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Nvidia's Jen-Hsun Huang on stage during the GTC 2025 keynote
Gaming Gear

Nvidia’s CEO says attempts to control chip exports to China are a failure: ‘If they don’t have enough Nvidia, they will use their own.’

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Attempts by the US government to put a cap on China’s development of AI technologies by limiting exports of GPUs has been a “failure”. So says no less an authority on the subject than Nvidia CEO, Jensen Huang.

The New York Times quotes Huang at the ongoing Computex show in Taipei, Taiwan denouncing GPU export controls. “AI researchers are still doing AI research in China,” Huang said on Wednesday. “If they don’t have enough Nvidia, they will use their own,” he said. All of which means, “the export control was a failure.”

He may have a point. But then Nvidia does rather have a dog in this fight. Huang himself says that restrictions on Nvidia’s H20 GPU will cost the company $15 billion in sales. So, it’s not hard to understand why he might prefer those limitations to be lifted.


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Just for context, back in 2022 the former Biden administration imposed limits on the export of the most powerful GPUs from the US into China. Into the void left by restricted Nvidia exports has moved local outfit Huawei, whose GPUs currently do not match those of Nvidia for AI prowess. However, the fear is that the GPU export restrictions have only encouraged Huawei to put even more effort into closing the gap.

Indeed, according to the New York Times, Nvidia is concerned about just that, with an adjacent worry that, “any advantage gained by Huawei in China could eventually spread into other markets, helping Huawei build a stronger foundation from which to compete around the world.”

Computex 2025

(Image credit: Jacob Ridley)

Catch up with Computex 2025: We’re on the ground at Taiwan’s biggest tech show to see what Nvidia, AMD, Intel, Asus, Gigabyte, MSI and more have to show.

Meanwhile, it’s a little difficult to gauge Jensen Huang’s strategy and loyalties in all this. He recently appeared with other business leaders as a guest of the Trump administration in Saudi Arabia. But Nvidia has also just unveiled what will be a new Global headquarters in Taiwan, which doesn’t entirely square with the broader push to reshore tech manufacturing to the US.

Likewise, the New York Times reports that, “the day after the US government opened an investigation into whether Nvidia’s previous sales to China had violated its rules, Mr. Huang met with top economic and trade officials in Beijing.”

The plot, as they say, thickens. At the very least, it seems Huang and Nvidia are keeping their options fully open.



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Geometric Future Model 9 PC Case
Gaming Gear

Geometric Future highlights new PC cases, AIOs, and PSUs at Computex 2025

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The Tom’s Hardware team is on the ground at Computex 2025, and we dropped by the booth of modern and minimalist PC case manufacturer Geometric Future to check out its latest offerings. We’ve seen the company’s new premium full-tower PC case, the Model 9, which features a unique combination of aluminum, steel, and tempered glass. There’s also the new Model 3 MAX compact, designed for those looking for a smaller, more compact solution. Aside from that, there’s also the Eskimo series of AIO coolers and a new line of Power PSUs, available in both 14CM and 12CM models.

The new Model 9 PC case sits right in the middle of the Geometric Future booth, where its unique look catches the attention of anyone passing by. Instead of the usual rectangular profile we see with most cases, the Model 9 has all-rounded corners, with its tempered glass hugging the left and front panels. On the other hand, the top and right sides of the Model 9 have a full mesh cover, ensuring optimal airflow for your high-end build.

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More than that, the Model 9 has enough space to accommodate one 420 mm radiator, two 360 mm radiators, a 140 mm radiator, and three 140 mm fans. That amount of cooling should be more than enough to let you push even the most advanced CPUs and GPUs to their limit without being stopped by thermal limits.


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We also saw the Model 3 MAX compact, which is a mid-tower PC case. This sits between the larger Model 4 King Arthur and the smaller Model 2 The Ark, giving enthusiasts a case that doesn’t take up much space on their desks but still has enough capacity to accommodate larger components (like GPUs) and robust cooling. Aside from that, it comes in different hues, like the usual black and white, plus brighter yellow and green options, allowing you to step away from the bland colors offered by most PC case makers.

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Geometric Future’s latest iterations on the Eskimo AIO cooler are on display at the booth, as well. We saw three 420mm AIO coolers — the Eskimo Ultra 40, Eskimo Pro 42W, and Eskimo Plus 42 — and the Eskimo Pro 36B. These large water-cooling solutions are perfect for helping your CPU to keep cool while keeping fan noise to a minimum. The company even has the new Noah six-in-one hub, which features three USB-A and a USB-C port, plus a 3.5 mm microphone and another 3.5 mm headphone jack.

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Last, but not least, the company has two new PSU models on show — the Power 14CM and Power 12CM. These fully modular PSUs come in three different color ways, and the two sizes mean they’re designed to fit as many cases as possible. Unfortunately, we don’t have information on their capacities and efficiency ratings. So, we’ll have to wait until we can get our hands on them to see how they stack up against the best PSUs you can buy today.

Follow Tom’s Hardware on Google News to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.



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Monster Train 2 stays on track with a safe, but tough sequel
Gaming Gear

Monster Train 2 stays on track with a safe, but tough sequel

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Monster Train 2 is the opposite of the Ship of Theseus.

