Is it possible these days to buy a laptop that’s too powerful? Chances are that photographers will be rocking mid-level machines capable of running Photoshop while video types are lugging something more potent around with them, but this? This knocks just about every laptop ever tested into second place. The Vanilla M5 version of the MacBook Pro was already pretty good, supplying some of the fastest single-core performance the benchmarking apps had ever seen, but was left behind in multi-core and graphics performance by Windows PCs with more physical cores and discrete graphics chips.

In response, Apple has done what it’s done for every generation of M-series CPUs, and released a version with more of everything. That’s what we’ve got here, and it’s so good it’s almost scary. There are already two MacBook Pros in the big list of the best laptops for video editing, will this knock the M4 Pro off the top?

Specifications

Price & Availability

You’ll have to part with $5,699 (£5,699/A$8,949) to get the spec we’re reviewing here. That’s an awful lot of money, considering the MacBook Pro with the normal M5 chip starts at $1,599, and is certainly not an impulse purchase. If you’re willing to make the investment, you’ll get a laptop that can do anything, and do it quickly, but whether it’s a sound purchase depends very much on whether you think it will accelerate your professional workflows to a point that you can’t imagine life without it. Luckily, Apple’s build-to-order system means you don't have to max out every spec, so you can lower the price that way.

Design

The MacBook Pro hasn’t changed its design for a few generations now. You get a choice of two colours - black and silver - and two sizes, 14 and 16 inches. There's the option of a Nano Texture screen coating, to cut reflections when working around strong lighting, but the Liquid Retina display isn’t a particularly reflective panel even without it, and Apple’s apparent reluctance to embrace OLEDs, which have a reputation for being mirrors when looked at from the right angle or in the wrong lighting, may have something to do with this.

So you get a flat-sided laptop with softly rounded corners, the MacBook Pro name engraved into the base, and an Apple logo on the lid that doesn’t light up. It’s sleek and professional, as well as instantly recognisable. There are certainly thinner laptops out there - Apple makes one itself in the MacBook Air - but also many that are fatter, and it’s a remarkably compact package for the sheer amount of computing power the company has managed to pack inside. There are two fans for cooling, but they never get very loud, and any hot air is vented out of two small slits in the sides, as well as being absorbed into the aluminium frame. In testing it never got particularly hot, but it’s easy to imagine that a day spent churning through 8K video will cause it to warm up.

It’s worth noting that chargers are now optional extras when buying a new MacBook. The 96W USB-C power adapter is a £79 add-on, though there's a MagSafe adapter in the laptop’s box so you can use any USB-C brick you already have to juice it up, and you can also charge it through any of its Thunderbolt ports, which is handy if you’ve got it connected to a dock or a monitor with Power Delivery.

Performance

The M5 chip was already a strong performer when it came out in 2025. That model was a 10-core chip, with four of them Apple’s newly christened ‘Super’ cores and the other six ‘Efficiency’ cores for background tasks. The M5 Max introduces a new category, the ‘Performance’ core, which is a bit confusing, as Super cores used to be called Performance cores, but they now occupy a middle ground between Super and Efficiency. The M5 Max has six S and 12 P cores, with no E cores at all, and it all makes a difference to its benchmark scores.

Apple’s M5 chips are the only CPUs to score more than 4,000 points in Geekbench 6’s single-core test (as of early 2026, anyway), and the M5 Max continues the trend. What’s far more exciting is the multi-core test, in which the M5 Max pulls away, putting 6,000 points, or 23%, between it and the M4 Pro from the previous generation. Intel’s Core Ultra 9 275HX is around 30% slower than the M5 Max in this test.

Having 40 graphics cores against the vanilla M5’s 10 gives the Max a big advantage too, and it produces results that are approximately the same as a mid-range Nvidia card, though comparing different graphics architectures on computers running different operating systems is a difficult task. The MacBook Pro being reviewed also has an advantage from its 128GB of fast DDR5 RAM, something that accounts for a large chunk of its price.

What all this means in practice is that it absolutely flies along. It completed tasks in Photoshop and Premiere Pro extremely quickly, and while it’s not the absolute best out there at running AI tasks - that honour goes to machines with top-end GPUs - it’s no slouch either.

With all that processing power, you might expect the battery life to be measured in minutes rather than hours, but the efficiency of the ARM-based Apple Silicon means that, when asked to do light tasks, you can see as much as 17 hours of life out of a charge. While it’s probably true that a laptop like this is likely to spend a lot of its life plugged in and working hard, it’s good to see that taking it into the field is a possibility, even if the endurance will decrease when you make it work harder.

Final Verdict

This 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Max processor is a remarkable machine, and it should be, considering the price Apple is asking for it. You’ll need to go through the online configuration process to get a laptop with this spec, and once you’re finished, it’s almost the most expensive Mac you can buy (that accolade goes to the Mac Studio with a 32-core M3 Ultra processor, into which you can put 256GB of RAM and 16TB of storage).

For most photo and video users, however, a laptop of this spec will be overkill, and while the excitement of simply owning one may be worth the price, something lower down the hierarchy will do just as well, especially when you consider that you’ll undoubtedly need extras like a Thunderbolt dock, Magic Mouse or Trackpad, and an external monitor such as the Apple Studio Display to go with it. Buy one, however, and you’ll have the kind of portable workstation that once we could only have dreamed of.

Alternatives

Buyers of Apple's entry MacBook Pro model have had access to the newer chips via the MacBook Pro M5 since October, but serious users have been directed to the M4 Pro and M4 Max devices. Until today, when new M5 versions of these machines were finally unveiled.

Why the delay? The Pro and Max versions of the chips have more CPU and GPU cores and more memory; so higher end computing needs – like a lot of 4K video work, or photography editing.

It's also noteworthy that Apple has raised the prices on all the MacBook Pros, including the existing M5 by $100 / AU$200, perhaps reflecting the increasing component costs known in the trade as 'RAMageddon', though the lowest storage option is now 1TB rather than 512GB, and twice as fast, so the jump isn't quite as bad.

The new MacBook Pro M5 Pro will start at $2,199 / AU$3,499 ($200 / AU$200 up on its predecessor) and boasts a 15 CPU cores and a 16 GPU cores, and that for the 14-inch model. Want the 16-inch version and you'll need $2,699, but the bigger frame also allows for 18 CPU cores and a 20 GPU cores. In both cases the lowest storage spec is 24GB of RAM and 1TB.

Spec up to the Max variant of the chips and $3,599 / AU$5,799 will be needed for 14-inches or $3,899 / AU$6,299 for 16-inch. Both fit in 18 CPU cores and 32 GPU cores.

According to Apple, customers will see up to a 4x jump in AI image generation performance compared to equivalent M4 chipsets, and 8x against the M1 equivalents.

The tiny world of Apple gamers were even mentioned by Apple, who noted that there will be 1.6x faster gaming performance in ray tracing versus the M4 in games like Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition. More usefully for professionals, that should be 1.4x faster 3D rendering in Maxon Redshift (5.2x faster v M1).

The Apple N1 wireless chip is included, and Bluetooth 6, while the webcam is 12MP Center Stage camera in a notch cut from the Liquid Retina XDR 1600 nits peak HDR display.

Apple say the new MacBook Pro gets up to 24 hours of battery life (noting that if you've not upgraded since Intel days, thats 13 additional hours, though I'd like to note that my last Intel Mac could rarely manage an hour with more than a couple of tabs open in Chrome).

Apple also surprised punters by announcing the MacBook Air will see the new M5 chip at the same event.

All new computers will be available for pre-order tomorrow, March 4, and in stores from next week.

There is also two new Apple Studio Displays, which we cover separately.

Apple has unveiled its latest silicon, the M5 chip – and with it a new flagship laptop that’s as much as 6x faster than devices with the older M1 chip. The Apple MacBook Pro M5 focuses on improved performance through Apple’s newest silicon, but the MacBook Pro M5 delivers more than just a new AI-focused chip, including faster SSD performance for a noticeable improvement in importing RAW files and the longest battery life yet in MacBook’s history.

The headlining feature is Apple’s new M5 chip, which uses a 10-core GPU design with a Neural Accelerator in each core. Apple says that translates to dramatically faster AI workloads with up to 3.5x faster AI tasks compared to the M4 chip and up to 6x compared to the older M1 chip.

But while the M5 and AI performance demands much of the attention surrounding the new launch, the October 15 announcement hides a few features that could be significant for photo and video editing, not text-to-image generation.

That same M5 chip behind the AI speed improvements also delivers up to 1.6x faster graphics compared to the M4. Multi-tasking in creative apps, Apple says, is also boosted with the new chip, along with performance boosts to the most demanding workflows, like working with 4K in Adobe Premiere Pro.

Apple says the new laptop’s SSD performance is up to twice as fast, which means a significant improvement in working with RAW photos and large video files.

The M5 MacBook Pro also brings the best battery life yet of any previous MacBook, with Apple giving the laptop up to 24 hours of juice. Photographers and videographers will also be eager to know that the M5 edition still has an SDXC memory card reader, along with multiple Thunderbolt ports and an HDMI port with support for up to two external displays. (Apple removed the SD card slot in the Pro in 2016, but brought it back in 2021).

The newest MacBook Pro M5 is only available in a 14-inch size, and continues the Liquid Retina XDR display found in the M4 models, which includes 1 billion colors, refresh rates up to 120Hz, and a one-million-to-one contrast ratio for a wide dynamic range.

While the M5 delivers some performance enhancements over the M4 models, the most noticeable difference will be coming from users upgrading from an M1 chip introduced in 2020 as well as older Intel-based models. Intel upgraders can expect as much as 30x faster GPU, 5.5x faster CPU, and up to 86x faster AI performance, along with as much as 14 more hours of battery life. M1 upgraders can expect up to 6.8x faster GPU performance, and up to 2x faster CPU, with an additional four hours of battery life.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro M5 comes in at the same starting price as the previous model – which is $1,599 / £1,599 / AU$2,499 / CA$2,099 for 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage. The laptop will also be available in configurations with 24GB or 32GB of memory and up to 4TB of internal SSD storage, as well as upgrades like a nano-texture display.

Pre-orders have already opened, with shipping expected to begin on October 22.

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Take a deep dive into the best laptops for photo editing or the best laptops for video editing.

I love Apple products. They're sleek, they're powerful, and in the immortal words of Steve Jobs, they "just work" (well, most of the time). But their naming strategy? It's a wild ride.

Take the iPhone lineup, for instance. Remember when it was just "iPhone" followed by a number? Those were simpler times. Now along with the iPhone 16 we recently got the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Plus. Plus right now, we're expecting the imminent appearance of the iPhone SE 4; like that cousin no-one's quite sure how to introduce at family gatherings.

And let's talk about those chips. The M1 made sense as a starting point. Then came M1 Pro and M1 Max – okay, still following. But then Apple threw in the M1 Ultra, which is essentially two M1 Max chips fused together. Just when you thought you had it figured out, they launched the M2 series, and now we're deep into M3 and M4 territory, each with their own variants. It's like a Russian nesting doll of processing power.

The iPad family tree is another puzzle altogether. We've got the iPad Pro (in two sizes), iPad Air, iPad mini, and just... iPad. But wait – this basic / standard / entry-level iPad comes in different generations, and some older models are still sold new. Try explaining to your non-tech-savvy aunt why the 9th-generation iPad Air might actually be a better choice for her than the 10th-generation iPad Pro, depending on her needs and budget. To be honest, even your tech-savvy teenager might get lost at this point.

I could go on, but you get the point. Basically it's all a hot mess. So I set myself the challenge of trying to create a decoder for Apple's product naming system. Here's what I came up with.

This decoder, I should stress, is by no means perfect or foolproof. And it's certainly not something that's been approved by Apple. Because while the broad principles I've outlined in this table will get you some of the way, the company themselves doesn't apply them universally across the board. 

For instance, sometimes "Pro" means it's the most powerful option (like with iPhones), but sometimes there's an even more powerful "Max" or "Pro Max" version. Sometimes "Air" means it's the slimmer, lighter option (MacBook Air), but the iPad Air actually sits in a middle ground between basic and Pro models. 

It gets even worse when it comes to Apple's accessories. For instance, AirPods come in regular, Pro and Max varieties – but the Max is actually over-ear headphones, not pods at all. The Apple Pencil, meanwhile, has four versions that look different and charge differently, and they're not compatible with all iPads.

The naming convention here (and I'm not making this up) begins: Apple Pencil (1st Generation), Apple Pencil (2nd Generation)... so far so good. But then suddenly it veers off into Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil Pro. Would you know that the third of these was the budget model, just from the name? Of course not. And you need a spreadsheet to figure out which Apple Pencil works with which iPad: the names here are no use at all.

Passion for simplicity?

Personally, I often find myself having to create mental maps and charts just to keep track of which device is which, and more importantly, to explain these differences to readers in a way that makes sense. It's like being a translator for a language that keeps changing its grammar rules every few months. Life shouldn't be this difficult!

The irony isn't lost on me that Apple, a company famous for its clean, intuitive interface design, has created a product naming system that requires a decoder to understand. Steve Jobs was known for his passion for simplicity, famously paring down Apple's product line to a simple quadrant when he returned to the company. I wonder what he would make of it all today.

Yes, Apple's product line has grown and diversified over time. But I can't help but think there must be a clearer way to organize and name these products. Until then, if you really want to know the differences between Apple products, it's best to read our in-depth reviews, along with our guides to the different iPad generations, the best iPhones and the best MacBooks.

There’s nothing more frustrating than turning down well-paid work because your laptop doesn’t have the processing power to edit big video files. Over the last few months, I have had to say no to several videography jobs because my strained 2017 MacBook Pro struggles to buffer even proxy files.

The best full-frame cameras today are capable of outputting incredibly high-quality video. It’s impressive that the Panasonic Lumix S5 II, for example, can shoot 4:2:0 10 bit 6K video while the Sony Alpha A1 captured 4:2:0 10-bit 8K. To cope with such large files, you need a laptop with a fast processor, lots of RAM, and a large hard drive.

Sometimes, it feels like I’m stuck in a vicious circle. I need well-paid jobs to afford a new laptop, but for the same reason, I can’t accept them. I recently had to revert to editing a video shot on my camera using an app on my phone. Luckily, it was only ever intended to be a reel, so I got away with it, but for more in-depth projects requiring different transitions, graphic overlays, and beautiful color grading, in-app editing won’t cut it.

I’ve tried everything to make DaVinci Resolve work on my computer. I’ve deleted software I rarely use to free up space, downloaded a Mac clean-up tool to get rid of files clogging my hard drive, and always worked from an external hard drive.

The new M-series chip found in all Macbooks since the 2022 M2 Macbook Air is way more powerful than the previous dual-Intel processors used. With built-in video encoders, it's faster and uses a lot less power to perform the same tasks, resulting in a laptop that doesn’t get hot and slow down. Individual components are also soldered directly to the Apple-made motherboard which again cuts down on transfer time and makes the video editing process much more efficient. There really is nothing worse than having to wait for that spinning-colored cursor to disappear before you can move on to the next step.

Sadly for now all I can do is struggle on with my 2017 Macbook Pro hope that the photography jobs keep coming in. For the time being, I can just about run Photoshop and Lightroom at the same time so I guess I should count my blessings that I'm not entirely out of action.

Investing in a top-of-the-range camera that boasts big sensors, top-quality video, and huge RAW files might seem appealing, but there are a lot of other considerations you should factor in. Not only might your laptop not be powerful enough, but you’ll quickly start using up storage space, too, so it’s definitely something to consider.

Check out our guide to the best laptops for video editing, and the best hard drives for video editing

If you're looking for some great Amazon Prime laptop deals, this is by far the most exciting one out there! Apple products are known to be expensive and luxurious – meaning deals are rarely seen on its products.

Well, all that changes with this HUGE price cut of $300 off the 2023 MacBook Pro M3 Pro laptop with 18GB of RAM and a 512SSD – all for just $1,699 this Amazon Prime Day. Now that's a bargain! 

The Apple M3 Pro chip, featuring up to a 12-core CPU and an 18-core GPU, offers exceptional performance for demanding tasks such as manipulating gigapixel panoramas or compiling millions of lines of code, delivers unparalleled power for the most advanced workflows, including rendering complex 3D content or developing transformer models with billions of parameters.

The 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display boasts Extreme Dynamic Range, with over 1000 nits of brightness for stunning HDR content and up to 600 nits for SDR content. It also includes pro reference modes, enabling you to do your best work on the go.

Thanks to the power-efficient design of Apple silicon, the MacBook Pro laptop can run all day, delivering consistent performance whether on battery or plugged in, perfect for photographers out on location or busy on the go video editors. 

The Calibrite Display 123 is, at the time of this review, the most affordable monitor calibrator on the market. It's intended to be a no-frills, super-easy-to-use device that will ensure your monitor is displaying color as accurately as it can. The accompanying software has been designed with a minimal, 3-step wizard-driven interface that makes the calibration process effortless. We've seen calibrators with a similar ethos before - Calibrite's corporate predecessor, X-Rite, marketed a calibrator called the ColorMunki Smile around a decade ago which delivered a similar blend of simplicity and low cost, but sadly that was discontinued several years ago. The Display 123 picks up the baton where it left off.

Read more:
The best monitor calibrators
The best monitors for photo editing
The best video-editing monitors

Why calibrate?

You can go to great lengths to ensure accurate in-camera white balance and consistent color in software raw processing, but all this effort is wasted if your monitor is deceiving you by displaying incorrect color.

Fortunately there's a quick, easy and effective fix for this: monitor calibration. By analysing a series of pre-set colors emitted by your monitor, a monitor calibrator (sometimes called a colorimeter) will detect any color discrepancies, and your computer is then programmed to compensate for them.

After this short process you could be amazed at the color transformation many monitors are capable of, and how a screen you once thought was accurate is revealed to have been displaying a pronounced color cast all along.

Features

The features list offered by the Display 123 is intentionally short - the main feature here is simplicity, so there are no extras that could confuse the calibration process. Features you'd find on Calibrite's more exotic devices - ambient light monitoring, projector profiling etc, are absent in the Display 123. For most users, these absences won't be missed.

However, it's worth noting that the Display 123 cannot be used to calibrate mini-LED displays, or monitors with a peak brightness of over 1000 nits. This includes the latest M3 MacBook Pro 14 and 16-inch models with their Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED displays. To calibrate these screens, you'll need to step up to Calibrite's Display Pro HL calibrator.

What you get here is a small, easily portable device that simply plugs into your laptop or desktop computer via its USB-C cable. Once connected, Calibrite's Profiler software takes care of the calibration process, and that's it - job done!

Build & handling

At 3.3cm high and the same in diameter, the Display 123 is easily the smallest monitor calibrator we've ever reviewed. It's a fraction of the size of Calibrite's other models, as well as Datacolor's rival Spyder products. This downsizing is partly due to the lack of an ambient light sensor, but you do get a small LED status indicator on the top of the device to indicate when the calibrator is operating.

The distinctive yellow finish is a welcome change from the muted black or white finishes of most calibrators, and fun fact, it's exact shade of yellow is Pantone 123 C - that's no coincidence!

Calibrite has fitted the calibrator with a generously long USB cable - useful, given our test PC is placed on the floor, quite a distance away from the monitor we were calibrating.

Performance

In recent years both major players in the monitor calibration industry - Calibrite, and Datacolor - have simplified their calibration software apps to be less intimidating to novice users. But the Display 123 software is in a different league of simplicity. As the name suggests, calibration is just a 3 step process.

1: Select the monitor you wish to calibrate (a maximum of two displays are supported, so calibrating a dual-screen set-up is possible), and decide if you want to leave your monitor's brightness as it is, or set it to a typical photo editing brightness of 120cd/m2.

2: Position the calibrator on your monitor. This is actually the most fiddly part of the process, as you'll need to tilt your monitor upwards so the device more readily sits flat on the screen. This is where the small size of the Display 123 somewhat works against it, as it has a tendency to tip away from the screen surface. When you're confident the device is resting flat on your monitor, you can:

3: Run the calibration procedure. The software then does the rest, firing dozens of pre-set colors through the screen for the calibrator's lens to analyse and determine how close the monitor's rendition of color is to the Profiler software's pre-determined ideal color values. This process takes just shy of 4 minutes 30 seconds. For reference, we timed a high-end Datacolor Spyder X2 Ultra calibrator at around 3 minutes for its calibration process, making the Display 123 slower, but not frustratingly slow.

Once the calibration is complete, the software displays a reference image you can use to see the before and after difference in color accuracy. We found the color went from having a cooler/bluer cast to a slight but noticeably warmer tone. This is fairly typical before/after change for a modern LED-backlit display. You then save the new color profile and it'll automatically load each time you turn on your computer.

So far, so easy. But what about the quality/accuracy of the calibrated color profile generated by the Display 123? To assess how well the Display 123 had calibrated our test monitor, we measured the calibrated monitor's color accuracy using our reference Datacolor Spyder X2 Ultra calibrator. It revealed the Display 123 had calibrated our test monitor to an accuracy of Delta-E 0.50 - very accurate indeed, as a 'good' accuracy score is generally considered to be anything less than 2.00.

We also calibrated the same monitor using the Spyder X2 Ultra, then measured its color profile, revealing it had managed a slightly less accurate Delta-E 0.64. To the naked eye there was no difference between the two calibrators' color profiles, but it's good to know the Display 123 can calibrate your monitor with excellent color accuracy.

Verdict

Monitor calibration is often seen as a nerdy, complicated process only undertaken by media/publishing professionals, and computer geeks. But Calibrite has proven with the Display 123 that this definitely doesn't need to be the case. Monitor calibration, at its heart, simply tweaks your monitor's color so it's free of any subtle color casts. This is exactly what the Display 123 does - nothing more.

For the vast majority of users, its lack of extra features won't even be noticed, and by eliminating them, Calibrite has made the calibration process beautifully simple. We're also happy to report that the pared-down feature-set doesn't extend to pared-down quality: when it comes to calibration accuracy, the Display 123 is a match for calibrators costing more than twice the price.

If you want to calibrate your desktop monitor or laptop display, the Display 123 will do the job simply, accurately, and cost-effectively - it's a great buy.

Apple makes MacBooks in two sub-ranges. Apple would probably prefer to put it differently, but you could say the MacBook Air range is designed for portability ahead of performance, while the MacBook Pro is all about performance, even if it means a slightly bigger machine. What confuses things is that the latest MacBook Airs are very fast, and the latest MacBook Pros are very light.

It's hard enough already to choose the best laptop for photo editing, without Apple itself offering so many choices!

So what are we to make of the MacBook Air 15-inch M3? On the face of it, you’re getting a super-slim premium quality laptop with a bigger screen than the baseline MacBook Air 13-inch M3 model (bigger even than the regular MacBook Pro 14-inch), the latest M3 processor, a 10-core CPU as standard and a 6-speaker audio system. Best of all, the price is well below that of the baseline 14-inch MacBook Pro and not a whole lot more than the 13-inch MacBook Air. On paper, the MacBook Air 15-inch M3 looks very, very tempting.

The devil, of course, is in the detail. If you're trying to work out which is the best MacBook for photo editing in 2024, there's a lot to think about. As ever with Apple, the base models have very modest RAM and storage which you will probably want to upgrade, and that really bumps up the price. We’ll talk about that more below, but first the specs.

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch M3 (2024): specifications

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch M3 (2024): price

The MacBook Air 15-inch M3 starts at $1,299 / £1,299, which seems a great price for a 15-inch laptop with this level of performance and a 15-inch Liquid Retina screen. But that’s for a baseline spec which might be fine for browsing, emails, presentations and a bit of dabbling in Apple Photos, but for any kind of serious creative work it doesn’t look enough.

So for a start you might want to bump up the RAM to 16GB (another $200 / £200) to allow for memory-gobbling photo end video editors, and the internal storage from 256GB to 512GB (another $200 / £200). 256GB storage will get you started, but it’s not long before it gets swallowed up by caches, libraries and other system overheads.

With 16GB RAM and a (still modest) 512GB storage, the MacBook Air 15-inch M3 now costs $1,699 / £1,699, but now at least you’ve got a machine with serious processing power and a more balanced blend of RAM and storage to go with it.

If you do the same calculations with the MacBook Air 15-inch M3, it comes out at $1,499 / £1,499, so there is always that $200 / £200 price differential. What you get for the extra money with the 15-inch version, though, is not just the larger screen, but a 6-speaker system (as opposed to a 4-speaker set-up) and a 10-core GPU as standard rather than as an upgrade.

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch M3 (2024): key features

This is not the first 15-inch MacBook Air. In 2023 we got the MacBook Air 15-inch M2, so this just looks like a refresh with the latest M3 processor. Amongst other improvements, the M3 boasts a ‘next generation’ GPU with dynamic caching for improved performance. However, Apple’s online performance comparisons don’t include the M2 generation – it prefers to contrast the latest M3 performance with older M1 models or even Intel Macs. We have been told that Apple doesn’t expect M2 owners to upgrade, more M1 or Intel MacBook users.

