The M2 Macs cometh đź–Ą

April 15, 2022

Apple is already testing its second-generation M2 chips in nine new Mac models, from entry-level machines like the MacBook Air to the high-end Mac Pro.

While the first-generation of Apple silicon blew everything out of the water with an amazing combination of speed and efficiency, the second-gen chips appear to bring smaller changes.

According to the report, Apple is adding more cores to its chips to improve speed and throughput, which will lead to incremental gains.

For example, a new 14-inch MacBook Pro will feature an M2 Max chip with 12 CPU cores and 38 graphics cores. That's up from 10 CPU cores and 32 GPU cores in the current model.

That's not to say they'll be slow -- the current MacBook Pros are already screamers -- but the gains won't be as dramatic.

Plus, there's a surprise regarding a new Mac Pro.

-- Leander Kahney, EIC.

Apple reportedly has half a dozen Macs with the next-generation M2 processor in testing. It's a mix of MacBooks and desktops, and some supposedly will arrive later this year.

It's already bad, but the pain will likely worsen, with production falling behind by up to 10 million iPhones. And this is not just about iPhones. Authorities have halted production at three key suppliers for iPhone, iPad and Mac assembly.

Apple’s excellent 24-inch M1 iMac is currently discounted by up to $120 on Amazon. The base model with a seven-core GPU and 256GB storage is available for $1,199 after a $100 discount. The more powerful model with an eight-core GPU sees an even more attractive discount of $150.

If you care about environmental causes, Apple just gave you a pretty painless way to give. Running through Earth Day on April 22, Apple will donate $1 to the World Wildlife Fund for every Apple Pay transaction in Apple stores, on the store app or on Apple.com. So start buying stuff and help save the planet!

When it comes to Apple Watch bands, for some folks, it’s always got to be metal. And right now, you can get 25% off all Rilee & Lo metal Apple Watch bands and stacking bracelets in the Cult of Mac Store. The deal lasts through April 19.

The docuseries about an NBA hopeful determined to take control of his journey premieres April 22 on Apple TV+. A new trailer gives an early look at five-star prospect Makur Maker's inspirational story.

Spoken Content will read out loud anything you have on-screen. It's designed for people who have trouble reading small text, but you will find it handy even if you don’t — in lots of situations. You can have recipes read to you while your hands are busy cooking, quickly hear how to pronounce a word you don’t know and more. Here’s how to turn on Spoken Content.

You may have a tummy ache from Easter candy, but try to shop through the pain and save big on software. In an ongoing Easter Sale, Cult of Mac readers can get great discounts from software activation keys provider Keysbuff. You can save up to 90% off the full price on Windows 10 and find great savings on lots of other Microsoft software.

At a glance, today’s computer setup appears simpler than it really is. It showcases a Mac mini, a pair of mounted monitors and some typical-looking input devices. A row of water bottles stands to the right because the owner, who lives in India, is big on hydration as summer hits the subcontinent. But some things escape the camera’s lens.

Tweet o' the day

One more thing ...

“This is the nicest corporate cafe I’ve ever seen. When we got here, this was dog food. There was this company ... that it was farmed out to and it was just shit. And finally we fired them and got this friend of mine who runs Il Fornaio restaurant to come and he did everything and now it’s great.” — Steve Jobs, on the cafeteria at Apple HQ

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