different parts of the motherboard. Apple have brought these components together and fitted them into a single chip, known as System on a Chip (SoC). By bringing these components much closer together on the same wafer of silicon, Apple has allowed for the electrical signals between the components to be delivered much faster, increasing memory bandwidth. In addition to this, Unified Memory means that the CPU and GPU share a common pool of memory which greatly enhances efficiency. To put this into perspective, the top of the range Intel MacBook Pro 16-inch had a memory bandwidth of 41.6GB/s, whereas the M1 Max has 400GB/s.
Visualisation of Apple silicon SoC.
The images below illustrate the distinction between an Intel and Apple silicon device. In the Apple silicon device, the memory is part of the SoC, whereas in the Intel device, the memory is positioned farther away from the processor and on the opposite side of the logic board.
MacBook Air M1 (A2337) logic board. Red, Apple silicon processor. Blue, unified memory.
MacBook Air (A2179) Intel logic board. Red, processor. Blue, memory.
Unified Memory continues to adhere to the same principles: the greater the memory capacity, the more multitasking can be accommodated, and the better the device performs. For instance, both the MacBook Pro 14-inch and 16-inch models offer configurations with up to 96GB of memory, depending on whether you opt for an M1 or M2 device. These devices are well-suited for tasks such as video editing and other high-end professional applications, thanks to their expanded memory capacity, as well as their more powerful CPUs and GPUs.
When evaluating any device, it’s prudent to verify the system requirements of the software you plan to use to ensure compatibility. Generally, it’s advisable to choose a device that meets or surpasses the recommended system requirements to guarantee optimal performance and longevity, especially with future software updates. As a general guideline, 8GB to 16GB of memory is usually sufficient for everyday tasks like email, word processing, web browsing, or video streaming. However, for more demanding tasks like video or audio editing, 16GB of memory or more is typically recommended.
Recommended memory configuration | Type of user | Types of software |
8GB | General casual use | |
16GB - 32GB | Moderate user | Browsing the internet, email, word processing, Spreadsheets (Excel), simple graphics programs, music, multitasking |
32GB - above | Professional user | Graphically demanding games, editing video, graphic/photo editing, extensive multitasking |
Mac's native screen recording tool, the Screenshot Toolbar, is an ideal choice for users looking to capture moments or share information, be it for creating tutorials or troubleshooting. Introduced with the macOS Mojave release in 2018, the Screenshot Toolbar has been a consistent feature in subsequent macOS versions. This tool allows users to record their screens through the use of key commands. Please find detailed instructions below on how to utilise the Screenshot Toolbar to execute various screen recording functions on MacBook, iMac, Mac mini and Mac Studio using the Screenshot Toolbar.
1. Press Shift + Command ⌘ + 5 to open the Screenshot toolbar.
2. Select Record Entire Screen.
3. Select Record.
4. To stop recording press Stop in the Mac menu bar.
5. The screen recording will now be saved to your desktop.
1. Press Shift + Command ⌘ + 5 to open the Screenshot toolbar.
2. Select Record Selected Portion.
3. Move and manipulate the record box around what you would like to capture.
4. Select Record.
5. To stop recording press Stop in the Mac menu bar.
6. The screen recording will now be saved to your desktop.
Recording your screen with external audio through the built-in microphone is especially valuable when producing tutorials or game walkthroughs. Wondering how to screen record with audio? Check out the instructions below to learn how to utilise the screenshot toolbar for this purpose.
1. Press Shift + Command ⌘ + 5 to open the Screenshot toolbar.
2. Select Record Selected Portion or Record Entire Screen.
3. Click Options then select your Microphone.
4. Select Record
An alternative method for screen recording involves utilising QuickTime Player, a pre-installed video editing software on macOS. Below, you'll find instructions on how to use QuickTime Player for screen recording.
1. Open QuickTime player.
2. Select File in the menu bar, then select New Screen Recording
3. To stop recording press Stop in the Mac menu bar (top right corner of your screen).
While the ScreenShot Toolbar and QuickTime Player are suitable for basic screen recording, individuals aiming to stream or produce high-quality YouTube videos may find a third-party application more fitting.
OBS (Open Broadcaster Software), used by professional content creators, is free to download and open source. OBS offers real-time video/audio capturing/streaming and mixing capabilities. It allows users to create scenes with multiple sources, such as window captures, images, webcams, and more. The software supports unlimited scenes with transitions, and its intuitive audio mixer includes per-source filters like noise gates and suppression, providing full control with VST plugin support. The configuration options are both powerful and user-friendly, allowing real-time adjustments and the addition of new sources. The Studio Mode enables scene and source preview before going live, while the Multiview feature allows monitoring of eight different scenes for efficient production control. OBS supports various streaming platforms including Kick, Twitch and YouTube. Overall, OBS is a versatile tool for creating professional and polished video productions with ease. Download OBS, here.
While copying and pasting may be second nature to some, it can pose a challenge for Apple newcomers. The transition can be surprising for Windows users, as their familiar keyboard shortcuts will not function on a Mac. In this case, the Command key replaces the control key on Windows PCs and is integral to each clipboard shortcut. But where is the command key on Mac? To find the Command key on a Mac, look on either side of the space bar, marked with the ⌘ symbol. Below is a straightforward guide to copying and pasting on a Mac.
The commands listed below will enable you to copy and paste on MacBook, iMac, Mac mini and Mac Studio using keyboard shortcuts.
1. Click on the item you would like to copy. For text click and drag your mouse to highlight your selection.
2. Press Command ⌘ + C
1. Click on the item you would like to copy. For text click and drag your mouse to highlight your selection.
2. Press Command ⌘+ X
1. Click where you would like to paste the item.
2. Press Command ⌘ + V
When copying text, it will include style, colour, size, and emphasis, which may lead to a mismatched appearance when pasted into a document. To avoid this issue and paste without formatting, please follow the instructions below.
1. Click where you would like to paste the item.
2. Press Shift + Options + Command ⌘ + V
1. Click on the item you would like to copy. For text click and drag your mouse to highlight.
2. Right-click on the item or text and select copy.
3. Right-click where you would like to paste the item and select Paste.
In 2016, Apple introduced the Universal Clipboard feature, enabling users to seamlessly copy and paste between different Apple devices.
To transfer images, video, text and files via Universal Clipboard, ensure that your iPhone/iPad is running iOS 10 or later, and your Mac is running macOS High Sierra or later.
1. Make sure each device is signed in with the same Apple ID.
2. Turned on Handoff on all devices.
3. Ensure all devices have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on.
1. Copy the text, image or file. The content will now be placed on the Universal Clipboard.
2. Ensure the device you would like to paste onto is nearby.
3. Paste the content on your secondary device.
How to view your clipboard
If you've ever forgotten the content you copied, you're in luck. You can retrieve it by following the steps outlined below to view your clipboard.
1. Open Finder.
2. Click Edit in the menu bar.
3. Select Show Clipboard.
Since the inception of the MacBook in 2006, Apple has provided power adaptors for its MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models. But what power adaptor goes with your MacBook? This article delves into the distinctions between them and guides you on selecting the appropriate replacement charger for your device.
Choosing the correct replacement MacBook charger is paramount to guarantee compatibility with your device. An incompatible charger, stemming from a different generation, will not function due to a mismatch in connection. The MacBook has evolved through four power adapter forms: MagSafe (T and L shape), MagSafe 2, USB-C, and the latest MagSafe 3. All devices that use MagSafe 3 can also be charged using USB-C.
Power Adaptor | Release Year | Connector |
MagSafe Version 1 T Shape (Left) Version 2 L Shape (Right) | 2006 - 2012 | |
MagSafe 2 | 2012 - 2017 | |
USB-C | 2015-2020 | |
MagSafe 3 | 2021 - Present | |
What is MagSafe? If you are interested in the history of MagSafe charging please find our article here.
Before acquiring a new MacBook charger, it's essential to determine the specific model of your MacBook. There are a few ways you can check which device you have.
If your device is operational, identifying its model is a straightforward process. Access the "About This Mac" feature by clicking on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your desktop. From there, select "About This Mac" to view the specification overview, including details such as the MacBook model name, year of manufacture, and serial number.
For a comprehensive hardware overview, navigate to "More info" and scroll to the bottom of the window, then choose "System Report". Within the Hardware Overview section, you will locate essential details such as the Model Identifier and Model Number.
If your device is unable to boot, you can still determine its model by checking the serial number located on the base of your MacBook. The serial number, a 11-digit code comprising both numbers and letters, can be entered into Apple's Check Coverage tool for identification.
Having identified your MacBook model, refer to the tables below to determine the appropriate charger for your specific device.
Presented below is a table outlining each MacBook Air model number alongside its respective Apple charger.
MacBook Air Model | Model Number | Model Identifier | Apple Power Adaptor |
MacBook Air 2023 (M2, 15-inch) | A2941 | Mac14,15 | 35W or 70W USB-C and MagSafe 3 |
A2337 | MacBookAir10,1 | 30W or 67W USB-C and Magsafe 3 | |
A2337 | MacBookAir10,1 | 30W USB-C | |
A2179 | MacBookAir9,1 | 30W USB-C | |
A1932 | MacBookAir8,2 | 30W USB-C | |
MacBook Air 2018 (Retina, 13-inch) | A1932 | MacBookAir8,1 | 30W USB-C |
MacBook Air 2017 (13-inch) | A1466 | MacBookAir7,2 | 45W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Air Early 2015 (13-inch) | A1466 | MacBookAir7 | 45W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Air Early 2015 (11-inch) | A1465 | MacBookAir7,1 | 45W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Air Early 2014 (13-inch) | A1466 | MacBookAir6,2 | 45W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Air Early 2014 (11-inch) | A1465 | MacBookAir6,1 | 45W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Air Mid 2013 (13-inch) | A1466 | MacBookAir6,2 | 45W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Air Mid 2013 (11-inch) | A1465 | MacBookAir6,1 | 45W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Air Mid 2012 (13-inch) | A1466 | MacBookAir5,2 | 45W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Air Mid 2012 (11-inch) | A1465 | MacBookAir5,1 | 45W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Air Mid 2011 (13-inch) | A1369 | MacBookAir4,2 | 45W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Air Mid 2011 (11-inch) | A1370 | MacBookAir4,1 | 45W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Air Late 2010 (13-inch) | A1369 | MacBookAir3,2 | 45W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Air Late 2010 (11-inch) | A1370 | MacBookAir3,1 | 45W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Air Mid 2009 | A1304 | MacBookAir2,1 | 45W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Air Late 2008 | A1304 | MacBookAir2,1 | 45W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Air 2008 | A1237 | MacBookAir1,1 | 45W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
Presented below is a table outlining each MacBook Pro model number alongside its respective Apple charger.