What complicates things is Apple’s ‘Pro’ and ‘Max’ variants. The MacBook Air 15-inch M3 just has a regular M3 chip, while the latest M3 MacBook Pros have more powerful variants. So is a ‘vanilla’ M3 better than an M2 Pro or an M1 Max? When you combine Apple’s often rather selective comparisons with these multiple permutations… well, you get the maze of possibilities that can paralyze any Mac buying decision.

Let’s put that aside. Even with a ‘regular’ M3 processor, the MacBook Air 15-inch M3 is blazingly fast. It’s hard to imagine any stills photographer needing more power than this, and if you are a professional video producer handling multi-track, multi-cam 4K, 6K or 8K, then you should be looking at a specced-up MacBook Pro (at the very least) or a desktop workstation. 

What else have we got? Well, the 15-inch screen is not unusual in a laptop, but the resolution is, together with the real-world display quality. It is pretty exceptional. The 6-speaker audio system is pretty formidable, and the keyboard is terrific – and backed up by a big and rather good trackpad.

However, you only get two Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports. No card reader, no HDMI. Of course, you can use dongles and adapters, but that doesn’t mesh too well with Apple’s beautifully clean, minimalist product design. If you are a photographer on the road then you will probably be using one port for an external SSD, the other for a card reader, and unless you get a plug-in hub – yet more clutter – then that’s all your ports used.

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch M3 (2024): design and handling

The MacBook Air’s key selling point is portability, and this is where the 15-inch version takes a bit of a hit. The larger screen makes it just that little bit wider than the 13-inch version, and it’s just a little thicker to allow for a slightly beefier battery. These things are relative, and the MacBook Air 15-inch M3 is still remarkably svelte for a 15-inch laptop… but one of the key selling points of the Air range over the MacBook Pro range is size and weight, and the MacBook Air 15-inch M3 sails pretty close to the wind here.

But then if you’re looking for the best experience with a portable computer it makes a compelling case. Where else are you going to get a screen this big in a computer this light that can run so long on a single charge? And while the 6-speaker audio won’t match your home cinema setup, it delivers a rich and satisfying sound you wouldn’t expect from a laptop. 

The MacBook Air 15-inch M3 oozes quality. It looks great, it feels great, and it’s great to use. If you’re a Windows fan you will be incandescent with rage at the cost versus the specs, but if that’s how you feel then this computer is not for you. The world is big enough for all of us.

HOWEVER. The notch at the top of the screen is pretty horrible. Yes, phones have notches, but on the short side of the display where you don’t mind so much, but on the long side of the display, as it is on the MacBook Air 15-inch M3, it’s ALWAYS THERE.

The notch appeared in the M2 generation, so it’s not new, and it did ‘disappear’ into a black menu bar when we used Apple Photos, Davinci Resolve and iMovie in full-screen mode, so it’s probably not the end of the world. 

At the same time, though, I do wish Apple would find a way to incorporate a 16:9 ratio display, not the 16:10 ratio of many past MacBooks or whatever the ratio is on this screen (it’s a tad ‘squarer’  than 16:10). Apple has given us the biggest screen for the space available but only at the cost of a non-standard ratio and that ‘notch’.

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch M3 (2024): performance

The benchmark figures confirm the impression you get from using the MacBook Air 15-inch M3. This is a very fast and powerful laptop. Apple’s own data shows it’s a lot faster than the first-generation M1 MacBooks, but in our table we compare it to M2 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models, and these are closer. The M3’s single-core scores are definitely better, but the M2 Pro chip still offers superior multi-core and OpenCL performance.

In use, the MacBook Air 15-inch M3 feels fast, fluid and responsive. Occasionally some programs can drag their feet doing who-knows-what, but that’s more to do with the software than the computer. Adobe Lightroom launches in moments and runs beautifully, while native Apple software like Photos and iMovie work brilliantly. You could use the MacBook Air 15-inch M3 for quite serious work with the best video editing software too, whether it’s in Final Cut Pro, Apple’s own pro editor, Adobe Premiere or DaVinci Resolve.

Apple MacBook Air 15-inch M3 (2024): verdict

The MacBook Air 15-inch M3 is fast, sleek and beautifully made. The screen might not be the even more advanced Liquid Retina XDR (extreme dynamic range) used on MacBook Pros, but it’s so good anyway that you might not notice the difference. The keyboard is excellent and the large touchpad is smooth and responsive. There’s almost nothing to fault.

Except the complex pricing structure, the need for more RAM and storage than the base model supplies, and perhaps the whole idea of a 15-inch screen on a laptop designed for portability. I’ve used a 15-inch MacBook on trains, buses and airplanes and in general the screen is just that little bit too big to fold out properly against the back of the seat in front of you.

If I wanted a powerful, portable desktop replacement I would probably go for a MacBook Pro not an Air. But if I wanted a lightweight and portable type-anywhere laptop to use alongside my desktop workstation, I would choose the 13-inch version over this one. For me, the MacBook Air 15-inch M3 is just a fraction too large and just too basic in its connectivity.

Alternatives

It's a bold move, but Asus has gambled on all-AMD hardware for its new Asus TUF A16 (FA617XS) gaming laptop. The reasoning, very likely, is that "TUF" is Asus's more accessible gaming brand, and AMD chips, in particular AMD GPUs are typically that bit cheaper than the Nvidia alternatives.

Not that the TUF's AMD chips are poverty spec. The eight-core Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU is a monster. It's the Radeon 7600S GPU where the money has really been saved. However, outside of gaming, that's a pretty powerful graphics chip. For sure, it has the measure and then some of any integrated graphics and will do a very nice job of accelerating filters and effects in many image and video workflows.

Screen-wise, you get a generous 16-inch IPS panel with 2,560 by 1,600 pixels for plenty of elbow room, albeit you won't be able to view 4K content at full resolution. It also hums along at 240Hz, which is nice but arguably overkill, even for gaming. You're not going to be playing the latest titles at 240Hz with that Radeon GPU.

Despite the gaming remit, the styling isn't overly adolescent and the build is pretty sturdy, which is promising for an overall workhorse. Add in 16GB of RAM and all for around £1,250 and it makes for an intriguing and relatively low-cost alternative to several of the best photo-editing laptops already available. In many respects, performance should be comparable to much more expensive systems including the MacBook Pro with the latest Apple M3 silicon.

Asus TUF A16: Specifications

Asus TUF A16: Design & Handling

The Asus TUF A16's base chassis is all plastic but seriously sturdy. Admittedly, there's just a little flex if you push hard above the keyboard bed. But the screen lid is alloy and lush to the touch.

Speaking of the keyboard, the key actuation is smooth and satisfying, the keyboard bed is very stable and solid and the keys are backlit, albeit white only. There's no full RGB, which isn't a huge surprise at this price point. You also get a nice, big trackpad with a slick tactile surface.

The overall design looks reasonably contemporary thanks to slim bezels around the 16-inch, 2,560 by 1,600 resolution display and a 90% screen-to-body ratio. That helps to keep the TUF reasonably compact for a 16-inch system. As this class of laptop goes, this isn't a particularly monstrous or overly heavy portable. The design language is also fairly low key for a gaming-centric laptop, which is welcome if you want to take it to work or into meetings.

Arguably less successful, design-wise, is the port placement. There's a decent provision of connectivity, including USB4, USB-C and USB sockets, plus HDMI and LAN. But they're all located along the sides of the chassis. So is the old-school barrel connector for the power supply. In fact, that's rammed precisely in the middle of the left chassis side and really isn't terribly ergonomic, especially for anyone who is a lefty mouse user.

Ideally, it would be far preferable to have at least some of the ports, including power and video interfaces, for instance, on the rear of the chassis. However, the way Asus has designed the hinge, that's basically impossible. Pity.

Asus TUF A16: Performance

AMD's Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU is a known quantity and basically an eight-core beast of a CPU. As laptops go, it's got all the performance you could reasonably ask for whatever the workflow, be that editing huge RAW images or encoding 4K video timelines. Given the low cost of this laptop, the sheer CPU power on offer is spectacular, especially when you consider you'd need to speed over two times as much to get a MacBook Pro with similar grunt.

More of a mystery for most buyers will be the AMD Radeon RX 7600S GPU. In simple terms, it's a cut down version of the desktop RX 7600. In a more relevant mobile context, it performs just a touch below an Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU in most games. Well, until you enable ray tracing at which point the frame rates dive and much more so than an RTX 4060.

If you want a pure gaming system, something with an RTX 4060 would be preferable, therefore. However, in the context of a broader remit including content creation and with gaming as a sideshow, the AMD RX 7600S is a pretty decent GPU. It's unlikely you'd notice any shortfall versus the Nvidia GPU when it comes to accelerating effects and filters, for instance.

The 16-inch IPS display, meanwhile, is definitely a winner. For really high-end workflows, you might miss native support for full 4K content. For everything else, this is a super sharp screen, with extremely zippy response and plenty of speed courtesy of 240Hz refresh. OK, it can't compete with a MacBook for HDR sizzle. But at this price point, it's a definite positive.

For the record, you also get a nippy 1TB SSD, which is fair enough for the money, and 16GB of fast DDR5 RAM. Again, you might want to upgrade those elements for the most demanding applications. But it's a strong spec list for the price point.

The same goes for battery life. This is one metric where cheaper laptops tend to fall behind. Big batteries are expensive, so that's where system makers try to save some pennies.

Battery life obviously isn't normally a strong point for most gaming laptops. But this is where the Asus TUF A16 FA617XS's all-AMD technology really pays off. Not here, however.

Perhaps it's a benefit of having dual AMD chips nicely integrated. But whatever the reason, you can expect over 10 hours of video playback or other light use away from the mains. You'll get a lot less if you do anything really intensive. Certainly, Apple MacBooks of all stripes are more efficient under load. But we're back to that value proposition. For the money, the Asus TUF A16's balance of performance and battery life is excellent.

Asus TUF A16: Verdict

Not many laptops add up to more than the sum of their parts. But the Asus TUF A16 review definitely does. On paper, it offers good value, with a particularly strong AMD CPU and a decent graphics chip for a relatively low price.

It's fairly well engineered, too, and won't turn heads in a professional context for the wrong reasons. But the big surprise is battery life that can extend beyond 10 hours. When you add that to a mix that includes huge CPU grunt for relatively little money, the result is a very compelling all round proposition for anyone who wants a genuine high-performance laptop but doesn't want to spend far more. Indeed, you could spend two or three times as much and not get much by way of a meaningful advantage for content creation performance. Impressive, isn't it?

Alternatives

It's not very often we see deals on the best MacBooks around, or even on any Apple laptop that features on our best laptops for photo editing guide – but Best Buy has come in for the kill with this remarkable $300 saving on the Apple MacBook Air 15"  M2 with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, which is an incredible $999 – that's currently $100 cheaper than other retailers!

Currently ranking third in our best MacBook for photo editing guide, the MacBook Air 15 is probably the best laptop currently on the market for most people – and a superb choice for any photographer, videographer or creative who wants a larger gorgeous screen, combined with enough power to run the latest editing software, all wrapped up in a lightweight package that can easily slip into a backpack. 

There might be more powerful Apple options for the most demanding editing situations but, for most people, the M2 chip inside the Air 15 will provide more than enough oomph to edit comfortably.

Over the last couple of weeks, I had come to feel a huge swathe of support in my irritation about Apple's variety of pricing options for the still new M3 MacBook Pro range. My digital in-box had been piled high with mail expressing similar discontent at the structure and teirs of the pricing which seem, to me (and others), to be designed to make overspending inevitable.

But I've laid out my theory on the MacBook Pro M3 pricing before, and already shared some voices of support suggesting I go the whole hog and buy a PC instead. I was a little more surprised to find Apple enthusiast – but Windows user at work – Mark Gillespie mailing me with a reasoned argument for the existence of at least four of the Macs I reference in my opinion (though not all of them).

So, in fairness to the Apple world that I'll almost inevitably return to, I'll share Mark's thoughts.

He first suggests that users who are new to Mac don't actually buy new; "Choose an M1 or M2 version of the model you prefer but with 16MB RAM and any storage size greater than the minimum config" he suggests. Personally, I take that as evidence that Apple is over-charging and/or under-specifying their entry-level machines. At the time of writing the MacBook Air M1 13-inch is still on offer for $999 with a paltry 8GB RAM and 256GB storage.

Upgrade to the newer M2 MacBook Air model and you'll find yourself another $100 poorer for the same memory specs (though this time it's a 13.6-inch screen rather than 13.3).

I agree that these entry specs are unacceptable – certainly for me – though no doubt suit some. I'm not sure Mark can easily get away with placing all hobbyists in the same boat though – he might say the best laptop for photography for that group is lesser than the pros, but in my experience that depends on ambition (or patience). In any case, the minimum entry point for a (true) current would seem to be the $1,499 MacBook Air 13 with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage.

For folk like me, who plan on buying Apple and have a case for buying new, Mark's advice is "DON’T start by working your way up Apple’s pricing ladder from the bottom. Start by configuring your ideal machine to suit the job and then cut features until it fits your true budget."

As established, for the ports, that's a MacBook Pro. Then we apply the advice about avoiding 8GB editions and the minimum spend in store is the M3 Pro-based 18GB/512GB $1,999 (we could, of course, specify 16GB to the absolute base model M3 machine 14-inch MacBook Pro and get that down to $1,799, but not only would we have to wait but the slower CPU would also only have one fan and still have 2GB less RAM).

Using the "Working down from the top-spec" is a bit off-putting in my view; the top off-the-shelf model is the $3,999 16-inch M3 MacBook Pro with 48GB RAM and 1TB storage. I can spec this up to 128GB RAM and 8TB storage for $7,199 but on my budget I'll drop below the initial $3,999 as part of my de-specing!

Interestingly Mark also ignored the base M3 MacBook Pro in the 4 categories of customer he envisaged, which were:

• MacBook Air Education; office productivity; hobby design and photography
• M3 MacBook Pro Productivity, beginner creativity
• M3 MacBook Pro with 18GB+ 2D pro design, video and creative, coding, scientific and hobby AI
• M3 Mac MacBook Pro 36GB+ 3D design and development, pro video, pro AI, pro creative, pro scientific, pro coding,CS research, (high-end gaming?)

Yes, he used the brackets on 'high-end gaming' too – hard for any Mac users to say that with a straight face, I imagine – and said he believed that 3, the M3 MacBook Pro with 18GB was the sweet spot, at least for the photo and video needs I had set out (as well as playing Civilazation V, of course).

I think I'm coming to my decision, but one thing I'd not taken into account that Mark cautioned me to think about is the needs of AI. He suggests the upcoming M3 Ultra in the Mac Studio will come with a boat load of memory. I'm less certain this will be a big part in my life. For one this I have no plans to ask Siri to write articles for me, and for another I can't imagine any technology which requires an 'Ultra' chip is going to be used for much other than development unless things change very fast in Apple's pricing structure.

The one bet that I probably am prepared to make this year is that doesn't happen (after all, the resale value is always a big part of the pro-Apple argument I make to myself).

Digital Camera World keeps guides to the best laptop for video editing and the best MacBook for photo editing.

Last week I laid out the problem I'd come to as a Mac user; I had decided to buy an M3 MacBook Pro and nearly did it, right up until I was confronted with Apple's confusing and apparently greedy pricing structure which was pushing me toward spending $4,000 for what felt, to me, like the equivalent of a $2,000 computer. I didn't feel like all of that could be blamed on inflation so I decided to keep my money in my pocket and even investigate all the best laptops for video editing, including PCs.

Certainly, I feel the joy I used to experience in buying a new computer of my own every half-decade has been supplanted by a feeling of fear and dread at making a hideous expensive mistake, and voicing that made me feel far from alone.

One respondent told me that they'd thought of switching to Mac a number of times: "As an always PC person, I have always been universally been envious of the obvious build quality and engineering of Macs and the fact they are always pretty!" Fair enough – that's probably what drew me to Macs in the early 2000s. He wasn't tempted, however: "Although I will pay for quality, I won't have my eyeballs ripped out nor will I compromise a lot on my ability to do what I want on it or with it. Memory is where Apple has always generated the margin on their products. I can't see that changing imminently."

I think he's right. I'm old enough to remember when it was possible to buy a MacBook and then put the memory you wanted in yourself for rather less than Apple charged, but the last model that allowed for that was the intel-powered Mid 2012 MacBook Pro (which was available in 13-inch, 15-inch, and 17-inch). They also had an 8x "SuperDrive" DVD drive and FireWire 800 ports.

Another told me how they still used a 2013 Mac Pro – the cylinder (or trash can, depending on your perspective). They told me they had "64GB memory and a 2TB SSD, connected to 32TB of RAID 5 storage" – sounds plentiful for "Photo manipulation using Lightroom Classic, Photoshop and 6 other photo processing tools along with Painter." He said that: "Adobe is pushing me to get a new Mac by implementing features that do not work well on Intel chips." I sympathise (though I struggle to see why Adobe, who charge a subscription, would do this).

His tip, though, did make sense – he'll be looking at the Mac Mini instead of a new Mac Studio; I should look at the MacBook Air. Sadly, of course, I want the sockets including the SD port without a dangling accessory, but it was wise counsel. But otherwise this seems very sound advice. Not that the next respondent agreed...

Another reader – who accused me of making my title a bit 'baity' (though in my defence it was absolutely how I felt) told me: "I have used Macs and PCs since the latter part of the ‘80s. Since the modern era of the Mac, OS X, to the present, there has been no question as to which platform I’d rather use. I don’t consider myself a “fanboy”, just a pragmatic user who has worked in IT since the mid-eighties."

That seems reasonable – though I'm in my mid-40s and have also used both platforms (and others too – any RISC OS fans out there?). Still, he continued: "I find it difficult to believe someone would consider leaving a platform for petty reasons."

Petty? I disagree – My point was that Apple's options are designed to encourage you to buy above your needs through fear of missing out. That isn't petty. 

He said: "That would be analogous to leaving your Tesla for a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle because there are too many choices to make with a Tesla."

Interesting point. I do have a bit of beef with Teslas – I like an instrument cluster in front of me, not off to the side, and I like some more physical controls. I much prefer the Jaguar I-Pace. All the more odd because I did like Apple's touch bar which is not exactly a well-loved – and now discarded – piece of laptop design that's very analogous to the Tesla's touchscreen centre control panel.

Anyway, back to the correspondent, who finished with a flourish: "As one who was once an avid PC user who built my own PCs because of the choices it offered me, I became disillusioned with PCs primarily because of the poor operating system choices. Windows is an all-out failure; I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. Though Windows has made strides over the years, it’s still a poor choice for an OS, especially given its MS-DOS roots. Failing to shed its single-user, insecure DOS roots has caused users infinite nightmares. Linux is a good OS, but it doesn’t support the software that a photographer and videographer needs. That is why I switched to the Mac in the early 2000s.

I believe if you were to switch to a PC/Windows platform, you’d soon be writing an article about why you were returning to the Mac."

He might have a point. I'm off to look at the Apple Store and the Samsung store right now... 

Check our guide to the best laptops for photo editing and the best budget laptops to see how many Apple manage to get on that list!

Samsung’s Galaxy Book3 Ultra is the South Korean giant's answer to the Apple MacBook Pro but it is also a rather sleek and stylish ultrabook in its own right. The quality of the display is the clear attraction point here, especially given Samsung’s expertise in that field.

It would be an understatement to say that Samsung specializes in display technology as the company makes pixel-perfect smartphones, luminous laptop displays, and probably some of the most vivid TV screens around. I am pleased to say that the 16-inch AMOLED panel on the Galaxy Book3 Ultra is Samsung at its absolute best. It is a photo-real 3K screen with a 2,880 x 1,800 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate that is super smooth. 

The inclusion of a Nvidia RTX 4070 suggests that the Ultra can handle most games, though it isn’t quite right for anything super intensive. Fortnite, for example, I found was not as fluid as you find on a dedicated gaming PC or PlayStation. This is because the RTX 4070 chip is merely OK for gaming; it can handle them, but it isn’t something you should specifically buy for that purpose. It’s better served for content creation or consumption, rather than fully fledge gaming. 

Packing an Intel Core i9-13900H chip is also something to take note of. The Galaxy Book3 Ultra gave me super-fast performance regardless of my workload. I worked it hard with multiple tabs, excessive downloads, frequent social media scrolling, and the Ultra handle all with hardly a whimper from its insides. 

Having a Samsung smartphone is also a good reason to check out the Ultra; if you have the Galaxy S23, for example, you can use the Samsung Multi Control feature to use the keyboard to control the smartphone screen. It is, admittedly a niche use case, but it aims to give you that same iPhone-MacBook experience that Apple has successfully created. Sharing files, photos, and documents from one to the other is just as seamless. 

Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra: Specifications

Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra: Price & Availability

Pricing starts at $1,999 / £2,499, making the Ultra a sizable investment, but there are several solid reasons to check it out. For starters, it's the first Galaxy Book to feature a Nvidia GeForce GPU – the RTX 4070. What’s more, it’s also a laptop that will pair well with other Samsung devices, which should attract those with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5. 

Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra: Design & Handling

My Galaxy Book3 Ultra review unit is a smart-looking laptop; not quite a MacBook but in that general style with its grey aluminum body and neat black chiclet keys. It does lack a little originality, but this is a professional machine that can also work well as a personal device. You have a standard-looking graphite body with a logo that is cool and reflective. There are no great risks here, nothing remotely flamboyant, it’s all very subtle. 

It is fairly light for a 16-inch laptop at just 1.79kg. That is still a big chunky machine, and you will feel that if you want to travel with it. Its 355.4mm length and 250.4mm width make I found made it challenging to slide in and out of a rucksack. 

The input controls on the Galaxy Book3 Ultra make it an office champion with a very large keyboard and trackpad. The keys are very low, but they have decent travel and also make a nice muffled clack. The sound is enough to give me that satisfied feel to typing, but still suitably quiet for a silent office. There’s also comfortable space for the palms and wrists, thanks to the larger surface area. 

The size of the device has also allowed it to have a pleasingly large trackpad, which is fantastic for editing photos and videos. You can take the cursor, slowly, from the bottom to the top of the screen without having to hold and change your finger.  

Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra: Performance

There is an Intel Core i9-13900H chip under the hood of the Galaxy Book3 Ultra and it’s matched with 16GB of RAM and 1TB SSD of storage. You can opt for an i7 model and also bump the RAM up to 32GB, but only if you purchase in the US – UK customers are sadly limited to 16GB if they choose the i9 model. The problem here is that the i9 chip and the RTX 4070 GPU will be slower with only 16GB of RAM which makes the top-specced model less appealing. 

However, the i9 features six P-cores that can take it all the way up to 5.4GHz, with eight more powerful E-cores on hand for even more juice. 

In GeekBench 5, the Ultra recorded a multi-core score of 12,788. That is very good – it beats the Dell XPS 15 for power – but it isn’t quite in the league of the M2-powered MacBook Pro. That does slightly undermine its credentials as an alternative to Apple’s premium laptop. 

There is a typical 76Wh power source inside the Galaxy Book3 Ultra and has the staying power to get through a normal 9-5 shift. It even retains enough juice to surf the web or stream something after hours. In fact, there was very little we threw at it that really put its battery to the test. If you do find its battery depleted, the USB type-C charger takes around 90 minutes for a full charge and works with your smartphone.

Having a Samsung smartphone does offer some decent extra features, such as file sharing that can be dragged and dropped from phone to laptop and vice versa. The setup of this is simple and it works just as seamlessly as what Huawei offers with its OneHop software. 

The Ultra also has Bluetooth v5.1, Wi-Fi 6E, and a very generous selection of ports. These include an HDMI2.0 slot, two Thunderbolt 4s, a USB 3.2, a MicroSD multimedia card reader, and a headphone mic combo hole. What’s more, the power button also doubles as a fingerprint reader and consumer models come with the Windows 11 Home operating system.

Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra: Verdict

The Galaxy Book3 Ultra is a great, creative laptop with amps of power and a big bold screen. However, the price is the biggest stumbling block; you can get it from the Samsung website where it is priced at $2,400 in the US, or £2,540 here in the UK. If you’re after a MacBook alternative, there are more affordable options as this, and more similar to the actual price of the MacBook Pro.

AI in one way or another is now a staple in our everyday lives, whether it's asking our virtual assistants for directions, unlocking our phones with facial recognition, or generating new artwork - it has changed the way we live our lives, and after thirty years of being untouched, changed the Microsoft keyboard. 

Microsoft has announced the addition of an AI button named the 'Copilot Key', that will allow users to make commands via Microsft's AI companion - Copilot. The change will be made to all new Windows 11 PCs and start the 'significant shift' toward AI being integrated into all aspects of new Microsoft technology - aiming to both simplify and amplify user experience in the modern age!

• Check out our helpful guide on the best photo-editing laptops

Microsoft states, "We are energized by the stories that have been shared on how Copilot has inspired and empowered people across the last year – and we know our work is never done in our relentless pursuit to continue to innovate on behalf of our customers."

Microsoft has continued to develop Copilot through 2023, integrating it into its Bing search engine and Microsoft 365 where it can be used as a powerful productivity tool, offering assistance in writing documents, email organization, and much more.