Its predecessor Monster Train is a polished card-based roguelike where you fight monsters on three levels of a train, defending your pyre at the top across a series of levels and storming Hell to fight evil angels. Monster Train 2 is the same but in reverse: angels and devils taking Heaven back together from the corrupting Titans. Both games break up their seven or so battles with stores and random events. The art styles are the same, the gameplay is the same. Small, subtly-introduced differences make the second one technically different from the first. But if you squint you see almost exactly the same game, five years later.

How few things can you change and still have a game that feels like it’s progressed? That’s the question I approached Monster Train 2 with. The first game punched above the weight of its art style and barely-there story, but the sequel’s art is sharper and more colorful now. However, the environments of Heaven are much less distinct than the levels of Hell. None of that really matters because you spend most of your time in the four chambers of the train, which always looks the same. At a certain point, remembering how to play playing Monster Train 2 is like remembering your walk to the store: you do it so often, it all blends together. And it blends together with its predecessor, too.

There’s a problem with making the same game twice though: the people who already played the first one, who are likely most excited for the sequel, already know how to beat it. The team behind Monster Train 2 knew this, because it’s arranged for people who already played the first one. The story builds on the events of the previous game with only the briefest pause to explain. There are also more complex battle effects. For example, instead of “spikes” (fixed damage to any unit that attacks yours) you have “pyregel” which sticks to the enemy and increases the damage you do to them. This makes the first few levels of the sequel easier than the original. There’s also room cards and equipment cards that (respectively) grant bonuses on a floor and give bonuses to a unit. However, they’ve turned up the difficulty to compensate for your new tools.

While Monster Train was challenging, 2 is more so. Even Covenant Zero, the tutorial difficulty, requires you to build your deck thoughtfully. I felt like I needed to lose quite a few times on Rank 1 to level up my clans, get better cards, and therefore break through the damage walls that arrive at level 5 or so. Some enemy teams made me groan every time I saw them, because it was obvious my current damage level wouldn’t cut it.

But on the other hand, it’s possible for a run to start quite badly and still get a victory. Unlike genre cousin Slay the Spire, there was never a doom spiral where I could tell I would lose several levels before I actually lost. If I could get through a battle, even if my pyre only had a few HP, there was a chance I could beat the next one. I also enjoy Challenge runs, where you have restrictions and pre-applied bonuses at a set Covenant level. These can be hard, but they feel, if not more fair than regular runs, at least more intentionally tough.

Big Fan

And as it often is with these games, if you’re still unlocking artifacts and making progress, it doesn’t feel too bad to lose. It took me about 15 hours to have runs where I wasn’t unlocking at least one thing. At that point, between my unlocked clans and my new cards, an average run was much more varied, and felt much more fun, than one five hours in. In this respect Monster Train 2 has fine-tuned the trickle of content in what I’d consider the early game (the time in which you have your first few runs, and when you get through the story.) So the difficulty might have squashed me, but at least I was having fun while it happened.

Monster Train 2 is made not just for people who liked the first one, but for people who want the magical period of “figuring out” the game– when you understand it, but before you actually win– to last as long as possible. Its similarities to the first one beg that existential question I asked earlier: if you keep almost everything in a game the same, why make a sequel and not, say, a DLC pack? Other related games raise this question too. Slay the Spire 2 and Hades 2, both releasing soon, both rely on their similarity to their predecessors to sell. The job of a sequel is to be the same as its progenitor but also substantially different enough to justify its own existence, either through refining the previous game or through providing a lot more of it.

Monster Train 2 is the latter, a slightly more polished version of the original with more content for fans to plow through. It trades memorability for momentary captivation, and it’s an understandable tradeoff. Just like with the first game, though, the memories of my hours mowing down Titans are already melting away.





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Amazon Dell
Gaming Gear

Dell’s 15.6″ Touchscreen Laptop Is $1,200 Off, You Could Buy Two for Less Than the Original Price of One

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If you’ve been waiting to upgrade your laptop to something faster, smoother, and more versatile, keep an eye on this amazing deal, as you will not find a better time to invest in a laptop like this. The Dell Inspiron 15.6” Touchscreen Laptop offers an amazing combination of everyday power, responsive touch controls at your fingertips, sharp and vibrant colors, and a clean, premium design. All backed by Dell’s trusted build quality. Whether you’re working, playing games, studying, browsing, or streaming your favorite shows, this laptop can handle it all with ease and can do it in style.

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For a limited time only, Amazon is offering the Dell Inspiron 15.6″ Touchscreen Laptop for just $999.99, down from its original price of $2,199.99. That’s a solid 55% discount on a dependable laptop that delivers a premium feel at a surprisingly affordable price point. You need to act fast.

Experience Instant Responsiveness

Under the hood, this powerful machine is run by the strong, high-end AMD Ryzen 5 5500U processor, paired with 16GB of RAM, which means responsiveness, multitasking, and smooth and snappy overall processing. You’ll also get a fast 1TB SSD, which has plenty of room for files, games, videos, and much more, with speedy load times due to it being solid and quick boot-ups for the operating system. The 15.6-inch Full HD touchscreen adds a level of interactivity that makes everything from casual use to creative work more intuitive and enjoyable. With its sharp and vivid colors, it is great for both students and professionals. For either work, tech enthusiasts, and anyone who just prefers the flexibility of touch input. Also, this laptop features Windows 11 Pro for enhanced productivity and built-in security. Plus, it includes a lifetime Microsoft Office license — no subscriptions required.