MacBook Air Model | Model Number | Model Identifier | Apple Power Adaptor |
MacBook Pro Nov 2023 (M3 Pro and M3 Max, 16-inch) | A2991 | Mac15,11 | 140W USB-C and MagSafe 3 |
MacBook Pro Nov 2023 (M3 Pro and M3 Max, 14-inch) | A2992 | Mac15,6 | 70W (11-core) or 96W (12-core) USB-C and Magsafe 3 |
MacBook Pro Nov 2023 (M3, 14-inch) | A2918 | Mac15,3 | 70W USB-C and MagSafe 3 |
A2780 | Mac14,10 | 140W USB-C and MagSafe 3 | |
A2779 | Mac14,9 | 67W (10-core) or 96W (12-core) USB-C and MagSafe 3 | |
A2485 | MacBookPro18,1 | 140W USB-C and MagSafe 3 | |
A2442 | MacBookPro18,3 | 67W (8-core) or 96W (10-core) USB-C and MagSafe 3 | |
A2338 | MacBookPro17,1 | 61W USB-C | |
A2251 | MacBookPro16,2 | 61W USB-C | |
A2141 | MacBookPro16,1 | 96W USB-C | |
A2159 | MacBookPro15,4 | 61W USB-C | |
A1990 | MacBookPro15,1 | 87W USB-C | |
MacBook Pro 2018 (15-inch) | A1990 | MacBookPro15,1 | 87W USB-C |
MacBook Pro 2018 (13-inch) | A1989 | MacBookPro15,2 | 61W USB-C |
MacBook Pro 2017 (15-inch) | A1707 | MacBookPro14,3 | 87W USB-C |
MacBook Pro 2017 (13-inch) | A1706 | MacBookPro14,2 | 61W USB-C |
MacBook Pro 2016 (15-inch | A1707 | MacBookPro13,3 | 87W USB-C |
MacBook Pro 2016 (13-inch) | A1706 | MacBookPro13,2 | 61W USB-C |
MacBook Pro Mid 2015 (15-inch) | A1398 | MacBookPro11,4 | 85W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Pro Early 2015 (13-inch) | A1502 | MacBookPro12,1 | 60W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Pro Mid 2014 (15-inch) | A1398 | MacBookPro11,2 | 85W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Pro Mid 2014 (13-inch) | A1502 | MacBookPro11,1 | 60W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Pro Late 2013 (15-inch) | A1398 | MacBookPro11,2 | 85W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Pro Late 2013 (13-inch) | A1502 | MacBookPro11,1 | 60W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Pro Early 2013 (15-inch) | A1398 | MacBookPro10,1 | 85W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Pro Early 2013 (13-inch) | A1425 | MacBookPro10,2 | 60W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Pro Retina Late 2012 | A1425 | MacBookPro10,2 | 60W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Pro Retina Mid 2012 (15-inch) | A1398 | MacBookPro10,1 | 85W MagSafe 2 |
MacBook Pro Mid 2012 (15-inch) | A1286 | MacBookPro9,1 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Pro Mid 2012 (13-inch) | A1278 | MacBookPro9,2 | 60W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Pro Late 2011 (17-inch) | A1297 | MacBookPro8,3 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Pro Late 2011 (15-inch) | A1286 | MacBookPro8,2 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Pro Late 2011 (13-inch) | A1278 | MacBookPro8,1 | 60W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Pro Early 2011 (17-inch) | A1297 | MacBookPro8,3 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Pro Early 2011 (15-inch) | A1286 | MacBookPro8,2 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Pro Early 2011 (13-inch) | A1278 | MacBookPro8,1 | 60W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Pro Mid 2010 (17-inch) | A1297 | MacBookPro6,1 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Pro Mid 2010 (15-inch) | A1286 | MacBookPro6,2 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Pro Mid 2010 (13-inch) | A1278 | MacBookPro7,1 | 60W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Pro Mid 2009 (17-inch) | A1297 | MacBookPro5,2 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Pro Mid 2009 (15-inch) | A1286 | MacBookPro5,3 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Pro 2.53Ghz Mid 2009 | A1286 | MacBookPro5,4 | 60W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Pro Mid 2009 (13-inch) | A1278 | MacBookPro5,5 | 60W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Pro Early 2009 (17-inch) | A1297 | MacBookPro5,2 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Pro Late 2008 (17-inch) | A1261 | MacBookPro4,1 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Pro Late 2008 (15-inch) | A1286 | MacBookPro5,1 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Pro Early 2008 (17-inch) | A1261 | MacBookPro4,1 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Pro Early 2008 (15-inch) | A1260 | MacBookPro4,1 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Pro Mid/Late 2007 (17-inch) | A1229 | MacBookPro3,1 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Pro Mid/Late 2007 (15-inch) | A1226 | MacBookPro3,1 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo 2007 | A1212 | MacBookPro2,1 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo 2007 | A1211 | MacBookPro2,2 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Pro Glossy 2006 (15-inch) | A1150 | MacBookPro1,1 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Pro 2006 (17-inch) | A1151 | MacBookPro1,2 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Pro 2006 (15-inch) | A1150 | MacBookPro1,1 | 85W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
Presented below is a table outlining each MacBook model number alongside its respective Apple charger.
MacBook Air Model | Model Number | Model Identifier | Apple Power Adaptor |
MacBook Retina 2017 (12-inch) | A1534 | MacBook10,1 | 29W USB-C |
MacBook Retina Early 2016 (12-inch) | A1534 | MacBook9,1 | 29W USB-C |
MacBook Retina Early 2015 (12-inch) | A1534 | MacBook8,1 | 29W USB-C |
MacBook Mid 2010 (13-inch) | A1342 | MacBook7,1 | 60W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Late 2009 (13-inch) | A1342 | MacBook6,1 | 60W MagSafe (version 1) L Shape |
MacBook Mid 2009 (13-inch) | A1181 | MacBook5,2 | 60W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Early 2009 (13-inch) | A1181 | MacBook5,2 | 60W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Aluminium Late 2008 | A1278 | MacBook5,1 | 60W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Late 2008 (13-inch) | A1181 | MacBook4,1 | 60W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Early 2008 (13-inch) | A1181 | MacBook4,1 | 60W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Late 2007 (13-inch) | A1181 | MacBook3,1 | 60W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Mid 2007 (13-inch) | A1181 | MacBook2,1 | 60W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook Late 2006 (13-inch) | A1181 | MacBook2,1 | 60W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
MacBook 2006 (13-inch) | A1181 | MacBook1,1 | 60W MagSafe (version 1) T Shape |
We strongly advise opting for an official Apple USB C charger to guarantee the correct wattage and voltage specifications for your MacBook. While third-party chargers are available, it's crucial to make purchases from reputable sellers to ensure efficient and safe charging for your MacBook. Anker chargers, for example, provide MacBook-compatible power adaptors at a more affordable price compared to Apple's offerings.
MagSafe, a charging technology unveiled by Apple in 2006 alongside the MacBook Pro launch, derives its name from the combination of 'Magnet' and 'Safe.' MagSafe improves the charger's connection to the device by using magnets to create a truer connection. The magnetic connection allows for easy disconnection if a user accidentally trips on the cable, preventing potential damage to the device.
The Macbook USB-C charger was introduced in 2015 and was utilised until 2020. Apple aimed to harness the versatility of USB-C, capitalising on its capacity to handle data transfer, video output, and device charging all through a single port.
Certainly, you can modify the plug type by detaching the Apple plug, commonly known as the duckhead, from the power adapter and replacing it with the regional duckhead that you require. If you would like to purchase regional plugs, we recommend Apple's official World Travel Adapter Kit which includes seven of the most widely used AC plugs. Additionally, users have the option to interchange the Apple charger cable on USB-C power adapters, facilitating the transition between MagSafe 3 and USB-C without the necessity of unplugging the power adapter from the socket.
If your device supports USB-C power adapter, you're in luck, as you can utilise any Apple USB-C charger to power it. For optimal charging performance, it is advised to use a charger with wattage equal to or higher than the USB-C charger supplied with your MacBook.
If your device fails to boot after replacing the charger, several factors could be at play. It's possible that the charger purchased may not be the correct one for your MacBook, or there might be an underlying hardware issue with your device. Please see the provided tables above to verify the charger's compatibility with your device. If your MacBook won’t charge, we recommend reaching out to an Apple authorised repair centre. Locate your local centre here.
If you're seeking a replacement MacBook, Hoxton Macs offers an extensive range of refurbished MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models at competitive prices.
Macs do not come with Microsoft Office applications installed however they can run all your favourite Microsoft Office apps; Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Outlook. You can download Microsoft Office 365 for Mac or the individual apps from the App Store or direct from Microsoft's website.
Microsoft offers three versions of Office for home; two subscription versions and a one-off purchase.
Microsoft 365 subscriptions offer more functionality and features than the one-off purchase of Office Home & Student. In addition to Word, Excel and PowerPoint you also get OneNote, Outlook, cloud storage and 60 monthly minutes on Skype. You can also use Office on five additional devices including Windows, iOS and Android.
We've shortlisted the three different options below for you.
Office Home & Student 2021
One-Off Purchase
£119.99
Microsoft 365 Personal
Subscription
£59.99 per year or £5.99 per month
Microsoft 365 Family
Subscription
£79.99 per year or £7.99 per month
Microsoft are also currently offering 1 months free trial for this package.
Microsoft also have an Office student discount, where after verifying your univertity status you can pay just £2.99 per month for Microsoft 365 personal.
There are a number of great and free alternatives to Microsoft Office 365 that are worth considering.
iWork
Pages, Numbers and Keynote are Apple’s equivalent of Word, Excel and Powerpoint respectively.
These are each available as a free download from the App Store. Intuitive and easy to make great looking documents, also has great integration with iOS but lacks in the professional features of Microsoft Office such as pivot tables. There can also be cross compatibility issues with opening Office documents.