Moving forward, a touch of a button and a conversational command will unlock creative options on your Windows PC. Some of the ways Microsoft has advertised the use of Copilot can be seen in the promotional video and advertising images. Microsoft states "Whether it’s turning your ideas into songs, creating beautiful images, and adjusting your PC settings...get started with Copilot today".

Where the Copilot Key may play a significant role for photographers, is with image generation and editing. Commands such as 'remove background' and 'adjust brightness' make small fixes easier. The Luminar AI app can also aid in AI editing and enhancement, such as changing the sky in an image. Copilot will make this much easier to incorporate into the everyday workflow. 

It's not the first time an assistant button has been added to a laptop device. Apple's virtual assistant Siri, had a button included on the touch bar of the Apple MacBook Pro, however, was not given its own established key and certainly not across all new Apple models.

The new Copilot Key is the first since the introduction of the Windows key over 30 years ago. This shows how much AI has had an effect on tech and gives an insight into the importance Microsoft places on it moving forward.

More Windows 11 PCs will be announced during CES 2024 from Microsoft's 'ecosystem partners', and they will all harbor the Copilot Key, including the Surface devices. Availability will start later this month and more information can be found on the Microsoft website.

You may be interested in our guides for the best Dell laptops, the best HP laptops, and the best Lenovo laptops, as future Windows 11 iterations are set to include the new Copilot key. 

I work with drones, which means I work with 4K video. I'm a photography writer, which means I work with photos. I'm just the kind of creative who ought to have a MacBook Pro. Indeed I have one from work, and I have a 2020 iMac – one of a long line of Macs. But it's starting to feel like it might be my last.

I set out to order a new MacBook Pro on the Apple site and I found the process so frustrating and irritating that I gave up. What irritated me, more than anything, was the way Apple has blurred the product range so there isn't a simple choice between entry, mid, and maxed-out. Now it's full of confusing compromises that all seem designed to persuade you to go, "Oh well, just another step up" until you've spent $4000.

My first hope was that perhaps a few Apple enthusiasts on YouTube could sort it out, but that proved a fool's errand. Instead I had to listen to people spouting fanboy nonsense about Apple's unified memory, suggesting it meant 

This isn't really the case. On a Windows machine you'll have faster, more expensive RAM devoted to graphics (GDDR 6) and still-very-fast (but not as fast) RAM devoted to memory (DDR 5). Apple's Unified memory is all the fast expensive type, which means the graphics will be borrowing your main memory (though it's the slightly slower and less power-hungry kind sort designed for laptops).

So, on realizing that I understood the tech better than most of the spec-sheet-spouting YouTubers, I went back to it and started working out what I'd need. 

I am hoping for another four years from this machine, which means – given modern Apple's enthusiasm for solder and lack of upgradeability – I need to get it right. That inflexibility is already very off-putting. There is a door on the back of my 2020 iMac for me, a user, to add new RAM. Some younger readers might not believe it, but this was once also the case with MacBooks – why DCW's James Abbot "Wouldn't touch a MacBook" now.

Fear of making a mistake takes a lot of the joy I used to experience from buying a new computer. I still live in hope, though, so I press on. Do I want a 14-inch or 16-inch? Well, this is actually an easy step for me, and it's instinctive. It's the big one. Or is it? I'll just check…

A look at the 14-inch range and I see it starts at $1,599 for a machine with an offensively low 8GB RAM and not an M3 Pro or M3 Max chip – just an M3, so there's three of them to choose from (and one wonders how far a standard M3 is from an M2). Oh, and 8GB memory shared between video and system on a computer with 'Pro' in its name is downright insulting. 

In the first example of a sneaky "Oh well, I'll just go up one", what you can do is add $200 to get the memory to what I'd regard as the minimum acceptable 16GB. Then the machine is $1,799, at which point you're only $200 away from the $1,999 M3 Pro – which also boasts 8GB RAM minimum rather than 16, so it's kinda okay, right? After all, you're also getting an 11-core CPU rather than 8-core, and 14 GPU cores rather than 10…

Dig a bit deeper for the $2,399 spec 12CPU / 18GPU model and the storage goes up to 1TB SSD rather than 512GB. Since that would have been an extra $200 for the storage, we can see it's $200 for the processor bump. Apple also 'threw in' the $20 upgrade to a 96W power brick, which will charge the machine faster / keep up with the power needs at this point.

Finally, the top tier is the M3 Max. Stripping everything else out, you're effectively paying $400 more for the lower M3 Max (with 14 CPU and 30 GPU cores), or $700 for the higher version (16CPU / 40GPU). The cheaper one has a minimum of 36GB unified memory – which I do consider a workable amount – but incredibly the cheaper Max chip will only allow one upgrade, for $800 to 96GB. The more expensive M3 Max chip, however, offers a mid-tier, so 48GB (minimum), 64GB, or 128GB are options.

Confused yet? Did I mention the balance of the CPU cores? Some of the CPU cores are 'efficiency cores' – prioritizing battery life over speed. In fact there are more of these in the newer Pro chips than in the M2 series – the 12-core M2 had 8 'performance' and 4 'efficiency' – so it was actually more performance-biased.

That's not all. The memory bandwidth for the Pro is lower than the M2 series – 150GB/s rather than 200GB/s. Is this deliberately throttled? It looks that way because the M2 Max had 400GB/s, while now the M3 Max has 300GB/s for the 'base' M3 Max (with 14CPU+30GPUcores) and 400GB/s for the highest (16CPU/40GPU). That's another $300 for some more cores because – it seems – Apple are deliberately turning down the memory's speed to make the more expensive one look, er, Max in benchmarks.

So, for the ultimate CPU performance – that in reality might take a few seconds off a long video render but I'll probably never need – I'm being nudged toward spending $400 more on the 'Max' series – a chip with ray-tracing designed for high-end 3D work and gaming (despite the software desert) – and then nudged again to spend another $300.

Plus the same goes for the 16-inch versions, which are bigger, which is also a $400 step, atop which they have a similar pricing scale. But a big screen is so useful... and that bit of my bag is big enough so... 

Okay, your point?

In summary, the choice facing me – and the potential cost of getting it wrong – is too stressful. Yes, I mentioned I do video, but 2D work doesn't automatically push me up to the max, or the Max. But all the upgrades are so small on their own that I end up looking at all of them. They're little steps, nothing feels big (except the price).

The upshot – for now – is that I've left the Apple site without buying anything, and I went there wanting to buy. Will I be back? Not until I've had a good look at the best photo editing laptops and best video editing laptops regardless of platform!

I have had a lot of responses to this M3 MacBook Pro debate starter (and have put some together here) you guys are helping me decide!

When you read the title, I bet you think I’m an Apple hater – a Windows user who doesn’t understand the unique way that Macs work. Or, perhaps, that I simply can’t afford one so I carry a bitterness for anything and everything Apple. These are common assumptions made by Apple users when confronted by seemingly angry Windows keyboard warriors online.

I can honestly say that any of those assumptions couldn’t be further from the truth. I used to only buy Apple computers, love the way they’re designed and built and still believe that macOS is a far superior operating system to Windows, which has pretty much always been the case. So now you’re probably wondering, why on Earth did I move to Windows?

To cut a slightly longer story short, I used to always upgrade the RAM and HDDs in my Mac notebooks as soon as they arrived. Once Apple began soldering in the RAM and over time it became harder and harder to do home upgrades, I moved over to a Windows desktop where I could change any component myself. Overall, I was becoming frustrated with the way Apple was telling me how to interact and use the hardware it manufactures when I owned the device itself.

Why Windows works for me

I recently bought a new notebook because my old one was no longer up to the tasks I needed it for at seven years old. This was a process that spanned several weeks of research and I even looked at the MacBook Pro 14-inch, but I saved myself a small fortune with a comparably powerful Lenovo Legion Slim 5 14. What’s more, it has a fantastic wide gamut OLED screen for photo and video editing, along with an Nvidia 40-series GPU.

I have to confess that the RAM in my Legion Slim 5 is soldered in. Why Lenovo (the best Lenovo laptops) has gone down this route is beyond belief because the upgrade was peanuts compared to Apple's RAM prices – so it’s not about profit. However, I opted for the maximum 32GB of DDR 5 6400MHz RAM, so this should keep me going for a while. But I can add a second M.2 SSD if I want to, and clone and change the upgraded 1TB M.2 drive the notebook came with, if and when I want to. My desire to tinker is, in part, catered for.

I appreciate that Apple Unified RAM works slightly differently to RAM in PCs because of how and where it’s attached to the motherboard, and that Apple claims their computers can match the performance of comparable Windows computers with twice as much RAM. But does this even matter? I for one don’t care as long as I can achieve the performance I need with double the amount of RAM in a PC, especially when it’s so inexpensive compared to Apple’s RAM upgrade prices.

I paid £1431 For the Legion, and the nearest equivalent MacBook Pro 14, assuming 16GB of RAM is the equivalent of the 32GB I chose, would have cost me $2600 /£2099, so a saving of $840 / £668 for what I would consider to be a more versatile option. As I say, I do prefer macOS, but I also don’t mind Windows and PCs are comparably well-suited to creative work these days, unlike 20 years or so ago when things were different. Coincidentally, both notebooks also benchmark with similar results, so the lower cost of the Legion is a true saving in every sense.

I guess it comes down to preference and what you’re willing to pay. Of course, a low-end $375 / £300 Windows notebook will be next to useless and plagued with performance issues, but spend around $1,890 / £1500 and things are significantly different. So, for me, a mid-range Windows gaming notebook provides all of the power I need for photo and video editing and more, it’s a well-built device and saved me a ton of cash in the process. Which is why, I wouldn’t touch a MacBook Pro with a bargepole.

See where the rest of the DCW team rank things in the best photo-editing laptops guide.

Apple had a strong 2023, with a raft of updates to their popular products, including the iPhone 15 Pro Max, MacBook Air 15-inch, and brand new M3-equipped MacBook Pros.

Apple's iPhone lineup continues to include some of the best camera phones out there, adding new sensors and an improved telephoto camera. Apple's iPad range still continues to dominate the tablet market as well as our list of best tablets for photo editing.

Last but certainly not least, Apple's latest M3 processors in its MacBook Pro range also bring even more power to photo and video editing, making the MacBooks some of the best photo-editing laptops on the planet. 

I can't wait to see what Apple has in store in 2024 and hope that it has a few shocking reveals for photographers and creatives alike. I have rounded up some of the most prominent rumors for what might be in store over the next 12 months, lets dig in.

iPhones

We are a very long way off the announcement of the iPhone 16 series of phones, with the iPhone 15s only just making its way into the hands of buyers just a few short months ago.

Apple's iPhone 15 devices, were another lineup of upgrades that have all made their way into our list of the best camera phones. Unless you are really into USB-C (which was finally added this year), it wasn't a headline year for Apple, with the regular iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro receiving just marginal improvements to the camera systems. The iPhone Pro Max was the only one to grab significant attention with the upgrade of its 3x camera to a 5x one, making it more competitive with the Samsung Galaxy S23 and Google Pixel 8 Pro.

What can we be sure of for 2024? Well, the release date of the iPhone 16 range is pretty much a certainty, coming at the end of October each year, so start saving now. Although this year Apple could potentially have a little more up its sleeve.

iPhone 16 Pro & Pro Max

The most significant change slated for the iPhone 16 Pro series might be increased screen sizes. Both the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max look set to receive a bump in size, with the iPhone 16 Pro apparently going to 6.3 inches from the 6.1 inches of the current iPhone 15 Pro model, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max will receive an increase to 6.9 inches (up from the 15 Pro Max's 6.7 inches).

Camera-wise, the ultrawide camera might get some love with a new 48MP sensor. Ultrawide cameras have always seemed to get the worst of the sensors, so it would be great if Apple brought it up to the potential of the main sensor. 

Periscope camera rumors that dominated last year continue to pop up everywhere, with a potential 300mm 'super periscope' camera allegedly in the works, although Apple is very conservative with big camera updates, and with the 5x camera just out of the gates, I would take that with a pinch of salt.

As you would expect if you follow Apple's phones, is there of course going to be a new Apple A-series processor, that will undoubtedly offer performance gains over the previous generation, and with current trends, offer lots of new and exciting AI features as Apple plays catchup with ChatGPT and Google.

There are also some potential changes to the body design with the volume, power, and Action Button looking like they might be changed to capacitive (non-click) buttons. There are also mentions of a new "Capture" button, although how this would be used or more useful than current methods remains to be seen.

iPhone 16

Don't expect a huge change from last year's standard iPhone models. Apple seems quite happy to just pass down upgrades slowly from the Pro models from the previous couple of generations, keeping the iPhone Pro and Pro Max as the latest and greatest.

Apple will likely still continue on with both the standard model and the larger Plus model, with both models keeping the same screen dimensions. The only other thing to look out for is a bump in processor from this year's 15 Pro, and possibly some new camera sensors inherited from this year's models as well.

iPhone SE

There is no concrete evidence of when we are going to see the next iPhone SE, or even if Apple is going to make another entry-level iPhone, as it seems quite content selling its older iPhone models for lower prices. Most speculation suggests that we won't see a new SE until 2025, but plans can change quite quickly, especially when a phone contains mostly old parts.

These unknowns haven't stopped people from speculating on what a potential new iPhone SE might include. The most prominent rumors suggest that the iPhone SE might re-use the iPhone 14 body, which would not only increase the screen size to a 6.1-in panel but would also be the first time an SE device has used Apple's Face ID instead of the fingerprint reader and home button.

Any iPhone SE would also have to ship with a USB-C port to comply with new EU rules, so this would mark the end of the final current Apple phone with a Lightning connector, and might expedite the SE 4's announcement.

iPads

Apple's iPads continue to dominate the tablet market, although there is very little giving them serious cause for concern with Microsoft's Surface Pro lineup becoming a little stale, and Google's Pixel Tablet going for the smart home entertainment angle rather than a serious computing device.

Going into 2024, it doesn't look like Apple with add or remove any devices from its current stable of iPads, with Apple's lineup continuing with the top-end iPad Pro range as a serious laptop replacement device, the mid-tier iPad Air for getting stuff done on the go, the iPad, the cheapest tablet aimed squarely at entertainment, and the little iPad Mini for note taking and pocket productivity. 

iPad Pro

The new iPad Pro looks set for a 2024 release to potentially coincide with the release of iPadOS 17.4 in March. 

The most notable change anticipated for the iPad Pro is the adoption of an OLED display compared to the existing mini-LED technology in the 12.9-inch model. OLED has the potential for crisper, brighter visuals, and more accurate color reproduction. There's talk of the 12.9-inch model making a slight shift to a 13-inch screen, however, reports suggest that the 11-inch tablet won't see a size increase.

Another potential upgrade on the horizon is a new glass back for the iPad Pro. Transitioning to a glass back could enable wireless charging for the upcoming iPad Pro and even introduce a form of reverse wireless charging. Could Apple be preparing a similar Google Pixel Tablet experience with a smart speaker dock?

The bad news, speculation also suggests a potential price increase for the rumored OLED iPad Pro, possibly reaching a steep $1,800 for a revamped 13-inch model, with all the models having some level of price increase. This put it over the price of the MacBook Air before even adding a keyboard or mouse, that better be one nice screen!

iPad Air

As I repeat every year, I am of course expecting Apple to bump its iPad Air processor one generation higher. The previous iPad Air is still holding onto the M1 Silicon, so it's likely that the 6th Gen iPad Air would include the M2 chip, which would separate it from the iPad Pro which is expected to get the shiny new M3 processor.

Rumors suggest Apple might be toying with the idea of a larger iPad Air version for 2024. The speculation gained traction due to two codenames associated with the new iPad Air: J507 and J508, a trend seen with the iPad Pro, which comes in two sizes. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo added fuel to the fire by claiming the iPad Air will come in the familiar 10.9-inch and an all-new 12.9-inch model.

Rumors also suggest that Apple will buck the price inflation that has been a hallmark of 2023 and will keep the 2024 iPad Air price the same as the current generation, and with a rumored price hike for the iPad Pro this might make the Air seem even better value.

Macs

In 2023 Apple continued its run of updating its usual stable of devices with its latest and most powerful chips – starting the year with the incredibly powerful M2 Max and M2 Ultra in the Mac Studio.

Apple also introduced the first brand-new MacBook in a few years with a 15-inch version of the MacBook Air, which alongside the 13-inch version was updated with an M2 chip. Finishing the year strong, Apple also updated its MacBook Pro range, giving us the first glimpse at the M3 chips that are sure to dominate Apple's update cycle in 2024.

MacBooks

We have probably seen all we are going to from the MacBook Pro range until next fall when Apple will likely be ready to show off the MacBook Pro with M4 Silicon.

Rumors are fairly quiet this far out from release, but we wouldn't expect much to change about next year MacBook's with Apple seemingly settled on a design it is happy with, banishing the final MacBook with the Touchbar from this year's lineup. 

Except for the expected newer processor, other upgrades would most likely be iterative, with bumps to screen technology, USB-C speeds, or some weight savings.

The MacBook Air got the M2 chip last year. Based on current rumors, don't expect much beyond an upgrade to the latest M3 chip, and maybe some fun new color options. 

If the 13-in and 15-in will get upgraded at the same time though remains to be seen, as the 15-inch with M2 is only a few months old. This would simplify Apple's updates going forward, and give customers better side-by-side comparisons, so I would argue its a good idea, but Apple and its supply chain might not agree.

Apple makes a lot more beyond what I have discussed here, and we are likely to see a lot of other updates coming to Apple's ecosystem, with potential upgrades to its Watches, AirPods range, Beats headphones, AirTags, and more.

What else might we see making its way from the depths of Apple's R&D department next year? Stay tuned for all the latest Apple rumors. 

In the meantime, you can also find all the latest Apple gear in our guides to the best camera phones, the best tablets for photo editing, and the best photo-editing laptops.

The king is dead – long live the king! Apple has swapped out its ‘old’ M1 powered iMac range for a new model with its latest M3 processor. Even amidst all of Apple’s typical processor hyperbole, it’s clear that this new chip marks another step forward in consumer computing.

We’ve already seen this M3 processor in action in the MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023) and it certainly doesn’t lack power. But is it a good fit for Apple’s all-in-one desktop computer and what kind of value does it offer to home users, creatives, and professionals?

There are actually two iMac variants, both configurable with more RAM, more storage and more accessories as required. The base model comes with the same glorious screen and physical design and a highly compelling $1,299 / £1,399 price tag but only two ports, both Thunderbolt / USB 4. The upper (premium) model adds two USB Type-C ports, is ‘configurable’ with Gigabit Ethernet (there’s no separate port) and has ten GPU cores, not eight. This version starts at $1,499 / £1,599.

That’s pretty keen pricing for machines with this kind of power and a screen this good, but this is with a baseline spec of just 8GB integrated on-chip RAM and a measly 256GB SSD. You’ll almost certainly want to boost one or both, that’s when the prices really climb.

Our test machine was the upper-tier model with the maximum 24GB RAM and a 1TB SSD. It also came with an Apple Magic TrackPad and an extended keyboard with numeric keypad, and came in at $2,458 / £2,558. Ouch. The iMac M3 can still be great value even with boosted specs, but you’ll want to choose your add-ons wisely.

iMac M3: Design and Handling

The iMac is all about design. Most computer setups are too messy to be allowed into the best rooms in the house, but the iMac would fit in anywhere. The base model comes in a choice of four colors while the upper tier version comes in seven, so you can’t complain it won’t fit with your decor. What’s more, the color you choose is carried through to the keyboard, the underside of the mouse and even the power cable.

Apple’s integrated chip design means the iMac case is thinner even than most regular monitors, at just 11.5mm. It’s also under 5kg in weight, though it still feels a bit of a lump to move around. It does have a very small, neat desktop footprint though, and thanks to the wireless keyboard and mouse, the whole setup is virtually cable-free – you’ll still need the power cable.

Even connecting this power cable will bring a smile to your face. There’s no more struggling with stiff push-in power plugs because this is a small, neat co-axial connector that’s also magnetic – you only have to get it close to the socket on the back of the iMac and it’s sucked into place.

Even the unboxing is an experience. Apple’s packaging is a masterpiece of minimalism and elegance, and you might even find yourself neatly packing away the screen and keyboard protection sheets as precious objects in their own right. Which is weird.

There’s no height adjustment on the screen, but I’ve never found that an issue on this or other iMacs. The tilt movement is all I need for a comfortable viewing angle and the action has just the right amount of stiffness with no wobble or ‘slop’. There are no creaky plastics here.

The keyboard is terrific, with a light-medium touch and a short travel. Some people might prefer bigger, clattery Windows-style keyboards, of course, but I write about 50,000 words a month on Mac keyboards and I don’t think I could use anything else. Only one complaint – there are no ‘dimples’ on the home keys for touch typists.

The review Mac came with an extended numeric keypad keyboard, a slightly more expensive option. It takes up a good deal more desk space and unless you spend your working life entering data in spreadsheets, I wouldn’t bother, especially for home use.

I’m told Apple’s Magic Mouse is not popular with everyone. I love it. It has no clickety scroll wheels or creaky plastic buttons. Instead, the whole top surface is touch/gesture sensitive and also works as one large mouse button – and you can assign a ‘right-click’ action to the front right side too.

If you like sirens, neon, and cooling fans, this is not the computer for you. It’s elegant, understated and minimal. Sometimes too minimal.

Even the upper-tier version has only four connection ports – two USB 4/Thunderbolt and two USB C. There’s no SD card slot, no HDMI for external monitors and no USB Type A ports for older peripherals. If you do use any of these things and, like me, need to plug in external drives too, you’re going to run out of ports pretty much straight away. The iMac itself may be a masterpiece of minimalism, but you’ll need a drawer full of dongles, hubs and adaptors to go with it.

iMac M3: Performance

Apple reckons the M3 iMac is twice as fast as the M1 model it replaces. It also has dynamic GPU memory caching which should reduce unnecessary GPU memory use, and has hardware-accelerated raytracing and mesh rendering. Apple suggests that it is an ideal multi-user ‘home’ computer that’s now even better for games. The iMac’s appeal is surely broader than that, though, both for home workers (via its excellent 1080p HD camera), hot-desking office workers and creatives (thanks to its power and its terrific display).

We carried out our regular benchmarking tests and you’ll see that the iMac M3’s results are almost identical to those of the M3 MacBook Pro 14-inch, as you would expect. In use, it rips through Lightroom and Photoshop processes so quickly that you’ll probably wish you’d upgraded sooner. In our tests Lightroom started in just 2-3 seconds for example, and Photoshop in 3-4 seconds. Native MacOS software like Photos or Mail, for example, starts so quickly it’s practically instantaneous. 

The 4.5K Retina display is really the iMac’s stand-out feature. Its resolution means you never the dots and even the tiniest type is razor sharp. The P3 color gamut is roughly equivalent to Adobe RGB (with a slight shift in the extreme green region) and with 500 nits of brightness it’s going to be usable even in the brightest workspaces.

It’s worth mentioning the sound system, too. The iMac M3 has no fewer than six speakers, with two pairs of woofers, each matched with a tweeter, and with Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio thrown in too. The sound is rich, deep and nuanced, and streets ahead of the average computer monitor. 

iMac M3: Verdict

There are cheaper ways to get a desktop computer than this, but while it might look as if all the money has been spent on the iMac M3’s design and styling, it does actually deliver a lot of power for the money too. This is not just a fast, modern and powerful computer with a beautiful screen, it’s smart enough to keep in any room in the house, and ideal for a multitude of uses – and users.

But it has some drawbacks. One is the paucity of ports. That’s probably going to be a nuisance. Another is the speed at which the cost escalates if you upgrade the specs. I would recommend 16GB RAM not 8GB, especially if you want to use heavy-duty photo or video editing tools, and if other users are going to stay logged in. The 256GB baseline storage would be better upgraded to 512GB, but I wouldn’t go further than that, as it’s cheaper to plug in fast external SSDs if you need more storage.

What makes choosing the specs for an iMac harder is that you need to plan not only for the hardware you need now, but for the next five years, because the integrated chip architecture means that once your iMac is built to your specs, not even Apple can upgrade it later.

Lastly, when the computing hardware in your iMac finally becomes obsolete, so will that beautiful 4.5K Retina screen, because it’s an inseparable part of the package. That might not bother you now, but when my previous iMac outlived its usefulness, the redundancy of its 4K display, still excellent even by current standards, seemed a terrible waste.

We have to mention these things. The iMac M3 is a powerful, practical and versatile desktop computer, it’s a joy to own and use and even just to look at. It’s just not quite perfect.

It is the end of another year, it's the return of pumpkin spice, long nights, holiday sales, and of course the next version of Apple’s processors. After Apple turned the world of computing upside down with the release of its M1 chip, proving the hold Intel had over the high-end processor market could be broken, like clockwork Apple has trotted out a new version of its processors each fall. 

We are now onto the third version of Apple’s in-house silicon, fittingly named the M3, which also comes in an M3 Pro and M3 Max varieties, although those are not my focus this time, this review focuses on the the base M3 chip in the MacBook Pro, which for the first time in several years has had a complete redesign.

