Liquid Glass is here to stay
There's zero chance that Apple pulls Liquid Glass out of iOS 27. The new iPhone user interface will be around for years. Here's why. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

Read more »

How to connect two or more external displays to an M1, M2, M3, M4 or M5 MacBook or Neo
Macworld While the higher-end MacBooks with M1/M2/M3/M4/M5 Pro and Max chips support multiple external displays, Apple’s lower-end range of MacBooks that use a standard M1 and M2 processor cannot natively connect more than one external monitor, and to do so the M3 has to have its lid closed. The MacBook Neo is also limited to just one external monitor. This is a massive limitation for these entry-level Macs: M1 MacBook, M2 MacBook and MacBook Neo. Apple’s M3 MacBook Air models do support two external monitors but only if the MacBook has its lid closed in what is known as Clamshell Mode. The M3 MacBook Pro supports a similar feature if at least the macOS Sonoma 14.6 update is installed. We explain how to run dual external displays on an M3 MacBook in a separate article. Who will these Mac external monitor tips help? • If your Mac has a plain (non-Pro or non-Max) M1 or M2 chip, or is the MacBook Neo, it is limited to using just one external monitor unless you follow our tips and workaround here. • If your Mac has a plain (non-Pro or non-Max) M3 chip, it can only use two external monitors if its own lid is closed (so not showing its own screen) unless you follow our tips and workaround here. • If your Mac has an M4, M5, M4 Pro, M4 Max chip, it is limited to using two external monitors – add up to five using the workarounds. • If your Mac has an M5 Pro chip, it is limited to using three external monitors – add up to five using the workarounds. • If your Mac has an M5 Max chip, it is limited to using four external monitors – add up to five using the workarounds. The solutions below, however, allow for more than two external displays on plain M1, M2 Macs and MacBook Neo plus M3 Macs with their lids open if you want it. The plain M4/M5 MacBook Air and M4/M5 MacBook Pro models do natively support two displays with the lid open but if you want three or more displays for these MacBooks, then keep reading. In each case, there’s a software download and a docking station, hub or adapter required.  Later, we list our tested and recommended software and hardware solutions for adding more than one display to the plain M1, M2 and M3 Macs, plus MacBook Neo. You can jump straight to our list of the best DisplayLink docks if you know all about it. If not, read on a while. The simplest solution is to get a USB graphics-enabled docking station or hub, sometimes called a DisplayLink Dock—and we’ve reviewed the best ones later in this article. USB graphics is a software-based technology (DisplayLink or InstantView) that compresses the video signals from the computer to the monitor, enabling you to connect multiple external displays to your M1/M2/M3 or Neo MacBook. We cover the basics of how to connect your Mac to an external monitor. Desktop Macs can be helped, too. While the M1, M2 and Neo MacBooks natively support just one monitor, the desktop M1 Mac Mini and M2 Mac Mini do natively support up to two external monitors—one via the HDMI port and a second via USB-C. The M4 Mac mini supports up to three displays—two displays with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt and one display with up to 5K resolution at 60Hz over Thunderbolt or 4K resolution at 60Hz over HDMI. Workaround: Install DisplayLink software drivers You can use a combination of display technologies to get around the M1/M2/M3/Neo MacBooks’ single-monitor limitation. DisplayLink is the most common software solution that you pair with a compatible dock, and SiliconMotion’s InstantView is another. Note that the docks need to state DisplayLink or InstantView compatibility—you can’t just install DisplayLink drivers and hope they work with regular docks and hubs. Here, we’ll refer to them all as DisplayLink docks for brevity. DisplayLink enable adapters or docks to output video over USB ports that would otherwise support only data connections, bypassing limitations on the number of screens a Mac can support natively (for example, the single-display limitation on base M1, M2, M3, and Neo Macs). Many multi-display docks use a combination of native USB-C Alternate Mode (native “Alt Mode” video output) and DisplayLink technology. This combination serves as a workaround to the M1/M2/M3/Neo platform supporting only a single external display via USB-C. Note that DisplayLink requires a third-party driver to be installed on the Mac. In general, setup is straightforward. Some of the docks we review below offer the DisplayLink software when you first connect the dock to your Mac. The DisplayLink macOS app or DisplayLink Manager app are ways of enabling DisplayLink technology on macOS. The app is available as a standalone installer rather than through the mac App Store. There are download versions for macOS 26 Tahoe and earlier. The initial InstantView setup is easier than DisplayLink with the hubs from Hyper and Satechi—but it suffers the same challenge that Apple’s software updates could disable it, which will entail installing a newer version and allowing the necessary security & privacy settings for screen recording, just as with DisplayLink. You can download the latest version of InstantView software here. The latest version supports macOS 26 Tahoe, 15 Sequoia, 14 Sonoma, 13 Ventura and 12 Monterey. Neither software solution is complicated and both worked well in our tests as you can read below. There are some disadvantages to using DisplayLink and InstantView, which we explain in detail in the FAQ section below the dock chart, but none that should bother most users. This docking station supports three external displays via DisplayLink, while still allowing the MacBook to show its independent screen. 1. First, download the latest Mac DisplayLink driver. As stated above, some docks, do this for you but it’s always best to use the latest version. DisplayLink Manager Graphics Connectivity App v. 15.1 is compatible with macOS Sonoma 14, Sequoia 15 and Tahoe 26. For macOS Ventura 13, you need version 15; and for Monterey 12, it’s version 1.11; for Big Sur 11, look for version 1.9, and v1.5 for Catalina 10.15. It can be managed via the DisplayLink icon in the Apple Menu bar. Here’s the one fiddly part: you need to enable “Screen Recording” to allow the DisplayLink Manager app to capture pixels and send them to your USB peripheral. This can be found in System Preferences under Privacy in Security & Privacy; navigate to Screen Recording in the list on the left, then tick the Screen Recording permission for DisplayLink Manager after unlocking the padlock using your admin password. You may need to quit and restart DisplayLink Manager afterward. Don’t worry, DisplayLink isn’t recording your screen—this just lets it do its magic enabling multiple screens. Installation is straightforward; take a look at the instructions here. Older versions did not support laptops’ closed-display/Clamshell Mode, but 1.8.1 and later do support Clamshell Mode if the MacBook is running macOS 11 or later. There’s an option in DisplayLink manager to “launch at startup”, or you can drag the DisplayLink Manager to your Login Items in Users & Groups. 