Writer, Calc and Impress are LibreOffice’s equivalent of Word, Excel and Powerpoint respectively.
Free download. Cross compatibility with files produced in Microsoft Office and has a comprehensive set of features comparable to Microsoft Office. The user interface isn’t quite as pretty as iWork or Office and can struggle with stability when working with larger files.
Docs, Sheets and Slides are Google’s equivalent of Word, Excel and Powerpoint respectively.
Personal use is free. Business use starts at £5 per user/month for the entry level subscription. Operates from within a browser window and requires an internet connection. Excellent collaboration features but lacks in some spreadsheet features such as highly customisable charts when compared to Microsoft Office.
Apple has taken significant strides in the tech industry for many years and continues to impress with its custom-designed processor chips known as Apple silicon. These chips power the latest Mac systems offering impressive performance and efficiency. But what does this mean for gamers? Can you enjoy gaming on a mac, or do they still lag behind Windows PCs and consoles? In this blog post, we will explore some of the benefits of gaming on Apple silicon and why you might want to try it yourself.
Apple silicon, powered by the M1 and subsequent chips, boasts a remarkable increase in performance compared to the traditional Intel processors that were a staple of the past. The custom-designed architecture and integration of the CPU, GPU, and unified memory on a single chip result in lightning-fast processing speeds. Gamers can now enjoy resource-intensive games with smoother graphics, reduced latency, and faster load times.
One of the standout features of Apple silicon is its unified memory architecture. The integration of high-bandwidth memory across the CPU and GPU ensures that graphics-intensive tasks are handled with maximum efficiency. This not only translates to visually stunning gaming experiences but also eliminates bottlenecks, leading to faster rendering and higher frame rates. Apple silicon even has benchmarks better than high end AMD graphics cards.
Another benefit of gaming on Apple silicon is the ever growing list of games now available on macOS. Traditionally, macOS was less popular as a platform for gaming due to the limited number of titles that supported it, combined with the lower performance compared to Windows. However, with the development of Apple silicon, this is changing. More developers are porting their games to macOS, or using tools like Metal, Apple’s graphics API, to optimise their games for Apple silicon devices.
Other software applications have already catered for the integration of macOS for the purpose of gaming. Steam is a renowned gaming platform available for use on Mac. But is Steam Apple silicon ready? The answer is yes, Mac users have to access a wide range of video games, from indie developers to the most popular AAA titles. The software provides a browsable library with a section dedicated to games compatible with macOS. Titles such as Rust, Disco Elysium and Balder’s Gate 3 can be downloaded and played directly on your Mac device. More graphically intensive games are also available, such as Arma 3.
You can also access games previously unavailable on Mac by utilising the Crossover software developed by Codeweavers. The latest version of Crossover incorporates Apple's Game Porting Toolkit, allowing Windows DirectX 11 and DirectX 12 games to be run on Apple silicon devices. Additionally, Crossover integrates with popular platforms such as Steam, Ubisoft Store and the Epic Games Store, expanding your gaming options. With this capability, you can run titles like Hogwarts Legacy, Elden Ring, and Cyberpunk 2077 on Apple silicon.
Cloud gaming is a great alternative to running games natively on Mac. Cloud gaming services process games in remote data centres (in the cloud) and deliver the visual output to your device over the internet. For optimal performance, a fast and reliable internet connection is needed. Some great options for streaming games to a Mac include services like NVIDIA GeForce Now. Xbox Cloud Gaming on Mac is also a great option if you already have a Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
Apple provides its own subscription service called Apple Arcade, which gives access to over 200 games for a monthly fee. These games are exclusive to Apple devices, and are curated by Apple to ensure high quality and variety. Some of the best Apple arcade games are, Stardew valley, Sneaky Sasquatch and What the Golf. Apple Arcade games are designed to work seamlessly across Macs, iPads, iPhones, and Apple TVs, and support features like iCloud saving. You can also purchase games in Apple Arcade such as Football Manager for Mac!
If you want to pair your Xbox or PS5 controller to your Apple silicon device, we have good news! You can connect your controller through the Bluetooth function on your device and play any Mac available game that requires or has controller compatibility.
Gaming on Apple silicon is not a pipe dream anymore. With the improved graphics performance, the increased number of games on macOS, and the easier compatibility with Windows games, Apple silicon devices can offer a satisfying and enjoyable gaming experience. If you are looking for a sleek, powerful, and versatile device that can handle both work and play, you might want to consider gaming on Apple silicon. We have a plentiful supply of refurbished Apple silicon devices ready for immediate dispatch these include refurbished Mac Studio, 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro.
What’s faster M1 Ultra or M2 Max? And why you should consider a refurbished Mac Studio M1 Ultra over a new Mac Studio M2 Max.
Performance
A common question we get asked is - why buy a Mac Studio M1 Ultra when we can pay a little more and get the newer Mac Studio M2 Max? Well, despite being the newer chip, the difference between Max and Ultra chips is greater than the difference between M1 and M2.
CPU
Despite a modest bump in performance of M2 cores compared to M1, when taking into account the 20 cores found in the M1 Ultra chip compared to the 12 cores found in the M2 Max the overall performance of the M1 Ultra is significantly better.
GPU
The M1 Ultra chip GPU can be configured with either 48 or 64 cores, whilst the M2 Max chip can be configured with 30 or 38 cores. When comparing the entry-level 48 cores of the M1 Ultra it edges the upgraded 38 cores of the M2 Max.
Memory
Both the M1 Ultra and M2 Max chips use fast 6400 MT/s LPDDR5 memory, however, the M1 Ultra has 800GB/s of memory bandwidth compared to the M2 Max's 400GB/s. This extra bandwidth helps the data-hungry GPU receive the data it needs without bottlenecks, meaning your video rendering will benefit.
Connectivity
The M1 Ultra has six Thunderbolt 4 ports (with speeds up to 40Gbit/s), whereas the M2 Max has four Thunderbolt 4 ports and the two forward-facing ports are slower USB-C ports (up to 10Gbit/s).
Price
When you compare the Mac Studio M2 Max and the refurbished Mac Studio M1 Ultra, both equipped with the same 64GB memory and 1TB SSD storage, Apple prices the M2 Max at £2,699.00, while our offer for the M1 Ultra starts at £2,495.00. In simple terms, you get more performance for less money with the M1 Ultra.
If you need even more capability we have the Mac Studio M1 Ultra available with 128GB memory and up to 8TB SSD.
Earlier this week, Apple announced their next operating system, macOS Sonoma. Coming later this year, macOS Sonoma includes desktop widgets, moving screensavers, video conferring updates, enhancements to Messages and Safari, and a new, optimised gaming mode.
We've included a summary of the new features below along with details of which Mac support the new OS.
macOS Sonoma is compatible with these devices
You can check the age of your Mac by clicking the Apple sign on the top left and then clicking About This Mac.
Desktop widgets
New interactive widgets on your desktop. You can also add your iPhone widgets to your Mac using Continuity.
Video conferencing
If you're doing presentations there is a new feature that lets you overlay yourself over your presentation. There are also new reaction features that add visual overlays that can be triggered with a gesture.
New screensavers
Slow-motion screensavers of beautiful locations that seamlessly become your desktop.
Safari updates
Profiles let you keep your browsing separate, for example with Work and Personal (like Google Chrome 😅). Add websites to your dock for access with a web app-like experience. Enhanced search and private browsing.
Messages updates
Improved search, location sharing, and sticker access.
A new gaming mode
An optimised gaming mode that prioritises CPU and GPU performance.
For a full roundup of the new features, you can see Apple's press release, linked here.
It was recently discovered by an America technologist, Andy Baio, when he was trying to fix his printer, hidden in a folder within the Image Capture app along with other random PDF and image files.
Following Andy Baio's blog post, the story gained traction in crypto and Apple communities and was likely picked up by Apple following the buzz. 9to5mac have reported that the files have been removed by Apple in the developer release of macOS Ventura 13.4 beta 3. Hence, the likely explanation is that the file was snuck in by an Apple engineer and hasn’t been removed since, as it was mostly unknown and doesn’t include any sensitive information.
The Bitcoin Whitepaper on macOS
If you are running macOS Mojave or a more recent OS, and haven’t updated to the macOS Ventura 13.4 beta 3 or newer, you can still find the file. If you’re comfortable with Terminal commands you can use command below:
open /System/Library/Image\ Capture/Devices/VirtualScanner.app/Contents/Resources/simpledoc.pdf
Alternatively, you can open Finder, click Go at the top, then Computer, then follow the (rather long) path below. Congrats to anyone that can follow that nested path!
If you can't spot it, you may now be running a version of macOS where the file has been removed, in which case you can find it here.
The story behind the BTC Whitepaper is mysterious and fascinating. On 31st October 2008, a paper was published online, authored by a person (or group of people) who called themselves Satoshi Nakamoto. The document addresses the key issues associated with electronic payments and the issues that stem from the reliance of a central, third-party. Satoshi Nakamoto outlined a fundamentally new solution that sparked the creation and now adoption of cryptocurrency. For a better roundup, you can check the link, here.
Pay with coinbase on hoxtonmacs.co.uk
Hoxton Macs accept cryptocurrency payments using both BitPay and Coinbase Commerce, two safe and secure methods to spend your cryptocurrency.
BitPay currently support payment in Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ethereum (ETH), Dogecoin (DOGE), Litecoin, XRP and a number of stable coins including USD Coin.
Coinbase currently support ApeCoin, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, DAI, Dogecoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, SHIBA INU, Tether and USD Coin.
]]>Rumours of a 15-inch MacBook Air surfaced in 2020 and according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, this new product is soon to be unveiled at Apple’s upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, alongside a mixed-reality headset, iOS 17 and macOS 14.
What are the rumours?
We tend to not get caught up in the Apple rumour mill, however, we do always have our ear to the ground with Apple’s product lines. Here's the consensus on this new product;
MacBook Air M2 (13.6-inch)
Is anyone interested in a 15-inch MacBook Air
Apple’s laptop product line currently looks like this:
If you want a Mac with a larger display you're looking at the 16-inch MacBook Pro, priced from £2699. The 14-inch MacBook Pro is also an option, however, users that are moving from a 15 or 16-inch MacBook Pro might not want a smaller display. The larger MacBook Air will likely be priced between the 13.6-inch M2 MacBook Air (£1249) and the 16-inch MacBook Pro (£2699), giving an option for those who want a lower-priced, slimmer, and lighter Mac with a larger display.