Well, not exactly a complete redesign, as it now just follows the design of the previous two generations of M3 Pro/Max MacBooks that have debuted in the last few years. However, Apple has seemed resistant to phase out the base MacBook Pro with the much-maligned touchbar design for the past couple of generations, so it is a welcome sight to see it finally make the jump.

The new version of the MacBook Pro M3 is a fair bit more expensive than the previous version, with Apple adding an additional $300 to the ticket price. The new version is just under an inch larger but otherwise has similar internal specs as the previous model (except trading its M2 chip for M3), it also gets rid of the touch bar for a row of standard keys. I’m not an economist, and maybe I am missing something, but is the new design really that much of a premium?

Apple’s choice of RAM has also caused a stir among reviewers. While Apple will be quick to tout that its unified memory is superior to normal RAM, the base model still comes with an underwhelming 8GB of RAM, I will go into this later in this review, but this might be a sore point for power users. 

As ever with Apple, increasing the specifications of your MacBook Pro feels unnecessarily pricey. To take the RAM from 8GB to 16GB, is another $200, as is upgrading the SSD from 512GB to 1TB. When you can buy a third-party 2TB SSDs (or even larger) for around that price – $200 per 512GB does sting.

How does the MacBook Pro M3 compare?

Depending on how far you can stretch your budget, the base MacBook Pro M3 is actually just a great advert for buying the MacBook Pro M3 Pro. The base price for the MacBook Pro M3 is $1,599, but if you do spec the M3 MacBook up to 16GB of RAM it totals $1,799. The lowest-tier M3 Pro MacBook costs only $200 more ($1,999) but nets you 3 more CPU cores (8 vs 11), 4 more GPU cores (10 vs 14), and a further 2GB of RAM (16 vs 18), and is where I would consider putting my money instead.

For more casual users, if you think you can get away with just 8GB of RAM then the MacBook Air would be my recommendation which offers similar levels of performance for less money. Or it won’t be long until the MacBook Air with M3 is released, usually coming in the spring, if you want to wait to see the M3 performance boost in a cheaper, smaller, and lighter model. The only thing that would really tempt me to the MacBook Pro over the Air is the inclusion of the SD Card slot, which is something I rely on daily, but have managed to work around for the last few years.

MacBook Pro M3: Design & Handling

Apple has been working through the last of its touchbar stock for quite some time, but finally, the base MacBook Pro model joins the rest of the range with the newly designed body, and I couldn’t be happier. I know some people out there are big fans of the touchbar for some specific uses in certain editing apps, and I am currently sitting happily typing this review on a MacBook Pro with a touchbar. I never hated the touchbar and I could always see its potential, but I also never really found a use for it personally (or maybe apps never tried hard enough), but I am mostly glad to see the back of it.

The touchbar has been replaced by a row of function keys, which is more practical, the keyboard has also had a redesign, with black keys on a black background. I don’t like this as much as the keys separated by the chassis color on the previous model as the keys are a little hard to distinguish, and the black picks up grease more. 

The keyboard itself is still beautifully easy to type on, with classic scissor-switch keys and not the horrendous butterfly key experiment from previous MacBooks.

The other new additions that come alongside the new body design are the inclusion of an SD Card slot and HDMI port, both of which will be greatly received by photographers everywhere. I am not sure why the laptop manufacturers collectively decided to banish SD Card readers from their devices, but I am so happy they are making a comeback. I have to copy files several times a day between an SD card and my laptop, and having a dongle dangling near constantly is a huge annoyance.

On the other side of the laptop are two Thunderbolt powered USB-C ports, and the MagSafe charging port. It is a shame to be reduced to just two USB-C ports, although using the laptop over the course of a few weeks, I very rarely needed to plug in more than two USB-C cables, as with the SD card slot, I am now thankfully dongleless. 

I am still not sure about the return of the MagSafe charger and HMDI. My monitor is connected with USB-C, along with it providing power delivery, so the MagSafe port and HDMI are largely redundant and could be better served by additional USB-C ports. However, I appreciate other setups rely far more heavily on HMDI connections. The MagSafe connection still feels like a cash grab for Apple to charge for certifying cables, but I guess it is useful if you are someone who trips on cables a lot.

Lastly, the new design brings the notch the the entry-level MacBook Pro. I know the notch has proved controversial, and while I don’t necessarily love it, after using the laptop for a while, I did completely stop noticing it. I am still confused as to why it is so large when other brands manage to squeeze similar-quality cameras into smaller bezels. 

It still doesn't bring Apple's FaceID system from its iPhones, instead uses a very quick and accurate fingerprint reader over the power key. The quality of the webcam is excellent, and much improved in the previous model’s muddy image.

The screen itself is stunning. This is one of the best screens I have ever used on a laptop, with beautiful color and contrast, editing on this screen is just a joy, and makes my photo and video look better than ever and really shows off more of what my cameras are actually capturing. The screen also gets very bright, which will be of more help when summer rolls around again and I am editing outside, but for the time being, it is coping well under the bright (and slightly annoying) spotlights of a fancy coffee shop.

Entertainment is also better, with movies looking stunning. The speakers on the MacBook Pro are also excellent and have been blasting music at me while I write this review, with good separation between highs and lows, and while the bass isn’t exactly booming, it is punchy enough to be felt. 

MacBook Pro M3: Performance

Firstly, if you are coming from the previous M2 MacBook Pro then you probably won't notice a significant real-world difference between that processor and what the M3 is capable of. The body redesign here with the additional ports would be the main driving factor to upgrade. If you are an M2 user hoping for more processing power, I would recommend looking at going up to the M3 Pro or Max, (or M2 Pro and Max laptops if you can find one at a bargain).

If you are coming from Intel models of the MacBook Pro, then it is an entirely different story, with the M3 chip being an absolute revelation over those older models.

The M3 chip in the MacBook Pro handles all the day-to-day stuff with ease, MacOS has always felt silky smooth to use, even on older Intel chips, but with M3, everything opens that bit faster, opening Chrome, Spotify, or Adobe apps always takes an age to just load on my Intel i7 powered MacBook Pro with that bouncing icon taunting me, but on the M3 MacBook this is near instantaneous.

For photo and video editors looking to use more creative software, the difference between the M3 and older Intel systems is so dramatic I don’t know how I go back to using my Intel-powered laptop. I spend the majority of my computing time in Adobe Lightroom Classic, which is one of the slowest apps even on a good day, but where my i7 MacBook Pro frequently gets hung up on the most simple of tasks like creating previews of images or exporting batches of photos, the M3 MacBook Pro just doesn't really get bogged down.

In exporting images using HandBrake, a dozen 4K videos shot on my phone re-exported as 1080p mp4 files took about a third of the time on the M3 MacBook as it did on my Intel-powered MacBook Pro 13-in. But more importantly, while my Intel MacBook essentially became unusable during the process, I could still use other apps smoothly on the M3 MacBook while the videos processed. 

Where I have a sticking point with the base M3 MacBook Pro is with its standard 8GB of RAM, Apple has provided me with a laptop with 16GB of RAM for testing, which handles everything beautifully. However, I also happen to have my partner’s M2 MacBook Air with 8GB of RAM, which although the processor is sensational, it is very easy to bring its RAM to full capacity when running several intensive tasks – such as photo editing. 

Even though the new M3 chip adds more processing power, I would question if this would be enough for editors who are often using PhotoShop, Lightroom, Premiere, or other software all at the same time. For an investment that will still be used years in the future, and as the memory cannot be upgraded at any later stage, I personally would avoid the 8GB RAM model.

The battery life of the MacBook Pro M3 seems endless. While demanding software like Lightroom or Premiere does cause it to drain faster, it outlasts older systems by hours. For productivity and browsing, it excels even more. During a recent full day of travel – typing on Google Docs, doing light photo editing, and streaming lots of YouTube – I returned home with plenty of battery life left.

MacBook Pro M3: Final Verdict

The updated iteration of the base MacBook Pro M3 model marks the most significant step forward in design for several years by reintroducing sought-after features like the SD card and HDMI ports, but also by the introduction of the polarizing screen notch. While the M3 chip boasts incremental improvements over its predecessor, the M2, it is a massive leap forward from existing Intel-based MacBook Pro models.

However, the central issue with this revamped MacBook Pro lies in its place within the lineup. With 8GB of RAM, it might not meet the demands of power users, with the MacBook Pro with M3 Pro chip being the one to add to your wishlist. It also makes the MacBook Air the potentially more appealing and economically sensible choice for users who don't require extensive processing power. 

This positioning quandary begs the question of whether this iteration is caught between catering to different user segments, potentially leaving both power users and casual users searching for a more fitting alternative.

Alternatives

The TUF Gaming F15 is made by ASUS and is squarely pitched towards gamers, hence the name. You would be forgiven for wondering why it is therefore being reviewed with creative professionals in mind rather than gamers. If it was called TUF Photo-editing F15 then you could understand the connection. 

The reality is that gaming laptops are often loaded with great processors, a decent amount of RAM, and fantastic graphics cards - all elements that contribute to a great experience for creatives. 

This model (FX507ZU) has an Intel i7 processor and a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU with 6GB GDDR6. It meets Photoshop’s recommended hardware requirements in every area which means you’ll have no problem running the likes of Photoshop and Lightroom. 

The TUF Gaming F15 definitely comes in at the top end of what would be considered a budget laptop. The spec matches the price and the inclusion of a number of different IO ports is a big plus. As a photographer, I love the SD card reader on my MacBook Pro, a luxury that is sadly missing on the TUF Gaming F15. 

The GeForce RTX 4050 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and is therefore perfectly positioned to provide the power for the latest tranche of AI-driven tools in the Adobe suite of products. 

Asus Tuf Gaming F15: Specifications

Model: FX507ZU
Operating System: Windows 11 Home
Processor: 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H Processor 2.3 GHz (24M Cache, up to 4.7 GHz, 14 cores)
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU, 6GB GDDR6
Display: 15.6-inch, FHD (1920 x 1080) 16:9, Value IPS-level, Anti-glare display
Memory: 8GB DDR4-3200 SO-DIMM x 2, Max Capacity: 32GB
Storage: 512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
I/O Ports: 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, 1x HDMI 2.1 FRL, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C support DisplayPort / power delivery / G-SYNC, 1x RJ45 LAN port, 1x Thunderbolt 4 support DisplayPort
Touchpad: Yes
Camera: 720P HD camera
Battery: 90WHrs, 4S1P, 4-cell Li-ion
Weight: 2.20 Kg (4.85 lbs)
Dimensions: (W x D x H) 35.4 x 25.1 x 2.24cm

Asus Tuf Gaming F15: Key Features

Answering the question of whether the key features of the laptop will meet your needs is something only you can answer, I’m afraid. But maybe I can help a little. 

The display is 15.6-inch which is perfect for working on photos and videos. It’s enough screen real estate to run editing tasks when out and about but will definitely benefit from a second screen for more demanding creative projects. The FHD (1920 x 1080) resolution will be fine for photo editing but falls well short of the increasing demand for 4K video. If you find yourself only working with FHD footage then this laptop might be fine for now but certainly won’t be a long-term investment.

The touchpad is another key feature and it's a really good size. It makes navigating around photos and documents a breeze. The pad is pretty responsive although I did find the middle mouse click a little hard to use and at times unpredictable.

The 90Wh battery provides plenty of power for hours of editing, video playback, and web browsing and its super fast recharging enables it to go from 0-50% in as little as 30 minutes.

I would love to have seen an SD Card reader built into the device but that’s understandable given this is primarily a gaming laptop. Transferring photos and videos from cameras is a constant job for creatives but this will have to be achieved through a docking station or hub.

Asus Tuf Gaming F15: Design & Handling

The chassis has been redesigned for 2023, now 4.5% smaller than the previous design. It weighs in at 2.20Kg which is comparable with most laptops of its size but nowhere near as light and portable as the latest MacBook Pro’s for example.

The top of the laptop is metal with the sides and bottom being made of plastic. The materials make it feel mid-range but the addition of bevels and a sleek custom design give this laptop a visual wow factor. I didn’t find the keyboard to be particularly ergonomic and comfortable to use. I also thought the main keys were weighted too far to the left making it uncomfortable when typing. The RGB backlit colored keys were annoying but can thankfully be turned off. 

One of the selling points is its military-grade toughness, not something I tested for the review! They claim to have conducted rigorous MIL-STD-810H tests with the device exposed to drops, vibration, humidity, and extreme temperatures to ensure reliability. With this badge of honor, the laptop will survive the risks of using it at home, in the office, or out and about.

Asus Tuf Gaming F15: Performance

This laptop performs day-to-day browsing more than effectively with no hold-ups or lag. The 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor paired with 2x 8GB DDR4 RAM enables this machine to handle photo-editing tasks with ease. The 16GB of RAM is perfect for opening and utilising multiple applications which is necessary for creatives needing access to multiple Adobe applications. 

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 is a mid-range GPU built on the Ada Lovelace architecture. It offers 2560 shaders and uses 6 GB GDDR6 dedicated graphics memory with a clock speed of 16 Gbps. This GPU has DirectX 12 support, and 6GB of GPU memory, both of which are either in line or above Photoshop’s recommendations.

The Cinebench scores came in at 6250 points for the GPU, 791 points for the multi-core CPU, and 96 points for the single-core CPU. The Geekbench score for multi-core came in at 10679 and single-core at 2419. Its GPU OpenCL score was 79031. During our Handbrake test, the TUF Gaming F15 transcoded a 10-minute 34-second 4K video to 1080p in 4 minutes 30 seconds.

Asus Tuf Gaming F15: Final Verdict

The TUF Gaming F15 is an excellent option for creatives who want a laptop at the top end of the budget category. An impressive processor and graphics card will work well for all types of editors but the lack of anything more than a FHD display will be problematic for video editors working with 4kK footage. A docking station or hub will be required to suit most workflows as this laptop doesn’t include an SD card reader. This mid-range laptop is a perfect all-rounder for creatives, gamers, and those working from home.

There are plenty of options in the budget to mid-range category with the Acer Nitro 5 providing similar specs. The HP Victus gaming laptop would be a more direct competitor but lacks the same level of processor or graphics card. 

Read more: check out our guide for the best budget laptops for more, or if you want to see the best of the best, take a look at our top picks for the best photo editing laptops and the best laptops for video editing.

Apple has released its new range of M3-powered MacBook Pro laptops, and if its marketing is to believed, they look rather good (we'll bring you our comprehensive independent review soon). Even the pricing seems at least palatable, with a base 16-inch, 18GB model coming in at $2,499.

But what if you get over-enthusiastic with the customisation options and spec up the flagship 16-inch M3 Max machine with the best of everything - 128GB RAM, an 8 terabyte SSD - what kind of dent (sorry, crater) do you think that'd put in your bank balance? $4,000, $5,000?, surely not as much as $6,000?

Ha, nowhere near. A fully specced-up 16-inch M3 Max MacBook Pro will run you to a whopping $7,199, and that's not including any optional software extras. So in today's Digital Camera World morning team meeting we posed the question: how much camera gear could you buy for the same money? And we're not talking about something like an entry-level Canon EOS R100 and a dozen budget lenses here. No, what kind of heavy duty, premium camera equipment could you be shooting with for the cost of just one MacBook Pro. Spoiler alert: it's a lot!

(The following prices were sourced from B&H on November 8th 2023)

Let's start with Canon. Right now there are some handy price reductions on the EOS R5 which can currently be picked up for $3,399. You could then kit this out with a $1,299 RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM and a $2,499 RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM, all for a total outlay of $7,197.

But what say you'd like a few more lenses in your kit bag? Switch to Nikon and your $7,199 buys you a Z 7II ($2,497), plus no fewer than FOUR lenses:

• Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S ($1,147)
• Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S ($1,097)
• Nikon Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR ($1,697)
• Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S ($697)

There's even change left over for a $62 PNY 256GB EliteX-PRO60 UHS-II SDXC card.

"Suuure, but full-frame is for the poor - only a medium format kit is good enough for me" I hear you cry.

Well, your luck's in, as that same $7,199 could instead bag you a Fujifilm GFX 50S II ($3,199), plus a GF 32-64mm f/4 R LM WR ($1,849) and a GF 100-200mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR ($1,599). You could even add a studio lighting kit like the Interfit Badger Unleashed 2-Light Backpack Kit ($560), but only if you don't mind going $8 over budget :\

"All well and good, but I've already got an extensive camera kit. I want to drop $7,199 on something bigger. More impressive. More childish!"

Well ladies and gentlemen, I give you... a 2011 Ford Crown Victoria ex police interceptor, for the bargain price of $6,500

Fulfil a childhood dream, and drive around secure in the knowledge that no road user well ever cause you any grief. Even 128GB of RAM in your MacBook can't give you that level of God complex.

But coming back down to earth: please think carefully when you're configuring your new MacBook. Sure, a modern MacBook can't be upgraded, so it's wise to get as much RAM as you can afford at the point of purchase, but will your workflow ever really need 64GB RAM, let alone 128GB? Likewise, speccing anything larger than a 1TB SSD will invariably cost more than simply connecting a separate USB external hard drive or SSD of an equivalent capacity.

We love a nice new MacBook here, but even we can't justify splurging over $7,000 on one.

Apple announced the iMac M3 on October 30 2023, and it is one of the first machines to gain a new M3 chip (alongside the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops). 

The iMac has been one of best desktop computers for photo editing for some while, not least because it comes with an excellent built-in screen. The new M3 processor supports up to 24MB of memory (up from 16MB) and boasts GPU improvements over the existing iMac M1, but just how much better is this all-new iMac? 

Apple says that the new M3 processor is up to twice as fast as the M1, but in practice productivity apps like the Safari web browser or Microsoft Excel will run at a less striking 30% faster – meaning that, as a mere speed improvement, it probably isn't worth rushing out to buy the new machine. It's a nice bump, because Apple didn't bother putting the M2 chip in the iMac line, but for most users I doubt it'll be cause to shop.

For some specific cases, though, the new version of the Apple Silicon has hardware acceleration – specifically gaming, where the GPU section of the chip now boasts ray-tracing for much better frame rates. Apple also estimates that Photoshop should handle a 100MP file at about double the speed of the M1 generation iMac.

If you're looking for physical change, you won't find it either. The hardware looks identical, though the stand is now 100% recycled aluminum. The built-in 4.5K screen retains the same 500 excellent nits and 4.5K resolution, good for the 24-inch size but we'd still love to see a 27-inch offering. (I myself still have a 27-inch iMac from the Intel era with a 5K screen, and I live in hope!)

Less visibly the Wi-Fi gets a bump from 6 to 6E, a system that creates a 'fast lane' using 6GHz frequencies to provide more channels (and so, in theory, support more devices without interference). If you have or plan to upgrade your router, this is a nice benefit. Gigabit ethernet is, as before, an option that needs to be specified at purchase, and connects via the power brick rather than the machine itself.

So, in short, should you buy the iMac M3? Well, since there is no significant change in pricing, if you were considering the iMac M1 there is no reason not to switch up and enjoy the advantage. We ranked it as one of the best computers for photo editing, and it is very likely that the newer version to be the same.

Better yet, the pleasures of all-in-one computers have a little more flexibility since if you are feeling spendy you can spec up and get a little more memory. The only disappointment for fans of tidy work areas is that you still can't opt to get as much screen size as the last Intel-era iMacs (which were sold in two sizes, 21.5 and 27-inch). That is a shame, but the 24-inch screen does have nearly as many pixels as the old 27-inch so it's still great to work with.

The new iMac will ship from November 07, and Apple has them up for pre-order, with prices starting at $1,299 / £1,399 (Australian pricing TBC). In the meantime, if you're not too power-hungry and don't put too much pressure on your Wi-Fi, now might be a good time to start looking at discounted M1 models!

For those less excited by tidy desktops, look at the best MacBooks for photo editing and plan to add one of the best monitors for photo editing or the best monitors for video editing. 

There's rarely a better time to buy a Mac, iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch than around Cyber Monday, and 2023 is no different. Perhaps the most surprising offer is the hefty saving on the brand-new MacBook M3 at Amazon – $150 off in the US and £129 off in the UK. The Apple Store is also joining in the fun, with up to $200 off selected products in the US and up to £160 off selected products in the UK (although that comes in the form of an Apple Gift Card rather than hard cash).

We've already rounded up some of the best Cyber Monday Apple deals available right now, from the latest launches to the more heavily discounted older models that still pack a punch. And for all the latest deals, keep an eye on our live blog.

Cyber Monday Apple deals in the US

Top US retailers:

Amazon: Savings on new MacBook Pros and more
Adorama: Save up to $55% on Apple products!
Apple: Get an Apple Gift Card worth up to $200 with selected products (until November 27)
Walmart: Savings on dozens of Apple products
B&H Photo Video: Big savings on MacBooks and more
Best Buy: Save on Mac, iPhone and iPad

MacBooks

iMac

iPads

iPhone

Watch

Black Friday Apple deals in the UK

Top UK retailers:

Amazon: Full range of Apple products and accessories at great prices
Apple: Apple Gift Card worth up to £160 on selected products (until November 27)
John Lewis: The latest deals on electrical equipment
Very:  Hot trade-in deals on iPads and iPhones

When is Black Friday?

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, and this year falls on Friday, November 24, 2023. This has become the major online sale each year, as many Americans have the day off, and use this for shopping. For many people it is often the last payday before Christmas - so the day that they have the money to buy gifts. Cyber Monday falls on the following Monday, and this year is on November 27.

• Best iPhone for photography
• The best Macbooks for photo editing
• The best iPads for photo editing
• Best iPhone 15 Pro Max cases

Ugreen’s 12-in-1 docking station boasts quite the spec; 12 incredibly powerful ports that let you connect just about anything including up to 3 monitors. Ugreen has a substantial range of hubs and docking stations but this one stands above them all in both capacity and capability. One of the most notable inclusions is the triple display option all the way up to 8K.

Ugreen 12-in-1 Docking Station: Specifications

Ugreen 12-in-1 Docking Station: Key Features

Probably the most notable feature is its ability to extend your display to three further displays. This is achieved through two HDMI ports and one Display port. 8K functionality is supported at 30hz which is good but I would like to have seen this extended to 60hz. Users can easily work on multiple shots, edits, or projects thanks to this dock. 

Files can be transferred without any hassle at all. Video files, in particular, are getting larger all the time so to have a device that can get those onto your machine quickly is paramount. Cutting down the time between capture and editing is easily achieved with this docking station.

Alongside display extension and data transfer, there is a lightning-quick charging port which is perfect for getting your laptop, phone, or other compatible device charged up in a hurry.

Ugreen 12-in-1 Docking Station: Build & Handling

This dock is solid and well-built with nice beveled edges. The metal construction and matt finish means it looks great in any setup. The input cables and cards slot in well demonstrating the quality of the build. The bottom includes four rubber pads giving a soft contact between the dock and the desk. Due to the number of inputs it supports, this is a heavy item, weighing in at 748 grams. At this weight, and with the bulky power adapter, you’ll be fine using it in one location but it doesn’t lend itself to portability.

Ugreen 12-in-1 Docking Station: Performance

This device performs well on all fronts. Data speeds of 10Gbps can be achieved through USB 3.0 and USB-C with a LAN port supporting 1000Mbps. The dock is great but in reality, it opens up a whole world of possibilities for efficient and streamlined working. 

Ugreen 12-in-1 Docking Station: Verdict

If you want a dock that will do it all and you’re not concerned about how much money you’ll need to part with then this is the dock for you. Benefitting from triple display capability, lightning-quick data transfer, and a range of other connections, this dock has it all. The only downside is the significant cost but if you can stomach that then you won’t be disappointed with the results.

The likes of Satechi, Corsair, and Anker offer alternative solutions but Ugreen’s docking stations devoted to display extension are really pushing the market forward. Video editors or those working on demanding design projects will find this dock to be pretty unmatched.

Read more: find out more of our top picks for best laptop docking stations.

With the best laptop webcam built into your computer, you can enjoy great image quality, silky smooth performance and innovative features. And with remote work and virtual meetings as commonplace as ever, for many webcam quality is an essential consideration when choosing a new laptop.

Of course, you don't just buy a laptop for its in-built webcam: you want it to do all sorts of other things too. That's why we test all aspects of the best laptops, to make sure they deliver on all fronts.

In this article we've listed the best laptops that feature great webcams as well as fast performance, great picture quality, and more besides. However, if you'd prefer to stick with your current laptop, then you could alternatively connect a separate exterior webcam (or even mirrorless camera) to your PC, and perhaps use a ring light or other illumination device too.

Our top picks

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Best webcam laptops 

The best laptop webcam overall

The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 is a 2-in-1 detachable tablet computer that blends the portability of a tablet with the versatility of a laptop, although the optional Pro Flex keyboard is a must, and it isn't cheap.

The Surface Pro 11 can be specced with a 2880 x 1800 OLED display so your images look the part. But where this 2-in-1 really takes some beating is webcam quality. It boasts camera with an incredible 12MP, 4032x3024 resolution. Thanks to the machine's AI-focused NPU, the webcam benefits from Windows Studio Effects - these provide handy video enhancements like automatic framing, eye contact correction, and advanced background blur during meetings.