2. Then connect the MacBook to a DIsplayLink docking station—the dock must support DisplayLink, as all the reviewed products listed below do. 3. For the first screen you can connect via the dock’s DisplayPort, HDMI or USB-C/Thunderbolt port, and this will be handled natively by the M1/M2 MacBook. If you need to, you can use a USB-C to HDMI or DisplayPort adapter. The HDMI or DisplayPort output uses Alternate Mode (Alt Mode), and as it is basically a pipeline directly to the system’s native GPU, it will behave just like if you hooked up a USB-C to HDMI dongle to your laptop. This requires no user driver installation. The second and third displays will rely on the DisplayLink software. DisplayLink uses an installed driver and the system CPU and GPU to convert graphics data on the system into data packets. That data is then sent over the cable as data packets and converted back to video information and output to the monitors via the DisplayLink chip in the docking station. Which dock is best? A docking station connects to your MacBook via Thunderbolt or USB-C. It then offers multiple ports that your laptop now has access to. These can include new display ports, such as HDMI, as well as Ethernet for wired Internet access, USB-C/Thunderbolt/USB-A ports at varying speeds, audio plugs, and card readers. A simpler hub or adapter has fewer ports but may have all the video or USB ports required. The main thing to remember here is that the dock, hub or adapter needs to support either DisplayLink or InstantView for the extra multi-screen magic to work. Non-DisplayLink docking stations are great if your MacBook can handle the number of screens you desire but you need more ports and functionality. Docking station and hub manufacturers are now actively marketing their products as solutions to the M1/M2/M3/Neo external display limitation—docks have to support DisplayLink to work with the software. All the docks and hubs reviewed below require either the DisplayLink download or another similar software solution, such as InstantView, but no further hardware adapter except for the dock or hub itself. And of course, these hubs offer the usual multi-port benefits as well as the external monitor solution. The best multiscreen hubs and adapters for Neo, M1, M2, M3, M4 and M5 MacBooks Below we have gathered the best dedicated hubs and docks for multiscreen M1/M2/M3/M4/M5/Neo. Note that most of these listed (and tested) below use USB-C rather than Thunderbolt, so don’t benefit from the MacBook’s potential pro-level 40-80Gbps data bandwidth but are usually cheaper. If you require bandwidth higher than 10Gbps, go for a DisplayLink-supporting Thunderbolt dock. The MacBook Neo has USB-C rather than Thunderbolt so is limited to 10Gbps anyway but can use the Thunderbolt docks, too if you like as USB-C and Thunderbolt are compatible.. We have tested DisplayLink docks that can support up to five external displays and some that max out at two, which we expect will be plenty enough screen space for most people. You can use a five-screen DisplayLink dock even if you need only two monitors, and use the spare ports for other purposes. Plugable 5 Display USB-C Dock (UD-7400PD) – five 4K displays at 60Hz Pros Supports up to five external displays at 4K 60Hz 3x 8K at 60Hz displays 11 ports 2x HDMI video ports 140W PD laptop charging 2.5Gb Ethernet Cons No SD card reader North America only Price When Reviewed: $279.95 Best Prices Today: $293.95 at Amazon$293.95 at Lenovo USA$293.95 at Walmart Connection: USB-C (10Gbps) Software: DisplayLink Max screens: 5 Let’s begin with the DisplayLink dock that supports the most external displays: the Plugable UD-7400PD allows even M1 MacBook and Neo users to run up to five 4K displays at a 60Hz refresh rate. This is made possible by use of the latest Synaptics’ DisplayLink DL-7400 chipset. No other dock can match it. Although five displays is probably overkill for most users, financial and data analysts can’t have enough screens and will love it. You don’t have to add five displays, of course, but this dock is the one that will let you do so. It even offers something to the mighty M5 Max MacBook that can natively support four external displays; with the Plugable UD-7400PD it can move to five. There are two HDMI ports (one HDMI 2.1 for 8K and one 2.0) plus three downstream USB-C ports to connect either those displays or other devices. There are two fast 10Gbps USB-A ports, speedy 2.5Gb Ethernet and an audio jack, but no SD card reader. At the front of the dock, one of the USB-C ports can output power to a connected device at 30W, which is perfect if you want to fast-charge an iPhone or even an iPad. If you need faster bandwidth, the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink (reviewed below) boasts 40Gbps data transfer and supports four displays for the M3 MacBook Air (while shut in Clamshell Mode), but with it the M1 and M2 MacBooks are limited to three (one at 6K and two at 4K).  IT managers will appreciate Plugable’s DockTag technology that works with the UD-7400PD, a web-based solution designed for hot-desking and real-time IT asset management in mixed-platform offices. Read our full Plugable 5 Display USB-C Dock (UD-7400PD) review Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink – three 4K displays at 60Hz for M1/M2/Neo, four for M3/M4/M5 Pros Supports up to four external displays at 4K 60Hz One display at 6K 60Hz 11 ports, inc. three 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 2x HDMI 2.0 video ports Speedy SD card reader 96W laptop charging and 180W power supply Cons Only three displays for M1/M2/Neo U.K. users need local power cable Price When Reviewed: $299.99 Best Prices Today: $299.99 at Amazon$299.99 at Satechi Connection: Thunderbolt 4 (40Gbps) Software: DisplayLink Max screens: 4 While plain M1/M2/Neo MacBooks are limited to three external displays using this dock when DisplayLink software is installed, M3/M4/M5 and M1/M2/M3/M4 Pro/Max MacBooks can connect to four 4K at 60Hz. Other docks reviewed here also allow M1 and M2 Macs to connect to three displays, but what we really like about the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink is right there in its name: it’s a full Thunderbolt 4 dock rather than USB-C. It therefore offers 40Gbps data-transfer rates compared to the 10Gbps that you’ll find on most of the other docks reviewed here. The Plugable TBT-6950PD, reviewed below, is very similar to this Satechi dock. Note that the Neo uses 10Gbps USB-C rather than Thunderbolt, so is limited to that speed, although it will still work with Thunderbolt docks. That Thunderbolt port connection also allows one of the three screens to be at 6K resolution (60Hz) while the other two via HDMI will be 4K at 60Hz. There are two HDMI 2.0 ports plus a generous three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (as well as one upstream TB4 to the laptop). It doesn’t host any extra USB-C ports but the three Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps data transfer, 15W power output) are backwards compatible with USB-C. There are two fast 10Gbps USB-A ports, too, plus a UHS-II SD card reader, Gigabit Ethernet and an audio jack. Non-Pro/Max M3, M4 and M5 Macs can connect to four displays using this dock, as long as the laptop’s lid is closed (clamshell mode). It’s also a great option for M1/M2/M3/M4 Pro users usually restricted to two external displays, or M5 Pro users who are restricted to three. U.K. customers can buy direct from Satechi (with a small shipping fee) but will need to purchase a local power cable. Satechi also sells a 12-port USB-C-based Triple 4K Display Docking Station that supports three 4K displays at 60Hz using DisplayLink. It is priced the same as the Satechi Thunderbolt DisplayLink Dock. Normally we’d always pick a Thunderbolt dock over USB-C but this one hosts a mix of DisplayPort and HDMI ports that offers a more flexible monitor choice than the Thunderbolt dock’s two HDMI and three TB4 ports. If you prefer DisplayPort for your monitor connection you should consider this USB-C dock although a simple USB-C to DisplayPort adapter will work the same magic on the TB dock. Read our full Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink review Plugable Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station (TBT-6950PD) – three 4K displays at 60Hz for M1/M2, four for M3/M4/M5 Pros Supports up to four external displays at 4K 60Hz One display at 6K 60Hz 11 ports, inc. three 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 2x HDMI 2.0 video ports Speedy SD card reader 96W laptop charging and 180W power supply Cons Only three displays for M1/M2/Neo North America only Price When Reviewed: $299.95 Best Prices Today: $237.96 at Amazon$279.95 at Walmart$302.7 at Best Buy US Connection: Thunderbolt 4 (40Gbps) Software: DisplayLink Max screens: 4 This dock is almost identical to the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 DisplayLink dock reviewed above. M1/M2/Neo Mac owners can connect up to three external displays, and M3 and M1/M2/M3/M4/M5 Pro and M1/M2/M3/M4 Max users can attach up to four monitors. The M5 Max doesn’t need help to support four external monitors. The Thunderbolt port means one of the three screens can be at 6K resolution (60Hz) while the other two via HDMI will be 4K at 60Hz. The USB ports are at least 10Gbps and the SD card reader is also fast at 312MBps. The Plugable version has a few advantages over the Satechi: a slightly longer (1m vs 0.8m) Thunderbolt cable, Kensington lock slot and two-year warranty (vs 1 year from Satechi). Read our full Plugable Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station for 4K Quad Monitors review WAVLINK USB-C DisplayLink (DL7400) Docking Station – four 4K displays at 60Hz for M1/M2/M3/M4/M5 Pros Supports up to four external displays at 4K 60Hz 2x 8K at 60Hz display 2.5Gb Ethernet 30W USB-C 14 ports 2x HDMI 2.0 video ports Speedy SD card readers 100W laptop charging and 160W power supply Cons Pricey for USB-C Price When Reviewed: $299.99 Best Prices Today: $299.99 at Amazon$299.99 at WAVLINK Connection: USB-C (10Gbps) Software: DisplayLink Max screens: 4 While the Satechi and Plugable Thunderbolt DisplayLink docks support four displays for the M3 MacBook Air (while shut in Clamshell Mode), the M1 and M2 MacBooks are limited to three (one at 6K and two at 4K) using those docks. The Wavlink’s newer DL7400 chipset allows for even the M1 and M2 Macs to connect to four displays at impressive refresh rates: 1x 4K at 120Hz and 3x 4K at 60Hz. As such, if you desire four displays to be hooked up to your M1 or M2 MacBook, the Wavlink dock is the better choice. Plugable’s use of the same chipset on its UD-7400PD dock, reviewed above, supports up to five displays. It might lack the Satechi and Plugable docks’ faster Thunderbolt connection but it beats them on network speeds with a 2.5Gb Ethernet port—2.5 times faster if your network matches this (it’s backwards compatible with 1GbE). The USB ports are at least 10Gbps and the SD and microSD card readers are also speedily rated at 312MBps. Read our full WAVLINK USB-C DisplayLink (DL7400) Docking Station review Wavlink Dual 4K DisplayPort & HDMI Adapter – two 5K displays at 60Hz Pros Supports two external displays at 5K 60Hz 2x DisplayPort 1.4 video ports 2x HDMI 2.0 video ports Cons No USB ports, Ethernet etc No passthrough laptop charging Price When Reviewed: $79 Best Prices Today: $78.99 at Amazon Connection: USB-C (5Gbps) Software: DisplayLink Max screens: 2 Also from Wavlink this simple, portable and affordable adapter doesn’t give you loads of extra USB ports, Ethernet or card readers like a hub or docking station would, but it offers four powerful video ports: two DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.0. Once you’ve installed the DisplayLink drivers, this means an M1/M2/M3 MacBook can run two extended displays at up to 5K (5120-x-1440) at 60Hz using a combination of these video ports. You’d need to use both DisplayPort 1.4 ports for the maximum 5K resolution—the HDMI 2.0 ports max out at 4096-x-2160 at 60Hz. There’s no passthrough charging so you’ll need to use another of the MacBook’s Thunderbolt ports to keep the laptop powered up in use. Plugable USB-C Dual HDMI Adapter – two 4K displays at 60Hz Pros Dual 4K monitor support for M1/M2/M3 Macs Quad 4K model available Cons No USB ports, Ethernet etc No passthrough laptop charging (dual model) Price When Reviewed: $95.95 Best Prices Today: $95.95 at Amazon$95.95 at Walmart Connection: USB-C (5Gbps) Software: DisplayLink Max screens: 2 Another simple one-function affordable adapter, the Plugable USB-C Dual HDMI Adapter (USBC-6950M), pictured below left, uses DisplayLink to enable dual 4K 60Hz displays for M1, M2 and Neo MacBooks with two HDMI ports. Like the Wavlink Dual 4K DisplayPort & HDMI Adapter it’s no dock but it does the multi-screen M1/M2/Neo job you require without fuss. Plugable There’s a slightly pricier (but still cheaper than a dock) version, the Plugable Dual 4K DisplayPort & HDMI Adapter (USBC-7400H4) pictured above right, that supports four external 4K displays at 60Hz and features 90W passthrough charging to the laptop. Anker Prime Triple Display 14-in-1 Docking Station – two 4K displays at 60Hz plus one 8K/60Hz Pros Supports three displays: two 4K 60Hz and one 8K 60Hz 14 ports, inc. 10Gbps USB-C & 2.5GbE Informative front display 2x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort 3x 100W USB-C ports 140W PD laptop charging Cons 160W power supply less than ideal Pricey for USB-C Price When Reviewed: $299.99 Best Prices Today: $299.99 at Amazon$299.99 at Anker$299.99 at Walmart Connection: USB-C (10Gbps) Software: DisplayLink Max screens: 3 Anker calls on DisplayLink for this good-looking docking station to support up to three external 4K displays at an impressive 60Hz refresh rate—indeed the two HDMI ports support 4K at 60Hz, and the DisplayPort capable of 8K at 60Hz. It includes a bunch of impressive non-display ports. It can fast-charge even the top-end 16-inch MacBook at a full 140W PD 3.1, and boasts three 100W USB-C ports at the front alongside an impressively informative smart display. However, it’s let down somewhat by its weak overall maximum 160W power—enough for many docks but disappointing on a dock with 440W of possible power from its USB-C ports. A power supply of at least 240W would have been more useful. This dock’s SD and MicroSD are also not the fastest at 104MBps rather than 312Mbps, as seen on some other docks. Its 2.5Gb Ethernet will be welcomed by users on a fast network, and provides future proofing for the rest of us. Read our full Anker Prime Docking Station (14-in-1, Triple Display, DisplayLink) review Alogic DX3 Triple 4K Display Universal Docking Station – three 4K displays at 60Hz Pros Supports three external displays at 4K 60Hz 12 ports, inc. 10Gbps USB-C 3x DisplayPort 1.4 video ports Speedy SD and MicroSD card readers 100W laptop charging and 135W power supply Price When Reviewed: $329.99 Best Prices Today: $274.99 at Walmart$329.49 at Alogic$408.13 at Best Buy US Connection: USB-C (10Gbps) Software: DisplayLink Max screens: 3 This Alogic DisplayLink docking station supports up to three external 4K displays at an impressive 60Hz refresh rate and has an array of useful non-display ports. It can power the connected laptop at 100W and has a decent 135W external power supply so doesn’t require an extra USB-C charger. The DisplayLink download link is clearly shown in the user manual, and instructions make sense—although you need a magnifying glass to read them! The DX3 has three DisplayPort 1.4 ports but no HDMI, so you’ll need to add an adapter between dock and display if you prefer HDMI. As you’ll need to buy video cables anyway, this doesn’t matter as prices for straight cable and adapter cable are close enough. This dock has two card readers: SD and MicroSD, both at top 312MBps UHS-II—allowing you to add inexpensive portable storage to your laptop setup. It also has Gigabit Ethernet, four USB-A (one with 7.5W charging) and two 10Gbps USB-C (one 100W PD upstream to the laptop, and one 7.5W smaller device charging). Reviewed below is Alogic’s DX2, which supports two 4K displays at 60Hz and lacks some of the other ports found on the DX3. if you just need two external monitors for your M1/M2/M3/Neo MacBook this may be a cheaper option. Alogic DX2 Dual 4K Display Universal Docking Station – two 4K displays at 60Hz Pros Supports two external displays at 4K 60Hz 10 ports 2x DisplayPort 1.4 video ports 65W laptop charging and 100W power supply Cons No card reader Price When Reviewed: $285.99 Best Prices Today: $234.36 at Amazon$244.5 at Walmart$285.99 at Alogic Connection: USB-C (10Gbps) Software: DisplayLink Max screens: 2 While we prefer Alogic’s DX3, reviewed above, that supports up to three 4K displays and offers more ports and faster charging for not much more cost, the DX2 is fine if all you require is two top-end monitors connected to your mid-sized M1/M2/Neo MacBook. It features two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, one 10Gbps USB-C with 7.5W charging, three 5Gbps USB-A ports (one with 7.5W), a 3.5mm audio jack and Gigabit Ethernet. Plugable USB-C Dual 4K Display Docking Station (UD-6950PDH) – two 4K displays at 60Hz Pros Dual 4K monitor support for M1/M2/M3/Neo Macs 13 ports 100W PD to laptop Fast SD card reader Cons Not for fast data transfer North America only Price When Reviewed: $179.95 Best Prices Today: $179.95 at Amazon$179.95 at Lenovo USA$199.95 at Walmart Connection: USB-C (5Gbps) Software: DisplayLink Max screens: 2 If you don’t require full 40Gbps Thunderbolt, Plugable’s redesigned USB-C–based UD-6950PDH docking station plus free-to-download DisplayLink software can connect two extra 4K/60Hz displays to M1, M2, M3 and Neo Macs. While plain M3 MacBooks can already connect to two external