Tag: macOS Tahoe

  • Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro: M5 Chip, 24-Hour Battery, $1,599.99

    Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro: M5 Chip, 24-Hour Battery, $1,599.99

    Key Takeaways

    1. Powerful Performance: The new 14-inch MacBook Pro features the Apple M5 chip, offering 3.5 times faster AI performance and 1.6 times quicker graphics performance than the M4 chip.

    2. Improved Battery Life: The MacBook Pro boasts a maximum battery life of up to 24 hours and features an SSD that is twice as fast, enhancing efficiency for demanding tasks.

    3. Familiar Design with Upgraded Features: The device includes a Liquid Retina XDR display, a 12MP Center Stage camera, and multiple connectivity options, while maintaining a traditional design.

    4. Focus on Sustainability: The MacBook Pro incorporates 45% recycled materials, including 100% recycled aluminum, and is packaged in fully recyclable materials, emphasizing Apple’s commitment to sustainability.

    5. Pricing and Availability: The starting price is $1,599, with pre-orders available now and a release date set for October 22.


    Apple has officially unveiled its latest 14-inch MacBook Pro, which is powered by the new Apple M5 chip. This model brings faster performance, better power efficiency, and enhanced AI processing capabilities. It maintains the same starting price of $1,599, or $1,499 for those eligible for education discounts. Customers can start pre-ordering today on the Apple Store, with the product set to be available on October 22 in both space black and silver colors.

    Enhanced AI and Graphics Performance

    The M5 chip integrates a Neural Accelerator in each GPU core. According to Apple, this results in AI performance that is up to 3.5 times faster and graphics performance that is 1.6 times quicker than the previous M4 chip. With an upgraded CPU and higher unified memory bandwidth exceeding 150GB/s, users can expect better efficiency when handling demanding tasks such as 3D rendering, deep learning, and on-device large language models (LLMs). The new 16-core Neural Engine is said to enhance AI-driven applications and Apple Intelligence features within macOS Tahoe.

    Improved Battery Life and SSD Speed

    Battery longevity has also been improved, boasting a maximum of 24 hours, as per Apple’s claims. The SSD now offers performance that is twice as fast, making it easier to import RAW images or export large video files. The M5 chip is particularly optimized for creators, developers, and analysts, with Apple highlighting a 1.6 times increase in gaming frame rates and a 20% boost in multithreaded performance compared to the M4.

    Traditional Features and Sustainability

    The overall design remains familiar, featuring a Liquid Retina XDR display with a peak brightness of up to 1,600 nits, along with an optional nano-texture finish. The device also comes with a 12MP Center Stage camera and a robust six-speaker system. Connectivity options include three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port, an SDXC card slot, a headphone jack, and a MagSafe 3 port. Additionally, macOS Tahoe introduces Apple Intelligence, Live Translation in apps like FaceTime and Messages, and wider capabilities for Shortcuts automation.

    Apple is also placing a focus on sustainability with this new MacBook Pro, which includes 45% recycled materials by weight. This encompasses 100% recycled aluminum and rare earth elements. The laptop is packaged in fully recyclable fiber-based materials and is assembled using 55% renewable energy, according to the company’s statements. A 70W USB-C power adapter is included in the package, although a recent report indicates that this charger won’t be part of shipments to the EU.

    As previously mentioned, the pricing for the 16GB/512GB variant is $1,599.99, while the 16GB/1TB variant costs $1,799.99. For those looking for the top-tier option, the 24GB/1TB version is available for $1,999.99.

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  • macOS Tahoe Update: Play Star Wars Outlaws & More on Apple Silicon

    macOS Tahoe Update: Play Star Wars Outlaws & More on Apple Silicon

    Key Takeaways

    1. Apple’s macOS Tahoe developer beta, along with Game Porting Toolkit 3.0 and Crossover Preview, improves compatibility for popular Windows games on Apple Silicon.

    2. Games like Starfield and Horizon Forbidden West now run more reliably, achieving good performance without needing community patches or hacks.

    3. New titles like Jurassic World Evolution 2 and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora have become playable on Macs, indicating advancements in DirectX 12-to-Metal translation.

    4. Custom tweaks in Crossover Preview allow the use of modern gaming features like DLSS and AVX emulation on Macs.

    5. Apple is quietly enhancing macOS for gaming, making it a more viable platform for recent AAA titles despite not officially promoting these advancements.


    Apple’s macOS Tahoe developer beta, along with Game Porting Toolkit 3.0 and the newest Crossover Preview (build 0507), is paving the way for popular Windows games to function on Apple Silicon. YouTuber Andrew Tsai has conducted tests showing that games like Starfield, Star Wars Outlaws, and Horizon Forbidden West now start more reliably and perform better. In many instances, these games no longer require community patches or hacks, indicating that Apple has made significant strides in DirectX 12 compatibility within macOS.

    Starfield and Horizon Forbidden West Perform Better

    Starfield now runs on Apple Silicon, and the results are impressively good. The YouTuber demonstrated that the game achieves 60 FPS at 1080p on medium settings with MetalFX upscaling turned on, making use of DLSS and frame generation through Crossover. Horizon Forbidden West, which used to crash when launched, now opens smoothly without needing shader patches or unofficial modifications.

    New Titles Become Playable

    Jurassic World Evolution 2 and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, which were previously unplayable on Macs, now start without issues and run more stably, as highlighted by Andrew. The latest update to Apple’s Game Porting Toolkit seems to have greatly enhanced the DirectX 12-to-Metal translation, bringing Apple Silicon closer to mainstream AAA gaming.

    All of this is tested using Crossover Preview, CodeWeavers’ compatibility layer for macOS, with Andrew Tsai using it to evaluate the new configurations. By manually swapping in GPTK 3.0 files and making some custom bottle tweaks, the setup allows features like DLSS hooks, AVX emulation, and real-time MetalFX. This marks the closest Apple Silicon has ever gotten to supporting modern PC gaming technologies natively.

    Quiet Improvements for Gamers

    Apple hasn’t officially promoted these advancements for gamers, but the capability to play recent AAA titles on MacBooks, such as Horizon Forbidden West, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Star Wars Outlaws, points to a subtle yet steady effort to make macOS a more viable gaming platform.

    As of now, all the games were tested on a MacBook Pro with M3 Max, the macOS Tahoe developer beta, Game Porting Toolkit 3.0 Beta 1, and Crossover Preview. You can find the complete video showcasing these tests below.

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