Elsewhere, the Qualcomm Snapdragon X manages to be powerful without being power-hungry, and it can be specced with up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, making the Surface Pro deceptively potent.

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The best Apple laptop webcam

Our reviewer found a lot to love about the latest MacBook Pro 14 (M4, 2024). The screen is stunning, and the new M4 chip absolutely blows old Intel chip-equipped MacBooks out of the water. Plus when it comes to the webcam, it boasts a high quality 1080p camera.

Overall, this is a hugely powerful laptop, although may be overkill for some many, especially if you're not doing a lot of resource-intensive tasks like photo or video editing. So if you want a 1080p webcam, you may prefer to save a little money and opt for the previous 2023 M3 MacBook Pro, or even the latest M4 iMac.

See our full MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023) review

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The best 2-in-1 laptop webcam

A Windows 11 tablet rather than a laptop - the keyboard case is sold separately - the Surface Go 4 is underpowered in its Pentium incarnation unless all you’re doing with it is surfing the web. Luckily, there are upgrades to the CPU, RAM and storage available that turn it from a touchscreen triviality into a seriously useful machine - though you’ll pay for the privilege.

That goes for the webcam too. It’s a 5MP model that’s perfect for 1080p video calls and selfies, and as it’s a tablet there's another 8MP camera on the back too. You also get Windows Hello functionality, where the Surface Go is unlocked using facial recognition.

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The best Chromebook webcam

Chromebooks – laptops that run the lightweight ChromeOS from Google – tend to have lesser specifications than Windows laptops, as all they’re going to be asked to do is run web apps through the Chrome browser. This doesn’t mean they’re any less capable, as there are full office suites and image editing apps available for them, but they’re not expected to work as hard.

This model from HP has a spec that a budget Windows laptop would be envious of, and its 1080p webcam means your video calls should be clear and sharp.

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The best laptop webcam for gamers

The Razer Blade series are all gaming laptops, but having those powerful CPU and GPU chips also makes them better for doing other things, like intensive image or video editing. The 1080p camera found at the top of the Blade 16’s screen should provide excellent image quality, plus it enables Windows Hello functionality. Naturally with so much performance on tap, you'll pay a high price to get your hands on a Blade 16 (and that's before you get tempted by the options list!). But if you want a Windows laptop that'll stay as future-proofed as possible, it may just be a worthwhile investment.

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The best laptop webcam for business meetings

Lenovo’s ThinkPad line are business-oriented machines with a reputation for having everything you need to be an executive on the move, and that goes for the webcam too.

The display on the X1 Carbon Gen 14 is sharp and bright, with LCD or OLED options, and above it sits either a 5MP or 10MP webcam, depending on the spec you choose. It’s a Windows Hello compatible camera, so you can unlock your laptop with just your face, and it features a wide field of view, along with automatic distortion correction, so you and your colleagues should look your best in a meeting.

While this is far from the cheapest laptop out there, it has a very serious specification to match its serious status, easily performing all day in video conferences and office work.

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FAQs

How to choose the best laptop webcams

When choosing a laptop webcam, there are several key factors to consider. First, resolution: look for at least 1080p full HD resolution, as this will provide sharp, detailed video suitable for professional video calls and streaming. Low-light performance is important if you frequently have video calls in dimly lit rooms. Also, consider privacy features like camera shutters or kill switches to disable the webcam when not in use for security. Finally, prioritize laptops with high-quality microphones if you need excellent audio capture.

How we test the best laptop webcams

We put each webcam model through rigorous real-world testing to thoroughly evaluate its performance. We make video calls and participate in virtual conferences using each webcam to assess video and audio quality in real meeting environments. We stream live video using the webcams to judge their suitability for applications like game streaming. We record video of ourselves with the webcams under different scenarios to critically analyze footage quality. We don't just focus on video: audio quality from the webcam's built-in microphones is also carefully evaluated during testing for clarity and noise cancellation.

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The best budget webcam

The best MacBook screen protectors are essentially for anyone who's just spent a ton of money on an expensive Apple laptop. Because these thin, precision-crafted layers of protection offer more than just physical defence; they can also reduce glare, provide privacy and even enhance your viewing experience.

Whether you're a creative professional, a student or a casual user, the right screen protector can extend the life of your MacBook while maintaining its sleek aesthetic. To help you find the right one, we've asked our experts to draw up this list of the best MacBook screen protectors available today.

If you're short of time, you could just skip to our number one pick overall, the Spigen Full Coverage Screen Protector. You may also like our guide to the best MacBooks for photo editing, as well as our roundups of the best Mac webcams.

Our top picks

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Best MacBook screen protector overall

Spigen is one of the best manufacturers on the market when it comes to tech accessories. We've tested hundreds (not an exaggeration) of phone cases from Spigen for different device models, but the company is really well known for its reliable and super high quality screen protectors.

This tempered glass MacBook screen protector from Spigen is no exception, and offers full screen, high transparency edge-to-edge coverage for your MacBook display. It's comprised of reinforced layers that include release film, silicone resin, an OCA layer, tempered glass and anti-dust nano coatings.

Not convinced yet? This glossy screen protector also boasts anti-bubble and anti-scratch durability to keep your screen in top condition, and uses all-around adhesive to ensure that the entire screen is securely covered with no lifting. You only get one screen protector in this pack, but one should be all you need. Be sure to choose the correct size for your device, this protector is compatible with the latest 16" models, as well as older 13" MacBook models.

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Best MacBook screen protector for privacy

Why would anyone need a privacy screen protector? Even if you're not someone who looks at anything particularly risky during work hours, it can be super important to keep your screen guarded in public to protect sensitive information related to your company or business, or to protect your credit card number if buying online and having someone sneakily look over your shoulder. This might seem over the top – but you never think it will happen to you, until it does.

When it comes to privacy, our top pick is this screen protector from Belkin, which is certified by Apple, removable, and reusable. It offers full-screen privacy for your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro through a two-way side filter, and when you're done with this screen protector, you can simply remove it and store it in the included TruePrivacy panel to keep it safe and ready for reuse.

This might be a bit of a hassle when commuting, as you'll need to keep the TruePrivacy panel nearby to safely store the screen protector after you're finished with it. Although, if you only use it in the office then it could be left on your desk.

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Best for blue-light reduction

Blue light is the invisible light that gets emitted from our screens and can with prolonged use cause eye strain, worsening Myopia, and fatigue. It can even interfere with sleeping patterns. With a blue-light-blocking screen protector such as this one, you can filter and reduce the amount of harmful light reaching your eyes. This screen protector has a matte finish and is quick and easy to install.

The base material used to create this protector is imported from Japan and applied to your MacBook display using nano-silicone paste technology. The pack comes included with two screen protectors plus an installation tool kit.

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Best MacBook screen protector for durability

This privacy screen protector from CASETIFY is a little on the expensive side but it's worth the extra price, as CASETIFY is a trusted leading brand and uses the best quality materials in its production. It also offers great customer service and a no-questions-asked return policy.

The magnetic design of this protector allows super easy application and removal with a snap-on and snap-off like effect, with scratch and smudge-resistant coatings on the protector which also guards up to 30% harmful blue light. It has a two-way landscape privacy, meaning that only those directly in front of your MacBook display will be able to see what's on it.

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Best budget MacBook screen protector

This premium PET anti-glare screen protector pack from JTECH not only protects your MacBook from harsh sunlight, but also defends your display from daily scratches and abrasions that might occur while travelling to and from the office or commuting to coffee shops.

It doesn't have any other fancy features such as reducing blue light emittance or protecting your screen privacy, but the super affordable low price of this screen protector reflects this accordingly, especially for two protectors included.

You get what you pay for in this instance, and while it might not be the best glass on the market, JTECH are a brand we've tested products from before and have high-quality resilience. If you're on a budget but still want to protect your MacBook screen from daily damage, this is the screen protector for you.

See also best MacBook charger

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Best magnetic MacBook screen protector

This privacy screen from Kensington is very similar to the Belkin and Casetify ones above, but despite being a lesser-known brand, it actually has some more impressive features. First off, this screen protector attaches to the magnets in your MacBook's frame for super easy application, and is reversible with one glossy side that offers great clarity, and the other side has a matte finish to maximize glare reduction.

In terms of privacy, this magnetic MacBook screen protector is designed to narrow the viewing angle of your display to keep prying eyes away. The field of vision is narrowed to around +/- 30 degrees, reducing the chances of a data breach. It also features a low-reflective coating to reduce glare and increase image clarity.

If this weren't enough, the privacy screen protector is also equipped to deal with fingerprints and has a blue light coating which filters out harmful rays by up to 22%, easing your eye strain from staring at screens all day, and reducing the chances of blue light interrupting your natural sleep patterns.

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FAQs

How to choose the best MacBook screen protector

Choosing the best screen protector for you means asking yourself the question: What do you want it to do? If it's the bare minimum such as keeping your screen fingerprint free and safe from scratches, then any one of the options in the guide abve will do the trick. If, however, you want other features such as glare, blue light, privacy, clarity, and general hygiene, then there are plenty of advanced (and slightly pricier) options on the market to tick all these boxes.

As a photographer, do you prioritize webcam privacy and lens safety above anything else? In this case, you might want to look at choosing a MacBook screen protector that includes a camera slider for full control, has a hardness rating of 9H to protect against damage, or has HD clarity for a clearer picture in meetings.

One other thing to think about is compatibility. Every MacBook model can be slightly different in screen size and diameter, so be sure to find out exactly which MacBook model you own by going into your device settings to guarantee you get the correctly-sized screen protector.

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How we test the best MacBook screen protectors

When we test MacBook screen protectors, we assess them for durability, clarity, ease of installation, and compatibility. We carry out extensive research to identify the top-rated protectors and brands, and then carry out tests that simulate everyday use, evaluating their scratch and impact resistance. We also pay attention to their impact on display quality, how easy they are to install and how well special features actually work in practice.

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Apple has just announced a great, additional deal for students - where you get a bunch of great extras, on top of the usual Apple educational disount

Apple products are never the cheapest options - but if you are in education, the brilliant Apple Student Discount scheme is a great way of getting iPhones, iPads and MacBooks at a more affordable price. 

But this summer Apple is sweetening the deal further by offering a $150 / £130 Apple gift voucher when they buy an eligible new Mac or iPad (and a CAN$200 in Canada). 

Added to that, they'll get 20% off AppleCare+, plus three months of free Apple TV+ and Apple Music.

Products included in the Back to School promotion include the
15in MacBook Air M2,
13in MacBook Air M2,
13in MacBook Air M1,
Mac Mini M2,
14in MacBook Pro M2,
iPad Pro and
iPad Air.

The offer runs from today until October 2 in the US (see full details) and in Canada, and until October 23 in the UK (see details here). 

Other student discounts and guides:
Best MacBooks for students
Best iPads for students
Adobe student discount
Canon student discount
Nikon student discount

I don't even really need another MacBook, but the M1 MacBook Air – the last version with the gorgeous wedge-shaped design – has gotten even cheaper for the last day of Amazon's 2-day Prime Day event.

The newer MacBook Air is a spectacular machine for sure, but I personally prefer the aesthetic of the previous one and the M1 chip is no slouch either. The M1 is so good at managing memory that the 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage is enough for day-to-day work with MacOS in entirely silent operation. It got 7547 on Geekbench 5 – not too bad at all (and very close to the chunkier 13-inch MacBook Pro M1).

How could you not want this in your life?

Battery life is also a stunning 18 hours (more than I plan to do in a day), and the 13.3-inch 2560 x 1600 "retina" display is ideal for emails and photo editing. There are two USB-C ports, which is fine for most of the time, too (and how the device draws power – very elegant).

I'd been thinking I'd like an iPad as a portable computing device, but this might be a better choice – it's a good bit cheaper than an iPad Pro, especially if you factor in the keyboard.

I've seen how fast offers have disappeared this Prime Day. The most likely way I'll hold onto my money is by getting to the page and finding everyone else has beaten me to it!

Note: It's already selling low – as I post the Silver is still at £729, the gold is £779, and the space grey version is all gone.

If you're interested in other Apple discounts, check our our main Prime Day Deals Page, which also has some great monitors to bundle with your new laptop. See our review of the MacBook Air 2020 and new 15-inch MacBook Air M2 if it's a bigger screen you're after.

If you've seeking the best MacBook chargers then we're guessing you've either lost or damaged the one that came with your laptop. Alternatively, maybe you want a spare for travel, or separate chargers for your home and office.

Whatever the reason, you don't need to pay the high prices Apple charges for their official chargers. Chargers from third parties typically cost less, are often lighter, and some have some pretty cool features too. We've tested out a range of the best MacBook chargers on the market today, and we've brought together the best of the best in our list below.

Before we get started, there are two important things to note. Firstly, these are chargers only: you'll also need a USB-C to USB-C charging cable or USB-C to MagSafe cable to connect them to your MacBook. And secondly, you'll need to consider wattage. Typically, you'll want to match the wattage on the adapter your MacBook came with. (If you've lost it, you can find out here.) However, if you want a multi-port adapter you can use to charge other devices at the same time as your MacBook, you'll want a higher wattage.

The Quick List

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The best MacBook chargers in 2026

Best laptop charger overall

The 100W model stands out as my top pick when considering its size-to-power ratio. The Anker 100W is a compact, high-powered charger that liberates you from the burden of lugging around cumbersome chargers or, even worse, chargers with separate bulky power bricks. With this charger, you can easily keep your non-gaming laptops running at full throttle throughout the day from a single port, and it even offers three ports to rapidly charge all your devices when the need arises.

What truly amazes me is the reduction in size that Anker has achieved with this charger. It's incredibly lightweight, and you can effortlessly slip it into your pocket when necessary. The Anker 100W boasts a sleek design and sturdy construction, although it does tend to heat up when operating at maximum capacity.

Equipped with two USB-C ports supporting Power Delivery (PD) up to 100W, it can efficiently charge most laptops, tablets, and smartphones at their optimal speeds. Additionally, it features one USB-A port for older or lower-power devices that still rely on this connection. The charger also incorporates a smart chip that detects connected devices and adjusts the output to ensure safe and efficient charging for all your gadgets.

Read more: Anker Prime 100W GaN charger review

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Best powerful laptop wall charger

The Ugreen Nexode 140W 3-port charger stands as one of the most potent wall chargers available for your laptop, and it's even possible to charge two low-powered laptops simultaneously with it. For a single device, it has some immense power, featuring 140W single-port charging, and easily accommodates even the most power-hungry laptops and devices.

Even when utilizing all three ports, there's ample power to sustain less power-hungry laptops while keeping your phone and other devices fully charged. I rigorously tested this charger by pushing it to the limit with my laptop and a phone, and it flawlessly maintained all my devices without any issues like power drop-offs or overheating.

The charger itself exhibits an elegant and appealing design. It's lightweight, although slightly larger than some of the lower-powered alternatives on the market, so it may occupy a bit more space in your bag or around your wall outlet. While it may not be the most budget-friendly option out there, its exceptional power should make it a worthwhile investment.

Read more: Ugreen Nexode 140W 3-port charger review

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Best charging station overall

The Anker Prime 250W is my top pick if you need serious power to charge multiple devices. This intelligent charger can deliver up to 140W from a single port, making perfect for fast-charging even the 16-inch MacBook Pro. And what sets it apart is its ability to simultaneously power multiple laptops and devices without breaking a sweat, with impressive dual-port output of 140W + 100W when needed.

What truly impressed me, though, was its smart display system, which proved incredibly useful for monitoring power consumption and ensuring my devices were charging at optimal speeds. You can easily see how much power each one is drawing, helping you manage energy usage more effectively.

This charger features four USB-C ports on the front and two USB-A ports on the side for legacy devices. Its power management system intelligently distributes power between ports, though you can manually prioritize specific ports if needed. The detachable power cable is a thoughtful touch for easier cable management, and the low-profile design helps it fit neatly under monitor stands or on crowded desks.

While you can find cheaper chargers with similar power output, the Anker Prime 250W's smart features and reliable performance justify its premium price for anyone who needs to power multiple MacBooks and accessories. Just note that it's designed for horizontal placement only, and takes up a fair amount of space.

Read more: Anker Prime 250W full review

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Most powerful desk charging station

If the 250W of our number two pick isn't enough, then check out this Ugreen charger. It leads the way in terms of both power and connectivity, boasting an impressive combined charging capacity of 300W spread across its five USB ports.

The Nexode 300W charger adeptly supplied power to and charged all the devices on my desk, including MacBooks, phones, tablets, and cameras. While the charger did generate some heat, it remained well within acceptable levels, and not once did it experience any power interruptions or drops during testing.

Although many of your current devices may not fully utilize the rapid charging speeds this Ugreen charger offers from each port, it provides excellent future-proofing for upcoming devices that can take advantage of its capabilities.

The Nexode charger exhibits an attractive design, but it's worth noting that it's somewhat weighty, and its lengthy power cable may not be the most convenient for those needing portability on the go. This charger is better suited as a permanent addition to your desk, serving as a reliable power hub.

Read more: Ugreen Nexode 300W GaN charger review

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Best laptop charger for travel

For those who are constantly on the move, I recommend considering the Ugreen Nexode 65W 3-Port Travel Charger, a great solution to solving your power needs around the globe. This charger's straightforward and user-intuitive design, equipped with click-in and out international plugs, ensures hassle-free charging and compatibility with a variety of global wall outlets. Furthermore, the included soft case not only keeps all components organized but also safeguards the charger and its accessories during travel, reducing the risk of misplacing these crucial items.

While there are smaller and more potent chargers available, I've found that the Nexode 65W charger strikes an excellent balance between size and functionality. It delivers a 65W power output, suitable for a wide range of devices, from smartphones and tablets to certain laptops.

Whether you're a frequent traveler like me or simply in search of a multi-device charger for home use and occasional getaways, I believe the Ugreen 65W charger is a clever choice for a more streamlined and efficient portable power solution.

Read more: Ugreen Nexode 65W 3-Port Travel Charger review

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Best laptop charger with MagSafe wireless

The Ugreen Nexode 100W GaN charger is a delightful addition to my meticulously arranged desktop setup, thanks to its 15W MagSafe feature that brings a touch of elegance when I place my iPhone on the MagSafe charger in landscape mode, it transforms into a beautiful desktop clock, merging functionality with style. In general, the charger’s design is visually appealing and enhances the overall look of my workspace.

The charger’s robust 100-watt output provides ample power to charge my MacBook or phone through its two USB-C ports or lower-powered devices through the single USB-A port, which makes the charger very versatile. However, the 100W single port rating does drop quite a bit when multiple ports (or the MagSafe pad) are in use at the same time.

The only feature I find missing is a second wireless charger beneath the top surface, which would have been ideal for charging my AirPods or Apple Watch, thereby increasing its versatility. Nevertheless, given the rarity of chargers that offer both wireless charging and a powerful desktop charger combination, this is one of the best desktop chargers I’ve used.

Read more: Ugreen Nexode 100W GaN with 15W MagSafe Charging Station review

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Best power bank for charging a laptop

Charging your MacBook need not be confined to a fixed wall socket; there are now chargers that offer remarkable mobility and prowess to keep your laptop powered on the go. One such standout is the Anker Prime power bank, featuring an impressive 20,000mAh battery capacity, which is sufficient to charge even a 16-inch MacBook Pro a couple of times over. What's even more noteworthy is its substantial 200W maximum output, ensuring your MacBook operates at full throttle wherever you are.

This power bank's display is more than just a flashy feature. It serves as an invaluable tool, providing precise information such as the remaining power percentage and a countdown timer for monitoring battery charging and discharging. Furthermore, the display offers real-time insights into your devices' charging speed, helping you determine which devices to charge with optimal output. This feature enhances the overall efficiency and usability of the power bank, and makes it my favorite power bank right now.

Read more: Anker Prime 20,000mAh Power Bank (200W) review

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How to choose the best laptop charger

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How we test laptop chargers

We choose the best laptop chargers on a number of different criteria. Firstly, the charger needs to be powerful enough to power even the most low powered laptops. In this guide we have included options that cover the whole spectrum of power-draw, from low-power devices like the MacBook Air, to the big daddy of the Macs – the MacBook Pro 16 M2 Max.

We also judge chargers on how useful they are at simultaneously charging other devices that you might use around your laptop, like a phone or keyboard, woth multiple ports. And lastly, we look at build quaility, looks and reliability to ensure the charger looks good and stays safe.

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I am a big fan of the MacBook Air 13-inch laptop. It combines the perfect balance of processing power, gorgeous screen, and long battery life that I need as a photo editor. The one thing that was missing was that the 13-inch screen was just ever so slightly too small when working on multiple programs or large images.

With Apple launching a 15-in version of the MacBook Air, It looks like they've solved this problem and in the process might have made my dream editing machine, and perhaps the best photo-editing laptop.

Except for the increase in screen (and overall) size, the new version of the MacBook Air is near identical to the 13-inch version, which is no bad thing, the M2 processor inside the MacBook Air 13in simply flies and is more than capable of handling Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, and even light video editing on Adobe Premiere. Sure, there are more powerful processors that will get the job done faster, but none in such convenience with the MacBook Air's incredibly small and light portable form factor.

The MacBook Air 15-inch also looks like a bargain next to the considerably more expensive MacBook Pro. Sure, the MacBook Pro has some better hardware, and that more powerful processor, but for many of us who don't edit large volumes of images on a tight turnaround, the power the MacBook Pro provides is often unnecessary.

The screens on MacBooks have traditionally been unbeatable for editing, they are clear, sharp, and color-accurate, and I certainly wouldn't expect Apple to mess up now. Windows laptop manufacturers can keep adding even longer acronyms to their screen technology, but still very few can keep up with the beautiful retina screens that Apple chooses for its laptops.

The one thing I wish Apple did put on the 15-inch version is an SD card slot, I know they use this as another thing to separate between the Air and the Pro, but with that big 15-inch chassis you to think there would be enough space to squeeze in an SD card reader, I mean come on, there's nothing on one side except for a single 3.5mm headphone jack!

That shortcoming aside, I can't wait to try out the 15-inch MacBook Air for myself when I get it in for review, but I expect the hardest part of the review will be giving it back.

Find more of the best photo-editing laptops or the best laptops for video editing in our guides.

Apple's WWDC – World Wide Developer Conference – is when the company opens its heavy curtains to reveal what it's been working on, and how it sees tech moving. In theory, it is to help developers prepare, but we're all looking – and Apple knows it!

A select few are invited to Apple Park, in Cupertino, California, but the main event is online. The highlight is always the Keynote, where we expect to see product announcements and new software for the developers to get their teeth into. Since the iPhone is arguably the world's most popular camera, and the company has the power to change industries, everyone should be interested in what happens at WWDC23.

You can watch the keynote live here at 1pm EDT / 6pm BST (today, June 5, 2023) and follow along with our live build-up and analysis of the products, especially from photographers' eyes. 

It's fair to say that the rumor mill – which started with some discussion of a 15-inch MacBook Air (which could be a very nice tool for photographers indeed) – has now reached a fever pitch. Some are expecting to see Apple's long-awaited mixed-reality headset. Who knows what that could mean for photography – some say it has 12 cameras in it, while others point out it was expected last year and never appeared!

We've also seen some price cuts on Apple's monitors, which suggests the Mac Studio (rumored to be getting a refresh of its own) might get a new partner on the desk. That could be very interesting for photographers.

What you definitely won't see is a new iPhone – they are always announced at a separate event. We also suspect that, despite the invites using the tag "Swiftly developing," a new film camera is unlikely!

Stay tuned to this page to find out.

Apple monitors come along fairly infrequently, but it's a little interesting that Amazon – in the US, at least – is discounting the Apple Studio Display by 16% – big for a discount on an Apple product. Back in April we did hear some talk of a new Apple display, thought to sit between the $1,599 / £1,499 27-inch Studio Display and the $4,999 / £4,599 32-inch Pro Display XDR. Perhaps it's coming, or does this mean the Studio Display is just getting a refresh?

• Apple Studio Display discount on Amazon (US only)

Mark Gurman of Bloomberg has gone as far as to put a codename – J475 – to the next iteration of the Mac Studio. The current desktop is called J375, and is powered by M1 processors, but the M2 Max has been available in MacBook Pros since January. Could this be the final piece of evidence that we're going to see an M2 Max and perhaps even M2 Ultra-powered Mac Studio on Monday?

Apple fans have been waiting a long time to see the not-yet-revealed AR headset, so you'll have to forgive them this. Made me smile too, though in all fairness the Meta Quest 3, just announced, will ship this fall and the Quest 2 can be picked up for about a tenth of what some say Apple's offering will cost... soooo.... which door will people really choose (if they ever get the choice)?
Definitely click the See More on this Tweet box so this makes sense!!

Looking at AR / mixed reality / goggles a little more seriously, we do find ourselves starting to ask about their potential usefulness in the real world. Reaching out, grabbing, and manipulating part of a data set looks great in the movies, and might actually make a lot of sense in Photoshop. Or would your arms end up getting tired?

Click the See More to see clips of how the system might work.

OK, one more on the goggles then I'll leave it for a bit. None other than Morgan Stanley reports that Apple will begin production on the goggles this October, suggesting they'll have to tell WWDC (and developers) about it at WWDC23.

