Computers

Apple’s Mac Studio and Studio Display are the new creative powerhouses

These ‘Studio’ devices are now under Apple’s new Pro-centric line

Published

March 9, 2022

Vincenz

Forget the cheese-grater Mac Pro and the Pro Display XDR! Apple’s Mac Studio and Studio Display offer the best performance and visual experience for less.

If you’re one of those people who waited for the latest MacBook Air, Pro, or even the M2 chip announcement, well Apple just skipped all of that in favor of two new products meant for the full-on “studio” use.

Mac Studio

The Mac Studio is the first product of its kind. It might look just like a double-stacked Mac mini, but it offers more especially that it supports the newest M1 Ultra chip.

Measuring at just 7.7″ in width and 3.7″ in height, it’s Apple’s most compact M1 Ultra device just yet.

There’s plenty port support for the Mac Studio as well.

At the back, there are four USB-C Thunderbolt ports, an Ethernet LAN port, two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. There’s also an SDXC card slot on the front but the difference being, the M1 Max has two USB-C ports while the M1 Ultra has Thunderbolt support in it.

With support of up to 20-cores CPU, 64-core GPU, 128GB unified memory, and an 8TB SSD, the Mac Studio isn’t a slouch.

Targeted for professionals, the Mac Studio is suited for the needs of any creative professional — from photo and video editing, to 3D animation, and even music production.

Studio Display

Paired with the newest Studio Display, they both bring unparalleled performance and display experience to any multimedia creative out there.

With a stunning 27-inch 5K Retina display, you’ll enjoy the visual goodness this monitor provides. It has 600 nits of brightness with TrueTone technology and DCI-P3 wide color gamut for that better color accuracy.

Aside from the included display stand, you can opt for the tilt-and-height-adjustable stand found on the higher-end Pro Display XDR. There’s also a VESA-mount adapter so you attach it to any VESA-supported leg arm or stand. You can even rotate the display whenever needed.

With the A13 Bionic chip inside, it brings out the better camera and speaker usage. There’s a six-speaker system with support for high-fidelity Spatial Audio for that pitch-perfect audio experience.

It also has a 12MP ultra-wide camera with Center Stage support found on the newer M1-powered 2021 iPad Pro and 2022 iPad Air.

The Studio Display also has three USB-C ports that bring speeds of up to 10GB/s. This can also fast-charge the 96W battery of the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

And with this shiny stainless steel aesthetic in mind, it complements Apple’s latest ecosystem of computing machines. Aside from the Mac Studio, it also goes well with the latest line of MacBook Pros, Mac mini, and even the older MacBook Air and Pro.

Moreover, the new black Magic Trackpad, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Mouse (all sold separately) completes the overall look of the new Mac Studio and Studio Display.

Pricing and Availability

The Mac Studio is now available for order today and will start shipping on March 18 (Friday). Pricing starts at US$ 1999 (SG$ 2899 / ₱171,990) for the M1 Max configuration with 32GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Meanwhile, the M1 Ultra option sells for US$ 3999 (SG$ 5899 / ₱237,990) with a 64GB unified memory and 1TB SSD. More configurations are available at US and Singapore Apple online stores. Availability in the Philippines is coming soon, though.

If you’re getting your hopes up for a cheaper Apple monitor, the Studio Display starts at a base price of US$ 1599 (SG$ 2299 / ₱94,990). The base price will remain the same once bundled with the regular tilt-adjustbale stand or the VESA mount adapter.

From there, you can also configure if it will have a Standard Glass or the Nano-Texture Glass a la Pro Display XDR worth US$ 1899 (SG$ 2699 / ₱112,990). Adding the tilt-and-height-adjustable stand makes the monitor ramp its price to US$ 2299 (SG$ 3299 / ₱136,990).

That still makes it a LOT cheaper than the US$ 4999 (SG$ 8699 / ₱299,990)-worth Pro Display XDR from 2019 — that with just the Standard Glass and without the “Pro” stand neither a VESA-supported mount adapter.