Apple's MacBook pricing, May 2023
Time will tell whether the new model will utilize the M2 processor and whether Apple continue to sell the M1 MacBook Air or decide to update or discontinue this model. Currently, as Apple's lowest-priced laptop the M1 MacBook Air is likely one of their best sellers and it continues to be a favourite of our customers too.
These M1 models have been incredibly well received and offer a great upgrade on the older Intel models. The 8GB models are ideal for most users and the 16GB memory models are capable of running the majority of professional apps. Hoxton Macs refurbished devices offer a great saving against Apple giving people a cost effective upgrade option with lower environmental impact.
Apple
M1 MacBook Air from £999
MacBook Pro 14" from £2149
MacBook Pro 16" from £2699
Hoxton Macs
M1 MacBook Air from £685
Saving of £314 (31%)
14" M1 MacBook Pro from £1395
Saving of £754 (35%)
Intel MacBook Pro 16" from £900
Saving of £1799 (67%)
16" MacBook Pro M1 from £1695
Saving of £1004 (37%)
In addition to great savings, Hoxton Macs also offer upgrade options at a fraction of Apple's prices and there are no delays on upgrades as all Hoxton Macs stock is in stock and available.
Autodesk recently announced that AutoCAD 2024 and AutoCad LT 2024 software now runs natively on Apple silicon Macs. Native support means that the new software will now be optimised for both Apple silicon (M1 and M2) Macs and Intel Macs. With this new Apple silicon support, Autodesk is reporting significant increases in performance compared to their AutoCAD 2023.
‘The support for Apple Silicon can increase overall performance by up to two times compared to 2023’
Dania El Hassan, Director of Product Management for AutoCAD.
Autodesk are arguably late to the party, as the majority of major software developers, for example Adobe, were quick to offer native support when the M1 MacBook Pro, M1 MacBook Air and M1 Mac mini were released back in November 2020. Nonetheless, this is great news and means that AutoCAD can now be easily installed and used on both Intel or newer Apple silicon Mac devices.
For a full account of the new features of AutoCAD 2024, you can read Autodesk’s recent blog article, linked here.
We’ve summarised Autodesk’s requirements for AutoCAD 2024 below, you can see them in full, here. One thing to note is that these are intended as guidance and don’t guarantee optimum performance across all use cases.
Intel: If you are purchasing an Intel model we’d recommend a model with 16GB memory, a dedicated graphics card and SSD storage. This would include;
Apple silicon M1 / M2: for Apple silicon, we’d recommend models with 16GB memory. This would include;
Buying a refurbished Mac will save you a bundle compared to new - don't forget that all of our devices include 20% VAT. Finance is available with Paypal and Klarna.
Geekbench is a processor benchmark for macOS, iOS and many other platforms. A processor benchmark is a program that runs a number of standardised tests that mimic real world tasks in order to obtain a performance score for your device's processor. These tests time how long processors take to complete tasks. The shorter time it takes your processor to complete the tests, the higher its Geekbench score.
The difference Geekbench has to CPU benchmarks is that it can run consistent results over multiple platforms like Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone and more. Providing multi-threaded and server orientated tests.
Geekbench 5 is the latest iteration of the program and provides both single-core and multi-core scores. As all Macs now feature two or more cores the multi-core score provides the clearest indicator of the processor performance, this is the figure we provide in blue text at the bottom of each product description.
Geekbench 5 scores are calibrated against a baseline score of 1000 (with 1000 being the score of an Intel Core i3-8100). The higher score the higher performance the processor. A score that is twice as high will mean the processor is twice as powerful.
When a device runs Geekbench the score can be uploaded to Geekbench Browser that allows for the crowdsourcing of scores from across many different devices. As benchmarks for two identical devices may differ slightly due to differing background processes an average of each score submitted is displayed. You can view the Mac specific scores in Geekbench Browser here.
If you would like to run Geekbench on your own device you can download the app for macOS or iOS here.
]]>Macs without the price tag
One of the main benefits of purchasing a refurbished device is the price saving. At Hoxon Macs, we manage the whole process which allows us to:
Source the highest quality Macs
Set the quality standards for refurbishment
Offer the most competitive prices by removing the middlemen
All Hoxton Macs prices include VAT
For businesses, one thing to look out for when purchasing refurbished equipment is whether VAT is included in the price. Many retailers do not charge VAT because they operate under the VAT margin scheme. This means the price ends up being more than you expect, as you cannot reclaim 20% VAT. The review we recently received below explains this well!
Unlike most other retailers we do not operate under the VAT Margin Scheme, therefore all purchases are supplied with a VAT invoice allowing you to reclaim 20% VAT. We also send you a pdf copy of your invoice as part of our order fulfilment to make your accounting easier.
Benefits of purchasing Hoxton Macs refurbished
Competitive Pricing
20% VAT on all purchases
Lower environmental impact compared to new
Ready to ship - no delays for upgrades
If you're in the market for a new Mac and need any assistance feel free to give us an email or call (0208 819 3244) and our team would be happy to assist!
The MacBook Air is Apple's most popular MacBook, likely because of its price point and suitability for general users. We love the MacBook Air, it's a great all round device and the introduction of the M1 processors has really pushed the boundaries of what it can handle, especially when configured with 16GB memory.
Apple currently offers the M1 MacBook Air, originally introduced in November 2020 and the M2 MacBook Air, introduced in July 2022. Originally the M1 MacBook Air was available with two GPU options (7-core and 8-core) however when they introduced the M2 model, Apple discontinued the 8-core GPU option.
One of the main benefits of purchasing a refurbished Mac from Hoxton Macs is that you can make significant savings with no compromise on quality. Comparing prices as a consumer can often be tricky as it requires familiarity with computer specifications and Apple's product releases. It gets even more confusing when you factor age in, as it becomes difficult to make like for like comparisons. To illustrate the savings we've tabulated our M1 MacBook Air prices in comparison to Apple's at the moment...
MacBook Air 13-inch M1 | Apple price | Hoxton Macs price | Hoxton Macs Saving |
£999 |
|||
£1199 |
|||
£1199 |
|||
£1599 |
* Prices accurate as of 28/03/23
Apple's entry level model with 256GB storage and 8GB memory starts from £999, compared to £730 from Hoxton Macs. This is a saving of £269 (that's a pair of 2nd generation AirPods Pro + £20 change!).
The percentage saving increases with the built to order models, for example the 1TB storage and 16GB memory model which Apple retail for £1599. Hoxton Macs price this from £1050 which is a £549 saving (that's a new iPad +£50!).
If you're purchasing from Hoxton Macs you can rest assured that prices are competitive. In addition to great prices, all Hoxton Macs devices are supplied with a one year warranty and if they are in stock on our website they will be available for dispatch, meaning there will be no lengthy waits for upgraded models. If you are a business, you'll also be happy to hear that all prices are VAT inclusive.
Yesterday, Apple launched new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops that feature the new M2 Pro and M2 Max processors. These new chips offer incremental increases in CPU and GPU power, an increase in the max memory (from 64GB to 96GB), improved battery life and more.
We noticed that Apple have increased the Euro and Sterling pricing across the 14 and 16-inch models. This is likely the result of changes in exchange rates.
For example, prices for the 2021 base configuration M1 14 and 16-inch models were £1999 and £2499, respectively. The prices for the 2023 base configuration M2 14 and 16-inch are £2149 and £2699, respectively. See below for a side by side comparison which illustrates the price increases.
MacBook Pro 14-inch (M1, 2021)
M1 Pro
8-Core CPU, 14-Core GPU
16GB RAM, 512GB SSD
£1999
M1 Max
10-Core CPU, 24-Core GPU
32GB RAM, 1TB SSD Storage
£2999
MacBook Pro 14-inch (M2, 2023)
M2 Pro
10-Core CPU,
16-Core GPU
16GB RAM,
512GB SSD
£2149 (+£150)
M2 Max
12-Core CPU,
30-Core GPU
32GB RAM, 1TB SSD
£3349 (+£350)
MacBook Pro 16-inch (M1, 2021)
M1 Pro
10-Core CPU, 16-Core GPU
16GB RAM, 512GB SSD
£2499
M1 Max
10-Core CPU
, 24-Core GPU
32GB RAM, 1TB SSD
£3299
MacBook Pro 16-inch (M2, 2023)
M2 Pro
12-Core CPU
, 19-Core GPU
16GB RAM,
512GB SSD
£2699 (+£200)
M2 Max
12-Core CPU,
38-Core GPU
32GB RAM,
1TB SSD
£3749 (+450)
The new M2 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models certainly offer some upgrades, but it's fair to say they aren't as significant a leap from Apple's Intel MacBook Pro to the initial Apple Silicon M1 range.
If you have unlimited funds or are a using your Mac in a way that warrants the latest and greatest tech, the upgrade is worth considering. However, if you're currently using an Intel model, the M1 models would still be an excellent upgrade and considering Hoxton Macs refurbished will give you the increase in performance at a much fairer price.
For a full round up of these new models you can read Apple's press release, here. We look forward to learning more about the M2 Pro and M2 Mac performance once they reach the hands of real users, we'll be keeping an eye out!
If you purchase an upgraded Mac from Apple, there are 2-4 week delays on the majority of items at the moment. For example, if you order an M1 Mac mini now and configure it with 1TB storage you likely won’t receive it for four weeks!
It’s been this way for a fair while, in 2022 Apple attributed the supply issues to ongoing component shortages and manufacturing issues caused by the global pandemic. These delays are expected to continue into 2023 and are rumoured to be impacting Apple’s next set of product releases, for example the next generation M2 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models which were due in early 2023.
One of the benefits of purchasing from Hoxton Macs is that there are no delays with any of our models for sale. This includes upgraded models and built to order configurations. This is because all of the models that we advertise online are tested and in stock. After a sale comes in our team will run the device through a final set of hardware tests, physically clean the device, then package it ready for DPD delivery.
If you’re in need of a device sooner rather than later you can trust that Hoxton Macs will be able to get it to you swiftly. In addition to this you’ll also be making a significant saving against new and bypassing the CO2 emissions associated with the initial production of a device.
Flicking between browser tabs and apps, or trying to manoeuvre a large spreadsheet can be tricky when using a single display. Nowadays, many people utitlise multiple displays with their Mac to extend their screen space.