You will also be getting a full-size keyboard, integrated webcam, and strong connectivity options alongside it. Including HDMI, USB-A, and USB-C ports, making it easy to connect with other devices to satisfy your needs. Whether you’re docking it for productivity, or taking it on the go in your backpack, the Dell Inspiron 15.6” Touchscreen Laptop has the balance of performance and portability you want from a modern laptop. Plus, Dell’s clean, silver design gives it a professional look that works in any setting.

At just $999.99, the Dell Inspiron 15.6″ Touchscreen Laptop is a strong value compared to its original $2,199.99 price, saving you a whopping 55% on a fast, flexible machine with premium high-end features. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to upgrade, this is it. Head to Amazon right now and take advantage of this incredible limited-time offer while it’s still live.

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Ranch snack wrap
Gaming Gear

McDonald’s Snack Wrap: Is the Viral Food Favorite Returning on July 14?

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McDonald’s is riding a viral wave. The fast-food chain’s Minecraft Happy Meals and adult Minecraft Meals hit restaurants on April 1 and sold out quickly. Diners ordering a Happy Meal these days will find a Squishmallow theme meal instead. But there’s more viral buzz about another McDonald’s product online. People are eagerly awaiting the return of Snack Wraps, a chicken-tortilla entree that’s been missing from US locations of the Golden Arches since 2020.

Read more: Review: McDonald’s Minecraft Meals Feature The Hottest Nugget Sauce Ever

On April 15, McDonald’s tweeted “snack wraps 0x.14.2025,” hinting the wraps would return on the 14th of an upcoming month. This leaves fans having to check their McDonald’s mobile app or local restaurant menus on the 14th of every month, hoping the wraps will make an appearance. The wraps didn’t appear in restaurants on May 14, so now fans must check again in June, and again in July if the June date does not pan out. 

At least one Reddit users seems to think the McDonald’s Snack Wraps could return on July 14. One user wrote, “It’s July, I work for McDonald’s, they revealed the date on the employee app.”

But another person posted, “It’s not July. I work at McDonald’s corporate and can confirm.”

Neither of those posts can be confirmed.

June 14 is a Saturday, while July 14 is a Monday. Some suggest that McDonald’s would be more likely to launch a new product on a Monday than on a weekend, so if that’s true, July 14 could be the day.

A representative for McDonald’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

snack wraps 0x.14.2025

— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) April 15, 2025

Snack Wrap fever

Snack Wraps first came out in 2006, and were meant to be a chicken item that would appeal to drive-thru customers. There are different versions, but the basic one includes white-meat chicken strips known as McCrispy Strips wrapped in a flour tortilla with cheese and lettuce with either ranch, honey mustard or salsa. McCrispy Strips are a reworked version of a chicken item formerly known as Chicken Selects.

Zach Ciampa, who regularly covers new food releases under the social-media handle Snach With Zach, said there’s been an intense fanbase out there for the wraps. “Regarding McDonald’s Snack Wrap, it’s by far the most requested item I’ve ever seen my audience ask or demand to come back,” he told CNET. “Not just the most requested in recent memory, but the most requested of all time. And that’s not limited to McDonald’s.” Ciampa said the only similar fast-food items that come close to the same level of interest are Dairy Queen’s S’mores Blizzard and Taco Bell’s Caramel Apple Empanada, both of which also made recent returns.

“I’ve been covering food releases for years, and in that time, I’ve seen countless comments to the tune of ‘We don’t want this. We want the Snack Wrap,’ and, ‘Can you tell us when the Snack Wrap is coming back?'” he said. “A couple years ago, the chances of its return were pretty bleak. However, things escalated pretty quickly in late 2023 when McDonald’s did indeed announce that the Snack Wrap would return in a new form. Since then, details have slowly but surely trickled out, and the hype has steadily grown.”

While Snack Wraps left McDonald’s locations in the US back in 2020, they remained available at Canadian and UK restaurants. The current online McDonald’s Canada menu includes several tortilla-wrapped items, including ones with crispy chicken, grilled chicken, buffalo chicken and chicken with a sweet chili sauce.





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Eating Disorder Content Is Infiltrating TikTok. Some Creators Are Going Viral Debunking It
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Eating Disorder Content Is Infiltrating TikTok. Some Creators Are Going Viral Debunking It

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After posting a “looksmaxxing” video, Imeh, who is Black, says he received racist comments, including ones telling him to “just be white.” Upon realizing that the community was “toxic and racist,” Imeh pivoted to anti-looksmaxxing content and then stumbled on “SkinnyTok” and pro-eating disorder communities on X.

“It’s way easier to find SkinnyTok, eating disorder TikTok, than recovery,” Imeh said. “I went for a different approach, telling them the side effects and what could happen if you’re not eating.”

Imeh’s videos mention more extreme potential health outcomes of eating disorders, like organ failure and hair loss. But he also sometimes mocks the messaging found in pro-eating disorder communities. In one TikTok, he’s eating with a text overlay that says “none of your friends are gonna be jealous that your Ed made you look like a skeleton baby pick up the fork.”

