Mobile computing

Intel’s Alder Lake processors for laptops are expected to arrive in Q1 of 2022, following the launch of 12th-gen desktop chips which is purportedly imminent, but when these mobile CPUs debut, they could be great performers according to a fresh leak.

In fact, going by screenshots of Geekbench results which were published by Wccftech, the Intel Core i9-12900HK mobility CPU outperforms Apple’s impressive new M1 Max SoC (as introduced with the new MacBook Pros), which is quite something to see. Although as with any pre-release leak, we should be very cautious about taking it for granted that this is an authentic benchmark.

• Here are the best gaming PCs
• We’ve picked out all the best processors
• And the best cheap gaming laptops

Giving the benefit of the doubt for now, the 12900HK hits 1,851 in Geekbench 5 single-core, compared to leaked results showing 1,785 for Apple’s M1 Max, and 1,616 for the current Intel 11980HK laptop processor. Therefore the 12900HK is purportedly almost 4% quicker than Apple’s SoC, and nearly 15% faster than its Tiger Lake predecessor.

For multi-core, the 12900KH manages to rack up a score of 13,256, compared to 12,753 for the M1 Max, and 9,149 for the 11980HK. So, that’s another 4% victory over Apple, and a whopping 45% multi-core generational leap for Intel’s laptop silicon.

Remember, that’s with both Intel chips having roughly the same power consumption, and it shows how much difference those small efficiency cores can seemingly make to multi-core results. The 12900KH is marked down as a 14-core CPU with 20-threads, so that must mean it has 6 performance cores (for 12-threads) and 8 efficiency cores (which have no hyper-threading).

Oh, and to compare with AMD, Wccftech included the Ryzen 5980HX in the results, which recorded a score of 8,217, meaning the 12900KH was 61% faster for multi-core in this set of leaked results.

Analysis: Alder Lake looking good for laptops, but won’t come near Apple’s efficiency

These are seriously impressive results, hence the need for a bit more skepticism around this leak, we feel. But assuming it’s true, then beating out the M1 Max not just in single-core, but in multi-core as well, is quite an achievement for Intel.

That said, Apple will still reign as the clear top dog when power-efficiency is brought into the equation, as you’d expect. As mentioned, this Alder Lake chip will presumably have a similar power envelope to the 11980HK, which is a 65W part, and when pushed will consume a fair bit more than that – compared to the M1 Max which is believed to be 30W going by Apple’s initial reveal (it’ll have more room to be pushed, though; don’t forget the ‘High Power Mode’ on the new MacBook Pro 16-inch).

At any rate, while Apple is clearly going to have the best of Intel, and by quite a long way, when it comes to out-and-out power-efficiency, we shouldn’t underestimate the impact that Alder Lake will have for laptops powered by Intel’s mobile silicon. Those efficiency cores being on hand to run the show when idling, or when performing light tasks, should make a big difference to battery life compared to current notebooks with Tiger Lake engines.

We’re looking at some potentially very exciting times ahead for laptops, then.

• Check out the best PC components for your rig

We're expecting the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series to break cover sometime early in 2022, and over the last few days we've got a much better idea of what the tablets are going to look like – including, in the latest unofficial renders, the Tab S8 Ultra edition.

Courtesy of 91mobiles and @OnLeaks (by no means newcomers to renders like this), we've got a detailed, high-resolution look at the biggest and most expensive Tab S8 tablet. Notably, it appears that Samsung has decided to put a display notch up at the top of the screen (when it's held in landscape mode).

That notch houses the selfie camera and means the bezels around the rest of the screen can be thinner, apparently – and the word is that the screen will be a huge 14.6 inches in size (compared to 11 inches for the Tab S8 and 12.4 inches for the Tab S8 Plus).

• We’re waiting for the Galaxy S21 FE
• Oppo’s first foldable is on the way
• Get excited for the Samsung Galaxy S22

Samsung goes Ultra

There are dual rear cameras here, four speakers and a USB-C port, though Samsung hasn't found room for a headphone jack. We can also see a magnetic strip to hold the S Pen. The overall dimensions of the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra are reported to be 325.8 mm x 207.9 mm x 5.4 mm (12.8 inches x 8.2 inches x 0.2 inches).