There is a lot of confusion when it comes to connecting external displays to a Mac. The number of displays a Mac can support and the resolutions, changes with different Mac specifications and ages. To add confusion, Apple’s recently released M1 and M2 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air support one display, whereas, their Intel predecessors supported more (details below on how you can get around this).
We’ve put together a conclusive guide, a cheat sheet if you will, so you can check how many external displays your Mac supports natively and at what resolution.
Apple's M1 13" MacBook Pro, M2 13" MacBook Pro and the M1 MacBook Air and M2 MacBook Air only support one external display, natively. Fortunately, there are workarounds that allow you to connect additional displays. This typically requires some software and a docking station, hub or adapter.
One of the risks with software workarounds is that problems can occur with future Apple software updates, so this is something to be wary of.
Workaround 1: DisplayLink software
DisplayLink's software allows you to get around the M1/M2 MacBook's single display limitation. This should work with the majority of USB-C adapters and docks that allow you to connect a display.
Workaround 2: InstantView Docking station
Another third-party solution is SiliconMotion's InstantView Docking station works similarly to DisplayLink, allowing you to connect additional displays via the dock.
Model | External display support | Setup 1 | Setup 2 |
MacBook Pro 13”, M2, 2022 |
1 🖥 |
One external 6K display (6016 by 3384) at 60 Hz |
n/a |
M1 Pro: 2 🖥 🖥, |
M1 Pro: Up to two external 6K displays (6016 by 3384) at 60 Hz |
M1 Max: Up to three external 6K displays (6016 by 3384) and one external 4k display (4096 by 2304) at 60 Hz |
|
M1 Pro: 2 🖥 🖥, |
M1 Pro: Up to two external 6K displays (6016 by 3384) at 60 Hz |
M1 Max: Up to three external 6K displays (6016 by 3384) and one external 4k display (4096 by 2304) at 60 Hz |
|
1 🖥 |
One external 6K display (6016 by 3384) at 60 Hz |
n/a |
|
2 🖥 🖥 |
One external 6K display (6016 by 3384) at 60 Hz |
Up to two external 4k displays (4096 by 2304) at 60Hz |
|
2 🖥 🖥 |
One external 5K display (5120 by 2880) at 60 Hz |
Up to two external 4k displays (4096 by 2304) at 60Hz |
|
4 🖥 🖥 🖥 🖥 |
Up to two external 6K displays (6016 by 3384) at 60 Hz |
Up to four external 4k displays (4096 by 2304) at 60Hz |
|
4 🖥 🖥 🖥 🖥 |
Up to two external 5K display (5120 by 2880) at 60 Hz |
Up to four external 4k displays (4096 by 2304) at 60Hz |
|
2 🖥 🖥 |
One external 5K display (5120 by 2880) at 60 Hz |
Up to two external 4k displays (4096 by 2304) at 60Hz |
Model | External display support | Setup 1 | Setup 2 |
MacBook Air, M2, 2022 |
1 🖥 |
One external 6K display (6016 by 3384) at 60 Hz |
n/a |
1 🖥 |
One external 6K display (6016 by 3384) at 60 Hz |
n/a |
|
2 🖥 🖥 |
One external 6K display (6016 by 3384) at 60 Hz |
Up to two external 4k displays (4096 by 2304) at 60Hz |
|
2 🖥 🖥 |
One external 5K display (5120 by 2880) at 60 Hz |
Up to two external 4k displays (4096 by 2304) at 60Hz |
|
MacBook Air, 2017 - 2015 |
1 🖥 |
One external display (3840 by 2160) at 60 Hz |
n/a |
Model | External display support | Setup 1 | Setup 2 |
2 🖥 🖥 |
One external 6K display (6016 by 3384) at 60 Hz via Thunderbolt and one external 4K display (4096 by 2304) at 60 Hz via HDMI |
n/a |
|
3 🖥 🖥 🖥 |
Two external 4K displays (4096 by 2304) at 60 Hz via Thunderbolt 3 and one external 4K displays (4096 by 2304) at 60 Hz via HDMI |
One external 5K display (5120 by 2880) at 60 Hz via Thunderbolt 3 and one external 4K displays (4096 by 2304) at 60 Hz via HDMI |
|
Mac mini, 2014 |
2 🖥 🖥 |
Up to two displays at 2560 by 1600 pixels |
1 display at: |
Model | External display support | Setup 1 | Setup 2 |
2 🖥 🖥 |
One external 6K display (6016 by 3384) at 60 Hz |
n/a |
|
2 🖥 🖥 |
One external 5K display (5120 by 2880) at 60 Hz AMD Radeon Pro 5700 or AMD Radeon Pro 5700 XT: One external 6K display (6016 by 3384) at 60 Hz |
Up to two external 4k displays (4096 by 2304) at 60Hz AMD Radeon Pro 5700 or AMD Radeon Pro 5700 XT: Up to two external 6K displays (6016 by 3384) |
|
2 🖥 🖥 |
One external 5K display (5120 by 2880) at 60 Hz |
Up to two external 4k displays (4096 by 2304) at 60Hz |
|
2 🖥 🖥 |
One external 5K display (5120 by 2880) at 60 Hz |
Up to two external 4k displays (4096 by 2304) at 60Hz |
|
2 🖥 🖥 |
1.6GHz: One external display at 3840 by 2160 2.8GHz: One external display at 4096 by 2304 |
n/a |
Model | External display support | Setup 1 | Setup 2 | |
|
5 🖥 🖥 🖥 🖥 🖥 |
Up to four external 6K displays (6016 by 3384) at 60 Hz via USB-C and one external 4k display (4096 by 2304) at 60Hz via HDMI |
n/a |
Model | External display support | Setup 1 | Setup 2 |
Mac Pro, 2019 |
Up to 12 displays depending on graphics configuration |
AMD Radeon Pro W5500X: up to four 4K external displays, one 5K display or one Pro Display XDR AMD Radeon Pro W6600X: up to four 4K displays, two 5K displays or two Pro Display XDRs AMD Radeon Pro W5700X: Support for up to six 4K displays, three 5K displays or three Pro Display XDRs AMD Radeon Pro W6800X: Support for up to six 4K displays, three 5K displays or three Pro Display XDRs AMD Radeon Pro W6900X: Support for up to six 4K displays, three 5K displays or three Pro Display XDRs AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo: Support for up to eight 4K displays, four 5K displays or six Pro Display |
n/a |
Mac Pro, 2013 |
6 🖥 🖥 🖥 🖥 🖥 🖥 |
Up to three dual-cable 5K displays (5120 by 2880) |
Up to six Thunderbolt displays |
This information is compiled using Apple’s Techincal Specifications. These can be a little hard to find for older models if you don’t know where to look. You can find them here: Apple Tech Specs
MacBooks are well known for their build quality, beautiful design, and use in the creative industry, but less known for gaming. Part of the reason for this is because, in the past, gamers typically used dedicated game consoles, with more ‘hardcore’ gamers playing PC games on custom-built PCs. Equivalent Macs were often more expensive, not upgradable and many games weren’t designed for macOS, so the gaming community and Windows lovers have been known to turn their noses up at Apple.
🙄😂
Nowadays, the gaming industry has come a long way, with the popularity of mobile and online gaming transforming the types of games we play and the number of people that play them. The wide adoption of Apple devices has also encouraged game developers to make more games available on Apple. As a result, the majority of major games are now supported by the Mac, Apple even has their own gaming subscription called Apple Arcade.
Steam is a popular online game platform from which you can purchase a number of games. The majority of games are now designed to run on both Windows and Mac. The image below shows the top 5 games on Steam, all of which are supported on both Windows and Mac.
Steam top selling games, available on both Windows and Mac
The answer to this question depends on what type of game you are playing. Similar to when you are looking at a piece of software, it’s always best to check compatibility and what hardware is recommended.
In the past, Mac devices that had more powerful processors, dedicated graphics cards, and 16GB memory were best suited to gaming - that is the 15 and 16-inch MacBook Pro, the 4K and 5K iMac, and of course the Mac Pro and iMac Pro. Apple’s new Silicon models offer significant increases in performance compared to their Intel predecessors, meaning you can now play many games using an M1 MacBook Air, or 13” MacBook Pro.
What you’ll typically find is that more basic games will run on most modern Macs, however, games that are more demanding might will require newer and more powerful models.
All of this information should be available on the games website.
Modern Macs are incredibly capable and can handle most things you chuck at them, that’s why they’re the industry standard for many professional musicians, designers, and editors. If you want to play a game at the end of each day, the Mac is well suited.
However, if you are planning on purchasing a computer primarily for gaming a custom-built PC is likely a better choice. The big benefit here is that they are designed to be upgradable and more flexible, meaning as requirements change over time you have the option to upgrade components as necessary and you connect them to your favourite display and hardware as you like.
One of the main benefits of purchasing a refurbished Mac from Hoxton Macs is that you can make significant savings with no compromise on quality.
Comparing prices for a consumer can often be tricky because it requires familiarity with different computer specifications and an understanding of Apple’s product releases. We try to display this information as clearly as possible, but if you aren’t au-fait with computer language it can be quite confusing, especially because Apple regularly releases new products.
At the moment, Apple sells both the Intel Mac mini (introduced in 2018) and the M1 Mac mini (introduced in 2020). This means we can make a straightforward comparison between the price buying new from Apple, or refurbished from Hoxton Macs, to evidence the value for money that we offer. For the comparison I am comparing against Hoxton Macs Grade A devices, though the saving would be even greater with grade B.
Apple currently price the 3.0GHz Intel Core i5 Mac mini with 512GB storage and 8GB memory at £1099. Hoxton Macs price this at £500 which is a saving of £599 (55%)! This saving increases with the upgraded models, for example Apple charges an additional £1200 to upgrade to 1TB storage and 64GB memory, making the price £2299. Hoxton Macs charge £400 for the same ugprade, making the price £900, this is a saving of £1399 (61%)!. Current prices are detailed in the table below for you to make a full comparison.
