Apple offers two entry level MacBook models: the MacBook Air, and the base model MacBook Pro. There’s a couple hundred dollars in difference between the two, which begs the question – is the MacBook Pro worth the premium, or should you save money and stick to the MacBook Air?

Apple started selling the M1 MacBook Air for $699 through Walmart last year, and at the time, it was a great deal. I’ve personally been a big advocate for the M1 MacBook Air, especially as its slowly come down in price. In more recent history, it’s gone on sale for $599, and this week for Black Friday – you can grab one for $549.

While that’s still certainly an appealing price point, I’d recommend you think twice about that purchase before you make that jump. Here’s why.

iPads are pretty commonly gifted during the holidays, with 9% of iPad owners M5 iPad Pro to its recently released M3 iPad Air.

If you’re a Mac user looking for a solid external display that pairs nicely with your MacBook’s crisp retina display, you’ll know that finding one can be a challenge. Apple offers its Studio Display with a 27″ 5K retina display, but that costs $1599 just for the cheapest version with a basic stand. If you want a more versatile stand, the Studio Display will cost you $1999.

Luckily, a number of 27″ 5K monitors have been launching lately, many of which have been at more affordable price points than Apple’s Studio Display, while offering an incredibly comparable experience. One of them is the ViewSonic VP2788-5K, which I’ll be reviewing here today.

With iPhone Air, Apple reintroduced the MagSafe battery pack. It’s $99, and optimized specifically for iPhone Air. It’s rather slim, though it’s rather weak in capacity – making Qi2 alternatives all the more interesting. We’ll be delving into the top options on the market, just in case you want a MagSafe battery for your iPhone without spending $99, or aren’t buying the iPhone Air.

Next year, Apple will be introducing an even more affordable MacBook model to better compete with Chromebooks. It’s expected to come in around $699, offer an A18 Pro chip, and a 13-inch LCD display. While that’s likely going to be an excellent offering, there’s the simple fact that a lot of people buying Chromebooks are targeting even cheaper price points than that.

Luckily, Apple already has an excellent solution for some of these potential: the iPad, in pairing with a keyboard setup of your choosing.

Recently, the Financial Times reported that efforts to set up a succession plan for Apple CEO Tim Cook have ‘recently intensified’, and that the transition could happen as ‘early as next year,’ potentially even happening sometime in the spring.

Today, in his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman claimed this story to likely be “simply false,” and that the moment is “not at hand.”

This past year, Apple overhauled its design language across all of its major software platforms with the introduction of Liquid Glass. That dramatic redesign, coupled with a number of jam-packed feature releases over the past couple years, has resulted in many Apple users complaining about the overall quality of Apple software.

According to today’s Power On newsletter, Apple might be stepping back from new features, and instead focusing on underlying performance improvements. Let’s discuss.

Apple announced the redesigned Mac mini with M4 chip last October. It’s by no means a new product at this point, and it’s nearly a year old. However, I think it may be one of Apple’s greatest gifts to up and coming creators, developers, and all sorts of creative professionals.

Welcome to Indie App Spotlight. This is a weekly 9to5Mac series where we showcase the latest apps in the indie app world. If you’re a developer and would like your app featured, get in contact.

If you’re a massive Pokémon trading card came enthusiast, you might found yourself with thousands of cards in your collection. Mint aims to make things easier for collectors, by giving yourself an easy way to track your whole collection, its value, and more. It’s also designed for iOS 26 and Liquid Glass, and will look right at home on your iPhone.

Apple has two great, affordable iPads that most people consider: the base iPad, and the iPad Air. Over time, these iPads have always been relatively similar, making it a rather interesting debate. With current deals, theres only $150 between these two iPads, which really begs the question: should you pay more for the iPad Air, or save some money with the base iPad?

If you’re in the market for an excellent 3-in-1 charging stand ahead of the holiday season, Anker’s new 3-in-1 Prime MagSafe charger could be an excellent pick. It offers 25W MagSafe charging with Qi2.2 support, as well as support for Apple Watch and AirPods – making it an excellent pick for Apple users.

Once again, Apple has dropped a limited time Apple Card offer for new users who choose to sign up. Typically, the Apple Card does not offer a sign up bonus, so this is worth looking into.