RSS
 

Posts Tagged ‘Macbook’

ASUS Zephyrus G14 (2021) Review: The M1 MacBook Pro killer

29 Aug
The ASUS Zephyrus G14 is a new breed of powerful, portable laptop made possible by the latest AMD Ryzen CPUs.

All product photography by DL Cade.

When it comes to lightweight laptops for creatives, Apple pretty much cornered the market with the release of the M1 MacBook Air and M1 MacBook Pro. The price-to-performance of these laptops is better than anything we’ve seen from Cupertino in a long time, and the Apple Silicon M1 punches well above its weight given its ‘entry-level’ designation.

But what if you’re not a Mac fan? What if 16GB of unified memory isn’t enough? And what if you want more graphics power than the maxed out 8-core GPU variant of the Apple Silicon M1 can deliver? Is there a PC out there that offers all of these things without sacrificing the portability and efficiency of laptops like the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro?

There is, and that PC is the ASUS Zephyrus G14: a small, lightweight ‘gaming laptop’ that features a powerful-but-efficient AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS, 32GB of RAM, a WQHD/2K display with 100% DCI-P3 coverage and an NVIDIA RTX 3060 GPU with 6GB of VRAM. All of it packed inside of a 14-inch laptop chassis that’s only a tiny bit thicker, and no larger, than your typical 13-inch MacBook Pro.



Key specifications:

The 2021 ASUS Zephyrus G14 that we’re testing is the more expensive of the two main variants available in the US. Both options come with the same AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS processor and NVIDIA RTX 3060 GPU (60W, 80W boost), but our model is equipped with 32GB of RAM and a WQHD display that claims 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut, while the more affordable model comes with only 16GB of RAM and a Full HD display that can only manage 100% of sRGB.

Zephyrus G14 – FHD Zephyrus G14 – QHD
CPU AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS
GPU

NVIDIA RTX 3060

6GB VRAM

NVIDIA RTX 3060

6GB VRAM

RAM 16GB DDR4-3200MHz 32GB DDR4-3200MHz
Storage

1TB NVMe M.2 SSD

PCIe 3.0

1TB NVMe M.2 SSD

PCIe 3.0

Display

14-inch 144Hz FHD

100% sRGB

14-inch 120Hz WQHD

100% DCI-P3

Price $ 1,450 $ 2,000

Note that the RAM in the Full HD version is user-upgradable, but for creatives, we would still recommend the more expensive option simply because of the color-accurate display. The extra pixels aren’t totally necessary at this screen size, but we’ve found that many high-refresh-rate displays used in gaming laptops slightly under-perform their spec sheet when it comes to gamut coverage, so it’s always good to have some cushion above and beyond 100% sRGB.

If you’re going to be doing creative work, the extra $ 550 for the top-tier model is worth the additional RAM, resolution and color accuracy.


Design, build and usability

For photo and video editors, the ASUS Zephyrus G14’s WQHD display delivers up to 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut.

The Zephyrus G14’s design is gamer-y, but not over the top. There’s no ostentatious RGB accents or glowing logos, and while the overall shape of the laptop features a few sharp angles, there isn’t even an RGB backlight on the keyboard – just a standard white light. The chassis is available in a ‘Moonlight White’ or ‘Eclipse Gray’ and, when closed, the only hint that this is an ASUS computer comes from the Republic of Gamers (ROG) logo stamped on a pearlescent metal plate that’s embedded in the lid.

Speaking of the lid, the most ostentatious and unique design element of the ASUS G14 is the so-called ‘AniMe Matrix’ lighting effect that covers a little more than half of the laptop’s lid on a diagonal.

The Zephyrus G14’s design is gamer-y, but not over the top.

Made up of mini-LEDs hidden behind a matrix of little dots, the matrix can be customized in ASUS’ Armoury Crate software to show any number of preset animations, display a static image, or loop through a custom set of images or GIFs that you upload yourself. For this review, I obviously couldn’t resist popping the DPR logo onto the back.

The so-called ‘AniMe Matrix’ on the G14’s lid can be customized to display a customized image or animation.

Unfortunately, that little bit of showing off is about all it’s good for. After taking the picture above, I turned it off and kept it off to avoid any additional battery drain, and the only purpose the little dots served from that point onward was the collection of dust and other particles that are practically impossible to remove once they’ve become embedded.

It is, in my opinion, the only thing on this laptop that is 100% gimmick and 0% function, and I kind of wish ASUS had left it off. Even the cheaper model, which won’t allow you to customize the AniMe Matrix, still comes with these little holes, they’re just set to display a static ‘holographic’ effect.

Moving back to the front of the computer, both the keyboard and trackpad qualify as good-but-not-great in my book. The keyboard features a little bit more travel and ‘mush’ than I’m used to from most low-profile laptop keyboards these days, but your preferences may vary, while the trackpad is sufficiently smooth and responsive, but a little bit undersized.

The Zephyrus G14’s trackpad is smooth and responsive, but smaller than most competitors.

Compare this to the massive glass-topped trackpads favored by Apple, Microsoft, Dell and Razer, and you’ll see what I mean. By pushing the keyboard down to make room for the audio controls, ROG button and power button/fingerprint reader, the trackpad has been squeezed to just 2.5 inches tall and 4.5 inches wide.