displays, this DisplayLink dock allows plain M3 MacBooks to remain open with the two additional displays attached (otherwise the M3 laptop’s lid has to be closed). M4, M5 and M4 Pro MacBooks can already run two screens natively but using a dock saves the laptop’s built-in ports. It features an impressive 13 ports including Gigabit Ethernet, SD and MicroSD card readers and five spare USB ports. You won’t get data transfer any faster than 5Gbps so if you crave the full 40Gbps Thunderbolt bandwidth you should instead consider the more powerful Plugable Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink, reviewed above. You can use both of the dock’s HDMI ports or both DisplayPort or a mix of each, depending on your monitor requirements. Two video ports will always be left empty, but the flexibility is welcome. No availability outside of North America has yet been announced. Read our full Plugable USB-C Dual 4K Display Docking Station (UD-6950PDH) review Hyperdrive Dual 4K HDMI 10-in-1 USB-C Hub – one 4K display at 60Hz, one 4K display at 30Hz Pros Supports two external displays at 4K 10 ports, inc. 5Gbps USB-C and USB-A 100W passthrough laptop charging InstantView easier than DisplayLink Cons Second 4K display is 30Hz rather than 60Hz Requires USB-C charger Price When Reviewed: $199.99 Best Prices Today: $149 at Amazon$199.99 at Hyper Connection: USB-C (5Gbps) Software: InstantView Max screens: 2 The Hyperdrive Dual 4K HDMI 10-in-1 USB-C Hub doesn’t use DisplayLink and instead uses SiliconMotion’s InstantView. Hyper says that it works “without having to download cumbersome drivers” but there is some software installation involved, and you need to allow InstantView access to your Privacy settings in System Preferences. You connect the hub or adapter to your M1/M2/Neo MacBook and find the HyperDisplay app that appears in a Finder folder sidebar. Double-click the macOS InstantView icon and follow the System Preferences instructions. Once this has been completed your MacBook will automatically recognize the adapter from then on. It’s an easier solution than DisplayLink but with the same ability to allow M1, M2, M3 and Neo Macs to connect to multiple external displays. This compact hub still includes 10 ports, including the all-important 2x HDMI. The first display at 60Hz is added via HDMI and DP Alt-mode and the second at 4K 30Hz through HDMI and InstantView. Also included are Gigabit Ethernet, MicroSD card reader (UHS-I), 3.5mm audio jack, 2x 5Gbps USB-A, and one 5Gbps USB-C. A further USB-C PD port allows you to charge the connected laptop at up to 100W—handy as the hub itself uses up one of your laptop’s Thunderbolt ports. Hyperdrive Dual 4K HDMI Adapter – one 4K display at 60Hz, one 4K display at 30Hz Pros Supports two external displays at 4K 100W passthrough laptop charging InstantView easier than DisplayLink Cons Second 4K display is 30Hz rather than 60Hz Requires USB-C charger Price When Reviewed: $129.99 Best Prices Today: $129.99 at Amazon$129.99 at Hyper Connection: USB-C (5Gbps) Software: InstantView Max screens: 2 This double-function hub is designed to provide two HDMI display ports for a MacBook M1/M2/M3/Neo, plus passthrough charging for the laptop. It doesn’t offer a bunch of other ports like its big brother, the Hyperdrive Dual 4K HDMI 10-in-1 USB-C Hub reviewed above. As a result, it is cheaper and is one of the most cost-effective solutions for adding multiple monitors to the limited plain M1/M2/M3 Macs. Like the 10-in-1, it uses SiliconMotion’s InstantView rather than DisplayLink software to get past the limitation. The first display at 60Hz is added via HDMI and DP Alt-mode and the second at 4K 30Hz through HDMI and InstantView. If you require more ports, such as Gigabit Ethernet, card readers and USB ports, consider the Hyperdrive 10-in-1 or one of the other hubs or docks reviewed here.. Ugreen Revodok Pro 209 9-in-1 4K HDMI Docking Station – two 4K displays at 60Hz Pros Supports two external displays at 4K 60Hz 9 ports, inc. 10Gbps USB-C and USB-A 100W laptop charging DisplayLink file on dock connection Cons Requires USB-C charger No card reader Price When Reviewed: $169.99 Best Prices Today: $118.99 at Amazon Prime$169.99 at Amazon$169.99 at Ugreen Connection: USB-C (10Gbps) Software: DisplayLink Max screens: 2 If you don’t need three external screens, we like this USB-C dock—the Revodok Pro 209 9-in-1 4K HDMI Universal Docking Station—for its two HDMI and two DisplayPorts, which you can choose between when adding two displays to your M1, M2, M3 or Neo MacBook. This should suit most monitors, unless you prefer direct USB-C displays. Its spare USB ports (2x USB-A and 1x USB-C) are fast (10Gbps) for data transfer, and another USB-C port can be plugged into a USB-C charger (not included, which is common with the docks reviewed here) and supply up to 100W of charging power to the connected laptop. There’s also a Gigabit Ethernet port for fast, stable wired Internet access. You need to install DisplayLink on your Mac—instructions above—and Ugreen has made this easy by adding the download files to your Mac when you first connect the dock. Read a full Ugreen 9-in-1 USB-C dock review. Alogic DV4 Universal Quad Display Docking Station – one 4K display at 60Hz, two HD displays Pros Supports three external displays, one at 4K 60Hz 14 ports, inc. 5Gbps USB-C and USB-A 3x HDMI 2.0 and 1x DisplayPort 1.4 video ports 12W USB-C charging 85W PD laptop charging Cons 2 displays at HD, not 4K Requires USB-C charger Price When Reviewed: $199.99 Best Prices Today: $199.99 at Alogic Connection: USB-C (5Gbps) Software: DisplayLink Max screens: 2 With third-party DisplayLink drivers, this dock will support up to three displays on a Mac. You can connect one 4K at 60Hz display (3840×2160 pixels) via either the DisplayPort or one of the HDMI ports. The other two displays via HDMI, however, are at a lesser HD (1920×1080) resolution, both at 60Hz. There is a link to the DisplayLink download printed in the user manual, although the type in the manual is the smallest we’ve ever seen! The specs aren’t quite as impressive as the Satechi Triple 4K Display Docking Station, with 5Gbps a maximum data-transfer rate, although charging wattage for USB-A (3.0) is up to 7.5W each and USB-C is up to 12W, which beats the Satechi. However, it does boast both SD and MicroSD card readers for affordable portable storage options, although UHS-I rather than super-fast UHS-II. And, crucially, it’s cheaper, although you will need to add your own USB-C 100W PD charger, unlike the Satechi Triple 4K Dock. Satechi USB-C Multimedia M1 Adapter – one 4K display at 60Hz, one 4K display at 30Hz Pros Supports two external displays at 4K 6 ports, inc. 5Gbps USB-C and 2x 5Gbps USB-A Cons Second 4K display is 30Hz rather than 60Hz Requires USB-C charger No passthrough laptop charging No card reader Price When Reviewed: $104.99 Best Prices Today: $104.99 at Satechi$104.99 at Walmart Connection: USB-C (5Gbps) Software: InstantView Max screens: 2 The Satechi USB-C Multimedia M1 Adapter uses InstantView rather than DisplayLink but the installation process is practically the same when you follow the manual. It includes 2x HDMI ports: one of which can support a 4K display at 60Hz and the other at 30Hz. It’s more than a mere display adapter, though, as it also boasts USB-C PD passthrough charging at up to 85W, one 5Gbps USB-C port, and two 5Gbps USB-A ports. Although named after the M1 processor, it will also work with similarly limited M2 and M3 MacBooks, plus the MacBook Neo. Alogic Dual 4K Universal Compact Docking Station – two 4K displays at 60Hz Pros Supports two external displays at 4K 60Hz 7 ports, inc. 10Gbps USB-C and USB-A HDMI and DisplayPort versions 78W laptop charging Cons Requires USB-C charger Price When Reviewed: $219.99 Best Prices Today: $219.99 at Alogic Connection: USB-C (10Gbps) Software: DisplayLink Max screens: 2 The Alogic Dual 4K Universal Compact Docking Station comes in two models—the CH2, which features two HDMI 2.0 ports; and the CD2, with two DisplayPort ports—so you can choose which best suits the external displays you already own. Two external screens are probably enough for most people. If you require three, see the other hubs and docks reviewed here. Both screens can be up to 4K at 60Hz. Basic instructions are given on installing the DisplayLink software for M1, M2, M3 and Neo Macs. This neat, compact dock doesn’t feature