Only a couple of days ago we saw unofficial renders for the Galaxy Tab S8 and the Galaxy Tab S8 Plus, together with plenty of leaks around the specs of these upcoming tablets – but there's no notch on those other two models.

It's worth mentioning that Samsung hasn't offered an Ultra model of its flagship Android tablet before: last year we just got the Galaxy Tab S7 and the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus (and the Galaxy Tab S7 FE, a bit later on). Those tablets launched in August 2020, so their successors could appear any time between now and early 2022.

Analysis: Samsung aims for the iPad Pro

Rumors that Samsung would add a super-sized Ultra model to the Galaxy Tab S8 line-up have been swirling for months now, and it seems clear that the aim is to challenge Apple's iPad Pro slates – with the biggest of those tablets measuring 12.9 inches.

Samsung has never been shy of going bigger and better than anyone else, and with a 14.6-inch tablet we would be well into laptop monitor size territory. As with the other models in the Galaxy Tab S8 range, there will no doubt be keyboard cover accessories so you can use these devices as makeshift tablets too.

It won't just be the screen size that makes the Galaxy S8 Ultra a premium tablet though: expect top-tier specs on the inside, excellent build quality, and of course support for the S Pen stylus. This might be the tablet that lifts the bar when it comes to the best that Android tablets can be.

If there is a notch on the display as well, then it adds something else to distinguish it from the other S8 tablets in the series – though we'll have to wait and see how apps and the on-board software handle the cut out on screen.

• These are the best tablets you can buy right now

Apple’s next MacBook Air might come equipped with a Mini-LED screen like the new MacBook Pros – maybe minus the notch – when it purportedly arrives in mid-2022, as well as an M2 chip, with an off-white color keyboard and bezels.

All this is the latest we’re hearing from the grapevine, so as ever, be cautious around this rumored info, which comes from a few tweets by known Apple leaker Dylandkt, and DigiTimes.

• These are the best laptops around
• And the best Macs to buy this year
• Don’t want a Mac? Check out the best Ultrabooks

The DigiTimes report claims the Air could arrive with Mini-LED tech, though note that it’s couched in terms of Apple being ‘likely’ to use the new screens for an incoming MacBook Air 13.3-inch due at some stage in 2022, according to the usual anonymous industry sources. (As well as purportedly adopting Mini-LED for the iPad Pro 11, as a side-note).

DigiTimes has previously claimed that Mini-LED is inbound for the MacBook Air 2022, as has well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo‌.

Dylandkt, the other source here, also isn’t sure on the Mini-LED front, observing similarly that it’s ‘likely’ to happen, but without ProMotion tech (which allows for faster refresh rates). Interestingly, the Twitter-based leaker isn’t sure on the notch either, and can’t confirm its presence yet, but the Air apparently won’t have Face ID (but then neither do the new MacBook Pros with the notch).

Away from the display, Dylandkt makes a variety of other assertions about the MacBook Air which he believes will arrive mid-2022.

That includes the (fanless) laptop getting MagSafe and a 1080p webcam, with color options similar to the iMac 2021 (which has seven colors on offer). The MacBook Air 2022 will supposedly have a keyboard with full-size function keys which is off-white in color, plus the bezel will be off-white too (again like the iMac).

Dylandkt further notes that the “design will be similar to the new MacBook Pro while being thinner, lighter”, and that there will be no SD card slot, no tapered design, and no HDMI port. Oh, and as expected it’ll run with the M2 chip.

Many of these rumors have been floated before, and indeed Dylandkt tweets to say as much, crediting Jon Prosser and Ian Zelbo for their previous digging and speculation sharing.

Analysis: How would Mini-LED pan out, price-wise?