Computers

Acer expands SpatialLabs developer tools

Enabling the stereo 3D experience

Published

May 31, 2023

GadgetMatch

Acer has expanded the developer tools for its SpatialLabs technology, providing professionals even more avenues to develop glasses-free, stereoscopic 3D experiences when using SpatialLabs Pro devices.

The updates include a SpatialLabs Unity plug-in, a SpatialLabs Pro-certified Acer OpenXR runtime to allow developers to use OpenXR protocols when creating stereo 3D content, and the Acer SteamVR Bridge.

Unity Plug-in

Acer’s Unity plug-in helps to extend its reach to more creators in various fields, including architecture, construction, education, medicine, and more.

Developers can take advantage of the Unity plug-in’s existing tools and verticals to enhance their experiences and help present their models in their true 3D form on Acer SpatialLabs Pro devices, without the need for glasses.

OpenXR Runtime

Meanwhile, OpenXR Runtime is now SpatialLabs Pro devices conformant.

This means XR developers now have the option to choose from Acer’s devices for glasses-free stereoscopic 3D.

They may also take advantage of OpenXR’s cross-platform and high-performance API for faster innovation while utilizing Open XR-compatible apps such as Autodesk VRED 2023 and Blender.

SteamVR Bridge

Lastly, Acer’s proprietary SteamVR Bridge driver is now available for developers of VR applications so they can convert creations on SpatialLab Pro devices for clear and captivating imagery without the need for VR headsets.

The SpatialLab Pro devices may also be used to leverage SteamVR Bridge and NVIDIA Omniverse for more viewing options for enhanced stereo 3D projection of complex graphics, visual effects, and simulations.

Accessories

Acer has an eco-friendly mesh Wi-Fi 6E router

The Acer Connect Vero W6m

Published

May 31, 2023

GadgetMatch

Acer isn’t just about computers. The company just unveiled its first ever eco-friendly Wi-Fi 6E router, the Connect Vero W6m. It promises enhanced connectivity, coverage, and security features.

Made with PCR materials on its chassis and an Eco mode for efficient energy consumption, the compact Connect Vero W6m is powered by a quad-core 2Ghz processor.

It supports Wi-Fi 6E Tri-Band AXE7800 while being cyber security compliant. It is also the first Wi-Fi 6E mesh router to pass EU EN 303 645 (RED) cyber security standards.

When it comes to performance, the Wi-Fi mesh router provides speeds of up to 7.8gps to deliver fast and stable internet connections online. It also has a dedicated WPS button for network security setups.

The router can also be paired with up to four units for an incredible network coverage area of up to 465 square meters on a dual mesh system and 930 square meters on a quad mesh system, effectively eliminating dead spots in the process.

Computers

Lenovo releases latest ThinkStation P3 desktops, ThinkPad laptops

Power and performance

Published

May 29, 2023

GadgetMatch

Two months after releasing its AMD Ryzen-powered ThinkPad laptops, Lenovo has announced the availability of the latest ThinkStation P3 series desktop workstations and next-gen ThinkPad laptops.

All devices are powered by the latest 13th Gen Intel Core processors and NVIDIA RTX graphics, while offering improved memory and storage capacities to support even the heaviest workloads for various professionals.

Limitless possibilities: ThinkStation P3 series

Lenovo’s latest ThinkStation P3 series desktops come with refined form factors, making them space-savers while being versatile and powerful.

Tower

Up to 13th Gen Intel Core processors
Up to NVIDIA RTX A5500 graphics
Up to 128GB DDR5 memory
Six storage drives
Four PCIe expansion slots
Expanded chassis to support power supplies up to 1100W
Up to 26TB storage options for data-heavy applications

Ultra

Space-saving chassis, four-liter volume
Up to RTX A5500 graphics
Optional BMC for advanced remote monitoring and systems management

Tiny

Fits any location with its one-liter volume
NVIDIA T1000 graphics for up to six displays

Relentless innovation: ThinkPad P series

Meanwhile, the latest ThinkPad laptops champion power, premium design, and durability. The latest P series models provide human-centric innovations designed for hybrid work, so professionals can enjoy power and performance on the go.