Laptops

Apple Silicon will soon power Macs, ditch Intel

Faster performance, better battery life, and much more!

Published

June 23, 2020

Shivam Vahia

At WWDC 2020, Apple confirmed that it’s moving away from Intel’s chipsets and will be replacing them with its own silicon. The company uses its proprietary processors on the iPhone and iPad. Now, even Mac will get the same treatment.

The company is ditching Intel’s traditional so-called x86 desktop chips for Apple’s own processors based on ARM designs. The latter is already found on mobile phones and hence, Apple also showed off macOS can now run iPhone apps without a glitch. This transition means that Apple is trying to bridge the gap between a mobile, tablet, and a laptop with a singular operating system.

Besides, the shift to Apple’s own ARM-based chips gives the firm even greater control over its hardware and software. This closed and tightly controlled infrastructure ensures maximum optimization. However, Apple’s new silicon isn’t a standard processor.

It promises very powerful machines that are drastically more efficient. This means it can deliver high performance without draining your battery in an instant. Furthermore, it could bring the option of having on-board data connectivity via cellular services.

While Microsoft has been trying to shift Windows to an ARM-based architecture, the results have been mixed. Apple, on the other hand, has already ported all its apps to the new ARM-based chips, including its professional apps such as Final Cut Pro. It also showed us a live snapshot of editing on Adobe Photoshop and confirmed that Office apps are also good to go.

Apple is pushing a new Universal 2 format that allows developers to produce one app that runs on both existing Intel Macs and new ARM Macs. The company has confirmed that it’ll take two years to completely switch to ARM-based chipsets. In the meanwhile, a few more Intel-powered Macs are in the pipeline.

Laptops

Spotlight: ASUS Zenbook A16

The first Windows laptop that feels different

Published

May 7, 2026

GadgetMatch and Michael Josh Villanueva

The ASUS Zenbook A16 is one of the most interesting Snapdragon-powered Windows laptops right now, but how does it actually perform?

After two weeks of traveling to Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Manila, Los Angeles and back to New York, here’s THE Michael Josh covering the Zenbook A16’s battery life, performance, OLED display, and real-world use.

This is the first Windows laptop that feels different.

Check further:

> Zenbook A16

> Zenbook A14

Laptops

MacBook Neo already “supply constrained” amid unexpected demand

New purchases are reportedly getting delayed.

Published

May 4, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

It’s been a crazy month for Apple fans on a budget. The debuts of the iPhone 17e and the MacBook Neo have brought the classic Apple experience to a wider market. Though the former is a bright spot on its own, the new MacBook Neo is currently breaking the company’s expectations as new orders are already “supply constrained.”

Last week, Tim Cook held an earnings call (via Six Colors) which includes the latest additions to Apple’s lineup. For the affordable iPhone, Cook gave a special shoutout as “the newest addition to what is already the strongest iPhone lineup we’ve ever had.” However, he was much more appreciative for the MacBook Neo’s role in the company’s notebook lineup.

Responding to a query about the new notebook, Cook says that the company “undercalled the level of enthusiasm” generated by the MacBook Neo. He also cited “tremendous enthusiasm” for the device in his main presentation.

Though he didn’t have the numbers to bolster his claims, he did give anecdotal examples of public schools switching over to Apple from Chromebooks and Windows PCs.

Finally, he says that the MacBook Neo is currently “supply constrained,” meaning new purchases will likely come with a delay before delivery.

Outside of the corporate perspective, there has been a lot of excitement for the notebook. Even if it uses the A18 Pro chip, the MacBook Neo promises a powerful notebook experience as is typical of Apple’s more traditional MacBooks. And to top it all off, it starts at only US$ 599, creating one of the most tempting offers for users who want to dip their toes into the Apple ecosystem.

Laptops

MacBook Neo officially arrives at Power Mac Center

Nationwide limited-time offers available

Published

April 24, 2026

Manila Connoisseur

The all-new MacBook Neo has officially arrived in the Philippines through Power Mac Center. Simultaneous launch events were held at Greenbelt 3 and SM Megamall.

Customers who lined up for the launch received an event-exclusive bundle which includes an AirPods Pro 2 and AirTag 4-pack, as well as over PhP 12,000 worth of freebies for those with qualified pre-orders.

In addition, those in Greenbelt and SM Megamall who lined up until the evening got a chance to win up to PhP 600,000 worth of prizes (PhP 300,000 per location).

And great news even for those unable to attend: PMC is extending its opening promotions over the coming days.

Now available in Power Mac Center stores nationwide, the MacBook Neo comes with these exclusive offers:

Up to 50% off on a wide selection of accessories until April 30 for sstraight payments
Redeem up to Php 5,000 off (2,500 points) through the 1 Infinite program, no minimum spend, until April 26
UpTrade: Score up to PhP 4,000 additional trade-in value with a MacBook Air (M2 or earlier) until May 10
Complimentary 90-day software fix and free Basecamp training for purchases until April 30

For flexible financing, the MacBook Neo is also available through 0% interest installment plans of up to 36 months. This is through major banks and other financial institutions.