The main point here, of course, is the display. On one hand, it makes some logical sense that Apple would look to push Mini-LED tech to more devices, including the iPad Pro 11 and the MacBook Air. On the other hand, the MacBook Air remains the only vaguely budget-friendly Apple laptop, and the inclusion of Mini-LED would inevitably push the price skywards – and that wouldn’t go down well.

Indeed, Dylandkt does say that the starting price of the Air is expected to have a ‘slight’ increase for the 2022 offering, but if Mini-LED is incoming, we’d expect it’d be more than a touch of a price hike. We remain skeptical around this one, then, although there’s always the possibility that Apple could keep the current MacBook Air around if the 2022 model debuts with Mini-LED, and that’d represent the wallet-friendly choice. In much the same way that the MacBook Pro 13-inch remains on sale alongside the new costly MacBook Pros.

The notch has proved divisive on the freshly revealed MacBook Pro 14-inch and 16-inch models, so the possibility that it may not come on a Mini-LED-toting MacBook Air will doubtless please some folks. If the white bezel rumor comes to fruition, though, that could prove just as controversial as the dreaded notch, as many folks aren’t keen on that, seeing it as a distracting color for the screen surround…

• Shop all the latest MacBook Pro deals and sales

Via MacRumors (1), (2)

It may still be October but we're already starting to see some killer laptop deals that would rival anything over Black Friday. If you're after a brand new machine in this year's sale and are ready to buy now then you'll want to check out these early reductions on a range of Dell laptops – including one incredible value for money machine.

Leading the way is this Dell Inspiron 15 3000 laptop for $699.99 (was $854.98), featuring an Intel i7 processor, 12GB RAM and 512GB SSD. We track loads of cheap laptop deals every week and it's practically impossible to find one at this price featuring all three of these top-end components at once. Let's be clear: this is one of the best Black Friday laptop deals out there right now. Altogether, you'll find this to be a fast, responsive and capable all-around machine for any task you want to throw at it. 

However, if you do want to spend a little less, you can choose to downgrade on a few components in order to save money and build a laptop that's better suited to your needs. We've picked out two more of these options for you below from these early Black Friday deals. 

The first is a mid-range choice for $499.99 (was $604.98) that has an i5 processor, 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD. That's still going to be an exceptional performer and excellent multitasker thanks to the processor and a healthy amount of RAM. 

The last is a budget option for $379.99 (was $534.98) that comes with an i3 processor, 8GB RAM and a 128GB SSD. While you definitely lose out on a fair chunk of speedy storage space here, the fact it keeps the 8GB of RAM will maintain a strong level of performance for general everyday browsing and some light work.

• See all Dell Doorbuster laptop deals

Today's best Dell laptop deals

Overall, then, there are some solid choices for those after a Dell Black Friday deal before we've even entered November. These offers are only live until Saturday so you will need to act fast to avoid missing out on the laptops we've highlighted. However, you can find further reductions across the entire Dell range should you be after something slightly different.

While there are definitely some powerful machines in here we'd strongly suggest taking a look at all the best gaming laptop deals instead if that's what you'll mainly be using it for. These laptops are excellent but lack the graphical power behind them to support high-end end games effectively.

More laptop deals

Amazon has launched an early Black Friday sale with fantastic deals dropping all month, and we've just spotted a massive price cut on the all-new iPad Pro. Right now, you can get the 256GB version of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro on sale for $999 (was $1,199). That's a massive $200 discount and the lowest price we've ever seen for the powerful tablet.

The 128GB iPad Pro is also on sale for $999, so with this fantastic deal, you're getting more storage for the exact cost. We typically see discounts like this reserved for Amazon's official Black Friday deals event, so we recommended snapping up this new record-low price before it's too late.

• See more early Black Friday deals at Amazon

Early Black Friday iPad deal

Released in May, Apple's 2021 iPad Pro features a stunning 12.9-inch Liquid Retina display, an all-new ultra-wide front-facing camera, and an impressive speaker system. Perfect for students, the lightweight iPad Pro delivers more power than most laptops by offering Apple's M1 chipset and 256GB of storage. You're also getting Face ID for secure authentication and Apple Pay, and an all-day battery life.

