Posts about Mac hardware
Several MacMaven clients have inquired about whether their old iMac can be used as an external monitor with a recent Mac model. The short answer is it depends. It depends on the specific Mac models, whether DisplayPort or Thunderbolt is being used, and the operating system versions of each computer. The community consensus is that…
The only MacBook that’s a well-timed purchase is the 2022 M2 MacBook Air. It’s a solid choice for those who want a general use, very portable Mac. The 256 GB configuration should be avoided, due to its single storage chip. Configurations with larger storage use dual chips, allowing for much faster parallel processing. I would…
If you’re considering a Mac purchase, always refer to the MacRumors Buyer’s Guide. Using historical release dates, it will tell you whether it’s a good time to buy a particular model. At this time, many Macs models are due for an update, labeled caution or don’t buy. I’ll provide my brief opinion on your purchasing…
One of my pet peeves is when someone writes about MAC computers. Mac is not an acronym. It’s short for Macintosh.* So why do so many people write MAC? My best guess is that these folks are familiar with PCs, so they apply the capitalization to Macs too. MAC is a technical acronym that you…
On April 20, Apple announced the completely redesigned 24-inch iMac, replacing the 21.5-inch models. Overall, it’s a very impressive machine. It has an incredibly thin design and offers high-end features, such as spacial audio and a 1080p FaceTime camera. There are two slightly disappointing deviations from my predictions. First, the new iMac still includes the…
Update 6/18/23: My MX Keys for Mac has developed the dreaded backlight looping problem, wherein the backlight automatically cycles on and off without touching it. Additionally, there is a loose screw floating around the case. These types of problems should not occur with an expensive flagship keyboard. I had an online chat with a Logitech…
In short, it’s not a great time to buy a Mac unless you absolutely need one or you need to run Windows on your Mac. The transition to Apple Silicon ARM processors is as significant as Apple’s move to Intel chips in 2006. Imagine buying a PowerPC-based Mac six months before Apple released its first…
I usually write about my clients’ computing woes, but even Mac consultants have their own problems. A few weeks ago my 2009 Mac Pro starting exhibiting serious issues. I had kernel panics and hard crashes a couple of times a day. When I restarted the machine, it wouldn’t boot most of the time. The fans blasted…
While my regular clients hire MacMaven for IT and information security work, I often get calls from new clients with computing problems. An analogy could be made with plumbing. A plumber’s big jobs involve installation of pipes, sinks, showers, etc. Oftentimes a plumber is called to deal with a clogged toilet. These are the…
While Apple provides solid state drives on its laptop models, the stock iMacs use slow spinning hard drives. The more expensive models include a Fusion drive, which is a combination of a SSD and a spinning hard drive. With a Fusion drive, frequently accessed files are stored on the SSD, for faster retrieval. The…