There is also a bit of a show of faith in the tech – an increase of $5 to $190 as a target prices for Apple stock. Oh, and they're calling it 'Reality Pro' and projecting that Apple will be shipping 3.4 million in financial year 2026 (but initial sales as early as December this year, at least for developers, in the low hundreds of thousands).

One more thing... they say invest in the competition too (Apple's interest in a tech is good for others in the space... like Meta Quest!)

Looking over the various WWDC23 bingo designs I'm disappointed to see that almost nobody is considering a new QuickTake digital camera. Apple has done it before... in 1994. (Cue swirling mists of time music if you click that link!)

I can't keep away from Twitter, from nostalgic pictures of developers in deck chairs watching WWDC on big screens, to the seemingly thousands of announcement summary graphics, Apple style, which enthusiasts have been working on. Some show aMacBook Air 15", a stubby Mac Pro (a bit less likely), there is a 'next-gen CarPlay occasionally, much speak of updated OS and – of course – an all-new xrOS / Reality Pro.

Less frequent but perhaps more sensible we see ARKit 7 and RealityKit 2 – updates to Apple's existing augmented reality systems are bound to be in there.

USB-C Airpods? Nah, probably with the new iPhones later in the year.

OK, doing my morning (yes, it's morning where I am) Twitter trawl as WWDC hoves into view and it seems most folk are happy to just wait/sleep until the big event kicks off now! Some might not be able to sleep though...

Fans of industrial action might enjoy some fireworks at Apple Park today. The Writers Guild of America will be holding an "Apple Day of Action" targeting the Apple TV+ streaming platform. If nothing else, this might expose – as if you didn't know – the fact we'll all be watching a pre-recorded keynote, as Apple has done since 2020. Yes, that means an editor somewhere knows something you don't... but not long now...

Journaling on your iPhone? Some tell us there will be an Apple 'Journal' app announced with the iOS update at WWDC – with very tightly integrated location services. An exclusive social media tool, a diary, or a mental health feature? No one seems completely sure but be prepared for some lovers and some privacy freak-outs!

Just a bit over an hour to go. What would you sell, if anything, to buy an Apple headset? Remember it'll apparently cost about the same as a Sony A7 IV and a decent lens or two (and might not be available outside the US at launch).

Something we've not talked about yet – will Apple find a way to mention HomeKit today? We all know that it could be better, even without AR! 50 mins to go...

Drone users, and especially FPV fans might already be asking "Will Apple's goggles work for me?" It's possible they will out of the box – several people have mentioned the idea of all existing iPad apps working. So, as you use a phone as a monitor with the radio control, could it connect to the goggles? Will there be a USB-C port... or Lightning...

People are taking their seats at Apple Park now. Skies are sunny, excitement is in the air. Not a lot of chatter about potential improvements to the camera app on the iPhone!

OK... get your drink of choice to hand and take your seats, it's nearly go time! You've got 5 mins.

Ooo... quick thought for videomakers – iPad Final Cut Pro a week or so ago, and the headset running iPad apps means could mean you can edit video simply by waving your hands around. Hope no one stood next to me on the train does that though...

Oooo.... it's started. Sort of.

By which I mean the animated Apple has started doing something different and there is music now... the stage is set...

Tim Cook and Craig are on the stage, promising incredible announcements. The video hasn't started yet.

Correction!!!!! It has!!!
There's a developer... he's imaging, with bubbles...

Lovely intro. Now Tim is promising a "Very special day of announcements" by the Apple rainbow (and telling developers they're lovely).

Biggest announcements ever promised. Exciting new products. But we're gonna start with the Mac...

John Ternus starts talking about Apple silicon, and the Macbook Air 13"... I wonder what's coming...

...Yep! a 15-inch MacBook Air. Doen't look like there's a SD Card port though.

MacBook Air 11.5mm thin / 3.3 pounds, two USB-C on the left, headphone on the right. There's a notch. 1080P camera, 3-mic array, 6 speakers (inc woofers), and M2 chip – 12x faster than Intel. 18 hours battery (not 24 folks, sorry).

15-inch is still fanless, 500-nit brightness, 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU
Starts at $1,299 or $1,999 for education – available next week.

OK, well that's one prediction ticked off, now we're on the pro products – and there is a real sense of rush here in the Mac section. Must be something coming. We're on the Mac Studio, which is getting M2 Max – a 25% boost they tell us.
Also as predicted, M2 Ultra arrives with 24 cores, 76 GPU cores and 32 core neural engine. Up to 192GB unified memory supported (bet that'll cost you)!

See our full Apple Mac Studio M2 (2023) review

22 Streams of 8K Pro Res... OK, I that'd really help me out reviewing the DJI Inspire 3!!

Ah... seems like a Mac Pro is coming too... or something with PCI...

...Indeed, but no new box. A Mac Pro with M2 Ultra, which they tell us beats the Intel equivalent 3x, but adds the PCI expansion ports.
Intel does it with Afterburner. M2 Ultra will do that off the bat. But there are 8 thunderbolt ports too and 6 open gen-4 PCI ports.
Tower and rack mount versions of the cheese grater are on offer.

Mac Studio still starts at $1999, Mac Pro $6,999.

OK, that's it for Mac. Tim is back, strolling in the park. What's next? Some praise for developers... and then software platforms...

Craig stands with his legs very wide apart as he announces iOS before shifting a little for comfort. The 'Phone' app is getting an update. Looks like you can choose your own 'poster' – what the person sees at the other end – and appears on your contact card.

Phone is also getting 'Live Voicemail' – it'll transcribe, on screen, what is being said to your voicemail. Hope no one is watching the screen!

Messages is getting a refresh too... search will be less bad. Some other refinements. And 'check in' to automatically let people know you're home safely. It can even share your battery level so people will know not to bother you(?) / if your excuse about battery was true!

Photos can be turned into stickers for messaging, and Live photos into animates stickers, which you can now add to messages. Could be fun, and it's added system-wide. And it'll be there for 3rd party apps.

"NameDrop" as a way to pass content or contact data between devices like AirDrop. Better idea than name!

Oh, please, please let this one be true: auto correct to be – I'm gonna say "less bad." Apparently. It won't fight you repeatedly.

Ah, so Journals is going to be connected to the 'Memories' thinggys that Photos shows you. It will offer you 'suggestions' from your photos as well as your music – and developers can get in on the act too. You can assemble them into a Journal entry, and follow prompts like "What was the highlight of your visit?"

Sounds a bit junior school...?

Standby. A horizontal mode with a kind of alarm clock view which will go well with my Anker 3-in-1 magnetic charging point.

It's going to be a lot easier for your TV to set off all your devices. You won't need to say "Hey" before you say "Siri."
OK, on to the iPad...

Craig again. It's almost like this is edited (oh, it is). iPad OS17 will have interactive widgets. And you'll be able to personalize the lock screen like iPhone. 

Was he just a bit sarcastic about the iPad – as he shows 'multiple timers' he added "We truly live in an age of wonders." Don't break the aura, Apple.

Ooo... looks like the iPad will be able to use an external camera like the one on an Apple monitor. Nice add. OK, that's it for iPad. Now Mac OS...

Mac OS Sonoma will be the next edition. It's where wine is from. Californian wine. The first thing on the list is 'stunning new screensavers' which look a lot like a few more of the gorgeous drone videos seen on Apple TV.

Desktop widgets... that sounds a bit, well, historic. Though they can be run straight from the iPhone – example being turning on your car's AC from your iMac.

Jeremy Sandmel is now talking to me about gaming. On Macs. Sounding a bit pleading already as he asks developers to bring games to the Mac, which will have Game Mode that can optimise the game's control of the system. Stray and No Man's Sky - big Playstation Games - on the list.
And a Game Porting Toolkit. Wow, Apple really want developers to run games on Mac.

Ah and as hinted at Hideo Kojima is bringing Death Standing to the Mac (so the presentation is now subtitled). Looks nice. Me, I like to compartmentalise – I have a PS5 for games – but I could be persuaded to part with it.

Video conferencing is next – apparently the AI will let you make yourself a bubble in front of your presentation. Also gesture-based fireworks animations can be triggered behind you with two thumbs up. Hmm.....

Coming up on the hour and we're now on Safari – the lovely if less-than-popular web browser. Privacy is the big play here. And, finally, profiles for the work and play sides of your life.

Web Apps could be handy though – basically a link to the website that can have an app icon in the dock. Handy in an era of web based apps.

Audio & Home next. Might not be much for photographers here as they talk AirPods...

OK, so home cameras are going to be a bit easier to find – we're told – from a revised tvOS. But the big change is that FaceTime – using your phone as a camera – will work on Apple TV. Yep, family calls on the big screen.

Looks like it might also be a way of trying to get people to watch TV together remotely. Of course they'll all need subscriptions to Apple TV+
On to WatchOS...

Again with the widgets. Slightly different designs, bit more room for developers to play with on the bigger watches. Yet more watch faces. And Snoopy. That's fun. But show me a new product. It's been 8 years since Apple entered a new product category (and that was the watch...)

OK, I take that back – cadence sensors can now be connected to my watch. Time to sell my Garmin!

Hikers / nature photographers might find the 'remembers the last place you had cell coverage' feature being added to Watch's Compass app. Not to mention the contour map. That's pretty cool and could help a lot of outdoor photographers.

Chat windows that I'm following are not being quite so enthusiastic though. People really want to see a new product.... but we're on to health...

...perhaps they're really not going to do it. Perhaps everyone was wrong. Or perhaps mental health is the last thing before.

Oooo.... now Vision Health. Now why might Apple be thinking about that? Glasses do, after all, make it difficult to wear goggles.

It'll tell you to old your iPad further away too, if it thinks you should. That's going to be annoying. Anyway....

Right, that's it for software. We're back with Craig and he looks and sounds like he's done... but he's gonna have to hand back to Tim. 

Big stage now... is this it?

ONE MORE THING!!!!!!!!!

New AR Platform - this is it! OK, it's got some cameras - looks like snowboarding goggles mixed with an iPhone.

Those renders weren't so far off. Wow!

Vision Pro

"See, hear and interact with digital content just like it's there"

Your surroundings become an infinite canvas.

Well, no need for that big TV now – if you live alone anyway. Spatial audio and a massive screen is one of the examples.

Tim very clear that this "Marks the beginning of a journey" which suggests that this is gonna be pricey and hard to get hold of.

The home view is new - round app icons, a bit like WatchOS meets iOS.
Things 'cast shadows' on furniture. You can place apps nearer or further.
OK, this looks properly amazing.

I'm wondering how much some used Google GLASS are worth right now...

So the 'digital crown' lets you block some or all of the view in front of the screen, so AR or VR or somewhere in between is an option.

No hand controllers – browse by looking, or with hands. Tap and flick.

Ah - your eyes are displayed using 'EyeSight' – it's just a screen on the front that shows your eyes, but helps people nearby see whether you're looking at them - or you're in Cylon mode.

Which suggests you can't actually see the room through them, AR style. You must be seeing everything in video. What is the latency, right? Possibly very weird?

Virtual keyboard or dictation options for typing. Or the real keyboard with bluetooth. You can also bring your Mac into play by looking at it, then expand your own 4K display in the air (was that the monitor we hard heard about?))

I saw a trailing cable in that Apple Vision Pro shot – presumably you wear a battery at belt / pocket level like a lot of FPV goggles (you know what I mean, drone fans).

If this is Apple Vision Pro, how much less with Apple Vision Studio, Apple Vision Mini, and Apple iVision cost? And how long before they come out?

Vision Pro is Apple's first 3D camera we're told!

It's easy to capture a spacial video of a fun moment, we're told, and they can be experienced afterward, though obviously you have to wear the thing to take the photos. The screen on the front will flash the Cylon eye.

Cinema environment lets you turn any room into a cinema. OK, not that surprising a feature. Is starting to make me wonder about the resolution. And which streaming services will provide an app.
Oh, and 3D movies (Avatar clip shown) will be supported.

You can play your favourite Apple arcade games. Oh, sorry, Apple Arcade. So there are 100 but most of them probably don't benefit from a big magical floaty screen!

Bob Iger of Disney joins Tim on stage... seems they're getting in on the act...

Disney have some ideas for glasses, apparently. Which means Star Wars games. View basketball from the drone camera. Have Mickey Mouse run around your house. Have DisneyWorld on the kitchen table. Hmmm... I'm actually getting less excited about the goggles already...

Only actual announcement - Disney Plus will be there on Day 1. Well, that must have kept the developers up nights.

OK, back to actually finding out about the Vision Pro:
Lightweight materials. Front is 3D laminated glass as a lens for eyesight and polished for all the cameras that perform eyesight.
Custom Aluminium frame around face.
Computer inside the front, cooled 'by performance thermal design'
Thousands of human heads studied.
Spatial audio pods
3D-knitted headband attaches with secure lock, and it can be changed (for size and, possibly, style).
Zeis lens attachments with magnets
External high performance battery connected by woven cable (did I hear 2 hours?)

Pixel time – micro OLED – 64 pixels in same space as iPhone pixels. 23 million pixels across both panels. Custom 3 element lens. Video can be true 4K at massive scale and sharp fine text, we're told.

Sound has a new integrated dual-driver system. Matches to room using audio ray-tracing from sensors.

2 cameras per eye track eyes. A lot of cameras on the outside too! Two below each eye, one on the side, and others. Total of 12 as we've heard.

M2 processor gets a friend, called R1 to process the input and 'virtually' eliminate lag. 12 milliseconds, apparently – less than a blink. To be fair that is very good, if true.

visionOS (not xrRS) it is. And it sounds like we'll hear 'Spatial Computing' a lot.

The 'digital persona' sounds a bit like a Canon idea we reported on recently, but clearly it'll be all about a more 3D version of telepresence – so popular with big bosses for international conference calls. It is 3D variant of FaceTime.

We're onto the developers tools, and 'Reality Composer Pro' – seems like a tool to help developers have a go even if they can't afford the Vision Pro!!
We're also going to get Unity games natively on Vision Pro, apparently.
And a new App Store.

Optic ID security – it looks at your Iris – takes the place of Face ID.

Ahh... feels like we're getting to the price.
And it's $3,499 – even more!
And only in the US early next year. Other countries later.

Well, that's it. Wow. That was exciting. And expensive. Very, very expensive. But I still want one. Apple can still do it. (Except the Disney bit – that was a wasted few moments).

Now Tim is doing a real wrap up...

Watching the ad for Vision Pro at the end. Already wondering how they'll show these things at Apple Stores!

OK, I'm off for a rest – will check back in with other WWDC events later.

The morning after... OK, well it's been fun listening to or watching non-tech reporters  (and even a few tech reporters) trying to get their heads around the Vision Pro and why it matters).

Lot of discussion from Apple Park about how they're not as light as you might imagine, and so perhaps that 2 hours is enough. 

Oh, and it's USB-C charging.

And, finally, despite showing Avatar 2 as a 3D movie, it's worth noting that the film is 3h12 – so the experience won't be immersive unless you sit within reach of a power point (you can connect directly to a Mac, apparently).

Larger laptops with their increased screen size often make for the best photo-editing laptops and the best laptops for video editing. Apple's top entry in this category has for the past several years been the MacBook Pro 16 and now they are back with a refresh with an all-new and all-powerful chip.

Since its announcement in November 2020, with the M1 chip in the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini, Apple Silicon has been upending the world of computing, with its headline-grabbing speeds and efficiency due to its tight integration between hardware and software. Apple ditched Intel and moved on to a mobile architecture based on designs from ARM, this opened up its devices of all sizes to share one processor, and allow native iPhone apps to run on Mac.

As we saw in the first generation of Apple Silicon, the M1 Pro, and an M1 Max chips were big spec improvements on its base chips, aimed at creative professionals. Apple has repeated history with the new and improved versions of its second generation M2 chip – the M2 Pro and M2 Max. The latter of which will be tested out in this review in the latest MacBook Pro 16.

MacBook Pro 16 (2023) Specifications

Processor: Apple M2 Max chip with 12-core CPU and 38-core GPU
Configurable to: M2 Pro with 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU, Apple M2 Max with 12-core CPU and 30-core GPU
Screen: 16.2in Liquid Retina XDR display, 3456x2234 native resolution at 254 pixels per inch
Display Technology: 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 1,000 nits sustained brightness, 1 billion colors, Wide color (P3), True Tone technology, ProMotion 120Hz adaptive refresh rate
Memory: 32GB unified memory
Configurable to: 16GB (M2 Pro), 32GB (M2 Pro or M2 Max), 64GB (M2 Max), or 96GB (M2 Max with 38-core GPU)
Battery: 100wH battery, 140W MagSafe power adapter
SSD: 1TB
Configurable to: 512GB (M2 Pro), 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB (M2 Max)
Ports: SDXC card slot, HDMI port, 3.5mm headphone jack, MagSafe 3 port, 3x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports
Connections: WiFi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3
Size: 1.68 x 35.57 x 24.81 cm
Weight: 2.16 kg (M2 Max), 2.15kg (M2 Pro)

MacBook Pro 16 (2023) Key features

Apple has designed what it is calling the most powerful chip yet in its just over two-year-old endeavors into making its own in-house processors, and on paper, the M2 Max is a beast. Able to be configured up to an absolutely monstrous 38-core GPU, 96GB of unified memory, and 400GB/s memory bandwidth.

The Macbook Pro 16 can also be configured with a less powerful M2 Pro or M2 Max processor, sharing the same 12 CPU cores, but differing in graphical power, with the M2 Pro having a 19-core GPU or the M2 Max with a 30-core GPU option. The M2 Max has a base level of 32GB of unified memory, although there is the option to upgrade this all the way to 96GB of RAM, which is incredible, but more than almost anyone will need.

Apple claims that the new 16-inch M2 max can be up to 2.5x faster in photo editing in Adobe Photoshop and 6.5x faster in video editing in Final Cut Pro than the previous Intel i9 model with a Radeon Pro 5600M graphics card from AMD.

The model I am testing here is the MacBook Pro 16 with M2 Max with a 12-core GPU, 38 graphics cores, and 32GM of RAM. This calibration currently is listed on Apple’s store for $3,499/£3,749.

The clue is in the name, the MacBook Pro 16 screen measures 16.2in, with a pixel count of 3456x2234 and a density of 254ppi. The screens use Apple's Liquid Retina XDR panels, which enable a much more comprehensive dynamic range and a broader range of colors. Each screen is color-calibrated at the factory for accurate color grading, photography, and design work. ProMotion, a technology found on the latest iPhone Pro models, boosts the screen refresh rate to 120Hz, making movement on the screen much more fluid and videos smoother.

After a very long time of Apple putting very sub-par webcams in its premium laptops, it has got the message, and the MacBook Pro 16 has a 1080p webcam and a studio-quality three-mic array. The Macbook Pro 16 is also equipped with a six-speaker setup that supports Dolby Atmos.

Port lovers everywhere will be thrilled that Apple has also decided to get go back on its all-USB-C designs. While the laptop still features 3 Thunderbolt 4 enabled USB-C ports, it also has a 3.5mm headphone jack, HDMI output, and for creatives everywhere, the MacBook Pro 16 has a full sizes SD card slot.

MacBook Pro 16 (2023) Build and handling

Apple overhauled the look of its top-end MacBook Pros last year, and it has stuck to those design principles in this year's iteration. Again, the laptop is an aluminum unibody design, although it differs from past generations by being much more rounded instead of wedge-shaped. 

This makes the laptop look and feel considerably thicker and more substantial than the previous design of the MacBook Pro 16 from the Intel era. Although the design still looks and feels very nice, with premium finishes everywhere, it is just noticeably bulkier when placed next to the older 16-inch model.

Unsurprisingly for anyone who has used Apple's scissor-switch keyboard before, the keyboard on the new MacBook Pro 16 is excellent. Keys are really well spaced, and have a good amount of travel and spring to them, with the additional size of the chassis providing more wrist rest, this really is one of the best laptops to type on for long periods.

Banished hopefully forever is the touch bar, with the standard function keys of MacBooks past returning to the top row, which is a much better solution. The fingerprint reader and power button combo have remained, which has proved to be a very fast and easy method to sign in, and it hasn’t given me any rejections yet. It also has a larger key and indented center which makes finding the reader that much faster and easier. 

The keyboard uses black keys on a painted black background, which looks pretty stylish, but I found in dimmer light or at quick glances I find it makes the keys harder to distinguish from one another. Backlighting helps, but the MacBook Pro 13 or MacBook Air’s body-colored borders around each key is much easier to see in a pinch.

It is still disappointing to not see Apple's FaceID make its way to its laptops, which arguably there is space for in the increased size of the MacBook Pro notch.

The notch at the top of the screen has proved pretty divisive, but it is still around. Other manufacturers such as Dell in their XPS 13 range of laptops have demonstrated that a webcam (and facial recognition system) can be squeezed into the tiniest of bezels, so it really does just feel like this MacBook Pro has a notch just because it is an Apple design 'thing'.

The return of the ports on MacBook Pros might be just as important as the new all-powerful processors. The MacBook Pro 16 still sports three Thunderbolt 4 capable USB-C slots, but the fourth port from previous devices has been replaced with a MagSafe magnetic connector for charging.

This makes sense to me as a heavy editor, I spend so much of my time with my MacBook connected to power that I always had a dedicated USB-C port for charging anyway. Those in a pinch (most likely forgot to pack their MagSafe charger) can also still charge the latest MacBooks with any USB-C charger, with varying results based on its power.

The addition of a 3.5mm headphone jack is a huge boon for audiophiles and audio editors, who want to connect headphones via a dedicated wire. And most exciting for content creators, in one of Apple's smartest moves, the MacBook Pro 16 welcomes back the full-sized SD card slot, which will free a lot of camera users from their dongle nightmares.

If a HDMI port is really necessary is up for debate, with USB-C becoming the default way to connect to most monitors while also powering them through the same cable, there are no specific benefits to HDMI. But it does offer a level of backward compatibility that I am sure some people will appreciate. 

MacBook Pro 16 (2023) Performance

We ran a series of benchmarking tests on the new MacBook Pro 16 with M2 Max, the results of which you can find below:

In the benchmarks, you can see that the M2 Max has slight gains on the M2 Pro in the CPU tasks, which will offer slightly faster over the cheaper chip, on normal processing tasks, although you can see huge gains when it comes to graphical processing power, with the M2 Max racking up a colossal score on the Geekbench OpenCL test.

It gets more interesting when you compare the M2 Max to the base level M2 in the most recent MacBook Air, with the M2 Max (and the M2 Pro) making huge gains on multi-core performance. And compared to the i7 and AMD Radeon combo in the older MacBook Pro 16 from 2019, there is really no competition, with even the base M2 beating it on scores, and the M2 Max destroying it in both processing and graphics power.

Leaving behind the benchmarks, when using the M2 Max, you can feel its power. After using Intel-powered MacBook Pros as my daily driver for the past few years, it was immediately noticeable how fast the new chips are. Just simple tasks like opening Safari or Pages, which would usually take a few seconds, are now almost instantaneous.

I performed my usual content creator tests, exporting a batch of 200 edited RAW files to JPEG in Adobe Lightroom, exporting a 10-minute 4K video in Apple ProRes using iMovie, and opening 10 RAW files at once in Adobe Photoshop. The M2 Max performed all of these with unbelievable ease. Usually, on my Intel i7 MacBook, exporting photos or videos dominate the processing power so much that there is nothing to do except walk away until it is finished, on the MacBook Pro 16 with M2 Max, I carried on working as if it wasn't even exporting.

I found the hard drive speeds to be fine, in my tests they were not better than rival machines or even older MacBooks, but they were not worse. It copied files at about the same rate as the Surface Studio Laptop. And this might be a problem to some who expect all areas of the MacBook Pro to advance at the same rate as Apple Silicon, but unless absolute speed is critical to your work, then this is not something you will likely notice.

The speakers on the MacBook Pro 16 blew me away, they are the best speakers I have personally heard on a laptop. They offer a very rounded sound, with good treble, and clear highs and lows, vocals in songs are very clear and the bass is surprisingly strong, although still lacks that pounding you get from a dedicated speaker.

The webcam is a huge improvement over the terrible webcams that Apple continues to put in their 13-inch Macbook Pro, with a sharp, clear, and well-lit picture that no longer smudges and smooths all my features in Meet calls. I also had no complaints from anyone on my call about my audio, but it also didn’t come off as better than anyone else’s on other devices.

MacBook Pro 16 (2023) Verdict

The MacBook Pro 16 with M2 Max is an absolute monster of a laptop, it will tear through anything you can throw at it and still be ready for more. Unfortunately, it also comes with a monstrous price, with the M2 Pro Max starting at $3,299/£3,499 for the 30-core GPU version and $3,499/£3,749 for the maxed-out 38-core GPU. Figures that are truly quite hard to recommend spending. 

What the M2 Max gives you in terms of raw power for content creation is amazing, but I am reluctant to say it is a worthy upgrade over what can be achieved with Apple's M2 or M2 Pro chip, both of which can save you a lot of money. Only users who need the absolute no compromise best for their workflow will use the M2 Max to its full potential. The MacBook Pro is also available with an M2 Pro processor, which is a better option for photographers and videographers who want a bigger MacBook, but don't have deep pockets.