as many ports as others mentioned here but what it has are top-rated: both the USB-A and USB-C ports support 10Gbps data transfer. There is also a Gigabit Ethernet port and a UHS-II SD card reader. A passthrough USB-C port—you need to add a suitably powerful charger—can handle 100W, although 22W is required by the dock so leaving 78W for laptop and device charging. The dock must be connected to the laptop to allow device charging. EZQuest Ultimate Plus USB-C Multimedia Hub – one 4K display at 60Hz, one 4K at 30Hz, one HD Pros Supports three external displays (2x 4K; 1x HD) VGA if you need it 12 ports, inc 4x 5Gbps USB-A 85W laptop charging Cons Requires USB-C charger Second 4K display is 30Hz rather than 60Hz Third display is HD not 4K Price When Reviewed: $159.99 Best Prices Today: $74.99 at Amazon$159.99 at EZQuest Connection: USB-C (5Gbps) Software: DisplayLink Max screens: 3 The EZQuest Ultimate Plus USB-C Multimedia Hub has two HDMI ports and a VGA port, and supports one 4K at 60Hz and one 4K at 30Hz via HDMI and 1080p HD via VGA. If you want three 4K displays, look instead at the Ugreen Triple Display Dock. It also features 5Gbps USB-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet and card readers. Like the Ugreen dock, it requires a USB-C charger for power and can pass through up to 85W to the connected MacBook, but connects via slower 5Gbps USB-C. StarTech.com USB-C Hybrid Triple Monitor Docking Station – DisplayLink dock with video options Pros Supports three external displays at 4K 60Hz 15 ports, inc. 10Gbps USB-C and USB-A 85W passthrough laptop charging Cons No card reader DisplayPort didn’t work on our test Mac Price When Reviewed: $231.99 Best Prices Today: $212.97 at Amazon$224.99 at Best Buy US$231.99 at Lenovo USA Connection: USB-C (10Gbps) Software: DisplayLink Max screens: 3 This triple-monitor DisplayLink-based docking station is positively bristling with ports: 15 in total. Most interesting to us here are the six video ports: 3x DisplayPort 1.4 and 3x HDMI 2.0. This doesn’t mean you can connect six displays but it does should give you flexible options for the type of connection that fit your displays. However, in testing we had no success linking via DisplayPort, which makes the extra options rather worthless. As such, we prefer the other docks and hubs reviewed above. You need to download the DisplayLink drivers for your M1/M2/M3/Neo Mac. StarTech.com has a link and a video, or just follow our guide above. As well as the half-dozen video ports are six USB ports: 2x USB-C (one at 10Gbps and one 5Gbps), plus 4x USB-A (one 10Gbps and three 5Gbps). The 5Gbps USB-C port can charge a connected device at 18W, enough to fast-charge an iPhone. One of the 5Gbps USB-A ports can charge at 7.5W. Rounding off the many ports are Gigabit Ethernet and a 3.5mm Audio In-Out. There’s no card reader to add portable storage but you could connect an adapter to one of the USB ports. Baseus Nomos NU1 Spacemate Air – two 2.5K displays at 60Hz Pros Supports three external displays at 4K 60Hz 12 ports, inc. 10Gbps USB-C 90W passthrough laptop charging 12 ports Compact and portable Built-in USB-C cable Cons 2 displays at QHD, not 4K No power from USB ports Requires USB-C charger No card reader Price When Reviewed: $199.99 Best Prices Today: $139.99 at Amazon$199.99 at Baseus Connection: USB-C (10Gbps) Software: DisplayLink Max screens: 3 In some ways this “dock” is more of a high-powered portable hub. It connects to the laptop via its built-in braided USB-C 2.6ft cable that can carry data at 10Gbps and power at 90W to the MacBook when connected to a wall charger. Most desk-bound docks are weighed down by an external power brick, but the Baseus Spacemate is nimbler and can even draw enough power from the laptop to operate with power coming in. When connecting two monitors via the Spacemate the resolution is limited to QHD (2560×1440 pixels) that is also called 2.5K to distinguish it from 4K (3840×2160) which most dual-screen DisplayLink docks offer. There are six USB ports: four USB-A but just two 10Gbps USB-C ports and none that can output any real power to the connected devices. Read our full Baseus Nomos NU1 Spacemate Air 12-in-1 (Mac) Docking Station review External display specs for Apple’s current laptops Here are the external display specs for Apple’s current laptops, and what our workarounds can offer: M1 MacBook Air, M2 MacBook Air and M2 MacBook Pro: Maximum one external display—read our workarounds below for up to five displays. MacBook Neo: Maximum one external display—read our workarounds below for up to five displays. M3 MacBook Air, M3 MacBook Air and M3 MacBook Pro: Maximum two external displays if MacBook lid is closed. Four or more using our workarounds. M2 Pro MacBook Pro and M3 Pro MacBook Pro: Maximum two external displays. Four or more using our workarounds. M4 MacBook Air, M5 MacBook Air, M4 MacBook Pro, M4 Pro MacBook Pro and M5 MacBook Pro: Maximum two external displays. Three or more using our workarounds, or five using DisplayLink on certain docks. M2 Max MacBook Pro, M3 Max MacBook Pro and M4 Max MacBook Pro: Maximum four external displays. Five using DisplayLink on certain docks. M5 Pro MacBook: Maximum three external displays. Four or more using our workarounds. M5 Max MacBook: Maximum four external displays. Five using DisplayLink on certain docks. Foundry However, there are ways around these plain M1/M2/M3 and Neo limitations, allowing you to run two or more external displays off your MacBook, which we will outline here. In each case, there’s a software download and a docking station, hub or adapter required.  What you need to know about DisplayLink and InstantView FAQ 1. Does DisplayLink and InstantView block Netflix or other streaming content? DisplayLink and InstantView are great at adding multiple monitors to M1, M2, M3 and Neo Macs, but there is a catch. Some protected content in Netflix, AppleTV, Amazon Prime, Disney+ or YouTube TV and other streaming applications may not play. The video remains black while audio keeps playing. This is all down to how the macOS interfaces the DisplayLink driver used to access graphics content. As soon as one DisplayLink-enabled screen is connected, protected content becomes unavailable on all screens. This is down to the streaming platforms using High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), which is Intel-developed digital copy protection (Digital Rights Management or DRM) that prevents copying of digital audio and video content as it travels across connections. Because macOS requires DisplayLink and InstantView to enable Screen Recording, HDCP moves in because it thinks you are actually trying to record the content rather than just display it on screen. 2. How to enable streaming content when using DisplayLink or InstantView To get round HDCP stopping your DisplayLink or InstantView setup showing Netflix, Amazon Prime and other streaming services, you may need to disconnect all the DisplayLink or InstantView screens, or switch to a browser other than Safari or Chrome (for example Opera or Firefox). You can disable hardware acceleration in your browser to access the protected content. On Google Chrome, go to Google Chrome settings, and click on “Advanced” and then select “System”. Here you can disable “Use hardware acceleration when available”. Select “Relaunch” to activate the new setting. If that doesn’t solve the black issue, disconnect the docking station, and try using the laptop’s build-in display or the direct video ports of the laptop. Uninstalling the software is the ultimate solution. 3. Does DisplayLink/InstantView impact display performance? DisplayLink may introduce noticeable latency in some situations or on certain monitors, so high-end studios and professionals should look to a native solution that doesn’t require third-party software. Native video provides smoother, full-resolution lag-free video with higher refresh rates (4K at 240Hz), which makes it ideal for video editing and gaming. DisplayLink’s max is 60Hz—fine for most of us but nowhere near enough for video pros and gamers. As well as leaning on the CPU more, DisplayLink can introduce noticeable lag with rapidly changing content such as fast-moving video or gaming. It also suffers from restrictions to DRM (Digital Rights Management) protected content as used by streamers such as Netflix and Apple TV that DisplayLink can, as noted above.