Mac mini 3.0GHz Intel Core i5 | Apple price | Hoxton Macs price | Hoxton Macs Saving |
£1099 |
£500 |
£599, 55% |
|
£1299 |
£550 |
£749, 58% |
|
£1699 |
£650 |
£1049, 62% |
|
£2099 |
£800 |
£1299, 62% |
|
£1299 |
£600 |
£699, 54% |
|
£1499 |
£650 |
£849, 57% |
|
£1899 |
£750 |
£1149, 61% |
|
£2299 |
£900 |
£1399, 61% |
Apple pricing, Dec 2022
We have made a similar comparison against the M1 Mac mini. Apple price the entry level configuration, with 256GB storage and 8GB memory at £699. Hoxton Macs offer the same device for £550, a £149 (21%) saving. Similar to the previous example, the saving increases with the upgraded models. Apple charge £600 to upgrade to 1TB storage and 16GB memory, making the price £1299. Hoxton Macs charge £400 for the same upgrade, making the price £950, this is a saving of £349 (27%)!
Mac mini M1 | Apple price | Hoxton Macs price | Hoxton Macs Saving |
£699 |
£550 |
£149, 21% |
|
£899 |
£600 |
£299, 33% |
|
£1099 |
£800 |
£299, 27% |
|
£899 |
£750 |
£149, 17% |
|
£1099 |
£850 |
£249, 23% |
|
£1299 |
£950 |
£349, 27% |
|
£1699 |
£1050 |
£649, 38% |
Apple pricing, Dec 2022
In addition to great prices, all Hoxton Macs devices are supplied with a one year warranty and if they are in stock on our website they will be available for dispatch, meaning there will be no lengthy waits for upgraded models. If you are a business, you'll also be happy to hear that all prices are VAT inclusive.
The Apple iMac has been well known for its beautiful display for a number of years now and a question we get asked regularly is can the iMac be used as a second display? It can be a bit tricky to find a quick answer to this question because the answer has changed over the years with new iMac and operating system releases.
The good news is that there are a few different options to help you make use of your nice big iMac screen and speakers…
Target display mode causes most of the confusion around this question. Target display mode is an Apple feature that lets you use an iMac as an external display when plugged into another Mac. Unfortunately, this has been discontinued for a number of years now and won’t work on any iMac introduced after mid 2014 or connected to a Mac introduced after 2019 or running an OS newer than Catalina.
So in short, it’s not really a viable solution nowadays. You can find the full requirements on Apple's site, here.
AirPlay is a feature introduced with macOS 12 Monterey that lets you wirelessly stream video, pictures or share a screen from one Apple device to your Mac or TV. This can be used to stream videos (like Netflix or Youtube) from your phone to your iMac, or you can share the screen from your phone, iPad or MacBook to your iMac.
To be clear, you can’t use AirPlay to use your iMac as a secondary monitor to extend your workspace, but it’s a great way to make use of the larger iMac screen and speakers for watching videos, listening to music or mirroring a smaller display.
Requirements
AirPlay to Mac works best with these devices and operating systems
AirPlay can be used to stream from a phone or an iPad to a Mac, Apple TV or smart TV as well as mirroring a display from one apple device to another Mac.
Sidecar is an analogous feature that lets you use your iPad as a second display with your Mac. This often causes confusion on this subject and is another way using your existing Apple devices to extend your display. You can read more on this here.
Though Apple no longer offers a simple solution to use an iMac as a secondary display there are a few third party options that let you do this. We haven’t tested these ourselves but both of these options look great. Both of these options also work cross platform so can be used with Windows as well.
Luna Display makes a USB-C dongle that costs around $150 that lets you use any Mac as a second display for your Mac or even PC. You can also use it to pair a Mac mini and an iPad, allowing you to make the Mac mini a bit more travel friendly, which is pretty cool!
Duet display is a software solution that lets you turn your Mac, iPad or PC into a second display. This is priced around £25/year with a few different membership options available.
Luna display dongle
Using an iMac as a display with Windows?!
If you’re purchasing a refurbished or used Mac online, for example from eBay or Back Market, VAT often isn’t reclaimable even if buying from a VAT registered business. If you’re a business, not being able to reclaim VAT has a significant impact on the price, so this is something that you need to check.
Reasons why some sellers prices don’t include VAT:
1. Some sellers / platforms sell refurbished products under the VAT margin scheme for secondhand goods where no deductible VAT will appear on the invoice. This is because they were originally purchased from the public or a non-VAT registered entity.
2. Some sellers / platforms are shipping stock from the EU where the VAT treatment varies.
At Hoxton Macs all of our prices include 20% VAT and will be supplied with a VAT invoice. Unlike most other retailers we do not operate under the VAT Margin Scheme and all of our stock is shipped from within the UK. This means VAT registered businesses can reclaim 20% VAT on the purchase price; you can trust your money is spent well and your finance team will be happy.
Hoxton Macs
Refurbished MacBook Pro 13" (2019)
£675 inc VAT (£562.50 ex VAT)
£112.50 VAT reclaimable
Margin Scheme Seller
Refurbished MacBook Pro 13" (2019)
£675
No VAT reclaimable
Hoxton Macs
Refurbished iMac 27" (2020)
£1000 inc VAT (£833.33 ex VAT)
£166.67 VAT reclaimable
Margin Scheme Seller
Refurbished iMac 27" (2020)
£1000
No VAT reclaimable
In addition to all product prices including VAT, at Hoxton Macs we work hard to source the highest quality Macs, offer the most competitive prices and guide you in buying a Mac that fits your budget and requirements. If you have any questions or need any assistance with this you can always contact our support team who will be happy to help.
Not ready for Black Friday? Don't panic! At Hoxton Macs we don’t participate in Black Friday or Cyber Monday. This means no flash sales, no limited time offers, but it doesn’t mean no ‘good deals’!
Instead we always strive to offer our most competitive prices on all devices. The prices are based on a number of factors, like the age, specification and configuration. This way, if you’re buying from Hoxton Macs you can trust that the price will always be good and fair for everyone.
If you speak to our customer support team our main aim is making sure you understand the different specifications and choose a Mac that suits your requirements and budget. Often with Black Friday deals you are limited in choice to particular items with a time pressure added to make a decision. This isn’t how we operate as it doesn’t align with guiding customers to the best Mac for their needs or consistent and accurate pricing.
_______
Great for general use, basic office and student work.
Great for professional apps like Adobe CC or lots of multitasking.
Adobe Illustrator is the industry leading graphic design tool that lets you design almost anything, from logos and icons to graphics and illustrations. If you’re looking for guidance on the best Mac to run Adobe Illustrator, or similar apps like Affinity or Sketch, you’re in the right place.
Whenever you’re trying to work out which Mac (or PC) is best suited for an application, you should start with the advised system requirements. Adobe helpfully details minimum and recommended specifications for all of their apps on their website which you can see here. We’ve used Adobe’s information along with user feedback we’ve collected to provide better guidance for you, advising requirements and options for beginner, intermediate and pro users.
At this moment in time Apple’s product line features both Intel and Apple Silicon processors and both can do the job. Hence we’ll include options and considerations for both processor chips.
You’re making logo’s, icons, or simple vector graphics.
Your projects are larger, have multiple layers and/or include more complex features like different textures, gradients, transparency, or custom lettering. You might also be using a graphics tablet to illustrate and using Photoshop in conjunction.
You’re creating complex graphics, your project file is large and has lots of layers, you might be experimenting with 3D effects, textures, filters, gradient mesh. You’re moving back and forth between different Adobe apps.
Yesterday, Apple have released a redesigned iPad and updated the iPad Pro with M2 chips with significant prices increases over previous models.
iPad price increases
The new iPad (64GB) costs £499, up 56% from the 9th Gen predescessor which started from £319. The 9th Gen iPad has also had a price increase, from £319 to £369.
iPad (64GB) 9th Gen
iPad (64GB) 10th Gen (new)
iPad (64GB) 9th Gen
£319
£499 (+56%)
£319 Sept 2021
£369 (+16%) Oct 2022)
iPad Pro price increases
The new M2 iPad Pro 11-inch starts from £899, up 20% from the M1 model which started from £749. The new M2 iPad Pro 12.9-inch starts from £1249, up 25% from the M1 model which started from £999.
iPad Pro 11-inch (M1, 128GB) 3rd Gen
iPad Pro 11-inch (M2, 128GB) 4th Gen
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M1, 128GB) 5th Gen
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2, 128GB) 6th Gen
£749
£899 (+20%)
£999
£1249 (+25%)
Notably the iPad mini and iPad Air have also had a price hike with the 64GB iPad mini increasing from £479 to £569 (+19%) and 64GB iPad Air increasing from £569 to £669 (+18%), despite no updates to the hardware.
Price jumps are not limited to the UK, Europe and Asia have also seen similar increases. The strong dollar along with the recent jump in inflation is likely the driving factor behind the increase.
We are expecting Apple to make similar increases on the Mac lineup with the expected update announcements in November, assuming a 20% rise this will put the price of the entry level MacBook Air at ~£1200 and entry level 13-inch MacBook Pro at ~£1600.
If you need any assistance selecting a Mac that's right for your requirements or budget feel free to give us a call or an email and our team would be happy to advise.
Apple have now released macOS 13 Ventura and it is available from the App Store, see here.
macOS Ventura brings new features such as Continuity Camera, Stage Manager, collaborative tools in Safari, new and improved Mail and an overhauled Messages app. More info can be found in our previous article, here.
As with all major macOS releases we urge a level of caution in being an early adopter as there can quite often be bugs with the newest versions. We recommend holding off for a month or two to be safe. Before updating also ensure that any third party software will be compatible.
✅ Devices that will support macOS 13 Ventura are,
This means some popular and well loved models have been dropped from being able to update.
❌ Devices that will not support macOS 13 Ventura are,
Yesterday, Apple have released a redesigned iPad and updated the iPad Pro with M2 chips with significant prices increases over previous models.
iPad price increases
The new iPad (64GB) costs £499, up 56% from the 9th Gen predescessor which started from £319. The 9th Gen iPad has also had a price increase, from £319 to £369.
iPad (64GB) 9th Gen
iPad (64GB) 10th Gen (new)
iPad (64GB) 9th Gen
£319
£499 (+56%)
£319 Sept 2021
£369 (+16%) Oct 2022)
iPad Pro price increases
The new M2 iPad Pro 11-inch starts from £899, up 20% from the M1 model which started from £749. The new M2 iPad Pro 12.9-inch starts from £1249, up 25% from the M1 model which started from £999.
iPad Pro 11-inch (M1, 128GB) 3rd Gen
iPad Pro 11-inch (M2, 128GB) 4th Gen
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M1, 128GB) 5th Gen
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2, 128GB) 6th Gen
£749
£899 (+20%)
£999
£1249 (+25%)
Notably the iPad mini and iPad Air have also had a price hike with the 64GB iPad mini increasing from £479 to £569 (+19%) and 64GB iPad Air increasing from £569 to £669 (+18%), despite no updates to the hardware.