Imeh says he’s not trolling, but stating “literal facts” that he doesn’t sugarcoat. “One thing I noticed in Gen Z, especially my generation, is that they will only stop doing something if they’re embarrassed by it,” he says.

“I got a lot of people emailing me and DMing me like ‘Stephen you’ve helped me so much with my eating disorder.’” He has over 70,000 followers, many of whom began following him after he took on eating disorder communities.

Pillepich says she can see a modern, “chronically online” approach working to redirect attention and ideally get people who need it into recovery.

“Leading with nuance doesn’t get people’s attention. It does have to be more extreme, more funny, whatever it is,” Pillepich said. “If that gets someone to the first step of seeing a dietician, a therapist, working on the deeper issues, then that’s great, too.”

Breithaupt said that content that is too judgmental or makes people with eating disorders feel ashamed could make them less likely to get help. “The most effective anti-ED content tends to validate the pain beneath the disorder while still rejecting the behaviors,” she says.

“When content creators use humor or mockery to push back against pro-ED culture, there’s a real risk that viewers—especially those actively struggling—won’t just see the disorder being criticized, they’ll feel like they are being mocked.”

E said that TikTok content like Imeh’s helped her realize how “stupid” SkinnyTok was. She said she has started watching eating disorder recovery content, instead. But the algorithm still shows her “harsh motivation” for weight loss in addition to recovery videos.

In late 2024, TikTok banned a controversial weight loss influencer whose content glorified extreme thinness. E thinks TikTok should ban more of “SkinnyTok,” although pro-eating disorder communities have historically migrated to other platforms when that happens.

Eating disorder recovery practitioners say that posting anti-”SkinnyTok” videos on the same platform is likely helpful, but that it’s only a first step.

“What I work with most people on is limiting social media,” Breithaupt said. “Doing something else rather than engaging in social media is more helpful toward recovery, even if you’re watching recovery-oriented videos.”

The National Alliance for Eating Disorders Helpline provides support, resources and information about treatment options at 1-866-662-1235, Monday through Friday. You can also text “ALLIANCE” to 741741 if you are experiencing a crisis to be contacted by a trained volunteer. More information about eating disorders, including other free and low-cost support options, can be found on the National Eating Disorder Association’s website.



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Which Apple laptop should you buy?
Gaming Gear

Which Apple laptop should you buy?

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There are just two models of Apple laptops: the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro. In a nutshell, those who need a computer for productivity, work and everyday use — in other words, most people — will be happy with a MacBook Air. People who do intense video and audio editing and other high-demand tasks may want to spring for a Pro model. Within the Air and Pro categories, there are a few other choices to make, including screen size, chip type and memory capacity. This guide recaps our reviews and explains the specs to help pick the best MacBook for you.

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Screen size: 13” | Processor: M4 chip, 10-core CPU, 10-core or 8-coreGPU, 16-core Neural Engine | Storage capacity (SSD): 256GB | Memory: 16GB | Battery life: Up to 18 hours | Ports: MagSafe 3 charging, 3.5mm jack, 2 x Thunderbolt 4/USB4 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 | Apple MacBook product line: Air

Read our full Apple MacBook Air (M4, 2025) review

Since we first put this guide together, a MacBook Air has consistently held the top spot as our recommendation for most people. The most recent model, the 2025 MacBook Air with the M4 chip, was in no way a surprising upgrade — but it did arrive with a welcome $100 price cut from the prior model. There hasn’t been a major design shakeup since the M2 version, but Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar still called the latest MacBook Air “a nearly flawless ultraportable” in his review.

It’s not only our favorite MacBook, this one currently holds the honor of our best laptop overall. It has everything most users could want: A bright screen, long battery life, one of the best trackpads around and a zippy processor that’s “eager to get to work.” All this is housed in a remarkably thin and lightweight unibody aluminum case that’s a joy to hold. While Devindra didn’t notice a huge difference in performance from the upgraded chip, the M4 chip did perform around 20 percent faster than the M3 in CPU benchmark tests, while the GPU gained a more modest increase in performance.

The screen is roomy, even on the 13-inch model, and supports the P3 wide color gamut (an upgraded organizational system for displaying color that produces more accurate and vibrant tones). It can reach up to 500 nits of brightness so you should be able to clearly see your screen even while outside on a sunny day. If you’re planning on using the laptop with additional displays at your desk, you now have more screen space. The M4 MacBook Air supports two external displays with the computer’s lid open, whereas the M3 MacBook Air only supported two displays with the lid closed. There’s also an upgraded 12MP camera as well, so your video calls should look better. We tested over 18 hours of battery life on both the MacBook Air 13- and 15- inch models. That should get you through a full day of work and then some.

One of our few complaints about the MacBook Air is the lower, 60Hz refresh rate. To get up to 120Hz refresh rate (like many ultraportable PCs ship with) you’ll need to upgrade to a Pro model. We’d also like to see an additional port on the right side. Instead, you get two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports and a MagSafe power connection on the left. There’s a lone 3.5mm jack on the right. An additional USB-C port on the starboard side would give you more options for charging and using accessories.

