Mac

3,023 'Mac' stories February 2010 - January 2014

Apple’s Mac lineup consists of MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac Pro, and Mac Mini. The Mac runs macOS for its operating system.

History
macOS
Architecture Transitions
Current Mac lineup
Rumors about upcoming Macs
Top stories about the Mac

History

The Mac is Apple’s lineup of computers, and it can be considered the company’s oldest product. The name “Mac” comes from the original Macintosh, which was introduced in 1984 and is also considered the first personal computer for the masses to have a graphical user interface. The first Macintosh hit the stores on January 24, 1984, costing $2,945.

Among all these years, Apple has introduced many different Mac models, ranging from desktops to laptops to professional tower machines. The current lineup consists of the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, iMac, and Mac Pro. However, there have been other Mac models were discontinued, such as the eMac, MacBook, and iMac Pro.

The history of modern Macs began in 1998, a year after Steve Jobs returned to Apple. Apple had dozens of Macintosh computers at that time, but Steve decided to rethink the entire lineup. In 1998, Apple announced the iMac G3, which ditched the floppy disk and serial ports in favor of USB connectors.

Unlike the Macintosh, the first iMac was considered a huge success — not only for its technology, but also for its unique design with colorful translucent plastic. Apple quickly expanded the Mac lineup with other models, which included the iBook and PowerBook (which became the MacBook and MacBook Pro) and the PowerMac, which is now the Mac Pro.

macOS

What makes a Mac the Mac is the macOS operating system, which has also had a long history since the introduction of the first Macintosh. Initially called Mac OS, the operating system was rebuilt when Steve Jobs returned to Apple.

The first version of Mac OS X was released on March 24, 2001 with a new interface that is still present in some ways in current versions of macOS. Apple’s desktop operating system comes with many free applications such as Pages, Keynote, Numbers, iMovie, and GarageBand.

With macOS, users also have access to deep integrations with other Apple devices. For instance, you can answer calls and send SMS from your iPhone using your Mac. Handoff lets you switch from one device to the other and pick up where you left off. Apple Watch users can unlock their computer without entering a password, and you can even copy and paste between devices.

Apple’s desktop operating system is also integrated with services offered by the company, such as iCloud, Apple Music, and Apple TV+.

The current version of macOS is Sonoma (version 14), which features new slow-motion screen savers, widgets on desktop, camera effects on FaceTime and other apps, web apps, passkey sharing, improved PDF support, and Game Mode. The update also comes with a new API that lets developers easily port Windows games to macOS.

Architecture Transitions

The Mac has had three major architecture transitions in its history. Apple’s first computers ran on Motorola processors, but the company decided to migrate to the new PowerPC platform in 1994. While this brought benefits at the time, the PowerPC processors were not delivering what Apple expected.

It was in 2005 that Apple confirmed the transition from PowerPC to Intel. Intel processors had become faster and more efficient than PowerPC, which enabled the development of new Mac computers that were more powerful and also more compact. Developers have been given access to a Developer Transition Kit running Mac OS X Tiger with Intel Pentium 4 to update their apps before the transition begins.

Power PC, Mac OS X, and Intel processor.

Apple said that the transition would begin in June 2006 and be finished by the end of 2007. However, the transition to Intel was fully completed in August 2006 when the company replaced the PowerMac with the new Intel Mac Pro.

As the years went by, Apple once again felt the need to have more powerful and efficient processors for its computers. This time, the company was already working on its own chips for the iPhone and iPad. In June 2020, Apple confirmed that it was changing the architecture of the Mac, now from Intel to ARM chips, which are called Apple Silicon.

Apple offered a Mac mini DTK running on the same A12Z Bionic chip as the 2020 iPad Pro. This way developers could once again update their apps ahead of the transition. In addition to being more powerful and energy efficient, the ARM architecture of Apple Silicon chips has enabled Macs to run iOS apps for the first time.

The first Apple Silicon Macs were released in November 2020 with the M1 chip. The company later introduced more powerful variants of the M1 chip, called M1 Pro, M1 Max, and M1 Ultra. Macs with Apple Silicon have become known for being more powerful while consuming much less power, which has resulted in MacBooks with extended battery life.

In June 2022, Apple introduced the M2 chip, which is around 20% faster than the M1 and also supports more RAM. M2 also has more powerful variants: M2 Pro, M2 Max, and M2 Ultra.

Apple unveiled the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips in October 2023. The main highlight of this generation is the 3 nanometer technology, the same as the A17 Pro chip. The M3 family also features better GPUs with support for hardware-accelerated ray-tracing.

Current Mac lineup

Apple currently sells a variety of Mac computers, which includes MacBooks, Mac mini, iMac, and Mac Pro. While some of the Macs have already been updated with an Apple Silicon chip, others remain with Intel processors.

MacBook Air

The MacBook Air is Apple’s most affordable laptop and it has become popular for its light, compact design. The 2022 version is powered by the M2 chip and is offered with 8GB, 16GB, or 24GB of RAM. Plus, it has a new, edge-to edge 13.6-inch Retina display.

The laptop features Touch ID and has two Thunderbolt 3 compatible USB-C ports, a MagSafe connector for charging, and a headphone jack. Prices start at $1099 in the US. It’s offered in silver, space gray, starlight, and midnight.

A year later, Apple introduced the first 15-inch MacBook Air. It has essentially the same hardware as the smaller version with a similar design, but with a larger display. Prices start at $1299 in the US.Apple is still selling the M1 MacBook Air for prices starting at $999.