More iPad deals

You can also see our guide to the best Black Friday iPad deals and see more early device offers with our roundup of the best Black Friday Apple deals.

You can see more of the best cheap iPad deals and if you're looking for something with less power you can also see the best cheap Amazon Fire tablet deals and sales.

TCL has released plenty of affordable tablets, but its latest slate, the TCL TAB Pro 5G, may be one of the cheapest 5G-connected Android tablets in the US with its $399 (around £290 / AU$530), though it’s only sold through Verizon.

On paper, the TCL TAB Pro 5G looks decent for its price, starting with a 10.3-inch Full HD Plus (2000 x 1200) display that comes with the brand’s NXTVISION color tech, SDR-to-HDR feature that auto-upscales content to HDR quality, and various eye protection modes (Reading, Comfort, and Dark). 

It doesn’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack, though (a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter comes in the box).

• These are the very best tablets right now
• Our pick of the best Android tablets
• What we know about Samsung Galaxy S22

The tablet packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G chipset, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage (expandable up to 1TB via microSD), and runs Android 11 out of the box – specs in line with a mid-range phone around this price point.

Its 13MP rear camera and 8MP front-facing shooter seem standard for tablets at this tier, and can both shoot 1080p video at 30fps, which is fine for casual video chatting. 

The TCL TAB Pro 5G has an 8,000mAh battery, which TCL claims lasts for 17 hours of ‘mixed use,’ presumably casual browsing and media watching, though its recharging time of four hours feels extensively long. On the plus side, it has reverse wireless charging, meaning it can charge up other devices.

Analysis: Who needs a 5G tablet?

5G-capable tablets have started sprouting up, offering the advantages of LTE connectivity for data on the go but at potentially wildly fast speeds (depending on 5G coverage, of course). But most of the 5G-capable tablets we’ve seen have hefty pricetags: the cheapest 5G Apple tablet, the new iPad mini 2021, is priced at $649 / £619 / AU$979 for the 64GB of storage model, while the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE’s 5G variant is priced at  $669 (£629, about AU$1,180).

Thus, the TCL TAB Pro 5G gives more affordable access to the fast 5G speeds while out and about. TCL’s slate may not have comparable specs compared to Apple and Samsung’s top-tier tablets, but the TAB Pro 5G is accessible to consumers who don’t need to do heavy graphical lifting but want something with fast data access.

As a Verizon exclusive, the TCL TAB Pro 5G will obviously appeal to folks who may already have one of the carrier’s Unlimited 5G data plans (or is willing to sign up for one), and the tablet connects to Verizon’s sub-6 and mmWave networks (n2/5/66 and n260/n261, respectively).

• Best tablet 2021: the top tablets you can buy right now

When Apple revealed its new MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) and MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) at its Unleashed event earlier this week, many people watching noticed that there was now a pronounced notch surrounding the webcam – and since then it’s proved to be one of the most divisive elements of Apple’s MacBook Pro redesign.

As you can see from images and videos provided by Apple, this ‘notch’ surrounds the webcam and dips down into the screen of the new MacBooks.

• These are the best MacBooks and Macs
• Here’s how to download macOS Monterey
• These are the best webcams for MacBooks

This is noticeable when using applications, as it obscures part of the menu bar running along the top. Some people were wondering how the mouse cursor would behave with the notch – would it ‘bounce’ off it, as if it were the edge of the screen, or move behind it? As Apple Insider points out, the latter happens, with Apple designer Linda Dong confirming that the cursor moves underneath the notch.

Still, it seems like many people are not convinced about the notch – but will they change their minds when they actually try the new MacBook Pros, and will it matter to Apple anyway if they like it or not?

Is it that much of an issue?

Apple is a company that has built a lot of its reputation on creating iconic designs that mesh together form and functionality, so when it does come up with a design that fails in either of those aspects – which many people feel the MacBook Pro notch does fail at – then it really stands out.