As for which configuration to get, we think most people would be happy with the base model 13-inch MacBook Air with 256GB of storage and 8-core GPU. But if you want to play more games or do media work, you may want to opt for the 15-inch model with 512GB of storage and a 10-core GPU. That configuration starts at $1,399. One thing we don’t recommend is going too big on the RAM. If you think you’ll need 32GB of memory, you should probably go for a MacBook Pro.

Pros

  • Lightweight but sturdy design
  • Fast performance from the M4 chip
  • Bright and clear screen
  • Great battery life

Cons

  • Still limited to a 60Hz refresh rate
  • No USB-C on the right side

$899 at Amazon

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Screen size: 13” | Processor: M3 chip, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine | Storage capacity (SSD): 256GB | Memory: 8GB | Battery life: Up to 18 hours | Ports: MagSafe 3 charging, 3.5mm jack, 2 x Thunderbolt/USB4 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 | Apple MacBook product line: Air

Read our full Apple MacBook Air (M3, 2024) review

With the arrival of the M4 MacBook Air, Apple’s M3 MacBook Air is no longer part of the official laptop lineup. That’s a departure from what the company has done in the past, which is to keep the previous model as an unofficial budget option. But it looks as though Apple is going all-in on the M4 chip for its desktop and laptop computers, likely as a way to fully support Apple Intelligence on its more powerful machines.

While you can’t get the M3 MacBook Air directly from Apple, plenty of third-party retailers like Amazon and B&H Photo have the older machine, and often at a significant discount. Which is why we recommend this model for students or anyone looking for a great ultraportable on a budget.

In Devindra’s March 2024 review of the M3 model, he confirmed that it built on everything the M2 got right: a great screen and full sound in a thin and lightweight aluminum unibody that feels premium. It wasn’t a huge change from its predecessor but that’s a good thing. The last major updates for the M-series Air models came with the new chip in the M1 MacBook Air and the M2’s body redesign, which ditched the wedge.  

The M3 chip makes the performance impressive and, as expected, measured higher than the M2 model in our benchmark testing. The model added support for Wi-Fi 6E and it can handle two external displays with the laptop lid closed. You’ll connect the extra screen via one of the two USB-C Thunderbolt/USB4 ports. (Only the Pro models have an HDMI port.)

Apple claims the same 18-hour battery life for the older model as the it does on the latest Air, and our tests confirm you’ll get significantly more than a single workday before you need to grab your charger. In Devindra’s tests, the machine dropped to 40 percent after ten straight hours playing fullscreen 4K video at full brightness.

Apple released both the M3-powered 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air simultaneously. We think the 13-inch model has the best combination of portability and performance. It weighs just 2.7 pounds and easily slips into a bag to take on the road. However, the 15-inch version may be worth it for those who constantly have dozens of windows open at once or dabble in media editing — though editing pros should probably opt for a MacBook Pro. The 15-inch model is also ideal for anyone dealing with visual impairment and would like an easier-to-read screen.

As for the screen itself, the 13-inch option has a Liquid Retina display with 2,560 x 1,664 resolution at 224 pixels per inch. That’s exactly the same as the M2 Air — but again, Apple didn’t mess with a good thing, sticking with a great-looking display that’s bright enough to use outside in sunlight. It doesn’t have ProMotion, which means the refresh rate is limited to 60Hz. If you need that silky-smooth scrolling, you’ll have to bump up to a MacBook Pro.

To get the most out of the M3 chip, we recommend upgrading to 16GB of RAM. The new MacBook Air M4 starts out at 16GB of memory, but the older M3 model will let you go with just 8GB. That’s not quite enough for more intense productivity and really doesn’t work well for playing games. With the spec bump to 16GB, Devindra was able to play both Lies of P in 1080p+ and the director’s cut of Death Stranding with smooth graphics at good resolutions — though he did note that you can’t crank up the graphics settings too high.

The speakers are best-in-class and the webcam is great for video conferencing — particularly with Apple’s background blurring and brightness adjustments. Finally, the responsive keyboard and smooth trackpad are the ideal interface for what adds up to be not just a great budget computer, but a great laptop in itself.

Pros

  • Lightweight yet sturdy design
  • Fast performance from the M3 chip
  • Excellent speakers, keyboard and trackpac
  • Bright and clear screen

Cons

  • No USB-C on the right side
  • Limited to 60Hz refresh rate

$1,099 at Amazon

Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget

Processor: M4 chip | Storage capacity (SSD): Up to 8TB | Memory: Up to 128GB | Battery life: Up to 24 hours | Ports: HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack, MagSafe 3, 3x Thunderbolt 5, SDXC card slo | Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 | Apple MacBook product line: Pro

Read our 14-inch and 16-inch Apple MacBook Pro (M4, 2024) review

Apple’s latest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros may not look any different, but under the hood they’re entirely new beasts thanks to Apple’s M4 chips. The $1,599 14-inch model is a far better deal than before too, since it now includes 16GB of RAM standard and it has three USB-C connections instead of just two. While the M4 chip is a decent step up from the M3, the M4 Pro wowed us with Geekbench and Cinebench scores that we’ve never seen before. The Pro model’s multithreaded performance is practically the same as two competing Windows laptops put together! (We didn’t test the M4 Max, but it’s most likely another stunner.)

Beyond the new chips, the M4 MacBook Pros sport slightly brighter screens for SDR content (helpful for working in sunlight), as well as a big webcam upgrade to 12MP, instead of just 1080p. So, for the first time, the MacBook Pros can use Apple’s Center Stage to keep you in frame during video chats, as well as Desk View.