It’s precise, with a nice springboard click that’s usable from about halfway down the trackpad, but I wish it were a little bit taller.

In terms of ports, the Zephyrus G14 comes equipped with an HDMI, two USB Type-C ports, two USB Type-A ports, a headphone jack and standard barrel connector for power. One of those USB Type-C ports can also carry a DisplayPort 1.4 signal and charge your device if you leave the included 180W power brick at home, and both can transfer data at USB 3.1 Gen 2 speeds (10Gbps), but neither supports Thunderbolt’s faster 40Gbps transfer rate because of the AMD processor.

The trackpad is precise, with a nice springboard click that’s usable from about halfway down the trackpad, but I wish it were a little bit taller.

In terms of ports, the Zephyrus G14 comes equipped with an HDMI, two USB Type-C ports, two USB Type-A ports, a headphone jack and standard barrel connector for power.

Thunderbolt is an Intel creation, and until it fully merges with the CPU-agnostic USB 4.0 standard and AMD releases Ryzen 6000 sometime in 2022, you won’t find any AMD Ryzen laptops that also feature Thunderbolt support.

Everything so far makes this a good gaming PC but not particularly special for photo and video work. That’s where the display comes in.

Following a trend we’ve seen from other gaming laptops, ASUS offers the Zephyrus G14 (and the bigger G15) with a couple of different display options. There’s an ultra-fast 144Hz Full HD display that can only hit 100% sRGB or a slightly slower 120Hz WQHD option that is ‘Pantone validated’ and claims 100% coverage of DCI-P3.

In my testing, it didn’t quite live up to that claim, managing only 95.3% coverage of DCI-P3 and 80.0% of AdobeRGB, but it did so at a respectable Delta E 2000 of less than 2. Other reviewers have profiled this display at up to 98% DCI-P3, but to my knowledge, nobody has seen it hit the advertised 100%.

In other words: the display is accurate enough for proper photo and video editing on the go, but I would not rely on it as my only screen. When it’s time for serious color grading, use the USB-C/DisplayPort to connect a larger, color-accurate 4K monitor, especially if you’re planning to print your work.

Finally, there are two more things left to mention – one positive and one negative.

The positive is battery life, which is excellent. AMD’s Zen 3 processors are already very power efficient, and ASUS is taking full advantage of that fact by putting a large 76Wh battery inside of the G14. For normal writing, research, and video consumption in ‘Silent’ mode, I could easily get 8+ hours of use out of this laptop. In ‘Performance’ mode while doing serious photo or video editing on battery, that drops to about 2 hours, but that’s to be expected given the NVIDIA 3060 GPU is pulling 60W all on its own.

The Zephyrus G14’s QHD display is color-accurate enough for proper photo and video editing on the go, but I would not rely on it as my only screen.

The negative is the total lack of webcam on this computer. While the Zephyrus G14 does have a built-in microphone array embedded in the top bezel, it does not have a webcam. None at all. Not even the crappy 720p option that’s included in most laptops today.

With so many photo and video professionals communicating with their clients over Zoom as much (if not more) than in-person, this is a huge miss. I suppose the idea is that gamers who stream will use a nicer camera anyway, and those who don’t won’t care about a webcam, but it’s a glaring omission that has the potential to really annoy you day-in and day-out.

Tehre is no webcam on the ASUS Zephyrus G14 – a frustrating omission given the increased popularity of video conferencing.

Overall, I quite like the design and build quality of the Zephyrus G14. Sure, I tend to prefer the rigid CNC-milled aluminum unibody designs favored by companies like Razer and Apple, but I never felt like I was dealing with a flimsy laptop and the design aesthetic is clean enough to use for both business and fun… assuming you turn off the AniMe Matrix.

For creative professionals, you can go in knowing that the I/O is solid, the trackpad is good (if a little bit small), and the screen is sufficiently color accurate so that you can get your work done on the go. If you can live without Thunderbolt and a webcam, the G14 checks just about every other ‘ultra-portable’ box, without sacrificing performance.

Speaking of which…

Back to top


Performance benchmarks

Despite its small size, the Zephyrus G14 is one of the fastest photo and video editing laptops on the market.

What really makes the ASUS Zephyrus G14 special is just how powerful it is given its size and weight. This is down to the magic of the AMD Ryzen processor inside, which is built on AMD’s Zen 3 architecture and practically sips wattage compared to most of Intel’s chips.

This is why ASUS chose AMD for this 14-inch laptop, why Razer chose AMD for their 14-inch Blade, and why we expect to see Ryzen PCs and M1 Macs practically take over the ‘powerful-but-portable’ category for at least the next year or two. Intel’s latest 11th-geneneration H-series laptop CPUs are more efficient than 10th-gen, but they still soak up a lot more wattage to generate those results.