Read more »

Apple sets series of global events for 50th anniversary
Macworld It’s been a big week for Apple. On Wednesday, it launched the MacBook Neo, its first low-cost Mac laptop. On Thursday, Tim Cook kicked off Apple’s 50th anniversary with a letter to fans. And on Friday, Alicia Keys performed a surprise set at the Apple Store in Grand Central Station to celebrate. The Apple Store was closed Thursday and Friday as Apple erected a makeshift stage. Rumors of a Keys performance began circulating a few hours before the event. Apple also announced that it’s just the start of a series of gatherings around the globe to “highlight human creativity and ingenuity in action, and showcase the remarkable things people can do when they have the right Apple products in their hands. Alicia Keys plays a selection of hits at her Apple Grand Central Concert on Friday.Apple Keys has been an Apple partner for years, having taken part in the iTunes Festival, Rehearsal Room, and Apple Music Live Holiday Masquerade Ball. On Friday, she turned the Apple Store Grand Central into a concert hall for Tim Cook, John Ternus, Greg Joswiak, and hundreds of fans and influencers. The 8-song set included many of Keys’ biggest hits: Nat King Cole You Don’t Know My Name Karma Fallin’ If I Ain’t Got You Girl on Fire No One Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down Apple shared a series of photos from the event, but hasn’t posted video of the concert on its site or Apple Music. It’s not clear when the other gatherings will commence, but stay tuned for similar events over the next several weeks.

