Jeff Benjamin

CES hasn’t officially begun yet, but we already have some big news coming out of the Mac hardware sector. OWC, the company that’s well-known for its focus on Mac-centric storage, connectivity, software and expansion solutions, has acquired Akitio, known for innovative Thunderbolt 3 products.

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In a previous video, I showcased a 2018 Mac mini gaming setup using an AMD RX Vega 64 eGPU running Windows 10 via Boot Camp. Would a similar setup work for an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 GPU from EVGA? Watch our hands-on video walkthrough for the answer.
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The G-Drive Mobile Pro SSD from G-Technology is a Thunderbolt 3 drive, featuring an impressive maximum read speed rating of 2800 MB/s. This puts it in direct competition with the Samsung X5 SSD, providing external storage that’s more comparable to your Mac’s internal storage from a speed perspective. Is G-Technology’s external SSD worth considering if you’re in need of high-speed external storage? Watch our video walkthrough for the details.

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Can you game with the 2018 Mac mini? If you’re willing to install Windows 10 using our Boot Camp tutorial, and you have an eGPU at your disposal, the answer is yes. Watch our video showing you how to transform the 2018 Mac mini into a legit Windows 10 gaming machine.
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Blackmagic’s latest external eGPU release, the upgraded Blackmagic eGPU Pro, is now available via Apple’s online store for $1199 with orders shipping to customers next month.

The release, which was delayed from its original late-November scheduled launch, is the follow-up to the original Blackmagic eGPU (review). The upgraded ‘Pro’ version features additional I/O and a much more capable RX Vega 56 graphics card inside. 
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Hyper, the prolific third-party Apple hardware maker, has created a new device that addresses one of the biggest issues with the 2018 iPad Pro — the sheer amount of dongles needed for basic connectivity to external devices.

Apple makes several dongles, including the USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter, USB-C to SD Card Reader, USB-C to USB Adapter, and USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter. A single 6-in-1 HyperDrive USB-C Hub can replace all of those dongles, and look much better in the process.

Today marks the beginning of Hyper’s Kickstarter campaign to launch its USB-C Hub for iPad Pro. Early backers can score a space gray HyperDrive hub for $49. The company sent over a couple of units for some much-anticipated early hands-on time.

Is this the definitive peripheral that all iPad Pro owners should have their eye on? Watch our first look video walkthrough for the details.
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Apple’s long-rumored first-party clear case is now finally available. At $39.99, it’s pricier than many of the third-party iPhone XR clear case options out there. Is the iPhone XR Clear Case worth it? Watch our hands-on video review for the details.
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A day after the release of iOS 12.1.1, the Apple Watch received its last major software update of 2018 with watchOS 5.1.2. The anticipated update includes the ECG app that Apple demonstrated on stage in September for performing single-lead-style Electrocardiograms. In this hands-on video walkthrough, we take the ECG app for a test drive, and briefly discuss the other new changes and features that arrive alongside watchOS 5.1.2.
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iOS 12.1.1 was released to the public today, and it contains a variety of new changes, features and bug fixes. Watch our brief hands-on video walkthrough as we consider what’s new.
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If you’re interested in gaming on your 2018 Mac mini (review), you might consider installing Windows 10 with the help of Boot Camp Assistant. In this hands-on video walkthrough, we show you how to install Windows 10 on your Mac mini step-by-step.
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The base $1199 model of the 2018 MacBook Air is a solid entry-level laptop barring one exception — its paltry 128GB PCIe-based SSD. The good news is that there is an ever-growing list of external SSD options that work great with modern Macs. In this hands-on video walkthrough, we take a look at some of the best MacBook Air SSDs.
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With near perfect timing in relation to Apple’s big MacBook Air and Mac mini refresh, the LG UltraWide 34WK95U display (on sale for $1399 at B&H) landed in the office last week. Should you consider this highly anticipated end-of-year hardware release? Watch our LG 5K UltraWide review for the details.
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In this hands-on video walkthrough, we show you how to upgrade the RAM in the 2018 Mac mini. If you’re comfortable with opening your machine, you can save a significant amount of money upgrading Mac mini RAM yourself. Watch our step-by-step hands-on video walkthrough for the details.
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Apple recently ushered in its long-awaited refreshes to two product lines that haven’t received a lot of love lately: the 2018 MacBook Air and the 2018 Mac mini (review). Both machines have been updated with new processors, Apple’s T2 chip, modernized I/O, and several other enhancements.