For this round of performance benchmarks, we tested the M1 Mac mini, an Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Pro, the AMD Ryzen-based Razer Blade 14 and the ASUS Zephyrus G14. Full specs below:

Zephyrus G14 13-inch MBP M1 Mac mini Blade 14
CPU AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS Intel Core i7-1068NG7 Apple Silicon M1 8-core AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
GPU

NVIDIA RTX 3060

6GB VRAM

Intel Iris Plus Graphics

Apple Silicon M1 8-core

NVIDIA RTX 3070

8GB VRAM

RAM

32GB DDR4

3200MHz

32GB LPDDR4X

3733MHz

16GB Unified Memory

16GB DDR4

3200MHz

Storage 1TB NVMe M.2 PCIe 3.0 SSD 4TB NVMe SSD 2TB NVMe SSD 1TB NVMe M.2 PCIe 3.0 SSD
Display

14-inch 120Hz WQHD IPS LCD

100% DCI-P3

13-inch Retina Display

100% Display P3

N/A

14-inch 165Hz QHD IPS LCD

100% DCI-P3

Price

$ 2,000 $ 3,600 $ 1,700 $ 2,200
Price w/ 1TB of Storage $ 2,000 $ 2,600 $ 1,300 $ 2,200

Unfortunately we did not have an M1 MacBook Pro on hand to do a side-by-side comparison, but the internals of the M1 Mac mini and the internals of the M1 MacBook Pro are identical, so the results should be interchangeable. As usual, we tested Adobe Lightroom Classic, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Capture One 21 using the suite of tests described here.

All tests were run a minimum of three times in a row, with the laptops plugged in, fully charged, and set to their maximum Turbo/Performance settings.

Lightroom Classic

Import and preview generation in Lightroom Classic is based entirely on CPU performance, RAM amount and RAM speed. Each of these machines has a different combination of these factors, and the ASUS Zephyrus G14 and M1 Mac mini end up trading blows at the top of the import table thanks to the stellar performance of their respective CPUs and the Mac’s fast unified memory architecture.

Despite having an ever-so-slightly more powerful CPU than the ASUS, the Razer Blade 14 falls to last place because of its 16GB RAM limitation, while the Intel-based MacBook Pro sits somewhere in the middle of the pack.

Canon EOS R6 Import Nikon Z7 II Import Sony a7R IV Import Fuji GFX 100 Import
ASUS G14 1:38 2:59 3:30 7:35
Blade 14 2:07 4:16 4:58 12:30
M1 Mac mini 1:44 2:54 3:03 8:51
MacBook Pro 2:22 3:42 4:02 10:12

It’s a similar story when we try exporting heavily edited 100% JPEGs, but now that there are more pixels to move around, the ASUS G14 wins every single category.

As resolution increases and file sizes get larger, the Blade 14 and M1 Mac mini fall way behind the rest of the pack, held back by the maximum 16GB of RAM available to them. By the time we get to the 100MP Fuji GFX 100 files, the ASUS G14 is more than 15 minutes faster than both the M1 Mac mini and the Blade 14, but only about 3 minutes faster than the two-year-old MacBook Pro.

These results show you just how RAM dependent Lightroom Classic exporting really is. The more RAM, and the faster your RAM, the better your performance… even if you’re running an older processor and no discrete GPU:

Canon EOS R6 Export Nikon Z7 II Export Sony a7R IV Export Fuji GFX 100 Export
ASUS G14 3:58 8:55 11:41 23:40
Blade 14 5:30 14:40 20:46 40:02
M1 Mac mini 4:06 9:21 15:04 38:44
MacBook Pro 5:55 12:01 15:35 26:46

Capture One 21

Capture One 21 is a whole different animal. As we showed in our recent head-to-head comparison between Capture One and Lightroom Classic, C1 is less dependent on RAM speed and better optimized to take advantage of powerful GPUs through hardware acceleration.

At import, CPU performance is still the most important factor, and the ASUS G14, Blade 14, and M1 Mac mini are within spitting distance of each other, while the MacBook Pro and its weaker 10th-gen Intel processor falls further and further behind as file sizes increase.

Canon EOS R6 Import Nikon Z7 II Import Sony a7R IV Import Fuji GFX 100 Import
ASUS G14 00:40 00:59 1:12 1:50
Blade 14 00:40 00:59 1:14 1:50
M1 Mac mini 00:45 00:53 1:00 1:22
MacBook Pro 00:47 1:42 2:12 3:12

At export, the Zephyrus G14 uses its combination of a fast CPU, fast GPU, and 32GB of RAM to (once again) sweep every single category. None of the other computers could keep up.

The Razer Blade 14 only fell a little bit behind the ASUS, but by the time we get to the largest files the M1 Mac mini is more than 10 minutes slower than the Zephyrus G14, and the Intel-based MacBook Pro was another 10 minutes slower than that – a full 20 minutes and 45 seconds slower than the ASUS G14.

If you own an Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Pro (as I do) this is not a pretty graph.

Canon EOS R6 Export Nikon Z7 II Export Sony a7R IV Export Fuji GFX 100 Export
ASUS G14 1:35 3:12 3:50 6:53
Blade 14 1:48 3:47 4:47 7:46
M1 Mac mini 2:53 7:02 8:49 17:20
MacBook Pro 4:57 12:50 16:18 27:38

Photoshop

When we ran the Pugetbench benchmark for Photoshop, the ASUS G14 came incredibly close to beating the impressive overall score put up by the M1 Mac mini, and did manage to beat the Mac in both the GPU and Filter categories.

However, this result requires a bit of context.

Presumably due to their ultra-fast unified memory, M1 Macs are able to merge panoramas much faster than any PC we’ve tested (at least in Photoshop), but the high overall score is disproportionately affected by that one factor. It’s like an Olympian winning the decathlon by coming in the middle of the pack in 9 events, and then pole vaulting twice as high as anybody else.