For a lot of critics, the notch appears to be quite ugly, obscuring what was once quite a clean user interface, which means it fails when it comes to the ‘form’ aspect, and so far Apple hasn’t really explained why the notch is needed – letting down the ‘functionality’ side of things.

That could be one of the quickest and easiest ways for Apple to address people’s complaints. If the company explains why the notch was needed, and what kind of benefits it will bring, then a lot of people will likely be happy to live with its presence.

Unlike with the iPhone, the new MacBook Pros don’t support Face ID, which allows you to log in by scanning your face, so what is the notch for? At the event, Apple made a big deal over the improvements its made to the webcam, which is now a 1080p camera, offering a much-improved image over the frankly outdated 720p webcams of previous MacBooks.

It also has, according to Apple, a larger sensor that allows it to have twice the low-light performance of previous MacBook webcams.

Because of the global pandemic, many people are working and learning remotely, while also having to limit visits to friends and family to video calls, so the quality of your webcam has never been more important. In this case, the improvements Apple has made to the webcams in the new MacBook Pros will be very welcome, and if that has resulted in the need for a notch, then people may see that as a price worth paying.

However, Apple hasn’t revealed why the notch is needed, and many other laptops have 1080p cameras and thin bezels without needing one.

Speaking of thin bezels, a big part of the new MacBook Pros’ looks are much thinner surrounds around the screen. Not only does this make them look more modern, but it allows Apple to maximize screen size without increasing the overall size of the laptop. For example, the 16-inch MacBook Pro now has a larger 16.2-inch display, despite being similar in size to the older 16-inch model. Again, if the notch has allowed Apple to increase the screen size, it’s a price worth paying.

We’ve actually seen glimpses of how the notch could do this. While the notch does overlap the menu bar, the menu bar itself is actually now higher up (thanks to the reduced bezels). This allows the application to then take up even more screen space below it, resulting in more desktop real estate for working on.

Also, it looks like when apps (and videos) are in fullscreen mode, with the menu bar gone, you will likely not notice that the notch is there, it will be more like having a slightly thicker screen bezel.

We also know that macOS Monterey, the operating system that will launch with the new MacBook Pros, will be designed to take into account the notch, which should minimize disruption when using apps.

With that in mind, it may be that many people who have complained about the notch realise it’s not that much of a big deal once they try the new MacBooks out, and if they do, the improvements Apple has made elsewhere will help them overlook it.

Will Apple even care?

While there has been a vocal backlash since the notch was revealed, we can’t see Apple really caring. This isn’t the first time it has introduced a controversial design element, and over time it's found that the controversy ends up dying down.

Take its decision a few years ago to drop the headphone ports from its iPhones. This was met with a huge amount of anger from fans, but Apple stuck to its guns. Not only does it continue to make iPhones without headphone ports, people are still buying them in droves, and even its competitors like Samsung, which once mocked Apple for the decision, have followed suit.

Having said that, there have also been times when Apple has acknowledged a design issue, and done something about it. Perhaps the most famous example of this is the ‘Butterfly’ keyboards that came with older MacBooks. Some people found these keyboards were prone to malfunctioning, and after numerous complaints (and even lawsuits), Apple changed the design for modern MacBooks, which now come with a much improved keyboard.

There’s also the fact that these new MacBook Pros no longer come with the Touch Bar, a design feature that many people found superfluous, and it looks like Apple agrees. So, haters of the notch, don’t despair, it probably won’t be as bad as you feared.

• These are the best laptops in the world right now

It may only be mid-October but Best Buy is already planting its flag with a number of early Black Friday laptop deals, including one of the cheapest Chromebooks we’ve seen for some time.

You can now get a HP Chromebook 11 for only $99 (was $259) at Best Buy. That’s a huge $160 saving on an ideal pick up for those on a tight budget who need a very basic machine for simple school tasks on everyday browsing. Usually, you'd need to fork out somewhere in the region of $150 for a Chromebook with a similar spec, so it's a terrific saving if you want to get ahead of this year's Black Friday deals.