These MacBook Pros also deliver the same excellent keyboard and super smooth trackpad that we’ve loved over the last few years. They also have all the ports you need, including three USB-C, HDMI, 3.5mm jack and an SD card reader. The M4 Pro and M4 Max chips also bring along Thunderbolt 5 for faster connections to external accessories. As for battery life, both systems lasted over 30 hours in our video rundown test, and they could easily run for multiple workdays without a recharge. — Devindra Hardawar, Senior Reporter

Pros

  • Fast M4 chips
  • Brighter display
  • Sharp 12MP Center Stage webcam
  • Thunderbolt 5 with M4 Pro/Max
  • Long battery life

$1,449 at Amazon

Compared to PCs, Apple computers tend to have more streamlined specifications. The company has long been known for this simplicity, and the M-series “system-on-a-chip” condenses things even further. Prior to the M1 chip, Apple used Intel chips in its laptop and desktop computers. The M2 and M3 generations followed that first chip and currently sells MacBooks equipped with M4-series chips. You’ll find the standard M4 processor in the Air and the base-model Pro and the upgraded M4 Max and M4 Pro chips as options for the MacBook Pro (currently there is no M4 Ultra chip, as there was with the M3 series in the Mac Studio). All M-series chips combine, among other technologies, the CPU, graphics card and unified memory (RAM). Apple’s Neural Engine is included too, which is a specialized group of processor cores that handles machine learning tasks such as image analysis and voice recognition.

While a unified chip means you have fewer decisions to make when picking a MacBook, there are still a few factors to consider, including specs like the number of CPU cores, amount of RAM, storage capacity, screen size, and, obviously, price. The finish color may be a minor consideration, but it’s worth pointing out that the Pro comes in just two colors (Silver or Space Black) but the Air comes in four hues (Midnight, Starlight, Sky Blue and Silver).

Currently the lowest-specced chip in a MacBook is the M4, which comes in all models of the MacBook Air and the base model, MacBook Pro 14-inch. That chip houses a 10-core CPU and either an 8- or 10-core GPU. The burliest chip, the M4 Max is built with either a 14- or 16-core CPU and a 32- or 40-core GPU. Cores are, in essence, smaller processing units that can handle different tasks simultaneously. Having more of them translates to the computer being able to run multiple programs and applications at once, while also smoothly processing demanding tasks like video editing and high-level gaming. In short, more cores allow for more advanced computing and better performance. But if your processing power needs fall below professional-level gaming and cinematic video and audio editing, getting the highest number of cores is likely overkill — and after all, more cores equals higher cost and more power usage.

Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

Your options for RAM, or in Apple’s terminology, unified memory, varies, but with the switch to the M4 chip in all laptops, the lowest amount of RAM you can get is now 16GB. That’s a necessary spec-bump to accommodate the tech world’s favorite feature of the moment: AI or, in this case, Apple Intelligence (still AI, but Cupertino’s version). The M4 Pro chip has 24 or 48GB memory options, while the M4 Max chip supports 48, 64 or a whopping 128GB of RAM.

You’ve likely heard the analogy comparing memory to the amount of workspace available on a literal desktop surface, whereas storage is the amount of drawers you have to store projects to work on later. The larger the worktop surface, the more projects you can work on at once. The bigger the drawers, the more you can save for later.

In addition to supporting Apple Intelligence, more RAM is ideal for people who plan to work in multiple apps at once. And the more demanding each program is, the more RAM will be required. Extra memory can also come in handy if you’re the type who likes to have infinite numbers of tabs open on your browser. If your daily workflow doesn’t involve simultaneously using a vast number of memory-intensive programs, you can save yourself money and buy the RAM configuration that you’re most likely to actually use.

For a long time, Apple continued to offer MacBooks with just 8GB of RAM, and we recommended upgrading to at least 16GB of RAM. With this being the standard today, grabbing a base model should be fine for most non-pro-level users. One thing to note is that, unlike most PCs, the RAM in a MacBook is not user-upgradable since it’s tied into the system-on-a-chip. If you think you might end up needing more memory, you should go for the spec upgrade up front.

Storage options range from 256GB of SSD for the base-model MacBook Air and 8TB of storage for the MacBook Pros with the M4 Max chip. If you want to rotate between a long roster of game titles or keep lots of high-res videos on hand, you’ll want more storage. If you’re mostly working with browser- and cloud-based applications, you can get away with a smaller-capacity configuration. That said, we recommend springing for 512GB of storage or more, if it’s within your budget. You’ll quickly feel the limits of a 256GB machine as it ages since the operating system alone takes up a good portion of that space. Having 1TB will feel even roomier and allow for more data storage over the life of your laptop.

When Apple announced the iPhone 15, the company also announced new iCloud+ storage storage plans, with subscriptions that allow up to 12TB of storage shared among your iOS and MacOS devices. You could also transfer files to an external storage device. But if you don’t want to pay for a monthly subscription and prefer the convenience of having immediate access to your files, it’s best to get the highest amount of storage space your budget allows for at the outset.