In most of the individual tasks that the benchmark performs, the ASUS G14 is as fast or faster than the Mac, which is reflected in the high General, GPU, and Filter score. I only really loses the ‘overall’ battle because of its lower PhotoMerge score.

Overall General GPU Filter PhotoMerge
ASUS G14 973.6 99.0 97.3 86.9 115.0
Blade 14 835.6 85.6 88.8 67.3 111.9
M1 Mac mini 1017.8 99.4 81.2 82.9 144.2
MacBook Pro 597.7 65.4 32.6 52.8 62.6

Premiere Pro

Our final tests involve Adobe Premiere Pro. Unlike most other Adobe CC apps, Premiere is well optimized to take advantage of the NVIDIA GPUs in both the Razer Blade 14 and the ASUS Zephyrus G14 through ‘CUDA’ hardware acceleration. It’s also able to take advantage of ‘Metal’ hardware acceleration on the M1 Mac mini.

This fact alone puts these three computers in a league of their own, and leaves my poor little Intel-based MacBook Pro trailing way behind the rest of the pack in every video encoding task we tried.

The Zephyrus G14 steals the show here, putting up the fastest times in all but one category despite stiff competition from both the Razer Blade 14 and M1 Mac mini. Using our Sony a1 test video, the G14 rendered and exported the full Premier Pro project 1 to 2 minutes faster than either the Blade or the Mac mini, and a whopping 18 to 20 minutes faster than the MacBook Pro.

This result, more than any others, shows the potential of GPU hardware acceleration. Properly implemented, it can produce massive performance gains.

Render All Export Master File Export H.264 Export H.265/HEVC Warp Stabilize
ASUS G14 6:40 00:15 6:06 5:59 2:33
Blade 14 8:50 00:41 8:12 8:06 3:13
M1 Mac mini 7:32 00:18 7:30 7:19 2:13
MacBook Pro 25:53 00:37 26:12 25:09 2:36

Back to top


Takeaways

Normally, this is the part of the review where I would list a few interesting takeaways based on the strengths and weaknesses that I noticed while running our benchmarks. But the ASUS does so well across the board that I don’t really have much to say other than: wow.

The ASUS Zephyrus G14 is an extremely capable photo and video editing machine – far more capable than you would guess given its small size. Thanks in large part to the power-efficient AMD CPU, ASUS has created a little monster that packs more punch than any other ‘ultra-portable’ PC laptop on the market, including the similarly specced Razer Blade 14 and, presumably, the M1 MacBook Pro (based on our M1 Mac mini results).

ASUS has created a little monster that packs more punch than any other ‘ultra-portable’ PC laptop on the market.

From a performance standpoint, ASUS basically didn’t have to cut any corners; as a result, we get a $ 2,000 14-inch laptop that easily outperforms $ 3,000+ Intel-based PCs from less than a year ago and gives the Apple Silicon M1 some honest to goodness competition in this size and price bracket.

Back to top


Conclusion

What We Like What We Don’t Like
  • Exceptional performance
  • Color-accurate WQHD display
  • Small and portable
  • Good variety of ports
  • Great battery life
  • Affordable
  • No Thunderbolt Support
  • No SD card slot
  • No webcam
  • Small trackpad
  • The AniMe Matrix is a neat-but-useless gimmick

It’s hard to find fault with the 2021 ASUS Zephyrus G14. It already offers most of what ‘creators’ are hoping to see from the rumored 14-inch MacBook Pro: it’s a small, portable, efficient laptop that delivers professional-grade performance in creative applications, including GPU accelerated tasks.

All of this for an extremely reasonable price and without some of the Apple-specific downsides that we’ve gotten used to: the lack of user-upgradable storage, the lack of ports, and occasional compatibility issues (especially with ARM-based M1 Macs).

The 2021 ASUS Zephyrus G14 a small, portable, efficient laptop that delivers professional-grade performance in creative applications.

The only real downside for creatives is the lack of Thunderbolt support – a must for some specialized equipment – and the computer’s focus on certain gaming-specific specs and design elements. Personally, I’d rather have a more power-efficient WQHD display that’s limited to 60Hz or a more affordable Full HD option that covers 100% DCI-P3, and the ‘AniMe Matrix’ feature is nothing more than a party trick that sucks up battery if you forget to turn it off.

Sure, this little gaming laptop can’t match the top-shelf build quality and clean design of brands like Apple, Razer, Microsoft, and even Dell – which is basically the only reason I can’t give the computer a full 5 stars – but if you’re looking for the ultimate ultra-portable PC laptop with the fewest trade-offs and the best performance, the ASUS Zephyrus G14 is the way to go.

Back to top

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on ASUS Zephyrus G14 (2021) Review: The M1 MacBook Pro killer

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Apple adds more powerful GPU option to its 16″ MacBook Pro, new SSD option to Mac Pro Tower

17 Jun

Apple has released a new graphics option for the 16in version of its MacBook Pro which should deliver a dramatic increase in speed when dealing with large files. The AMD Radeon Pro 5600M is said to be a desktop-class GPU that comes with 8GB of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM2) that Apple claims will make the top-spec machine 75% faster than the AMD Radeon Pro 5500M standard option. The upgrade adds $ 700 / £700 to the cost.