That's just a small part of all the early Black Friday laptop deals that can be found in the current Best Buy sale, though. For those with a bit more money to spend, you should definitely consider this HP 15.6-inch laptop at $329.99 (was $499.99). With an Intel i3 processor, 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD you're getting a solid mid-range machine that will see a big performance jump from that increased memory.

For those who need to undertake more demanding jobs or a fair dose of multitasking, then the Lenovo Yoga 7i for $749.99 (was $949.99) is the one to go for in the early Best Buy Black Friday deals. The highlight is the 12GB of RAM, but you'll also appreciate the 14-inch touchscreen, latest i5 processor and 512GB SSD for even more storage.

All of these have claimed a spot in our guide to the best cheap laptop deals for the month, so, depending on your budget, you can nab a bargain nice and early. We've highlighted more of our favorites below, but if you're not ready to buy today then we're sure more Black Friday Chromebook deals are coming in the next few weeks.

Today's best early Black Friday laptop deals

There's a whole lot else going on at Best Buy this month if you're looking for deals on anything away from laptops. These are all of the other top offers we've seen so far:

More early Black Friday deals from Best Buy

• Audio: soundbars and wireless speakers from $24.99
• Appliances: savings of up to $540 on Samsung appliances
• Cameras: save $200 on select cameras and $300 on Sony lenses
• Cell phones: $600 off the Moto Razr 5G and $150 off the Galaxy Flip 3
• Chromebooks: low-cost devices suitable for those on a budget
• Earbuds: half-price Jabra Elite 75t and $50 off the Galaxy Buds Pro
• Fitness: $900 off the Nautilus treadmill and $600 off the Bowflex bike
• Google: 50% off the Google Nest Mini
• Hard drives: 2TB PlayStation and Xbox external hard drive for $69.99
• Headphones: lowest-ever price for the Sony WH-1000XM4s
• iPad: $50 discount on the 8th Gen iPad 10.2
• Laptops: up to $400 off Lenovo, Acer and Dell laptops
• Mattresses: Sealy Hybrid mattress from $599.99
• Microsoft: get the Surface Go and Surface Laptop from $549.99
• PC gaming: big price cuts on storage, gaming monitors and more
• Smart Home: reductions on smart speakers, Hue Lighting and routers
• SSDs: get the Samsung T7 Portable SSD for just $79.99
• Tablets: pick up the Samsung Tab S7 FE for under $500
• TVs: up to $3000 off Samsung QLED, LG OLED and Sony 4K TVs
• Toys: up to 40% off Nerf, Barbie, LOL Surprise, Hot Wheels and Mega Bloks
• Vacuums: $250 off the iRobot Roomba and $200 off the Dyson cordless
• Video games: 50% off Turtle Beach headsets and many game discounts
• Wearables: $50 off the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic

The Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) is finally here and it's one of the most exciting laptops we've ever seen. The new MacBook Pro 16-inch was unveiled at Apple's Unleashed event on October 18 and we can say it was well worth the wait.

After the success of the M1 chip and the new, smaller MacBooks and iMac, all eyes turned to WWDC 2021 back in June hoping for an announcement then, but it wasn't meant to be, and we all had to wait until October for the new MacBook Pro 16-inch to finally be ready to be shown off.

Powered by either the 10-core M1 Pro or M1 Max chips, which feature eight performance cores and two efficiency cores, the new MacBook Pro 16-inch is a major step up performance wise, but it doesn't end there.

Apple says both the new M1 Pro and M1 Max chips are twice as fast as the Intel Core i9 in the MacBook Pro 16-inch (2019). The M1 Pro maxes out at at 32GB RAM, while the M1 Max maxes out at 64GB. 

The company also says that efficiency of the new MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) can extend the battery life as long as 21 hours, which is well beyond what even the longest lasting Intel or AMD laptop processors are capable of.