Processor debate aside, the MacBook Pro 16 is a fantastic laptop, with a lot going for it from the beautiful color-accurate screen, booming speakers, sharp webcams, and excellent keyboard and trackpad, it is a very worthy upgrade for anyone using Intel-based MacBooks.

If the latest MacBook Pro isn't right for your needs (or budget!) these are the best photo editing laptops, and the best laptops for video editing. Or if you want the additional power a desktop can bring, check out our guide to the best desktop computer for photo editing. 

The question of the best laptop for photo editing used to be simpler, with most of the top computers using a lot of the same internal components, including processors from behemoth Intel, with the separation in devices coming either in design or operating system preference.

Apple Silicon refers to Apple ditching Intel's x86 processors and instead using its own custom-designed ARM-based processors for its Mac computers. Apple Silicon has set the world of computing alight, with its headline-grabbing speeds and efficiency.

The first Apple Silicon Mac was the M1 chip which debuted in November 2020 in the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini. Apple Silicon has already delivered improved performance and battery life, due to better integration and optimization between Mac hardware and software. Apple Silicon also allows Mac computers to natively run iOS (iPhone) apps.

Apple is now back with the new and improved versions of its second-generation M2 chip, with the latest evolutions of the M2 Pro and M2 Max. In this review, I'll be testing out the M2 Pro chip in the latest Apple MacBook Pro 14.

MacBook Pro 14 (2023) Specifications

Processor: Apple M2 Pro chip with 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU
Configurable to: M2 Pro with 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU, Apple M2 Max with 12-core CPU and 30-core GPU, or M2 Max with 12-core CPU and 38-core GPU
Screen: 14.2in Liquid Retina XDR display, 3024x1964 native resolution at 254 pixels per inch
Display Technology: 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 1,000 nits sustained brightness, 1 billion colors, Wide color (P3), True Tone technology, ProMotion 120Hz adaptive refresh rate
Memory: 16GB unified memory
Configurable to: 32GB (M2 Pro or M2 Max), 64GB (M2 Max), or 96GB (M2 Max with 38-core GPU)
Battery: 70wH battery, 67W/96W MagSafe power adapter
SSD: 512GB
Configurable to: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB
Ports: SDXC card slot, HDMI port, 3.5mm headphone jack, MagSafe 3 port, 3x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports
Connections: WiFi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3
Size: 1.55 x 31.26 x 22.12 cm
Weight: from 1.60 kg

MacBook Pro 14 (2023) Key features

The headline feature of the latest Macbook Pro 14 is its new M2 Pro or M2 Max processor, this is the absolute latest silicon from Apple’s own in-house chip design team. Both chips have up a to 12-core CPU, with the M2 Pro also being able to be configured with up to 19-core GPU, 32GB of unified memory, and a 200GB/s memory bandwidth. The M2 Max is able to have an absolutely monstrous up to 38-core GPU, 96GB of unified memory, and 400GB/s memory bandwidth.

By Apple’s own metrics, it claims that the latest M2 chips are up to 3x faster for photo editing and 15.7x faster for video editing than the last Intel-equipped MacBook Pro, which admittedly was released three years ago.

The model I am testing here is the M2 Pro with a 12-core GPU, 19 graphics cores, and a boosted 32GM of RAM. This calibration currently is listed on Apple’s store for $2,899/£3,099.

As the name suggests the MacBook Pro 14 screen measures 14.2in, with a pixel ratio of 3024x1964 and 254ppi. The screens have been upgraded too, now using Liquid Retina XDR panels, this enables a much wider dynamic range and a broader range of colors, with each display being factory-calibrated color grading, photography, and design. The screens also feature ProMotion found on the latest iPhones, which boosts the screen to 120Hz, making movement on the screen much more fluid.

For those of us that now spend a lot of our work day on video calls, the Pro 14 has a 1080p webcam and a three-mic array, with what Apple claims are professional-level microphones. The laptop is also equipped with a six-speaker setup that supports Dolby Atmos.

Creatives everywhere rejoiced last year at the news that Apple was adding an SD card slot back on its Pro models, as well as a headphone jack for sound editors and audiophiles. The laptop also features the return of MagSafe charging, three USB-C cables with Thunderbolt 4, and a 2.1 spec HDMI connection.

MacBook Pro 14 (2023) Build and handling

The new MacBook Pro 14 is very stylish as expected from an Apple device. The laptop is almost physically unchanged from last year's revamped 14in model, which is fine, redesigns don’t need to happen every generation. For those coming from Intel models, the shape is much more rounded than the 13in Pro with all sharp edges nixed.

The shape just feels chunkier than the 13in M2 model. If this is entirely a design choice or a necessity for the M2 Pro or M2 Max chips being physically larger, or requiring more cooling it is unclear, but the rounded shape and thicker body make it feel much more substantial in size than the 13in MacBook Pro with its more svelte wedged design.

The keyboard is excellent, and MacBook keyboards really are some of the best around for typing on, (let's confine the butterfly keys to history). Also banished hopefully forever is the touch bar, with Apple continuing to use the tried and tested row of function keys. The fingerprint reader is very fast and hasn’t given me many rejections yet, the larger key and depressed center make finding the reader that much easier.

The keyboard still continues to be black keys on a painted black background, which I find a divisive choice, I don't dislike the look, but I find it makes the keys harder to distinguish from one another, sure they have backlighting, but the MacBook Pro 13 or MacBook Air’s border around each key is much easier to see in dark environments.

The notch at the top of the screen, while doesn’t really affect use all that much, is still just an annoying addition. Dell has already shown several years ago that a webcam (as well as an entire Windows Hello array) can be tucked into the tiniest of bezels, so it really does just feel like this MacBook Pro has a notch just because it is an Apple 'thing'.

The port selection continues to be terrific, with three separate Thunderbolt-equipped USB-C slots, I never found myself without enough connections, especially as the power has returned to the MagSafe connector, freeing up a USB-C that would usually be used for power. The SD card slot is also a hugely welcome addition for a photographer and videographer who is constantly forgetting to pack dongles.

I question the need for a HDMI port, with both video upstream and downstream, and power over one USB-C cable starting to become the norm with modern monitors. For connecting to other screens HDMI to USB-C cables are cheap and effective.

MacBook Pro 14 (2023) Performance

We ran a series of benchmarking tests on the new MacBook Pro 14 with M2 Pro, the results of which you can find below:

You can see in the benchmarks that not only has the M2 Pro managed to make gains on the M2 released less than a year ago in the MacBook Air, but when you compare it to an Intel i7-powered machine from 2019, the improvements are truly incredible, with it being absolutely creamed on CPU benchmark tasks, especially when it comes to graphics tasks, with the Intel Iris Plus looking very obsolete.

Benchmarks are one thing, but how does this translate to real-world experience? Well, this Mac simply flies! I threw a couple of tests at it, exporting a batch of 200 edited RAW files to JPEG in Adobe Lightroom, exporting a 4K video in Apple ProRes using iMovie, and editing 10 RAW files at once in Adobe Photoshop. The M2 handled all of these with uncanny ease, still allowing several other tasks to be completed at the same time. The Intel i7 MacBook I compared it to ground to a halt several times during the same task, rendering the whole computer unusable until it finished.

Much of the negative press around these latest MacBooks seem to be complaining about the 'slow' SSD hard drives. I copy a lot of folders of mixed media files both to and from external drives and on the internal SSD as well as export photos and videos. Anecdotally, I cannot notice any perceptible difference between the write speeds of this MacBook Pro 14 and other machines I regularly use. Unless minor speed differences are absolutely critical for your work, I would say this is just not a problem.

The speakers on the MacBook Pro 14 are some of the best I have ever used on a laptop, or really any device, and are only surpassed in quality by the larger MacBook Pro 16. They offer a very rich sound, with a lot of nuisance between the highs and lows, vocals in songs are very clear and the bass is punchy but lacks a true rumble.

The webcam is a huge improvement over the terrible webcams that Apple continues to put in their 13in Macbook Pro, with a sharp, clear, and well-lit picture that no longer smudges and smooths all my features in Meet calls. I also had no complaints from anyone on my call about my audio, but it also didn’t come off as better than anyone else’s on other devices.

MacBook Pro 14 (2023) Verdict

If I was rating this based solely on the M2 Pro silicon that resides inside the MacBook Pro 14 then I would not hesitate to give this laptop the full five stars, as the processor is just unbelievably good. Apple has a habit of going overboard with its marketing claims, but in this case, there is just nothing that competes in the same league as the M2 Pro in this form factor. For photographers and videographers, this will just power through your work, all without completely tanking your battery life.

A lot of the overall design of the MacBook Pro 14 bothers me. I don’t like the rounded thicker feeling chassis, the notch, or the keyboard color scheme, and small touches like the laser cut ‘Apple MacBook Pro’ on the base feels a little tacky. But the abundant port selection and return of the function keys go some way to making up for its other design shortcomings.

However, it is clear the MacBook Pro 14 with M2 Pro is the ultimate creator's companion, probably the best small-ish laptop on the market right now, and an almost necessary upgrade for anyone working on Intel-powered machines from previous generations. However, this power does not come cheap starting at over $2000/£2000 for the base model, start saving now.

If the latest MacBook Pro isn't right for your needs (or budget!) these are the best photo editing laptops, and the best laptops for video editing. Or if you want the additional power a desktop can bring, check out our guide to the best desktop computer for photo editing. 

Our aim in this guide is to help you find the best Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch deals available on the latest 2023 models with the M2 Pro chips.

It's not always easy finding the best deal on Apple products, but if you buy at the right time or from the right retailer you can often find a saving on Apple's range of premium laptops. 

We know that the best MacBooks may never be as cheap as their PC equivalents, but that extra investment gets you a device that regularly sits atop our list of the best laptops available today. They also offer excellent value for money in the long run over other laptops that you may need to replace every couple of years.

And the good news is that MacBook deals are relatively regular. The most significant reductions are often saved for the biggest sales events of the year, but you can usually find a discount or two every so often that takes a decent amount off the high starting price. After all, every little helps!

The new MacBook Pro 16-inch with the M2 Pro chip is capable of transforming pro workflows across a wide range of applications, from art to science to app development. Users looking to upgrade from Intel-based Mac models will experience even more dramatic improvements in performance, battery life, connectivity, and overall productivity. MacBook Pro also maintains performance whether users are plugged in or on battery.

With the new MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Pro chip users are able to take advantage of lightning speed in render-heavy applications, while image processing is up to 80 percent faster.

This new MacBook Pro 16-inch with M2 Pro features a 12-core CPU with up to eight high-performance and four high-efficiency cores for up to 20 percent greater performance over M1 Pro. 

This new MacBook also allows for up to 32GB of unified memory to in installed, users can tackle large projects and run multiple pro apps with blazing speed and thanks to its next-generation GPU with up to 38 cores, it can deliver up to up to 30 percent more graphics performance, and the Neural Engine is 40 percent faster, speeding up machine learning tasks like video analysis and image processing, making this the perfect machine for professional content creators on the go.

Preorder MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Pro at Apple US

Pre-order MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Pro at Apple UK

• The best MacBooks for photo editing
• The best Mac webcams
• Best MacBook Air docking stations
• Best monitors for MacBook Pro
• Best Mac external hard drive
• The best dock for MacBook Pro
• Best Macbook screen protectors
• Best Macbook chargers

Our aim in this guide is to help you find the best 2023 Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch deals available with the top-performing M2 Max chips.

It's not always easy finding the best deal on Apple products, but if you buy at the right time or from the right retailer you can often find a saving on Apple's range of premium laptops. 

We know that the best MacBooks may never be as cheap as their PC equivalents, but that extra investment gets you a device that regularly sits atop our list of the best laptops available today. They also offer excellent value for money in the long run over other laptops that you may need to replace every couple of years.

And the good news is that MacBook deals are relatively regular. The most significant reductions are often saved for the biggest sales events of the year, but you can usually find a discount or two every so often that takes a decent amount off the high starting price. After all, every little helps!

Preorder MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Max at Apple US

Pre-order MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Max at Apple UK

The new MacBook Pro 16-inch with the M2 Max chip is capable of transforming pro workflows across a wide range of applications, from art to science to app development. Users looking to upgrade from Intel-based Mac models will experience even more dramatic improvements in performance, battery life, connectivity, and overall productivity. MacBook Pro also maintains performance whether users are plugged in or on battery.

With the new MacBook Pro 16-inch M2 Max chip users are able to take advantage of lightning speed in render-heavy applications, while image processing is up to 80 percent faster.

This new MacBook Pro 16-inch with M2 Pro features a 12-core CPU with up to eight high-performance and four high-efficiency cores for up to 20 percent greater performance over M1 Pro. 

This new MacBook also allows for up to 32GB of unified memory to in installed, users can tackle large projects and run multiple pro apps with blazing speed and thanks to its next-generation GPU with up to 38 cores, it can deliver up to up to 30 percent more graphics performance, and the Neural Engine is 40 percent faster, speeding up machine learning tasks like video analysis and image processing, making this the perfect machine for professional content creators on the go.

Read more:

Best MacBooks
Best iMacs
Best Macbook Air docking stations
Best monitor for Mac mini
Best Macbook screen protectors
The best Mac webcams
The best Mac printers
Best Mac keyboard 

Our aim in this guide is to help you find the best Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch deals available on the M2 Max chips.

It's not always easy finding the best deal on Apple products, but if you buy at the right time or from the right retailer you can often find a saving on Apple's range of premium laptops. 

We know that the best MacBooks may never be as cheap as their PC equivalents, but that extra investment gets you a device that regularly sits atop our list of the best laptops available today. They also offer excellent value for money in the long run over other laptops that you may need to replace every couple of years.

And the good news is that MacBook deals are relatively regular. The most significant reductions are often saved for the biggest sales events of the year, but you can usually find a discount or two every so often that takes a decent amount off the high starting price. After all, every little helps!

Preorder MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Max at Apple US

Pre-order MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Max at Apple UK

The new MacBook Pro 14-inch with the M2 Max chip is capable of transforming pro workflows across a wide range of applications, from art to science to app development. Users looking to upgrade from Intel-based Mac models will experience even more dramatic improvements in performance, battery life, connectivity, and overall productivity. MacBook Pro also maintains performance whether users are plugged in or on battery.

With the new MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Pro chip users are able to take advantage of lightning speed in render-heavy applications, while image processing is up to 80 percent faster.

This new MacBook Pro 14-inch with M2 Pro features a 10 or 12-core CPU with up to eight high-performance and four high-efficiency cores for up to 20 percent greater performance over M1 Pro. 

This new MacBook also allows for up to 32GB of unified memory to in installed, users can tackle large projects and run multiple pro apps with blazing speed and thanks to its next-generation GPU with up to 19 cores, it can deliver up to up to 30 percent more graphics performance, and the Neural Engine is 40 percent faster, speeding up machine learning tasks like video analysis and image processing, making this the perfect machine for professional content creators on the go.

Read more:

Best MacBooks
Best iMacs
Best Macbook Air docking stations
Best monitor for Mac mini
Best Macbook screen protectors
The best Mac webcams
The best Mac printers

Our aim in this guide is to help you find the best Apple MacBook Pro 14-ich deals available on the M2 Pro chip.

It's not always easy to find the best deal on Apple products, but if you buy at the right time or from the right retailer you can often find a saving on Apple's range of premium laptops.

We know that the best MacBooks may never be as cheap as their PC equivalents, but that extra investment gets you a device that regularly sits atop our list of the best laptops available today. They also offer excellent value for money in the long run over other laptops that you may need to replace every couple of years.

And the good news is that MacBook deals are relatively regular. The most significant reductions are often saved for the biggest sales events of the year, but you can usually find a discount or two every so often that takes a decent amount off the high starting price. After all, every little helps!

Preorder MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Pro at Apple US

Pre-order MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Pro at Apple UK

The new MacBook Pro 14-inch with the M2 Pro chip is capable of transforming pro workflows across a wide range of applications, from art to science to app development. Users looking to upgrade from Intel-based Mac models will experience even more dramatic improvements in performance, battery life, connectivity, and overall productivity. The MacBook Pro also maintains performance whether you're plugged in or running on the battery.

With the new MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Pro chip, users are able to take advantage of lightning-speed in render-heavy applications, while image processing is up to 80 percent faster.

This new MacBook Pro 14-inch with M2 Pro features a 10 or 12-core CPU with up to eight high-performance and four high-efficiency cores for up to 20 percent greater performance over M1 Pro. 

This new MacBook also allows for up to 32GB of unified memory to in installed, users can tackle large projects and run multiple pro apps with blazing speed and thanks to its next-generation GPU with up to 19 cores, it can deliver up to up to 30 percent more graphics performance, and the Neural Engine is 40 percent faster, speeding up machine learning tasks like video analysis and image processing, making this the perfect machine for professional content creators on the go.

Preorder MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Pro at Apple US

Pre-order MacBook Pro 14-inch M2 Pro at Apple UK

Apple fans, buckle up: the fastest-ever MacBooks are about to launch. The new 2023 MacBook Pro 14” and 16” replace the 2021 models of the same size, and though they're externally almost identical, they pack a major new hardware upgrade within. Out go the old M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, replaced by the brand new M2 Pro and M2 Max system on chips.

Since the launch of the latest 13-inch MacBook Pro with its standard M2 chip, we've been in the somewhat confusing situation where the latest MacBook with the newest Apple silicon wasn't actually the fastest MacBook, as the older M1 Pro and M1 Max were still more powerful. Now order is about to be restored to the Apple silicon hierarchy:

Read more:

MacBook Pro 14" (2021) review
MacBook Pro 16" (2021) review

M2 Pro

Featuring up to 12 CPU cores, the new M2 Pro chip has an additional 2 cores over the M1 Pro, and its maximum 19-core GPU is an improvement over the 16-core M1 Pro GPU. Unified memory specs (Apple silicone's version of RAM) remains the same, with 16GB or 32GB capacity options and 200GB/s memory bandwidth.

Apple is claiming the M1 Pro can handle up to 23 streams of 4K ProRes video playback, as well as 40% faster image processing in Photoshop. Overall, the M2 Pro is said to have 20% faster CPU performance and 30% increased GPU speed over M1 Pro. The machine-learning neural engine also gets a 40% speed boost.

See also Mac Mini gets major M2 power boost for 2023

M2 Max

For the ultimate performance junkie, there's the new M2 Max chip. This boosts memory to a huge 96GB maximum (a healthy increase over the 64GB available with M1 Max), and also doubles memory bandwidth to a whopping 400GB/s. The 12-core CPU in M2 Max is the same as in the top-spec M2 Pro chip, but the M2 Max's GPU can be specced with up to 38 cores - double that of the M2 Pro, for up to 30% faster GPU performance over M1 Max. Compared to M1 Max, Apple claims a 30% faster color grading performance in DaVinci Resolve. 

Power efficiency has also been improved, with the M2 Pro and Max capable of up to 20% greater CPU performance per watt and 30% more efficient GPU performance. Consequently, despite 70 watt-hour (14-inch) and 100 watt-hour (16-inch) batteries as the previous 14" and 16" MacBook Pros, battery life has increased by 1 hour for both. The 16-inch MacBook Pro is now rated to power up to 22 hours of Apple TV playback, which according to Apple gives it the longest battery life of any MacBook.

New MacBooks

While the new M2 Pro and M2 max chips are a marked improvement over the M1 Pro and M1 Max, the new 2023 MacBooks are otherwise almost identical to their respective 2021 predecessors in virtually every area. Externally they retain the same exterior design and dimensions, identical screen specs, and the same storage capacity options, again topping out at 8 terabytes. In fact the only difference other than the main System on Chip is an upgrade to Wi-Fi 6E standard which is said to be up to twice as fast as the Wi-Fi 6 implementation in the previous Mac Pros, and the HDMI output has been improved to support up to 8K external displays.

Pricing for the 2023 14-inch MacBook Pro equipped with a base 10-core M2 Pro chip specced with 16GB memory and 512GB storage starts at $1,999 / £2,149 / AU$3,199 and rises to $3,099 / £3,349 / AU$4,999 with M2 Max chip, 32GB memory and 1TB storage.

The 16" version starts at $2,499 / £2,699 / AU$3,999, equipped with a 12-core version of the M2 Pro, 16GB memory and 512GB storage, and climbs to $3,499 / £3,749 / AU$5,599 when specced with the M2 Max, 32GB memory and 1TB storage.

Fully equipped with the maximum 96GB memory and an 8TB SSD, a fully-loaded 16" M2 Max MacBook Pro will relieve you of a cool $6,499 / £6,749 (currently unavailable as an option in Australia).

Retail availability for the new 14" and 16" MacBook Pros starts on January 24. Start saving!

Read more:

• Best MacBooks
• Best student laptops
• Best Chromebooks
• Best Ultrabooks
• Best photo editing laptops
• Best laptops for video editing
• Best desktop computers
• Best Mac printer
• Best Mac webcam
• Best external hard drives
• Best monitors for photo editing
• Best USB-C hubs

The original iPhone was arguably the device that sparked the touch screen revolution, with touchscreen phones, tablets and laptops now ubiquitous. But despite Apple's trend-setting touch-sensitive phones and tablets, it's never produced a touchscreen MacBook. However, that may be set to change. According to Apple insider and Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, Apple might be releasing its first touch-screen Macbook in 2025. That still seems like a long way off given that touchscreen laptop tech is hardly cutting edge, but that's the alleged timeframe.

This news may not seem like a big deal to Windows users, who have had touchscreen laptops for many years, but it could mark a significant change of direction for the MacBook. Apple’s steadfast refusal to give the MacBook a touch screen stems from a comment made by Steve Jobs in 2010 where he said that touchscreen notebooks would be "ergonomically terrible." Or, in more detail:

"We've done tons of user testing on this, and it turns out it doesn't work. Touch surfaces don't want to be vertical.

It gives great demo but after a short period of time, you start to fatigue and after an extended period of time, your arm wants to fall off. It doesn't work, it's ergonomically terrible.

Touch surfaces want to be horizontal, hence pads.

For a notebook, that's why we're perfected our multitouch trackpads over the years, because that's the best way we've found to get multitouch into a notebook."

Of course since then we've had the Touch Bar implemented into MacBooks, though Apple now appears to be abandoning this feature, as it's now only present on the 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro. It'd be fair to say the Touch Bar received a mixed reception, but I for one rather like it. Having a touch-sensitive interface right next to the keyboard is simply more convenient than having to reach up to the screen.

The purpose-designed, context-sensitive touch bar controls also highlight another bugbear with conventional touchscreen displays. Unlike the Touch Bar, a touch-enabled Windows interface is always a compromise between touch control and mouse control. While a touchscreen laptop is useful when swiping through image slideshows or swiping up and down documents and web pages, Windows app buttons and sliders have often been designed to be mouse controlled, and are therefore frustratingly small to operate by touch. It'll be intriguing to see how Apple overcomes such potential ergonomic compromises if it does indeed add touchscreen control to macOS.

Gurman speculates that the introduction of a Touch-enabled MacBook could coincide with Apple’s first MacBook to feature an OLED display (again, better late than never?) and that such a device would "likely" retain a macOS interface, along with a conventional keyboard and trackpad.

Whatever your opinion of touch screen laptops, Apple's immense expertise in both the laptop sector and the touch-driven phone/tablet sectors must surely mean it could make a success of combining the two interfaces, right?

Read more:

• Best MacBooks
• Best student laptops
• Best Chromebooks
• Best Ultrabooks
• Best photo editing laptops
• Best laptops for video editing
• Best desktop computers
• Best Mac printer
• Best Mac webcam
• Best external hard drives
• Best monitors for photo editing
• Best USB-C hubs

This is, hands down, THE best Black Friday deal we've seen so far. In fact, it's the best Black Friday deal we can ever recall seeing.

Right now Verizon is offering a deal on the iPhone 14 Pro that could net you $1,900 of Apple kit, including a 64GB iPad (9th generation) and Apple Watch SE (2nd generation), along with a free pair of Beats Fit Pro headphones!

• The best Apple Black Friday deals are still available on Apple AirPods, iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro, Apple Watch, and more.

You can save as much as $1,000 by trading in your old device, and bag another $200 when you make the switch. And if you want to buy another iPhone 14 Pro, you can save an extra $800 and rack up another $200. 

You need to sign up for a 5G unlimited plan to maximize this outrageous offer, but really, everyone should be going 5G at this point in time – and with so much free stuff and savings, it's more than worth it.

The process of selecting everything so it all lands in your cart is a little longwinded, but hey – when a deal is this ludicrously good, you're going to have to work for it a little bit!

The iPhone 14 Pro is a serious, pocketable powerhouse. Yes, it's thick, but its relatively compact footprint and ample camera and power mix make it an enticing option, especially for photographers. 

While it's a shame there's no pro mode for manual photography, the 14 Pro's 48MP RAW photos capture excellent results. The automatic mode's photo processing is also one of the best, if not the best, we've seen on a phone. Additionally, while the lack of a periscope zoom is a bugbear when using the Pro, on smaller phones, there's less of an expectation for a far-reaching zoom.