Read more »

The Studio Display XDR is the final boss of all Mac displays [Review] ★★★★★
Apple’s new flagship desktop display, the Studio Display XDR stands high in a class of its own. And for, like, half as much money.  (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

Read more »

Siri and refined Liquid Glass controls on the docket for WWDC 2026
Apple introduction of its late Siri overhaul is expected to finally arrive during WWDC, as part of a trend by the company to improve the quality of the software it ships.We're still waiting for New Siri...Apple was thought to be preparing its big update to Siri for a developer beta of iOS 26.4, as well as similar betas for macOS Tahoe and iPadOS 26.4. With it not visible in the developer beta builds at this late stage, the next probable launch time for it will be during WWDC in June.However, Siri faces being only a part of a number of areas Apple will improve during its annual developer showcase. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

Staff departures do not mean Apple will abandon Liquid Glass
Ex-Apple designer Alan Dye did not leave the company by himself, and a new report on Sunday says that he took others with that pioneered Liquid Glass with him. As we've said before, there is no possibility that Apple will ditch this overhaul.Liquid Glass is Apple's future, like it or notApple's Liquid Glass redesign of all of its operating systems from iPhone to Mac may have proven divisive, and it was certainly spearheaded by Alan Dye. But there is no possibility that it will be dropped, even as Bloomberg now reports that several designers left alongside Dye when he moved to Meta.This new report from Mark Gurman's "Power On" newsletter says that Apple whipped out Liquid Glass as a wild card to distract from its failings in Apple Intelligence. But then in the same breath, the report also says that Liquid Glass was many years in the making. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

iOS 27 likely won’t include any major changes to Liquid Glass: report
In just a few months, Apple is expected to unveil its latest round of operating systems: iOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and so on. Previous reports on iOS 27 have heavily focused on how this years operating systems should focus more on performance improvements and overall stability. In today’s Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that we probably won’t see any serious changes to Liquid Glass, though there could still be some minor ones. more…

Read more »

“Almost Excel” isn’t Excel—Office for Mac is only $60 for a lifetime license
Macworld TL;DR: Get Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 for Mac for $59.97 (reg. $219)—a one-time purchase that includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneNote. At the end of the day, those “free” productivity apps aren’t really free. Sure, they technically cost $0 upfront, but the tradeoff is usually formatting issues, missing features, compatibility problems, and way too much wasted time. Right now, you can skip those headaches and upgrade your Mac with Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 for just $59.97 (reg. $219). And unlike Microsoft 365, this is a lifetime license, meaning you pay once and use it forever. This bundle includes the classic productivity tools most people rely on every day: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneNote. Whether you’re writing reports, building spreadsheets, creating presentations, or managing email, these are still the gold-standard apps used by businesses and schools worldwide. The license is linked to your Microsoft account, so once it’s redeemed, the software stays tied to you rather than to a single device installation. For Mac users who want reliable productivity tools without monthly subscriptions—or the frustration of “almost good enough” free apps—this deal is a straightforward upgrade. Get this lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 for just $59.97 (MSRP $219). Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021: Lifetime LicenseSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

Read more »

Protect your emails with this $50 backup tool
Macworld TL;DR: Get lifetime access to Mail Backup X Individual Edition for $49.99 (reg. $179) and securely back up Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, and more with encrypted archives. Emails hold everything from contracts and receipts to client conversations and personal records. Yet most people don’t think about backing them up until something goes wrong—like an account issue, accidental deletion, or lost access. Well, you aren’t most people. Right now, you can get lifetime access to Mail Backup X for $49.99 (reg. $179), giving you a reliable way to safeguard your email data. Mail Backup X is designed to work with major email clients like Apple Mail, Outlook, Thunderbird, and Office 365, as well as services like Gmail, Outlook.com, Yahoo, and any IMAP-based account. It lets you automatically back up messages and create highly compressed archives that save up to three times the storage space. Once archived, your emails become searchable and easy to manage, making it simple to find older conversations or important attachments. The software also supports importing a wide range of mail archive formats, including .pst, .mbox, .eml. Security is also built in. Mail Backup X uses AES 256-bit encryption and private-key protection to keep your archived emails accessible only to you. Get lifetime access to Mail Backup X Individual Edition for $49.99 (reg. $179) now. Mail Backup X Individual Edition: Lifetime SubscriptionSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

Read more »

Should Keycaps Use Text or Glyphs for Delete, Return, Tab, Caps Lock, and Shift?
"The new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models feature a keyboard change," reports MacRumors: On the U.S. English version of the new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro keyboards, the tab, caps lock, shift, return, and delete keycaps now have glyphs on them. On previous-generation models, these keys are labeled with text instead... Given the U.S. English keyboard layout is the default option for MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Neo models sold in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore, this change effectively extends to those countries and a few others. "Apple already uses glyph-based key labels on several European keyboard layouts," notes The Mac Observer, "including British English versions of the MacBook. Because of this, the design will feel familiar to many users outside the United States." The change was noticed last week by Chicago-based X.com/YouTube user "Mr. Macintosh", who makes how-to videos about now and old Macs. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Read more »

Indie App Spotlight: ‘Kiosk 27’ makes your iPhone camera feel like film
Welcome to Indie App Spotlight. This is a weekly 9to5Mac series where we showcase the latest apps in the indie app world. If you’re a developer and would like your app featured, get in contact. iPhone cameras have come a long way over the years, but if you find yourself yearning for more of a classy, filmic look versus the computational photography of today, Kiosk 27 might be a fun fit for you. more…

Read more »

Indie App Spotlight: ‘Kiosk 27’ makes your iPhone camera feel like film
Welcome to Indie App Spotlight. This is a weekly 9to5Mac series where we showcase the latest apps in the indie app world. If you’re a developer and would like your app featured, get in contact. iPhone cameras have come a long way over the years, but if you find yourself yearning for more of a classy, filmic look versus the computational photography of today, Kiosk 27 might be a fun fit for you. more…

