Laptops

Apple announces new MacBook Pros powered by M1 Pro, M1 Max

Published

October 19, 2021

Rodneil Quiteles

The MacBook Pro just got somewhat of a facelift as Apple introduces the new 14″ and 16″ MacBook Pros. Just with the sizes alone, longtime MacBook users will already see a difference as previous MacBook Pros used to come in 13″ and 15″ variants.

Let’s rundown everything that’s new in what Apple promises to be hyper-powered notebooks.

M1 Pro and M1 Max

The new MacBook Pros are powered by Apple’s latest and greatest processors. Want the numbers that fly over most people’s heads? Here you go:

M1 Pro — Up-to-10-core CPU with eight high-performance cores and two high-efficiency cores, along with an up-to-16-core GPU. That’s up to 70 percent faster CPU performance than M1, and up to 2x faster GPU performance. Delivers up to 200GB/s of memory bandwidth–nearly 3x the bandwidth of M1 and supports up to 32GB of fast unified memory.

M1 Max — Has a 10-core CPU and doubles the GPU with up to a massive 32 cores for up to 4x faster GPU performance than M1. It also has up to 400GB/s of memory bandwidth — 2x that of M1 Pro and nearly 6x that of M1 — and up to 64GB of fast unified memory.

This allows for real time rendering on hyper demanding tasks like video editing, 3D modelling, game designing, and many others.

It has a notch

Now that we know what matters on the inside, let’s address what will likely be the most noticeable aspect on the outside. Like the iPhone, the new MacBook Pros now have a notch. It sits in the middle of the menu bar to be less of a distraction.

Housed in the notch is the much improved 1080P FaceTime HD camera with an f/2.2 aperture to let more light in — crucial in our daily working lives that is now dominated by video calling. Other features include machine learning based noise reduction and face detection, local tone mapping, auto white balance, auto exposure, and Smart HDR. Noticeably missing — there’s no Face ID.

A display for discerning eyes

The display on the new MacBook Pros get significant upgrades. Officially called the Liquid Retina XDR Display, it features the same mini-LED technology found on the iPad Pro. It’s promising 1,000 nits of sustained, full-screen brightness, 1,600 nits of peak brightness, and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. The display also has ProMotion which means a 120Hz refresh rate for an even more eye-pleasing experience.

As the sizes suggest, they are also indeed larger than their predecessors. The 16″ model offers a 16.2-inch display with 7.7 million pixels–the most ever on a Mac notebook. Meanwhile, the 14″ model has a 14.2-inch screen with 5.9 million pixels.

Bringing back the ports

Making a comeback in this iteration of the MacBook Pros are more ports. Both models will get the following:

Three (3) Thunderbolt 4 ports
SDXC card slot
HDMI port
3.5mm headphone jack

Also making its way back to MacBook is MagSafe. MagSafe 3 makes connecting a charge cable quick and easy while protecting MacBook Pro. It also introduces fast charging to the Apple’s notebooks getting you to 50 percent in just 30 minutes.

M1 Pro users can connect up to two Pro Display XDRs. M1 Max, users can connect up to three Pro Display XDRs and a 4K TV, all at the same time. They also have Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless connectivity.

macOS Monterey

Apple’s latest hardware will naturally come with their latest software. These new MacBook Pros have macOS Monterey right out of the box. That means users will get to enjoy the best of what Mac has to offer.

The long list of features include, but are not limited to: Live Text and Visual Lookup, Continuity, Shortcuts, SharePlay, Universal Control, and many more.

Of course there are the popular Mac apps which will run even smoother now and will allow you to create more like Final Cut Pro and Garage Band.

Pricing and availability

In the US, the new MacBook Pro models with M1 Pro and M1 Max are available to order today on apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app. They will arrive to customers and will be in select Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers starting Tuesday, October 26. Pricing are as follows:

14″ MacBook Pro starts at US$ 1,999 (US$ 1,849 for education)
16″ MacBook Pro starts at US$ 2,499 (US$ 2,299 for education)

It will be available in Singapore soon with the following pricing:

14″ MacBook Pro starts at SG$ 2,999 (SG$ 2,769 for education)
16″ MacBook Pro starts at SG$ 3,749 (SG$ 3,449 for education)

Laptops

Microsoft gives up on the Copilot+ PC

The company is quietly stepping away from the branding.

Published

September 28, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

The Copilot+ PC is finally coming to an end. After a few years of advertising the lineup as the next big thing, Microsoft is stepping away from the branding.