It's a mighty phone with a brilliant camera, that's powerful and lasts a full day. Is it the best camera phone of 2022? If you're an Apple fan who likes more compact phones, absolutely. 

Other Cyber Monday Apple deals

• iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro: Up to $750 eGift cards at Walmart
• iPad 10.2-inch 64GB (2021): Save $30|$299.99
• Apple Mac Mini (2018): Save $300|$499
• MacBook Pro 16 M1 (2021): Save $320|$1,999
• MacBook Air M1 (2020): Save $200|$799
• MacBook Pro 13 (M2): $1,299 | $1,249

Best Cyber Monday sales

Amazon: Cheap prices on camera gear
Adorama: Big discounts on cameras and tech
Adobe: Save $180 on Creative Cloud complete suite
Apple: Save on your old iPhone or iPad
Walmart: DSLR, Mirrorless & action cameras
B&H Photo Video: Deals on camera brands
Best Buy: Save on TVs, laptops, appliances
Canon USA: Buy direct to save money
Dell:  Discounts on laptops and PCs
DJI: Mini 2 Fly More Combo drone just $509
GoPro: Early deals on Hero 11 Black
HP: Save on laptops, desktops, monitors
Lenovo: Huge savings on laptops
Microsoft Store: Get powerful PCs & laptops
Mixbook: Cheap photo books & calendars
Samsung: Hard drives, SD cards, and more

The best photo-editing laptops won't just be the perfect tool for photographers needing to do some photo editing. A machine with a fast processor, plenty of RAM, and a large storage drive will give you a computer ideal for home-working too. And the addition of a quality screen with consistent color and contrast will not only bring images to life, but can also help reduce eye strain and fatigue.

So which are the best? The latest MacBook models are still a force to be reckoned with, but don't ignore the latest crop of Windows laptops. The market is fierce right now, producing some excellent all-rounders like the Asus ProArt P16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5.

To help you make the right choice, our experts have reviewed and tested thousands of laptops. And in the article below, we present the very best laptops for photo editing on the market today.

The Quick List

The best photo-editing laptops

Most powerful laptop for photo editing

The MacBook Pro equipped with Apple's M5 Max chip is quite simply the most powerful laptop you can buy today. That makes it a good option if you edit a lot of large image files, and especially if you also do a lot of video editing.

Performance-wise, the M5 Max chip delivers impressive results in photo editing applications. However, you do pay a premium for this performance, so if you don't need a massive amount of power, you may be better off with one of the cheaper laptops featured below.

It's not just about power, though. Another top feature of the latest MacBook Pro is the optional nano-texture display. This could be a revelation for anyone who edits photos in a variety of lighting conditions; virtually eliminating glare while maintaining high color accuracy. Meanwhile the peak HDR brightness of 1,600 nits ensure your photos look spectacular.

Another plus point is the MacBook Pro's 17-hour battery life, which means you can edit all day without hunting for a power outlet. We're also big fans of the 12MP Center Stage webcam, which will make your remote client meetings more professional. Finally, the inclusion of an SD card slot, three Thunderbolt 5 ports, and the ability to drive multiple external displays makes this a versatile mobile editing station for photographers.

The MacBook Pro M5 Max is also available as a 16-inch model. That'll give you a more comfortable editing workspace, but the price you pay goes up significantly. We'd prefer to spend the difference on one of the best monitors for MacBook Pros, which you can use as a large second screen when editing at home.

See our full Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Max) review

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Best photo editing laptop for most people

The Apple MacBook Air 15 M4 is probably the best laptop currently on the market for most people, who don't need the huge amount of performance offered by the MacBook Pro.

That makes it a superb choice for any photographer, videographer, or creative who wants a larger gorgeous screen, combined with enough power to comfortably run the latest editing software, and all wrapped up in a lightweight package that can easily slip into a backpack.

There are more powerful Apple options for really demanding editing situations, but for most people, the M4 chip inside the 'Air 15 will provide more than enough oomph to edit comfortably. Best of all, Apple recently upgraded the base RAM from 16GB to 32GB, without increasing the price.

The lack of abundant ports, and the absence of an SD card slot, holds this laptop back from being the ultimate laptop for content creators though. So the MacBook Pro is a slightly better all-rounder, if you're happy to pay more and carry more bulk.

Read our full MacBook Air 15-inch M3 (2024) review

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Best Windows photo editing laptop

Portable power like this is ideal for anyone shooting photos or videos in the field. The ProArt P16 has everything you need in one package, including enough storage to empty your memory cards.

In our comprehensive testing, the P16 performed incredibly well in Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom and Davinci Resolve. We also noted that the 24 addressable CPU threads of this laptop allow parallel tasks in Lightroom, such as exporting and generating smart previews, are given an extra speed boost.

However, all this power comes at a price, with the laptop, especially at higher spec models troubling most bank balances. Although as a laptop that’s versatile, portable, powerful, and with the Dial and touchscreen, it ranks as one of the best laptops for photo and video editing right now.

Read our full Asus ProArt P16 H7606WX review

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Best budget laptop

A laptop that can handle serious photo editing will never be really cheap, but we reckon the Asus TUF A16 strikes a great balance of offering fast performance at an accessible price. Firepower comes from a potent 8-core AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS processor, teamed with 16GB of RAM.

Screen specs haven't been skimped on, either. There's an excellent 16-inch IPS display with a healthy 2560 x 1600 resolution, plus it covers a hugely impressive 100% of the demanding DCI-P3 color space. That resolution may be lower than 4K, but it's already more than sharp enough to give you a super-crisp viewing experience.

During our time reviewing the TUF A16 we found it to also have a surprisingly good battery life for a laptop this powerful. Expect around 10 hours of light use and video playback, though inevitably if you work those 8 CPU cores hard, you'll need to plug in much sooner.

If you're after a laptop that gives you maximum bang per buck, the Asus TUF A16 is just that: exceptional value for money.

Read more: Asus TUF A16 full review

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Best for photo editing on the move

The latest MacBook Air (above) is already a great choice if you want a thin and light laptop for photo editing on the go. However, you'll pay a premium for that Apple logo, and not everyone is familiar with macOS. Fortunately there are plenty of Windows laptops that are just as travel-friendly and cost less, with the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Aura being one of the best.

It's based around a modern Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor - a CPU that's been designed for AI workflows, and which provides ample speed while running cool and preseving battery power. It's not going to break any speed records, but we found it to easily cope with some heavy-duty image editing in Photoshop, while still managing almost 22 hours of continuous video playback on a single charge. Screen quality is also excellent, with incredible color accuracy and impressive color space coverage.

You will have to make some compromises to have such a svelte machine, however. There are only two USB-C ports, and one of those will be used by the power cord when you need to recharge. Graphical processing is handled by the CPU, so this is no gaming powerhouse.

Read our full Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Aura review for more details

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Best MacBook alternative for photo editing

Microsoft's Surface Laptop 5 is a fantastic option for anyone design-conscious, who wants a traditional clamshell design Windows laptop that is oozing with style.

With a big, sharp, and colorful screen, a fantastic keyboard, and a large trackpad, the Surface Laptop 5 is a joy to use. Although a design overhaul wouldn't go amiss, with its chunky bezels needing reducing and a couple more ports squeezed in.

The Surface Laptop 5 performs very well at productivity tasks, easily handling Office apps for work or school, intensive web browsing, and video streaming, and photographers can be confident in performing light photo editing in Lightroom or Photoshop.

When it comes to video, the Surface Laptop struggles and keen filmmakers might want to look at options with a dedicated graphics card - or that sport an Apple logo.

Read our full Surface Laptop 5 review

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The Acer Predator Helios 300 represents an awful lot of laptop for a relatively affordable price. Despite its accessible cost, we found during our testing that you still get respectable photo-editing performance, courtesy of Intel Core i7 power paired with up to 32GB of RAM. In fact, there's enough speed here to rival laptops costing much, much more. Factor the healthy amount of built-in storage (up to a 1TB SSD, or a SSD+hard drive combo) and you can store thousands of high-res raw files without running out of space.

The Predator Helios 300 is marketed as a gaming laptop, so there are extras like a Turbo button that'll give you an overclocked boost for intense editing bouts, plus there’s custom control over the cooling fan, so you can balance cooling performance with fan noise. Granted, they're not essential features for photo editing, but this laptop is great value regardless.

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How to choose the best photo-editing laptop

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How we test the best photo-editing laptops

When reviewing a laptop, we assess its internal hardware features, build quality, ergonomics, performance in a variety of usage scenarios, value for money, and its overall suitability for its target buyer. Although we'll evaluate a laptop with a typical user in mind, we will also pay particular attention to the perspective of photo and video enthusiasts, with special focus given to screen quality and color space coverage. Where possible, a monitor calibrator will be used to measure a laptop's display performance to assess whether it matches a manufacturer's claims, and software benchmarks like Geekbench and Cinebench are used to measure a laptop's processor and graphics card capabilities.

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Compare prices

The best laptops for video editing mean that you'll never have to twiddle your thumbs waiting for a project to finish rendering again. But, with so many laptop variations out there, which ones are the best for your video editing needs?

We've rounded up a selection of choices that include potent processing power, plenty of RAM (memory), and good quality, high-res screens. These important features are essential for choosing the best laptops for video editing, but be warned: the high performance you need won't come cheap. Working with high-resolution footage is both power- and memory-intensive, so you'll need to make sure that your machine is up to the task.

A large, beautiful screen and plenty of memory mean that the best laptops for video editing also tend to be larger than average. If you usually work in one set place, then this shouldn't be an issue. However, if you're constantly on the go, you might want to opt for a smaller laptop. Just be aware that the power, battery life, and viewing ergonomics will be compromised as the body of the laptop gets smaller.

If you're unsure how to choose the right model, scroll down to the bottom of this article to read our top buying tips. Alternatively, check out our picks for the best laptops for video editing below.

The Quick List

Best laptops for video editing 

The best laptop for video editing overall

The latest MacBook Pro with Apple’s top-tier M5 Max chip is an absolute powerhouse - it boasts the kind of speed that feels almost unreal in day‑to‑day use. In our testing it tore through demanding workloads in Premiere Pro, delivering near‑instant responsiveness. Even the so‑called “base” 36GB configuration packs serious muscle, and bumping up the memory turns it into an editing workstation that outclasses most laptops and even a fair few desktops.

Battery life is another standout. With up to 17 hours on a charge, you can comfortably edit on location without hunting for power sockets. Pair that endurance with a portable design and a relatively manageable 2.15kg weight, and the M5 Max MacBook Pro becomes a genuinely mobile, professional‑grade video‑editing machine.

The optional nano‑texture display coating is another highlight. It dramatically cuts reflections and glare while preserving excellent colour accuracy, making it far easier to work consistently in bright studios, or outdoors.

The 14.2‑inch Liquid Retina XDR display itself is equally impressive: up to 1,000 nits brightness for SDR, 1,600 nits peak for HDR, P3 wide‑gamut support, and a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate. Its near‑4K resolution (3096 × 1964) and mini‑LED backlighting with a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio deliver exceptional detail, tonal precision, and colour fidelity - exactly what precision video editing demands.

See our full Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5 Max) review

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The best value laptop for video editing

The MacBook Pro M4 may not be Apple's latest MacBook offering, but it still packs one heck of an editing punch. The base model comes with a powerful M4 chip that can handle multiple 4K/30fps video streams simultaneously in Final Cut Pro. While it struggles slightly with 4K/120fps footage, this level of performance is impressive for an entry-level configuration.

The laptop features a high-quality 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with improved SDR brightness up to 1,000 nits and HDR peaks of 1,600 nits, making it ideal for color-accurate video work. The optional nanotexture coating reduces glare and reflections, which makes video editing much easier in strong lighting conditions.

You also get excellent connectivity with three Thunderbolt ports (either 4 or 5 depending on the model), HDMI, and an SD card slot, making it easy to connect external displays and transfer footage. Battery life is exceptional at over 18 hours of regular use, allowing editors to work remotely without constantly searching for power outlets.

For those needing even more power, the M4 Pro and M4 Max configurations offer additional performance headroom for more demanding video editing workflows. The combination of portable form factor, powerful performance, and professional-grade display still makes this a strong choice for video professionals.

See our full Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch M4 review

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Best Windows laptop

The ProArt P16 is designed with video editing firmly in mind. Not only do you get a touch screen and large trackpad for input, there's also the Asus Dial: a customisable rotating wheel between the keyboard and trackpad that can be used for all sorts of functions, including scrubbing through a timeline in Premiere Pro.

Our top-of-the-range review sample was equipped with a blazing-fast 12-core AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU and 64GB of RAM, so it was no surprise that it aced our benchmark tests with ease. In addition to the colossal processing power, you also get a sublime 4K OLED touch-sensitive screen. We measured an impressive 99% P3, 95% Adobe RGB and 100% sRGB color gamut coverage, making this an ideal display for color-critical workloads.

You'll also pay a hefty price for the ProArt P16, and that's before you add any options, but considering just what a capable video editing machine this is, the price isn't unreasonable.

Read our Asus ProArt P16 H7606WX review for more details

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Best budget laptop

This certainly isn't the cheapest laptop you can buy, but a powerful machine is a must for video editing, ruling out really cheap and sluggish options for this guide. The Asus TUF A16 certainly isn't short on performance thanks to an 8-core AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS processor paired with 16GB RAM, yet it manages to be this powerful at a very fair price.

Teamed with this speed is an excellent 16-inch IPS display with a healthy 2560 x 1600 resolution and a mightily impressive 100% DCI-P3 color space coverage. The only shortcoming is that resolution, though certainly crisp, still isn't 4K. But you simply can't have it all at this price point.

During our time reviewing the TUF A16 we were able to test its battery life, which turned out to be surprisingly good for a laptop this powerful. Reckon on around 10 hours of light use and video playback, though this will nosedive if you plan on exporting 4K footage for hours on end.

Considering you could spend way, way more on a laptop to only get marginally more processing performance, we reckon the Asus TUF A16 is a bit of a bargain.

Read more: Asus TUF A16 full review

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Best 2 in 1 laptop

The Surface Pro is quite hard to define - it's not the most powerful candidate for video editing, but it is very handy when you're on the move, and for setting up quickly while on location. The signature feature here is that the display section can be detached from the keyboard to become a standalone touch-screen tablet.

But unlike a conventional tablet which is more like a scaled-up smartphone the Surface Pro runs full-on Windows and is deceptively powerful for such a svelte device. While it won't outright win any speed benchmarks, we did find the Surface Pro preformed reasonably well during our video editing tests. Just don't expect to go about your everyday work while exporting a video in the background - there simply isn't the power in reserve for that kind of multitasking.

What you get here is a beautiful, well made device with a clever kickstand and hinge that still reigns supreme in the 2-in-1 laptop world. If you choose to buy the Surface Type Cover and Surface Slim Pen (which you really should), then the Surface Pro is a real pleasure to use in the field.

Read our full Surface Pro 9 review

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Best MacBook alternative

If you're after a stylish, thin and light laptop, but prefer Windows over MacOS, then the Surface Laptop 5 is a natural choice. It's available in 13.5" and 15" sizes, but we'd recommend the latter for video editing, as it gives you a more comfortable editing area for timelines and pallets.

And that screen doesn't disappoint. It's super-sharp, with bold color and contrast, and is simply a pleasure to view. Factor the fantastic keyboard and large trackpad, and the Surface Laptop 5 is a comfortable laptop on which to edit.

There's enough performance here for daily duties and light-medium edits, but with no dedicated graphics processor (only the integrated CPU-based graphics chip) we found the Surface Laptop 5 did struggle in Premiere during more intensive editing.

If you'll be spending prolonged periods editing high-res footage, you should look at more powerful hardware, even if that does come at the expense of some portability. Otherwise, the Surface Laptop 5 is a sound choice as a travel-friendly all-rounder that's also capable of occasional editing.

Read our full Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 review

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More options

The latest MacBook Air 13 with Apple's M3 processing hardware offers an incredible amount of editing performance in such a slim and lightweight laptop. The base M3 chip packs an 8‑core CPU and 8‑core GPU, which can be upgraded to a 10-core GPU if graphics performance is important to you. There's 8GB RAM and 256GB of SSD storage as standard, but we'd definitely opt for at least 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage to get a smoother video editing experience.

Our test machine managed to perform even our most demanding processing requests without breaking into a sweat - amazing considering what a svelte machine the 13-inch MacBook Air is. And it does all this while staying both cool and quiet, thanks to its fanless design. As usual for modern MacBooks, display quality is first class, while the trackpad and keyboard are comfortable to use. A Magsafe power connector, two USB-C ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack are hardly the last word in versatile connectivity, however.

Naturally, a 13-inch screen size will feel restrictive for long video editing stints, but for occasional edits on the go, we highly recommend the MacBook Air 13 M3.

Read our full MacBook Air 13" M3 full review

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Many 2-in-1 laptops tend to be ultra-portable affairs, with correspondingly small screens of around 13 inches. But if you plan on doing longer video editing stints, a bigger display can really improve viewing comfort. The 16-inch MSI Summit E16 Flip Evo therefore makes a solid case for itself. That larger screen may not have the highest resolution - Full HD (1920 x 1080), but that's still more than crisp enough for a screen this size for editing, even if 4K playback isn't an option. 100 sRGB color coverage is also good news, though we measured DCI-P3 coverage at a more restricted 87%.

We found during our review that the 12-core Intel Core i7 processor is easily powerful enough to breeze through intensive video editing, though the 16GB of RAM in our test machine did limit the heaviest workloads. The lack of a dedicated graphics processor can have an impact on rendering speed in some editing apps, however.

But considering the very fair price of the Flip Evo, we reckon it's great value for a 2-in-1.

Read our full MSI Summit E16 Flip Evo review

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If you need to travel regularly for shoots and don't want to carry a bulky, heavy laptop, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Aura is ideal. It's fast enough for serious editing, yet it only weighs around 1.5kg and is just 13.9mm thick.

At its heart is a modern Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor - a CPU that's been designed for AI workflows, and which provides ample speed while running cool and preserving battery power. This efficiency means you will sacrifice some outright speed, but the Aura is still capable of dealing with heavy workloads, and you'll even get almost 22 hours of continuous video playback on a single charge. Screen quality is also first class, boasting an incredible 100% DCI-P3 color space coverage, along with Delta E<1 color accuracy.

You will have to make some compromises to have such a svelte machine, however. There are only two USB-C ports, and one of those will be used by the power cord when you need to recharge. There's no separate graphics processor either, so you're not going to benefit from GPU-accelerated video rendering, but this is to be expected if you want a super-thin and power-efficient machine.

Read our full Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Aura review

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The Acer Predator Helios 300 packs a lot of video editing performance for a relatively affordable price. Available with Intel Core i7 power paired with up to 32GB of RAM, during our review we found it delivered performance that could rival some of the best laptops around. Factor the healthy amount of built-in storage (up to a 1TB SSD, or a SSD+hard drive combo) and you've got an ideal machine for storing hours of 4K footage.

Like some other gaming laptops, there’s a Turbo button you can hit to overclock performance for intense editing bouts, and there’s also granular control over the fan, so you can ramp it up or down depending on whether you need maximum performance, or a quiet editing environment.

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How to choose the best laptops for video editing

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How we test the best laptops for video editing

When reviewing a laptop, we assess its internal hardware features, build quality, ergonomics, performance in a variety of usage scenarios, value for money, and its overall suitability for its target buyer. Although we'll evaluate a laptop with a typical user in mind, we will also pay particular attention to the perspective of photo and video enthusiasts, with special focus given to screen quality and color space coverage. Where possible, a monitor calibrator will be used to measure a laptop's display performance to assess whether it matches a manufacturer's claims, and software benchmarks like GeekBench are used to measure a laptop's processor and graphics card capabilities.

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There has been a long debate within the filmmaking community for some time to try and get Apple to implement a standard video editor to the iPad, while iMovie is an option this doesn't really cut the mustard when you want to do complex editing on the go. Rumors suggested that Apple would bring Final Cut Pro to the iPad, but this never happened. 

Then a 3rd-party stepped in to fill that void, LumaFusion allowed creators to record on their 4K video camera and be able to edit this footage on the go with an iPad and up to now this has been the only way content creators can get a real video live out to the world. 

However, Apple has just announced a new line of iPads, with the new iPad Pro gaining the powerful Apple-silicon M2 chip, and what is even more impressive than this chip's ability to make the iPad a real laptop alternative is that one of the leading video editors, Davinci Revolve will come to iPad now natively. That's right – a standalone real professional video editor on your iPad, for true on-the-go editing in real-time.

Now, while many industry filmmakers spotted that tell-tale Davinci Resolve symbol, this is will only available on the iPad Pro, now depending on which screen size you go for it will start from $799 for the new 11-inch model, or $1,099 for the traditional 12.9-inch iPad Pro - not cheap when you consider this is now indeed laptop territory capable of video editing 4K footage.

So why is this such a great feature, and why would you consider an iPad over a laptop? Well, the new iPad Pro now features the M2 chip which has the ability to get pro-grade apps natively to the iPad, not some washed-down half-attempt of the computer program that we all know and love. 

This means that we can now use Abode Photoshop to its full potential along with Davinci Resolve to edit and output professional industry-grade footage for the first time, without having to learn a new program, like you would for LumaFision. 

This is due to the 8-core CPU of the M2 chip which is 15 percent faster than Apple's M1 chip, and a 10-core GPU means this iPad can now scrub through 4K, and I imagine even 8K footage shot on professional cinema cameras, as you can currently do this on a Macbook Pro M2.

Before you were only able to shoot 4K and edit via LumaFusion, which is still a great app for video editing on an iPad, but soon with Davinci Revolve you will be able to color grade, edit and apply SFX to your heart's content, without having to give up any features over the desktop variation of the application. Think about it, all that M2 power that Macbook Pros have in either an 11 or 12.9-inch screen that you can fit in your messenger bag, or just pick up and take with you to the coffee shop.- what isn't there to love?

Now, I know some that are reading this thinking you would never record on a professional camera and then edit on an iPad, which is a valid point, and while a traditional desktop experience does offer more for multi-tasking and file sharing, etc, what this new iPad Pro does is take that desktop-level performance and let you go anywhere with it. 

I can see this being extremely useful for content creators who are always on the go, and travel vloggers looking for an easy setup without the bulk of a laptop, I can also see this being used by professionals when out and about, just think of the ability to shoot a project and while you are out accessing those files and doing a quick edit while on the train, or in the coffee shop waiting for your next meeting to arrive.

I'm a hardcore desktop user, but I'd pick the new iPad Pro with Davinci Revolve. Would you? 

Check out our iPad generations guide, and all things Apple with the best iPhone for photography and the best MacBooks for photo editing.

Choosing the best monitor for photo editing is important. It's not just about your own viewing comfort and satisfaction: it's essential that you get a proper rendition of the detail, color, and contrast in your photos.

When you're editing an image, you only have what you see on the screen to go by – and if your monitor isn't up to the job, you can easily end up correcting the monitor's faults when your photos are perfectly fine. Of course, the best monitor calibrators can help you to sort out your screen and ensure optimum accuracy, too.

In this guide, we've picked some of the best monitors on the market that prioritize resolution, color accuracy, brightness consistency, and contrast to display your photos properly. If you regularly move around with your system, then take a look at the best portable monitors.

The top monitors in this guide are high-end, high-performance monitors designed for more demanding work and aimed at enthusiasts, artists, and professionals. However, we appreciate that not every photographer wants to spend a fortune on a high-end display, so scroll down and you'll find affordable upgrades for photographers who want to replace an older monitor with one that's usefully better, but at an affordable price.

If you fancy getting more specific, we've already got a guide on the best video editing monitors, the best ultra-wide monitors, and even the slightly futuristic but best curved monitors.

The Quick List

Best monitors for photo editing 

Best overall

The Dell U2723QE is a 27-inch display with headline specs like 98% DCI-P3 color space coverage, 4K resolution, USB-C connectivity with Power Delivery, and even IPS Black technology to boost contrast and give deeper black depth. In our testing we found those specs translate to excellent image quality results across the board.

If you need extensive DCI-P3 color space coverage and USB-C connectivity with Power Delivery, this display is certainly worth the money and is definitely worthy of serious consideration if you're in the market for a high-performing display for image or video editing.

Read our full Dell UltraSharp U2723QE full review for more details

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Best no compromise option

BenQ has a history of making some of the best monitors for photo editing, and the SW272U is its latest flagship offering for discerning photo and video editors. The new 4K display boasts factory color calibration to an accuracy of Delta E ≤1.5 and is capable of displaying 100% sRGB and 99% AdobeRGB coverage - impressive stuff. Elsewhere, you get USB-C connectivity with 90W Power Delivery, plus BenQ's third-generation color Uniformity Technology, hardware color calibration, and a separate 'Hotkey Puck' remote control for easy settings adjustment and color mode switching. We found the SW272U performed brilliantly in our comprehensive testing. In fact, the only drawback here is the monitor's price, which is significantly more than some rival screens like the Dell UltraSharp U2723QE which perform almost as well as the BenQ.

Read our full BenQ PhotoVue SW272U review for more details