Moving on to the GPU, the M1 Pro MacBook Pro 16-inch features a 16 core GPU, while the M1 Max MacBook Pro 16-inch sports a 32-core GPU for the fastest graphics on a MacBook Pro ever.

There is so much more to dig into with the new MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021), so lets break down everything we know.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The successor to the original MacBook Pro 16-inch
• When is it out? You can preorder now, with deliveries starting on October 26.
• What will it cost? The new MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) will start at $2,499 (about £2,499, AU$3,999)

MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) release date and price

The new Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) is open for preorders now, with deliveries expected to begin on October 26. The starting price for the Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) is $2,499 in the US, with other regional pricing to follow.

MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) design

As far as the design of the Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021), there isn't a whole lot of change beyond the updated ports. The chassis comes in two colors, silver and space gray, and while we'd have liked to see some brighter colors, we can't be too picky given everything else we saw today.

Display

The display of the MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) Is another stunner from Apple, with a Liquid Retina XDR display featuring mini-LED technology that delivers up to 1,000 nits of sustained full-screen brightness,

Breaking….

• Shop the latest MacBook Pro deals and sales

MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) design

MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021) design

Apple’s purported new MacBook Pros (theoretically 14-inch and 16-inch models) could arrive later today not toting the M1X chip, but rather they might be built around CPUs with different names: the M1 Pro and ‌M1‌ Max.

This may be the case according to respected leaker Mark Gurman (of Bloomberg fame), who mentioned the possible names in his newsletter, which has been a constant source of spillage around the incoming Apple devices as you might imagine.

• Check out all the best laptops around
• And the best Macs to buy this year
• How to update a MacBook

Gurman said that a Mac developer informed him that the M1 Pro and ‌M1‌ Max names were mentioned in app logs, suggesting that they could be what Apple is going for instead of the widely-rumored M1X moniker. However, the Pro and Max labels could just be codenames or placeholders, of course, and might mean nothing at all.

Gurman wrote: “The aforementioned developer tells me that new MacBook Pro chips have appeared in logs under the names ‘M1 Pro’ and ‘M1 Max’. I’m not saying Apple will take that direction with its actual marketing names, but that’s another – albeit more confusing – possibility.”

M1X remains the most likely possibility, and the one that the rumor mill has stuck with for some time now, although the M2 name has also been floating around here and there. However, the latter has been theorized to be one for next year, with the M2 – an all-new SoC – possibly powering the MacBook Air refresh in 2022, while the M1X is thought to be the chip for this year and the MacBook Pros.

Meanwhile, as you may have seen, multiple rumors continue to swirl about these new MacBook Pro models having an iPhone-style notch.

Analysis: Maxing out Macs with a Pro-toting MacBook Pro

As Gurman indicates, having two different names for the chips, with Pro and Max versions, could be confusing. For starters, which would be better: Pro or Max? Presumably the latter, but it’s not really clear – they both suggest a heavyweight SoC – and indeed having a MacBook Pro with an M1 Pro chip seems a bit over-the-top on pushing the Pro label. (Or for that matter, a Mac with a Max chip sounds a bit odd too).

As suggested, these seem more likely to be codenames, although ultimately, we don’t know what Apple will decide to christen the next step on from the M1. About all we can say is that given it’s an upgrade, rather than a whole new SoC, it will surely keep that M1 label and append it in some form, with M1X still seeming the sensible bet.

Whatever the name, the latest speculation indicates that the chip which will power the MacBook Pro models purportedly set to be revealed by Apple at a big launch later today will be 10-core CPUs, with options on 16-core and 32-core GPUs (which could be Pro and Max variants respectively – or the other way round – in theory).

We can expect the new models to be pricey, by the way – remember, they are expected to run with fancy Mini-LED screens – and Gurman believes that a lower-end MacBook Pro 13-inch will stick around alongside the new 14-inch form-factor, and that would make sense in terms of keeping a more affordable Pro laptop option on the table.

• Shop all the latest MacBook Pro deals and sales

Via MacRumors