The MacBook Air comes in 13- or 15-inch sizes. Pro models have either 14- or 16-inch screens. A two-inch delta may not seem like much but, as Engadget’s Nathan Ingraham noted when he reviewed the then-new 15-inch M2-powered MacBook Air, a larger screen “makes a surprising difference.” That’s especially true if you plan to use your laptop as an all-day productivity machine and won’t be using an external monitor. More space means you can more clearly view side-by-side windows and have a more immersive experience when watching shows or gaming.

But screen size is one of the main factors influencing weight. The 13-inch MacBook Air M4 weighs 2.7 pounds, whereas the top-end 16-inch MacBook Pro with the Max chip weighs 4.7 pounds. If you plan to travel a lot or swap your work locations regularly, a smaller screen will make life easier in the long run.

All MacBooks feature IPS LCD panels (in-plane switching, liquid crystal display), which Apple markets as Retina displays. The MacBook Air M4 has a Liquid Retina display and the Pro models have Liquid Retina XDR displays. “Liquid” refers to the way the lighted portion of the display “flows” within the contours of the screen, filling the rounded corners and curving around the camera notch. “XDR” is what Apple calls HDR (high dynamic range).

You also get the option of a standard or nano-texture display on the MacBook Pro. The glass, which reduces glare and is also available on the Studio Display, iMac and iPad Pro, comes with a $150 price increase, but if you really don’t like reflections on your screen, it could be worth it.

Compared to most other laptops, MacBook displays are notably bright, sharp and lush. But one feature worth pointing out is another Apple marketing term: ProMotion. It’s the company’s term to describe a screen with a higher, 120Hz refresh rate, which results in smoother scrolling and more fluid-looking graphics. Only MacBook Pros offer ProMotion; the Air maxes out at 60Hz, which is perfectly fine for everyday browsing and typical workdays. But if you want buttery-smooth motion from your display, you’ll have to shell out more money for an upgrade.

When Apple announced the MacBook Air M4, it also delivered a bit of refreshing news: The latest model would start $100 cheaper than the previous generation. So now, the least expensive MacBook is the 13-inch, M4-powered Air with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $999. Alternatively, you can spend up to $7,349 for the 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max with the nano-texture glass, 128GB of RAM and 8TB of storage. Chip type, screen size, memory and storage capacity all influence the final price, which is why guides like this can help you determine just what you need (and what you don’t) so you can get the most cost-effective machine for you.

We recommend the MacBook Air M4 for most people, the MacBook Air M3 for students and those on a budget, and the 14- or 16-inch MacBook Pros for professionals. If you have extra money to spare once you’ve picked your machine, we recommend upgrading to at least 512GB of storage to make your machine as future-proof as possible.

Both the MacBook Air and Pro models come with the M4 chip. MacBook Pro models have the option of more powerful M4 Pro or M4 Max chips. The Pro has a higher resolution screen with a higher peak brightness that supports up to 120Hz adaptive refresh rates and XDR (extreme dynamic range). The battery life on most Pro models is longer than on the Air models as well. Pro models also have more ports and more speakers. In short, the MacBook Air is aimed at everyday users looking for good productivity and entertainment capabilities, while Pro models are aimed at professionals who need a high-performance computer.

MacOS is the operating system developed by Apple and used in all of its desktop and laptop computers. It can only be found in hardware made by Apple including MacBooks and iMacs. Microsoft’s Windows operating system can be found in the company’s own Surface laptops as well as computers made by a wide array of manufacturers, like Acer, Asus, Dell and Razer.



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Fortnite is finally back on US iPhones
Gaming Gear

Fortnite is finally back on US iPhones

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Apple kicked Fortnite off the App Store nearly five years ago after Epic Games added its own in-app payment system to the game, which violated Apple’s rules. But after a major court ruling in Epic Games v. Apple that forced Apple to not take fees from purchases made outside of apps, the game is available to play on US iPhones once again.

Shortly after the big ruling hit, CEO Tim Sweeney said that Epic planned to bring back Fortnite to iOS in the US. He also made a “peace proposal:” “If Apple extends the court’s friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we’ll return Fortnite to the App Store worldwide and drop current and future litigation on the topic.“

Late last week, Epic said that Apple had blocked Fortnite’s return to the App Store, and the game also became unavailable on other alternative app stores in the EU. However, Apple said that it had “asked that Epic Sweden resubmit the app update without including the US storefront of the App Store so as not to impact Fortnite in other geographies” and that “we did not take any action to remove the live version of Fortnite from alternative distribution marketplaces.”

Epic asked the judge in the Epic v. Apple case to order Apple to review its Fortnite submission on May 16th. Yesterday, the judge said in a filing that Apple is “fully capable of resolving this issue without further briefing or a hearing,” and that if a resolution wasn’t reached, the Apple official who “is personally responsible for ensuring compliance” would have to appear at a hearing next Tuesday.

However, shortly after Fortnite returned to the App Store on Tuesday, Epic and Apple filed a joint notice saying that they have “resolved all issues” from Epic’s May 16th filing. Apple didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.

Epic also recently rolled out a new promotion to encourage players to use its payment systems: if you use Epic’s system in Fortnite, Rocket League, or Fall Guys on PC, iOS, Android, and the web, the company will give you 20 percent back in Epic Rewards that can be used for other purchases in its games or on the Epic Games Store.