Price jumps are not limited to the UK, Europe and Asia have also seen similar increases. The strong dollar along with the recent jump in inflation is likely the driving factor behind the increase.
We are expecting Apple to make similar increases on the Mac lineup with the expected update announcements in November, assuming a 20% rise this will put the price of the entry level MacBook Air at ~£1200 and entry level 13-inch MacBook Pro at ~£1600.
Apple released the M2 processor in June 2022, the second generation of their in-house Apple Silicon processors. The M2 processor was featured in an upgraded entry level 13-inch MacBook Pro, shortly followed in July 2022 by the newly redesigned MacBook Air. Upgrades to the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro and Mac mini are anticipated in late 2022.
Now the M2 MacBook Pro and Air have been out for a few months we are able to make some real life comparisons in performance compared to the previous M1 models, but first what are the differences in specification?
Processor | Codename | Process | Memory type | CPU cores | GPU cores |
M1 |
APL1102 |
5nm FitFET (N5) |
LPDDR4X-4266 |
8 |
7 or 8 |
M2 |
APL1109 |
5nm FitFET (N5P) |
LPDDR5-6400 |
8 |
8 or 10 |
TMSC is the chip manufacturer that Apple use to make the M1 and M2 chips. For the M2 they have used a newer version of their 5nm manufacturing process called N5P which is touted to improve performance and reduce power consumption.
The M2 chip uses a newer type of memory, LPDDR5-6400 which has an increased bandwidth over the older LPDDR4X-4266 memory of the M1 and is more power efficient to boot. The M2 chip also supports a maximum of 24GB RAM, whereas the M1 was limited to 16GB.
The number of CPU cores in the M2 chip remain unchanged, however the number of GPU cores has increased to 8 or 10, with 8 in the base config of the MacBook Air (with 10 cores being an upgrade) and 10 cores being standard in the MacBook Pro.
M2 consists of 20 billion transistors — 25 percent more than M1
Geekbench
Geekbench 5 offers a great way to benchmark the performance of a chip GPU and GPU power. The results are the result of crowdsourced benchmark scores from multiple users running the Geekbench 5 software. There are two different benchmarks, the CPU benchmark and Compute benchmark which measure the CPU and GPU performance respectively.
System | CPU Single-Core | CPU Multi-Core | Compute (Metal) |
M1 (MacBook Pro 13-inch, Late 2020) |
1707 |
7390 |
21,981 |
M2 (MacBook Pro 13-inch, 2022) |
1899 |
8742 |
30,289 |
Processor comparison using Geekbench 5 multi-core benchmark score.
GPU comparison using the Compute benchmark.
Comparing the processors, the M2 shows a 32% increase using the Single-Core benchmark test and a 32% increase using the Multi-core benchmark test. To add some perspective, the 2.3GHz i7 Intel 13-inch MacBook pro from 2020 has a benchmark scores of 1245 and 4551 for Single-Core and Multi-Core, respectively.
Comparing the GPUs, the M2 shows a 38% increase compared to the M2.
Real world performance
Benchmark scores are all well and good but what does this mean for everyday tasks like encoding video? Tom’s Guide recently put that to the test by using Handbrake to transcode 4K footage to 1080p.
MacBook Pro 13-inch (Late 2020) with M1
7 min 46s
MacBook Pro 13-inch (2022) with M2
6 min 51s
With the newer chip process and less power hungry memory you would expect the M2 to have a better battery life, however this appears to be the same as M1 for both the MacBook Air and Pro.
Do you need the cutting edge tech? Will a few seconds make a difference to your workflow and you have piles of spare cash? Then go for the M2. If you're happy not owning the very latest device and waiting a few more seconds for a video to encode then buying a refurbished M1 MacBook is going to save you £500+, that’s enough for some AirPods and an Apple Watch!
Yesterday, Apple have released a redesigned iPad and updated the iPad Pro with M2 chips with significant prices increases over previous models.
iPad price increases
The new iPad (64GB) costs £499, up 56% from the 9th Gen predescessor which started from £319. The 9th Gen iPad has also had a price increase, from £319 to £369.
iPad (64GB) 9th Gen
iPad (64GB) 10th Gen (new)
iPad (64GB) 9th Gen
£319
£499 (+56%)
£319 Sept 2021
£369 (+16%) Oct 2022)
iPad Pro price increases
The new M2 iPad Pro 11-inch starts from £899, up 20% from the M1 model which started from £749. The new M2 iPad Pro 12.9-inch starts from £1249, up 25% from the M1 model which started from £999.
iPad Pro 11-inch (M1, 128GB) 3rd Gen
iPad Pro 11-inch (M2, 128GB) 4th Gen
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M1, 128GB) 5th Gen
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2, 128GB) 6th Gen
£749
£899 (+20%)
£999
£1249 (+25%)
Notably the iPad mini and iPad Air have also had a price hike with the 64GB iPad mini increasing from £479 to £569 (+19%) and 64GB iPad Air increasing from £569 to £669 (+18%), despite no updates to the hardware.
Price jumps are not limited to the UK, Europe and Asia have also seen similar increases. The strong dollar along with the recent jump in inflation is likely the driving factor behind the increase.
We are expecting Apple to make similar increases on the Mac lineup with the expected update announcements in November, assuming a 20% rise this will put the price of the entry level MacBook Air at ~£1200 and entry level 13-inch MacBook Pro at ~£1600.
Yesterday, Apple have released a redesigned iPad and updated the iPad Pro with M2 chips with significant prices increases over previous models.
iPad
The new iPad (64GB) costs £499, up 56% from the 9th Gen predescessor which started from £319.
iPad Pro
The new M2 iPad Pro 11-inch starts from £899, up 20% from the M1 model which started from £749. The new M2 iPad Pro 12.9-inch starts from £1249, up 25% from the M1 model which started from £999.
iPad, iPad mini and iPad Pro
Notably the iPad, iPad mini and iPad Air have also all had a price hike despite no updates to the hardware.
The 64GB iPad 9th Gen increasing from £319 to £369 (+16%), the 64GB iPad mini increasing from £479 to £569 (+19%), and the 64GB iPad Air increasing from £569 to £669 (+18%).
Price jumps are not limited to the UK, Europe and Asia have also seen similar increases. The strong dollar along with the recent jump in inflation is likely the driving factor behind the increase.
We are expecting Apple to make similar increases on the Mac lineup, with the expected update announcements in November. Assuming a 20% rise, this will put the price of the entry level MacBook Air at ~£1200 and entry level 13-inch MacBook Pro at ~£1600.
Model | Price |
iPad (64GB) 9th Gen |
£319 |
iPad (64GB) 10th Gen (new) |
£499 (+56%) |
iPad Pro 11-inch (M1, 128GB) 3rd Gen |
£749 |
iPad Pro 11-inch (M2, 128GB) 4th Gen (new) |
£899 (+20%) |
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M1, 128GB) 5th Gen |
£999 |
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2, 128GB) 6th Gen (new) |
£1249 (+25%) |
iPad (64GB) 9th Gen |
£319 (Sept 2021) £369 (+16% Oct 2022) |
iPad mini (64GB) 6th Gen |
£479 (Sept 2021) £569 (+19% Oct 2022) |
iPad Air (64GB) 5th Gen |
£569 (Mar 2021) £669 (+18% Oct 2022) |
Yesterday, Apple have released a redesigned iPad and updated the iPad Pro with M2 chips with significant prices increases over previous models.
iPad price increases
The new iPad (64GB) costs £499, up 56% from the 9th Gen predescessor which started from £319. The 9th Gen iPad has also had a price increase, from £319 to £369.
iPad (64GB) 9th Gen
iPad (64GB) 10th Gen (new)
iPad (64GB) 9th Gen
£319
£499 (+56%)
£319 Sept 2021
£369 (+16%) Oct 2022)
iPad Pro price increases
The new M2 iPad Pro 11-inch starts from £899, up 20% from the M1 model which started from £749. The new M2 iPad Pro 12.9-inch starts from £1249, up 25% from the M1 model which started from £999.
iPad Pro 11-inch (M1, 128GB) 3rd Gen
iPad Pro 11-inch (M2, 128GB) 4th Gen
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M1, 128GB) 5th Gen
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2, 128GB) 6th Gen
£749
£899 (+20%)
£999
£1249 (+25%)
Notably the iPad mini and iPad Air have also had a price hike with the 64GB iPad mini increasing from £479 to £569 (+19%) and 64GB iPad Air increasing from £569 to £669 (+18%), despite no updates to the hardware.
Price jumps are not limited to the UK, Europe and Asia have also seen similar increases. The strong dollar along with the recent jump in inflation is likely the driving factor behind the increase.
We are expecting Apple to make similar increases on the Mac lineup with the expected update announcements in November, assuming a 20% rise this will put the price of the entry level MacBook Air at ~£1200 and entry level 13-inch MacBook Pro at ~£1600.
Have ever experienced your MacBook’s battery not charging when plugged into the power adapter? Very frustrating when you are about to jump on that zoom call and you only have 5% charge left or when you’re at 80% and want to fully charge to last through a day on the go. Luckily in most cases it can be quickly fixed by following the steps below.
Try a different plug socket or check the fuse in the power adapter plug is now blown. If the power adapter was plugged into an expender or surge protector try it directly into the wall.
macOS Catalina introduced a feature to help maximise the lifespan of a MacBook’s battery called “battery health management”. It works by monitoring temperature and charging patterns, and may reduce the batteries maximum charge level to reduce the rate at which it chemically ages. If your priority is fully charging your MacBook at the expense of battery longevity you can turn this feature off - guide here.
Different MacBook’s use varying wattage power adapters. Whilst a higher wattage adapter will work on a MacBook that requires a lower wattage adapter, trying to charge a MacBook with a lower wattage power adapter than required will result in the Mac charging slowly or not at all.