The standard 16in MacBook Pro model comes with 1TB of SSD storage, but options of up to 8TB are available for an extra £2200/ which, along with all the other upgrades – 64GB of 2666MHz DDR4 memory and the 2.4GHz i9 processor with Turbo Boost to 5GHz – can take the price of the machine to a cool $ 6699 / £6699.

Mac Pro desktop users can also now buy user-changeable SSD kits for their Tower models, with 1TB, 2TGB, 4TB and 8TB options available. The kits come with two sticks each of half the total of the capacity and are designed to replace the existing storage in the machine. In order to replace them, Apple says a second Mac running Apple Configurator 2 is required. Prices for the SSD kits range from $ 600 / £600 for 1TB to $ 2800 / £2800 for 8TB.

For more information see the Apple website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Apple adds more powerful GPU option to its 16″ MacBook Pro, new SSD option to Mac Pro Tower

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Apple’s new 13-inch MacBook Pro features faster CPU options, latest Intel Iris Graphics configurations and updated keyboard

04 May

Apple has announced its new 13-inch MacBook Pro, bringing modest performances improvements and one physical improvement that should make keyboard warriors around the world much happier.

We’ll get to the specs in a minute, but first the most important update—the keyboard. Apple has eschewed its troubled ‘butterfly’ keyboard for its Magic Keyboard with this new 13-inch MacBook Pro. For nearly five years, Apple’s ‘butterfly mechanism’ keyboard has caused issues for MacBook owners, with individual keys sometimes becoming entirely non-functioning, causing all sorts of issues while typing. This transition means the ‘butterfly’ keyboard is no longer present in any of Apple’s laptops.

The physical ‘esc’ key is a welcomed change also.

In addition to the changes underneath the keys, Apple has also added a physical ‘Escape’ (esc) key to the left of the Touch Bar. On previous models, the ‘esc’ key was digital, located within the Touch Bar, a design decision that could wreak havoc if the Touch Bar glitched out or broke.

The updated 13-inch model is powered by Intel quad-core chips, with optional upgrades to configure the MacBook Pro with Intel’s 10th-gen CPUs that offer up to 2.3GHz per core and TurboBoost speeds up to 4.1GHz. Apple has also added the option to configure the 13-inch MacBook Pro with up to 32GB of 3733MHz LPDDR4X RAM and has doubled the base model storage to 256GB (with optional upgrades to increase it to 4TB).

If you upgrade to the $ 1,799 model, you’ll also get the latest Intel Iris Plus Graphics, which Apple claims will offer an 80% performance increase over the previous-generation dual-core MacBook Pros. In addition to improving overall graphic performance, models with Intel’s Iris Plus graphics will be able to power Apple’s Pro Display XDR at its full 6K resolution.

As for the laptop’s own display, the 13-inch screen supports P3 wide color gamut, offers a maximum 500 nits brightness and includes Apple’s ‘True Tone’ technology that automatically adjusts the screen’s white balance based on the ambient environment.

The base model starts at $ 1,299 and includes a 1.4GHz quad-core 9th-gen Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. However, if you’re planning on using this for editing photos or video though, we’d suggest you jump up to the $ 1,799 base model, which offers Intel’s 10-gen CPUs with the newer Intel Iris Plus graphics and 16GB of RAM. Further upgrades can be configured for additional costs, as usual.

You can find out more information about the latest 13-inch MacBook Pro models and browse through the different configurations on Apple’s website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Apple’s new 13-inch MacBook Pro features faster CPU options, latest Intel Iris Graphics configurations and updated keyboard

Posted in Uncategorized

 

MacOS beta reveals ‘Pro Mode’ code, teasing a high-performance mode for MacBook Pros

16 Jan

Apple may be preparing to release a new macOS feature called ‘Pro Mode,’ according to a recent report from 9to5Mac. Evidence of the feature was found nestled within macOS Catalina 10.15.3 beta code alongside strings of text. Based on the text, it seems ‘Pro Mode’ will be a manual feature that enables users to temporarily boost a Mac’s performance.

Apple releases beta versions of its macOS operating system for developers to test before the updates are made available to casual users. Teardowns of these updates may reveal the presence of unannounced features that are hidden in the code, the latest example being this newly detailed ‘Pro Mode.’

Strings of text listed as descriptions of the feature state that enabling Pro Mode may make apps ‘run faster, but battery life may decrease and fan noise may increase.’ As well, a string of text reveals that ‘fan speed limit [is] overridden’ when Pro Mode is active.

The report indicates that users may be able to turn Pro Mode on manually and that the system will automatically disable it by the next day in a way similar to the existing Do Not Disturb feature. The feature is expected to be made available on MacBook laptops, making it possible for users to temporarily boost performance while editing images, processing videos or other tasks with more demanding requirements.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on MacOS beta reveals ‘Pro Mode’ code, teasing a high-performance mode for MacBook Pros

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Apple’s new 16-inch MacBook Pro can power two 6K displays, including Pro Display XDRs

20 Nov

Apple’s new 16-inch MacBook Pro is a major step up in terms of specifications and performance compared to its smaller predecessors. While we already know many of the specifications fo the computer, Apple has posted the support document for the new computer unveiling a nice surprise for photographers and videographers who want to make the most of the new hardware.