In the iOS version of Fortnite that was released on Tuesday, the app shows you that 20 percent bonus when you pick which payment system you want to use to buy V-Bucks.

If you get the app from the App Store, it will be a small initial download, and after you actually open the app, it will download the rest of the game. For a colleague, that additional download was 12.95GB.

Update, May 20th: Added details of Epic and Apple’s joint notice.



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Logitech G522 Headsets.
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The newly revealed Logitech G522 Lightspeed could become the new mid-range wireless gaming headset to beat

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  • Logitech G has revealed the Logitech G522 Lightspeed
  • This wireless gaming headset boasts an impressive feature set and a great microphone
  • It hits shelves on June 16 for $179 / £139.99 / AU$299.95

Gaming accessory brand Logitech G has announced the Logitech G522 Lightspeed, a new wireless gaming headset intended to supersede the popular Logitech G733 Lightspeed.

The G522 Lightspeed features redesigned earcups, with a wider shape and an added layer of memory foam for enhanced comfort. It has a lightweight, adjustable fabric headband, which now rests flatter than its predecessor and has built-in ridges for better cooling.

The exterior of each ear cup features four eye-catching customizable RGB lighting zones, which can be tweaked to the color of your choice in the Logitech G Hub desktop software. It’s also compatible with the Logitech G mobile app.


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Under the hood, the headset is packing Logitech G’s highest-fidelity 40mm Pro-G drivers with 24-bit / 48kHz signal processing for enhanced audio clarity and detail.

The headset comes bundled with a removable omnidirectional microphone, which offers an impressive 16-bit / 48kHz bandwidth. It’s the same microphone found in the excellent, but much more expensive, Astro A50 X, which impressed with its crystal clear recordings in my hands-on testing.

On the Logitech G522 Lightspeed, the microphone has the added benefit of a built-in red LED indicator that illuminates when it’s muted.

As its name would suggest, the headset can connect to PC or PlayStation 5 via Logitech’s Lightspeed wireless dongle (which is included in the box), but also supports traditional Bluetooth for the aforementioned platforms in addition to Nintendo Switch and mobile. There’s also the option for wired play via its USB Type-C connector.

Logitech claims up to 40 hours of battery life with the default lighting on, or up to 90 hours with it disabled, which is a pretty impressive figure. It’s not quite the up to 200 hours promised by the competing HyperX Cloud III S, but it’s still more than enough juice for a few weeks’ worth of intense gaming sessions.

The Logitech G522 Lightspeed hits shelves on June 16 in white or black colorways. It costs $179 / £139.99 / AU$299.95, putting it in the midrange price bracket.

Its expansive feature set seems very promising, but only time will tell whether it becomes one of the best PC gaming headsets or best PS5 headsets around.

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Cherry Keyboard switches
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Cherry debuts new mechanical, magnetic, and inductive switches with a whole new naming scheme to match

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When we talk about mechanical keyboard switches, everything refers back to Cherry. Even if you’re using a different brand’s switches, often you’ll end up explaining them in terms of Cherry’s naming scheme; “These feel like low profile reds” or similar is often pretty common jargon when describing how a board might feel. This is all about to receive a refresh as Cherry debuts its new switches, complete with some new naming schemes at this year’s Computex.

Now when you’re looking at Cherry’s keyboards there’s three distinct sets you want to keep your eyes out for. First up, you have the MK Series which feature magnetic switches for that slick feel and price action. These are touted as being super precise for gamers, giving us a different option over the standard mechanical switch that has a frictionless feel.

Then there’s the new IK series, for those who prefer the contactless feel of inductive switches with electromagnetic sensors. Cherry has booked these as the most energy efficient switch of its kind using 50% less power than regular magnetic switches and 5% less than hall effect. Thanks to that contactless nature, these shouldn’t ever really wear out and that power consumption makes them a great partner for a wireless keyboard travel setup.


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Last but never least, there’s the familiar MX. These are the mechanical switches Cherry is known for that feature in recent boards like the MX 8.2 TKL Xaga, which is quite the fancy board, indeed. The MX range is still getting a shake up though, with Cherry introducing a few new switches under the banner – The MX Honey, Blossom, and Falcon.

Honeys are set to be the quiet kid in the new MX lineup featuring Cherry’s first tactile MX switch that’s also silent. Despite the silent nature these are said to still give a great tactile feel so this is a great choice for office goers, streamers, or just people who like quiet keyboards that still feel satisfying to use. It’s me, I’m people.

The MX Blossom is set to be the ultra light feel switch. There’s some nice evocative imagery there of cherry blossom petals floating down, so I’m guessing that’s the feel Cherry is going for here. These are going to be ultra light, easy to press, and quick to respond, so are probably aiming to be the preference for typists, and gamers who like a softer touch.

Meanwhile the Falcon is the community-inspired switch, a bit like that beautiful northern lights set. This one is for gamers and keyboard users of all stripes who really want to know when that key has been pressed. I’m guessing rather like how a fish knows it’s done for when a peregrine swoops in. These are snappy and crisp, these are bound to be a clacky retro switch. This is the keyboard you bring into the office when you just don’t like your coworkers.

All these switches are set to come out in June this year. If we don’t get our hot little fingers on these bad bois at Computex, we’ll be sure to let you know how they feel as soon as we do.



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