The MacBook Air, though, is by far the more popular machine, and will demand the majority of the public’s attention between the two. This is the portable Mac that lots of people have been waiting for, but does it live up to its namesake? Watch our video review for the details.
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The Mac mini is back for 2018, regaining its rightful place as the most versatile Mac in Apple’s entire computer lineup. The long-rumored update, which was announced during the midway portion of last week’s iPad Pro event, is exciting for a number of reasons.

For starters, the Mac mini 2018 gets brand-new, highly-capable 8th-generation Intel CPUs. The CPU lineup starts with a rather anemic, but still way faster than the last Mac mini, quad-core 3.6GHz Core i3. The mid-tier CPU option is a 3.0GHz 6-core Core i5 with 4.1GHz turbo boost, while the highest configuration adds a 3.2GHz 6-core Core i7 that turbos up to 4.6GHz.

While the CPU upgrades were much needed, the chip enhancements are arguably not even the most exciting thing about the new Mac mini. That award goes to the four Thunderbolt 3 ports on the machine’s rear. This opens up Apple’s smallest Mac to an ever-growing world of expandability, making it seem as if anything’s possible for what was once Apple’s forgotten Mac.

Watch our hands-on video walkthrough as I explain why the Mac mini 2018 is the most versatile and adaptable Mac ever.
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The 2018 iPad Pro is the most compelling new iPad to be released since the original. Whereas all previous iPad models more or less have had notable but incremental refinements and improvements, this new 2018 iPad is the tablet that Apple has longed to make.

Thanks to its flat edges, the 2018 iPad Pro looks vaguely similar to the original version, but that’s where the similarities abruptly end. This machine is an absolute monster in so many areas, from its “all-screen” front panel, to its ludicrously-fast CPU, to the sheer amount of flash storage space and memory.

But performance is only part of the story. The 2018 iPad Pro features many additional refinements and enhancements, and several direct answers to complaints levied against previous hardware releases.

Unfortunately, iOS is still a major thorn in the side of would-be iPad power users. iOS has improved over the last few years, but it still chokes the hardware of much-needed oxygen. The good news is that iOS 13 is less than a year away, and it’s rumored to bring changes and enhancements to the iPad that will remove some of the friction currently hindering the experience.

Watch our full iPad Pro hands-on unboxing and review for more details.
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After months of delays, LG’s 5K UltraWide 34WK95U display is now available for purchase. The availability lines up perfectly with the release of Apple’s new Mac mini and MacBook Air hardware.
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In our hands-on iPhone XR top features post, we discussed twenty of the best features found on Apple’s budget-minded iPhone. The iPhone XR, as it turns out, is a great phone that I think anyone looking to upgrade from pre-iPhone X devices should consider. It features the same A12 processor as the latest iPhone XS, the same enhanced wide angle camera, and comes with high-end niceties like an all-screen display and Face ID.

The iPhone XR is a compelling new hardware release for Apple, and it starts at $749, which is much less than the $999 entry-level price of the flagship iPhone XS. Yet, the iPhone XR isn’t perfect. Compromises needed to be made to meet such a price point, and some of those compromises are relatively glaring. Watch our hands-on video as we consider some of the worst iPhone XR features.
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If you don’t have an hour and a half to dedicate to watch Apple’s new iPad Pro/MacBook Air event, we’ve got you covered. In this post, you’ll find a condensed version of the event, featuring all of the important technical tidbits in under 9 minutes.
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Alongside the brand new Mac mini and MacBook Air, Blackmagic Design has launched a new external graphics chassis with a faster Radeon RX Vega 64 inside. The Blackmagic eGPU Pro provides a significantly faster GPU than its non-‘pro’ predecessor, along with the addition of DisplayPort connectivity.
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