MagSafe 2 model | Power adapter (MagSafe) |
45W |
|
MacBook Pro 13-inch (A1502) |
60W |
MacBook Pro 15-inch (A1398) |
85W |
MacBook model | Power Adapter (USB-C) |
MacBook 12-inch (A1534) |
29W |
30W |
|
61W |
|
87W |
|
96W |
|
MacBook Air (A2681) |
30W or 35W |
MacBook Pro 14-inch (A2442) |
67W or 96W |
MacBook Pro 16-inch (A2485) |
140W |
For MacBook’s that charge using a USB-C charge cable it is important to know that there are two types of cable. A lower wattage cable for charging with 29/30W power adapters and a higher wattage cable used for charging 61/87/96W power adapters. Using the lower wattage cable on a higher wattage Mac will mean that it will charge slowly or not at all. As these cables all look alike it’s easy to get them confused with a friend’s!
Genuine Apple USB-C cables have a serial number printed about 10cm from one end and you can use this to determine which wattage cable you have. If the first three characters of the serial number begins with C4M or FL4 then the cable is intended to be used with 29/30W power adapters only, anything else is good to use with power adapters of any wattage.
If the device is still not charging the first port of call would be to try an alternative power adapter and charge cable to see if either of these are at fault. If the device is still not charging it may require a service.
Need a replacement Mac fast? Why not consider a refurb MacBook, see our range here.
If you find your Mac is running slowly and you want to know how to speed it up, you’re in the right place! There are a number of potential causes for a Mac to run slow, there are also a number of good habits and things you can check to help your Mac run as fast as possible.
It’s not uncommon these days for users to think they’re not doing much, whilst their Macs is in fact juggling multiple tasks; checking emails, refreshing a number of browser tabs, streaming music, whilst staying connected in Slack/ WhatsApp/ Teams. All of this activity adds up and uses up the Memory in your Mac.
In short, your Memory (RAM) affects how many apps and processes you can run simultaneously and with a higher rate of performance. So Memory, along with how many apps, tabs and background tasks you have open has a big effect on how fast your Mac runs. By quitting apps you’re not using and closing down tabs you don’t need, you can better manage how much work your Mac is doing. Two ways you can keep on top of this are using your Dock and Activity Monitor.
Check your dock
If you look at the bottom of your dock, the apps that are open will have a small circle beneath them. If you spot any apps open that you’re not using you can quit them. To do this; Control-click the app’s icon, then click Quit.
Activity Monitor
If you open Activity Monitor (open Spotlight, search Activity Monitor), then check the Memory tab you can see how much memory you have (Physical Memory), how much is being used, and what is using it. Here you’ll notice professional apps like Adobe CC and Final Cut Pro typically use more memory.
If you notice any processes in red, these aren’t behaving properly. You can highlight and then press stop in the top left to end these.
This is one of the most common culprits, particularly when using Google Chrome. Every tab you have open will use memory on your Mac, if you have lots of tabs open you’ll often see multiple lines in Activity Monitor naming the browser like in the above image.
Nowadays, websites have a lot more going on; social media and news sites have continuously updating picture and video content, collaborative sites like Google Drive, Slack and Notion are feature rich and also update regularly. I would recommend trying to get in a good habit of closing down tabs you are not using - I have to check this myself multiple times throughout the day 🤫.
If you’re running professional apps like Adobe CC, Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro or CAD it’s worth checking whether your Mac meets the recommended system requirements.
For example, for Photoshop Adobe recommend 16GB memory or more, a 4GB GPU and SSD storage for Intel models, and a 16GB memory model for Apple Silicon models. If your Mac doesn’t meet these requirements it will likely behave slower and more so if you have other things open at the same time.
Your Mac has internal storage, which is a storage device that contains the apps and information used by your Mac. If this storage approaches full, for example you have less than 10GB free, you may not have enough free space for your Mac to run properly.
You can check and manage this to a degree by clicking the Apple menu > About This Mac, click Storage. Here you will see a bar chart which shows you how much storage you have and how much is being used.
If you click Manage, Apple has features to help you optimise your storage. In my experience, the best way to tackle this (though you may not want to hear it!) is to manually sort through your Mac and delete files and apps you don’t need or move them on to an external storage drive / online to the cloud. Some quick wins are your Bin, your downloads folder and checking if there are any unused apps youcan delete.
If you think your Mac may have a hardware issue, you can use Apple Diagnostics to help determine which hardware component might be at fault. Apple Diagnostics also suggests solutions and helps you contact Apple Support for assistance. If you follow the link here you can see Apple’s instructions to run Apple Diagnostics.
Software issues can be tricky to pinpoint and aren’t always easy to solve without restoring the Mac to factory settings. If you are experiencing performance issues within a particular software, or notice that an app is often unresponsive, the app may have an issue. The first step here is to make sure your software and operating system are up to date. If the issue persists, check the app's requirements to make sure your Mac is up to the task.
The surest way to resolve a software issue is to reinstall a fresh copy of macOS. I would recommend backing up your data then use macOS Recovery to perform a fresh reinstall of macOS. Once the installation is complete I would recommend starting your Mac as new rather than restoring your data from a backup - this way you do not run the risk of reintroducing the issue, you also keep your storage drive clean.
We are advocates for making tech last, however it’s possible that the age of your device might be why you’re not getting the performance you expect. Over time, the way that we use our Macs, the software, the background tasks and websites we visit evolve. To help with this id’ recommend trying to keep your operating system and the software that you use up to date. If your Mac no longer supports the latest version of macOS, or doesn’t meet the recommended requirements for your software it might be time to consider a new Mac.
Since the end of 2020, Apple have been transitioning from Intel processors to Apple silicon in their Mac computers. These new M1 and M2 Macs have been incredibly well received, particularly by creative individuals, with many blown away by speed and performance improvements.
When the new M1 models were first introduced, software developers were busy redesigning their software to take full advantage of these new processors. Initially you could use Apple's Rosetta feature to run Intel apps on these new Silicon models, however the majority of Apps have now been developed to run natively on the new Apple silicon processors. This is when these new models were most able to shine!
Adobe apps that run natively on Apple Silicon (M1 and M2) Macs
Adobe themselves commissioned a benchmarking project by Pfeiffer Consulting in 2021. They have now taken this offline but you can see a roundup here (edit Oct 22). The aim was to measure the performance of Creative Cloud flagship apps on the M1 MacBook Pro and compare to a similarly priced Intel MacBook Pro. The two models compared were detailed as below, I noticed the report did not specify which year MacBook Pro, I suspect it would be the 2020 model.
Models compared:
Pfeiffer carried out a total of 774 individual comparing real world tests using Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, XD, Premier Pro, Lightroom and Lightroom Classic.
The benchmarks showed that, on average Creative Cloud is over 80% faster using the Apple M1 system when compared to the Intel model - very impressive!
It’s worth noting, for features that rely heavily on GPU acceleration, an Intel Mac with a discreet (dedicated), powerful GPU could outperform the M1 Macs in some areas. Apple are already addressing this with the newer generation models, increasing the gap between Apple and Windows systems.
The 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro with 16GB memory significantly outperformed it’s Intel predecessor in benchmark tests and you’ll see many real users online praising these new models for their performance, thermal qualities and stability. As Apple continue to develop these processors the performance will only get better and with all the major apps now running natively, users do not need to worry about software compatibility issues (unless you’re using old versions!).
If you are considering an M1/Silicon model for use with Adobe, Adobe recommend the 16GB memory models for the majority of their apps.
It’s relatively unknown, but there is a huge and growing electronic waste (e-waste) problem. Globally we are buying (and replacing) more and more new tech, think phones, computers, tablets, Alexa’s, microwaves, washing machines, fridges. When these devices reach the end of their lives or are no longer wanted the majority are either burnt or end up in landfill where they have a terrible effect on the environment and local communities.
of e-waste produced in 2021 1
Ends up in landfill or is burnt 2
PCs sold worldwide in 2021 3
The initial production, transportation and end-of-life disposal of our tech has a big impact on the environment. Tackling the e-waste problem is complex but there are some things that we can do to help, one of those things is buying quality refurbished.
Reusing raw materials
To make a smartphone or computer you need a number of raw materials, for example Aluminium, Cobalt, Gold, Lithium, Zinc and a number of rare earth metals. The mining of these raw materials creates huge carbon emissions, has a great impact on local ecosystems and often involves tough human conditions. Buying refurbished bypasses this altogether, putting those raw materials back to use.
Apple themselves make great efforts in this area, working to transition to recycled and renewable source materials. In fiscal year 2021, 18% of the material Apple shipped in products came from recycled and renewable sources.4
Reusing plastic
The problems with plastic pollution compared to e-waste is much more well known. Plastic is used for a number of things in computers, from speakers to key caps. Refurbishing extends the life of a product, repurposes the plastic used and avoids the cost of more plastic in a new device.
Bypassing initial production and transportation emissions
Using Apple’s own data, up to 91% of a device's carbon footprint is generated in the initial production and transport! For example raw materials might be mined from Mongolia, products manufactured in China, then distributed globally before being sold. Buying refurbished bypasses this initial production and transportation cost completely.
Below we have used Apple's product environment report data to compare the percetange of a devices carbon footprint generated from the inital production and transport. The carbon footprint of a device is made up of it's production, transport, use and end of life processing.
Device carbon emission generated by initial production and transportation5
13" MacBook Air life cycle carbon emissions
13" MacBook Pro life cycle carbon emissions
16" MacBook Pro life cycle carbon emissions
iPad life cycle carbon emissions
End of life disposal
In 2019, 17% of e-waste produced reached formal management or recycling facilities. Most e-waste ends up in landfill where toxic metals leach into the environment, affecting ecosystems and water supplies. Refurbishing makes the products we already have last longer, tackles overconsumption, and puts quality tech back in peoples hands for use.
Why Buy refurbished
Apple devices are designed to last, but often great tech will find early retirement as they’re replaced with the latest models or when large businesses have staff changes. We work hard to source the best used Apple devices, refurbish them to the highest standards and reintroduce them back into circulation. This extends each product’s life, puts those raw materials back to use and greatly reduces e-waste generated from overconsumption. It also lowers the cost of great tech, helping people, businesses and schools save money.
What can I do to help with e-waste
1. https://weee-forum.org/ws_news/international-e-waste-day-2021/
4. Apple 2022 Environmental Progress Report
5. Apple product environmental reports; https://www.apple.com/environment/