Read more »

Indie App Spotlight: ‘Kiosk 27’ makes your iPhone camera feel like film
Welcome to Indie App Spotlight. This is a weekly 9to5Mac series where we showcase the latest apps in the indie app world. If you’re a developer and would like your app featured, get in contact. iPhone cameras have come a long way over the years, but if you find yourself yearning for more of a classy, filmic look versus the computational photography of today, Kiosk 27 might be a fun fit for you. more…

Read more »

Amazon's M5 MacBook Pro sale delivers deals from just $1,399
Amazon's weekend M5 MacBook Pro sale delivers steep discounts on multiple configurations, from the standard model for $1,399 to the upgraded 1TB spec for $1,499.Grab the lowest prices on M5 MacBook Pro at Amazon - Image credit: AppleWeekend MacBook Pro deals are in full swing, with the standard M5/16GB/512GB spec discounted to $1,399.99, reflecting a $200 markdown off MSRP.Buy M5/16GB/512GB MacBook Pro for $1,399.99 Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

MacBook Neo makes the rest of Apple’s lineup a whole lot harder to justify
Ever since the announcement of the $599 MacBook Neo over a week ago, I’ve been wondering: does this destroy the value proposition of other non-Pro laptops in Apple’s lineup? It’s a rather interesting question, because even at its incredibly affordable price point, MacBook Neo still manages to feel quite premium. After actually trying out the laptop after its launch on Wednesday, I find myself even more perplexed on how this thing fits in Apple’s lineup – but not in a bad way. more…

Read more »

Unlock all 14 languages: Get Babbel lifetime for just $159
Gain lifetime access to all 14 of the languages offered in the Babbel app with this great limited-time deal. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

Read more »

Apple just turned an entire generation of kids into Mac users
Macworld For years, Chromebooks and low-cost Windows laptops have dominated the education sector for one primary reason: aggressive pricing. Some models sell for under $200, making them easy to deploy at scale. They’re also more sensible than entry-level iPads, thanks to the more mature operating systems, larger displays, built-in keyboards, and fuller feature sets. That dynamic is about to shift, however. With the new MacBook Neo, Apple is set to disrupt this longstanding formula, positioning itself as a serious player in education. Until now, a truly affordable MacBook that parents and schools could justify for kids didn’t exist—Apple’s cheapest laptop started at $999 with the MacBook Air. Starting at a mere $499 for education, Neo is catering to this untapped market for the first time ever. Before long, many students will either be using a MacBook Neo or asking for one. Long-term gains The MacBook Neo’s starting price is a calculated decision. Apple could’ve easily charged more and still sold plenty of them, but short-term profit isn’t the primary goal here. With such a low starting price for students, Apple is ensuring Macs will begin showing up in classrooms all over the world, winning over younger generations and getting them accustomed to Apple hardware and software.  By introducing students to the Mac at a young age, Apple potentially secures them as lifelong customers who will later spend much more on higher-end devices. Plenty of Chromebooks and Windows laptops cost less than $499, but they don’t have the design or ecosystem Apple does. The MacBook is an established premium line, and, at just $499, it’s bound to become the new cool at school. Apple laptops are already popular with students, but now they’ll be popular with schools too.Apple iPhone’s BFF Back in the days when I was a college student, I sold my mid-range Lenovo laptop right after I switched from Android to iPhone. Instead of a Mac, I opted for an iPad to keep things in sync with my iPhone while I worked. Within a couple of years, my entire setup was converted to Apple-made products that worked seamlessly together. Many parents buy their kids iPhones for similar reasons. They can easily AirDrop notes, add them to shared photo albums, track them with Find My, set Screen Time limits, approve purchases, and much more. When they grown up, these kids will want a laptop that works just as well with their iPhones. The MacBook Neo offers native integrations with iOS, including iPhone Mirroring, notification forwarding, Universal Clipboard, plus the practical iCloud sync for photos, notes, contacts, files, and other data. No Chromebook or Windows laptop can beat that. Full desktop experience Another reason parents and schools may want to prioritize the MacBook Neo over a Chromebook is that it runs the full version of macOS. ChromeOS is essentially a glorified web browser that doesn’t offer the same set of advanced apps. While the MacBook Neo may run an iPhone chip, users will still get to install professional Mac software, such as coding tools, photo editors, and other comprehensive desktop apps. Apple doesn’t say how long it will support the MacBook Neo with software updates, but it’s safe to assume that it’ll be longer than any of its mid-range rivals. Cheap laptops often get quickly neglected by their manufacturers, as they focus their resources on supporting flagship machines. As such, Neo users will get the latest security patches, AI enhancements, and other new Mac features for years to come. Apple learned from the mistakes it made with the iPhone 5c.Foundry Far from an iPhone 5c When the plastic iPhone 5c flopped, Apple learned how not to build cheap products, switching to the SE model, which maintains the premium materials for budget iPhones and watches by incorporating dated components. The MacBook Neo is an evolution of this successful formula that sacrifices certain technologies for design and features that matter. According to Macworld’s Michael Simon—who got to try the notebook at Apple’s hands-on event—the MacBook Neo feels as premium as the MacBook Air. It features a sturdy aluminum chassis, reliable Magic Keyboard (albeit not backlit), stunning display, decent audio system, and more. Sure, you’re missing out on some higher-end specs available on Air and Pro MacBooks, but it doesn’t feel like similarly priced, low-grade laptops. Beyond its durability, the MacBook Neo also caters to students and youngsters by offering vibrant color options, including citrus and blush—plus the more subtle silver and indigo. The selection can add a fun aspect to a serious productivity device, making it appealing to a broader range of customers. If pretty much everything about the MacBook Neo is superior, why would anyone still want to buy another cheap laptop?

Read more »

Hands-on with MacBook Neo and more [Cult of Mac podcast No. 11]
This week on the "Cult of Mac" podcast: Griffin shows off Apple's new Studio Display XDR, iPhone 17e and not one but two MacBook Neos. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

Read more »

Hands-on: This hub fixes the MacBook Neo’s biggest limitation
Apple’s new MacBook Neo is one of the most exciting and disruptive products Apple has released in years. Starting at just $599, or $499 through the education store, it delivers incredible performance and build quality without much compromise. You get a laptop that looks, feels, and performs like a true Apple laptop. But like many Apple products in 2026, it lacks a variety of ports. I would argue that customers used to this price range expect more than just two USB-C ports from their Windows counterpart. That’s where MacBook Air users their ports back! Here is what you should know. more…

Read more »

Today in Apple history: Power Mac 7100 lands Apple in hot water with Carl Sagan
On March 14, 1994, Apple introduced the Power Macintosh 7100, a midrange Mac that landed the company in court against astronomer Carl Sagan. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

Read more »