In the support document for the new 16-inch MacBook Pro Apple has revealed that its new laptop can be used to power up to two 6K displays, including Apple’s own Pro Display XDR. According to the support document, the new 16-inch MacBook Pro can be used in the following configurations:

  • Two 6K displays with resolutions of 6016 x 3384 at 60Hz
  • Two 5K displays with resolutions of 5120 x 2880 at 60Hz
  • Four 4K displays with resolutions of 4096 x 2304 at 60Hz
  • One 5K display at 5120 x 2880 at 60Hz and up to three 4K displays at 4096 x 2304 at 60Hz

So, in addition to more robust 4K and 5K display options, the new 6K support means two of Apple’s Pro Display XDR can be used at full resolution with the new 16-inch MacBook Pro. If it sounds like an intense operation, Apple assures users it is, clarifying that in order to maximize display performance with multiple monitors, users should plug a single monitor into each side of the laptop, as there’s only one bus for each set of Thunderbolt 3 on the side of the laptop. This will spread out the workload and result in better performance. Below is an excerpt from the support document:

Your MacBook Pro has two busses for its four Thunderbolt 3 ports. Each pair of Thunderbolt 3 ports (on the left and right sides of your Mac) are different busses. Whenever possible, connect your displays to different busses to maximize performance. Don’t connect more than two displays to either bus. If you connect a 6K, 5K, or multi-cable 4K display, use a different bus for each of the displays.

Using some back-of-the-napkin math, such a setup with the new 16-inch MacBook Pro and two Apple Pro Display XDR units would cost at least $ 12,795, if we are to assume the base 16-inch MacBook Pro computer and the base Pro Display XDR units with the first-party VESA mounts.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Apple’s new 16-inch MacBook Pro can power two 6K displays, including Pro Display XDRs

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Apple MacBook Pro refreshed with 8-core processors and improved keyboards

23 May

On Tuesday, Apple announced the launch of its first ever 8-core MacBook Pro laptops, offering faster 8th- and 9th-generation Intel Core processors with up to double the performance speed of quad-core models. According to Apple, the new 8-core models can handle ‘complex edits and filters’ in Photoshop at speed up to 75% faster than the fastest quad-core 15-inch MacBook Pro model.

The new 6-core and 8-core processor options are available for the 15-inch MacBook Pro; the smaller 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar refresh offers faster quad-core processors with up to a 4.7GHz Turbo Boost speed.

In providing additional examples of how the new hardware benefits users, Apple says its new 8-core MacBook Pro can handle editing up to 11 simultaneous multi-cam 4K video streams in Final Cut Pro X, compile code up to 65% faster in Xcode, and render 3D scenes at up to double the speed of the fastest quad-core 15-inch MacBook Pro model.

The latest MacBook Pro laptops feature Retina displays with 500 nits brightness, P3 wide color gamut, and the maker’s True Tone tech. Other laptop features include the Apple T2 Security Chip, fast SSDs, Touch ID, the Touch Bar, Thunderbolt 3, and macOS Mojave.

Though it’s not mentioned in the company’s official MacBook Pro refresh announcement, The Verge reports that Apple is using an updated butterfly keyboard design in the new MacBook Pro models. This updated keyboard features ‘new materials’ in the switch mechanism, which will hopefully prevent the same reliability issues impacting existing newer MacBook Pro laptops.

Just in case the new keyboards end up experiencing the same reliability issues, Apple has also made them eligible for repair under its new keyboard servicing program.

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and 15-inch MacBook Pro models are now available with starting prices of $ 1,799 USD and $ 2,399 USD, respectively.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Apple MacBook Pro refreshed with 8-core processors and improved keyboards

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Some MacBook Pro owners report speaker damage due to Adobe Premiere Pro audio bug

08 Feb

Some MacBook Pro owners have reported experiencing physical damage to their laptop speakers while using Adobe Premiere Pro. Based on existing reports, the bug appears to impact both Premiere Pro CC 12.0.1 and 12.0.2 users, but the consequences of the problem may ultimately fall on Apple’s side, as software shouldn’t be able to physically damage hardware speakers.

According to online reports, the problem impacts the new MacBook Pro models and arises while users are editing audio settings. One impacted user reported using Adobe Premiere 2019 and, while adjusting settings, being blasted with ‘a loud distorted noise that hurt even my ears.’

The noise allegedly caused the MacBook Pro’s speakers to become ‘unusable.’ Due to the number of components that must be replaced when repairing the damaged speakers, one 2018 MacBook Pro user was quoted a $ 600 repair fee by an Apple Store Genius Bar in Canada.

The Premiere Pro audio bug has been experienced by at least one user while wearing headphones, but they weren’t damaged as a result, according to the user. Adobe allegedly instructed one user to disable the MacBook Pro’s microphone within Premiere Pro under the ‘Preferences > Audio Hardware > Default Input’ menu, but some users report experiencing the audio issue even after troubleshooting.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Some MacBook Pro owners report speaker damage due to Adobe Premiere Pro audio bug

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Apple unveils new 2018 iPad Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and Apple Pencil

31 Oct

Today, Apple announced updated MacBook Air, iPad Pro, Mac Mini, and Apple Pencil models at its event in Brooklyn, New York. Both the iPad Pro and the MacBook Air received considerable design changes, including the addition of Touch ID to the latest MacBook Air model and an elimination of the home button from the new 11″ and 12.9″ iPad Pros. This follows last month’s iPhone event.