Through a new interview with Windows Central, Microsoft has confirmed that the company is slowly stepping back from the Copilot+ branding. Despite launching a series of new Surface PCs that fit the bill of such a brand, the company has not affixed any of these devices with the usual branding of the AI-infused series.

“These are not called Copilot+ PCs. They do meet all the requirements of our previous bar for what Copilot+ devices are. We still lean into the narrative around AI on the edge and being able to have a hybrid solution out there,” Microsoft Surface CVP Brett Ostrum said.

Now, the Copilot+ PC programs hasn’t been a massive success for Microsoft. For all the time that it’s been out in the market, the series hasn’t really made much of an impact. TOPS is still a difficult metric to measure. The Copilot button is still one of the most unusable buttons on a modern keyboard. Even worse, Recall, the lineup’s most highly touted feature, crashed and burned practically the same moment it came out because of privacy concerns.

Microsoft had a lot of hopes for the Copilot+ lineup. Prior to today’s deteriorating perceptions about AI, the lineup imagined a string of devices united with a focus on AI-supported performance. However, we know better today. At best, AI PCs provide moderately boosted performance without the need for top-of-the-line hardware. At worse, they’re a privacy nightmare that places an unnecessary burden on the entire industry.

Editors' Choice

GadgetMatch Awards: Best of IFA 2026

Xiaomi 18 Fold, Govee, XGIMI, ARZOPA, Cuktech and more!

Published

September 9, 2026

GadgetMatch

We’re back at IFA 2026 in Berlin, checking out some of the coolest and most interesting tech on the show floor.

From smart home lighting and portable displays to projectors, power solutions, foldables, and more, these are some of the products and brands that caught our attention this year.

In this video, we take a look at: ‪

GOVEE‬

AI Lighting https://bit.ly/4xmY342

ARZOPA

Z3FC Portable Monitor https://bit.ly/4gRk7wD
D14 Digital Photo Frame https://bit.ly/4qYlRJ6 ‪

CUKTECH‬

30 Ultra Desktop Charging Station https://s.whaee.com/tXBornw
10 Ultra Charger https://s.whaee.com/UsWT4U2

** Use code CUKTECH09, valid until September 30

XGIMI

Xiaomi

Human x Car x Home Ecosystem

ASUS‬ x NVIDIA RTX SPARK

Watch until the end for our favorite finds from IFA 2026!

Laptops

ASUS laptops now come with three months of Google AI

5TB of cloud storage included

Published

September 7, 2026

GadgetMatch

Select ASUS and ROG laptops now come with three months of Google AI Pro or Google AI Plus at no extra cost. The offer starts September 7 and covers eligible models from the 2025, 2026, and upcoming 2027 lineups.

Google AI Pro includes 5TB of cloud storage, while Google AI Plus comes with 400GB. Both plans also provide access to a range of Google’s AI-powered tools and features.

More Google AI on ASUS laptops

Eligible customers can use the Google Gemini app, Deep Research, Google Flow, Gemini in Google apps, and Gemini Notebook, among other features. Availability varies depending on the Google AI plan and supported features.

Google AI Pro offers higher usage limits and expanded access to Google’s more capable Gemini models. It also includes additional developer and agentic tools such as Google Antigravity, Jules, and AI Studio, subject to availability and plan terms.

Google AI Plus provides elevated access to Google’s AI tools alongside features for creative generation and productivity.

The offer covers more than just AI features. Google AI Pro’s 5TB of cloud storage and Google AI Plus’ 400GB give users additional space for documents, photos, videos, research, and other projects.

Available across select ASUS models

The one-year program starts September 7 and applies to selected ASUS and ROG laptops in supported markets. Eligible models span the ROG, TUF Gaming, ProArt, Zenbook, and Vivobook families, including select 2025 and 2026 models and upcoming 2027 devices.

Customers can redeem the offer exclusively through the MyASUS app. ASUS has published the full list of eligible models and the offer’s terms and conditions on its website.

Check the full list of eligible ASUS laptops

ASUS is also running its No. 1 Quality, School-Ready Deals promotion until September 15, 2026. The promo offers additional deals for students, gamers, and professionals buying select ASUS and ROG devices.

The company’s No. 1 Quality and Service package also includes up to three years of international and local warranty, service access across more than 90 countries, and over 100 ASUS Service Centers and Drop-Off Points in the Philippines. Eligible laptops also come with one year of Local Accidental Damage Protection and up to six free device cleaning claims.