The 2018 iPad Pro swaps Touch ID for Face ID, the face-scanning security technology first introduced with the iPhone X. Both the 11″ and 12.9″ 2018 iPad Pro models feature an all-screen design with Liquid Retina displays, rounded corners, flat edges, and a 5.9mm thickness, making them the thinnest iPads to date.

The new iPad Pro features Apple’s A12X Bionic chip with four performance cores and four efficiency cores, as well as a new performance controller that Apple says allows all eight cores to be used at once. This is joined by Apple’s own seven core GPU, which the company claims offers “console-quality graphics.” As rumored, Apple has replaced the Lightning connector with USB-C.

Apple is offering the new 2018 iPad Pro tablets in space gray and silver with 64GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB configurations; both WiFi-only and WiFi+cellular options are available. Prices start at $ 799 USD for the 11″ model and $ 999 USD for the 12.9″ model.

Full details on the new iPads are available here.

The two new iPad Pro tablets are joined by an updated Apple Pencil, the stylus that originally launched as an iPad Pro exclusive. The new Pencil model charges wirelessly and attaches magnetically to the iPad Pro’s edge. This eliminates the highly criticized Lightning connector found on the bottom of the original Apple Pencil. The updated model likewise packs a touch sensor that can detect taps, which Apple describes as a new way to interact with apps.

Joining the new iPad Pro models is the fabled MacBook Air update, which brings Touch ID to the Apple laptop, as well as a 13″ Retina display, faster SSD options, a Force Touch trackpad, an Apple T2 Security Chip, Thunderbolt 3, and wide stereo audio. Other features include a FaceTime HD camera, the ability to display 48% more color than the previous Air generation, an 8th-generation Intel Core i5 processor and Intel UHD Graphics, up to 13 hours of battery life, and a new “wedge-shaped” design.

Apple is offering the 2018 MacBook Air starting at $ 1,199 USD. More information on the laptop can be found here.

Joining the MacBook Air is a new Mac Mini with quad-core and six-core processor options, up to 64GB of RAM, the Apple T2 Security Chip, Thunderbolt 3 ports, and what Apple says is five times faster performance than the previous model. The updated model boasts 10Gb Ethernet, all-flash storage in capacities up to 2TB, HEVC video transcoding up to 30 times faster than before, and an enclosure that’s the same size as the previous model.

Apple says it used entirely recycled aluminum for the enclosure and increased its use of post-consumer recycled plastic for parts. The company claims these two things combined reduce the Mac Mini’s carbon footprint by almost 50%.

The 2018 Mac Mini is available from Apple now starting at $ 799 USD. More information on the model can be found here.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Apple unveils new 2018 iPad Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and Apple Pencil

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Blackmagic external GPU for MacBook Pro now available from Apple

14 Jul

Australian digital cinema company Blackmagic recently worked with Apple to develop Blackmagic eGPU, an external GPU that brings “desktop-class graphics performance” to the new MacBook Pro laptops with Thunderbolt 3 ports.

The Blackmagic eGPU features an AMD Radeon Pro 580 graphics processor with 8GB of GDDR5 memory, one HDMI 2.0 port, four USB 3 ports, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, and an 85W power supply. Thunderbolt 3 provides a 40Gb/s connection over a single cable, enabling rapid data transfers between the external graphics processor and MacBook Pro.

Graphics performance speed improvements depend on the laptop model; The Verge reports that the 13-inch MacBook Pro experiences an 8x boost, while the 15-inch model experiences a 2.8x increase.

As a first for external GPUs, the eGPU’s second Thunderbolt 3 port provides optional connectivity with the LG UltraFine 5K Display, the model Apple offers directly, and other Thunderbolt 3 displays. A second monitor can be connected via the HDMI port; peripherals, such as a mouse and keyboard, can be plugged into the eGPU’s USB hub.

Users must be running macOS 10.13.6 High Sierra or later to use the Blackmagic eGPU. Apple is exclusively offering the device through some of its retail stores and online for $ 699 USD.

Via: The Verge

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on Blackmagic external GPU for MacBook Pro now available from Apple

Posted in Uncategorized

 

More powerful notebooks from Apple in the MacBook Pro line

14 Jul

Apple has updated its MacBook Pro series of notebooks with 15in and 13in models that are claimed to be better for intense image and video editing. The company says the new models are the most advanced ever, and that they feature 8th generation Intel Core processors for faster performance. The 15in model runs 70% faster than its predecessor with its new 6-core processor, while the 13in model sports a 4-core processor that makes it twice as fast as the previous generation.

The 15in model’s memory boosted to 32GB and can accommodate a 4TB SSD card for storage. The 13in model can cope with 2TB of SSD. Both models offer a 500-nit Retina screen that Apple says is the best MacBook display to date, and which is compatible with the P3 wide gamut color space.

The new MacBook Pro models will cost $ 1799 and $ 2399. For more information see the Apple website.

Press release

Apple updates MacBook Pro with faster performance and new features for pros

Now Featuring Up to 6-Core Processors and 32GB of Memory, True Tone Display and the Apple T2 Chip

The new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar deliver more power to pro users.

Cupertino, California — Apple today updated MacBook Pro with faster performance and new pro features, making it the most advanced Mac notebook ever. The new MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar feature 8th-generation Intel Core processors, with 6-core on the 15-inch model for up to 70 percent faster performance and quad-core on the 13-inch model for up to two times faster performance — ideal for manipulating large data sets, performing complex simulations, creating multi-track audio projects or doing advanced image processing or film editing.

Already the most popular notebook for developers around the world, the new MacBook Pro can compile code faster and run multiple virtual machines and test environments easier than before. Additional updates include support for up to 32GB of memory, a True Tone display and an improved third-generation keyboard for quieter typing. And with its powerful Radeon Pro graphics, large Force Touch trackpad, revolutionary Touch Bar and Touch ID, dynamic stereo speakers, quiet Apple-designed cooling system and Thunderbolt 3 for data transfer, charging and connecting up to two 5K displays or four external GPUs, it’s the ultimate pro notebook.

MacBook Pro now delivers faster performance for complex simulations and data manipulation.

“The latest generation MacBook Pro is the fastest and most powerful notebook we’ve ever made,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Now with 8th-generation 6-core processors, up to 32GB of system memory, up to 4TB of super fast SSD storage, new True Tone technology in its Retina display and Touch Bar, the Apple T2 chip for enhanced security and a third-generation quieter keyboard packed into its thin and light aluminum design with all-day battery life, it’s the best notebook for pro users.”
Faster, More Powerful Pro Notebook Computing

With the new MacBook Pro, developers can compile code faster and more easily run multiple virtual machines and test environments.

The new MacBook Pro is now faster and more powerful, with 8th-generation 6-core Intel Core processors on the 15-inch MacBook Pro for up to 70 percent faster performance and 8th-generation quad-core Intel Core processors on the 13-inch model for performance that’s up to twice as fast.1 With the option to add up to 32GB of memory on the 15-inch MacBook Pro, users can run more apps simultaneously or load larger files into memory. And with up to a 2TB SSD on the 13-inch model and up to a 4TB SSD on the 15-inch, MacBook Pro gives customers the flexibility to work with large asset libraries and projects wherever they go.

Best Mac notebook display ever now features True Tone technology for a more natural viewing experience.

With 500 nits of brightness and support for the P3 wide color gamut, the Retina display on MacBook Pro is the best Mac notebook display ever. Now with True Tone technology, the display and Touch Bar deliver a more natural viewing experience for design and editing workflows, as well as everyday tasks like browsing the web and writing email.

Apple T2 Chip Delivers Enhanced Security and “Hey Siri” on Mac

Also new to MacBook Pro is the Apple T2 chip, first introduced in iMac Pro. With the Apple T2 chip, MacBook Pro now delivers enhanced system security with support for secure boot and on-the-fly encrypted storage, and also brings “Hey Siri” to the Mac for the first time.

15-Inch MacBook Pro Highlights

  • 6-core Intel Core i7 and Core i9 processors up to 2.9 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 4.8 GHz
  • Up to 32GB of DDR4 memory
  • Powerful Radeon Pro discrete graphics with 4GB of video memory in every configuration
  • Up to 4TB of SSD storage2
  • True Tone display technology
  • Apple T2 Chip
  • Touch Bar and Touch ID

13-Inch MacBook Pro Highlights

  • Quad-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processors up to 2.7 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 4.5 GHz and double the eDRAM
  • Intel Iris Plus integrated graphics 655 with 128MB of eDRAM
  • Up to 2TB of SSD storage2
  • True Tone display technology
  • Apple T2 Chip
  • Touch Bar and Touch ID

Back to School with MacBook Pro

The new MacBook Pro is also part of Apple’s Back to School promotion starting today and available to college students, their parents, faculty and staff through the Apple Education Store. The promotion includes a pair of qualifying Beats headphones with the purchase of any eligible Mac or iPad Pro for college, as well as education pricing on Mac, iPad Pro, AppleCare, select accessories and more.

New Leather Sleeves for MacBook Pro

New MacBook Pro leather sleeves now available in Saddle Brown, Midnight Blue and Black.
First introduced with MacBook, Apple leather sleeves are now available for the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro in Saddle Brown, Midnight Blue and, for the first time, Black. Designed with high-quality leather and a soft microfiber lining for extra protection, the sleeves are a perfect complement to MacBook Pro for users on the go.

macOS Mojave Coming This Fall

This fall, MacBook Pro can be updated with macOS Mojave, the latest version of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, with new features inspired by pros but designed for everyone. In macOS Mojave, a new Dark Mode transforms the desktop with a dramatic new look that puts the focus on user content. The new Stacks feature organizes messy desktops by automatically stacking files into neat groups. Familiar iOS apps, including News, Stocks, Voice Memos and Home, are now available on the Mac for the first time. FaceTime now adds support for group calling, and the Mac App Store gets a full redesign featuring rich editorial content and the addition of apps from top developers, including Microsoft and Adobe.

Pricing and Availability

Starting at $ 1,799 and $ 2,399 respectively, the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar and 15-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar are available today through apple.com and in select Apple retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers later this week. Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at apple.com/mac.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
Comments Off on More powerful notebooks from Apple in the MacBook Pro line

Posted in Uncategorized