MacBook Pro

The 2023 MacBook Pro is available in multiple versions, and customers can choose between 14-inch and 16-inch screen sizes. For the first time, Apple has introduced a less expensive version of the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the base M3 chip. This version has the same design and display as the high-end versions, except that it only has two USB-C ports instead of three.

The most expensive versions of the MacBook Pro are equipped with the more powerful M3 Pro and M3 Max chips. The laptop can be configured with up to 128GB of RAM and 8TB SSD. These versions also come in a new Space Black color.

Unlike the MacBook Air, the MacBook Pro comes with an HDMI port and an SD card reader. It also features MagSafe and Touch ID on the keyboard. Apple no longer sells MacBooks with the Touch Bar. Prices start at $1,599 in the US.

Mac mini

Mac mini is the cheapest Mac currently available since it’s basically a desktop without a built-in display or other peripherals. The base model with the M2 chip features one Ethernet port, two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI 2.0, two USB-A ports, and a headphone jack.

Apple sells a more powerful version of the Mac mini with the M2 Pro chip, which also comes with four USB-C ports instead of two. Mac mini can be configured with up to 32GB of RAM and up to 8TB of storage. Customers can also opt for a 10 Gigabit Ethernet port. The Apple Silicon Mac mini is only available in silver, while the now discontinued Intel model was available in space gray.

Prices for the Mac mini start at $599 in the US. Again, it’s worth noting that it doesn’t come with a keyboard or mouse in the box – you need to buy them separately or use your current ones.

Mac Studio

Mac Studio represents a new category between Mac mini and Mac Pro. It features a design based on the Mac mini, but with a taller body to support the more powerful hardware and also a better cooling system.

The new Mac Studio is targeted at professional users who work with demanding tasks such as video editing, 3D rendering, and machine learning.

Embraced by creative pros everywhere, Mac Studio now delivers next-generation power in the form of the lightning-fast M2 Max and the boundary-breaking M2 Ultra. It packs outrageous performance and extensive connectivity in an unbelievably compact form, putting everything you need within easy reach and transforming any space into a studio.

By default, Mac Studio already comes with the M2 Max chip, 32GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD storage. A more expensive option lets users customize Mac Studio with M2 Ultra. While M2 Max has a 12-core CPU and a 30-core GPU, M2 Ultra doubles all of those specs. The new chip has a 24-core CPU and a 60-core GPU.

Mac Studio can also be configured with up to 192GB of RAM and 8TB of SSD storage. The machine offers up to six Thunderbolt ports, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, headphone jack, two USB-A ports, and one HDMI port.

Apple has been rumored to be working on new versions of this machine with the M3 Max and M3 Ultra chips. However, these versions may not be ready until 2025. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said in November last year that the M3 Ultra chip “hasn’t yet gone into broad testing” inside Apple.

In the US, prices for the Mac Studio with M2 Max chip start at $1999. The M2 Ultra chip version starts at $3999. Just like the Mac mini, Mac Studio doesn’t come with a keyboard and mouse in the box. You can find accessories for your Mac Studio here.

iMac

iMac is Apple’s most popular desktop computer with an all-in-one construction. It features a 4.5K display in its 24-inch version and a 5K display in the 27-inch version. At the same time, Apple still sells an entry-level iMac with a regular 1080p display.

The 24-inch iMac is the first to feature the M1 chip, the same as in the Mac mini, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro. This allowed Apple to introduce a completely redesigned model with a slimmer design, which is also offered in seven new colors. Customers can customize the new 24-inch iMac with up to 16GB of RAM and 2TB of storage.

The company ships the 24-inch iMac with Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard, plus a Lightning cable for recharging accessories. Prices in the US start at $1299. Apple has discontinued its old 21.5-inch iMac and the 27-inch iMac 5K.

Mac Pro

Mac Pro is a computer built for professional users who depend on extremely powerful hardware. Available in tower and rack versions, it has a completely modular design. That means users can replace RAM, SSD, GPU, and other internal components.

By default, it features four USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports, two USB-A ports, and two 10Gb Ethernet ports. However, the ports can be expanded using the PCI Express slots. Apple also ships the computer with a Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard, but it does not come with an external monitor included.

All models feature Intel Xeon W processors, which are the most powerful processors offered by Intel. Consumers can configure Mac Pro with up to 28-core processor, 1.5TB RAM, and 8TB of SSD storage. In addition to supporting multiple dedicated GPUs, Apple also offers the Afterburner card — which accelerates the decoding of ProRes videos.

The company recently updated the Mac Pro with new graphics card modules, which include Radeon Pro W6800X and Radeon Pro W6900X.

Mac Pro prices start at $5999 in the US.

Rumors about upcoming Macs

Apple details impressive Mac Pro environmental improvements over previous generation

Jordan Kahn Jan 2 2014 - 2:02 pm PT

3 Comments

Apple today released a new environmental impact report on its Apple and the Environment webpage detailing improvements in the newly launched Mac Pro’s environmental performance. In the report, Apple notes the new Mac Pro meets ENERGY STAR® Version 6.0 standards and gets a Gold rating from EPEAT, but it also provides estimates for the Mac Pro’s lifetime greenhouse gas emissions (around 940 kg CO2e), power consumption, and material efficiency.

In a section outlining the power efficiency of the new Mac Pro with the chart above, Apple claims the new machine “consumes 68 percent less power in idle mode than the previous-generation Mac Pro.”
Expand
Expanding
Close

iFixit teardown praises new Mac Pro for repairability, upgradability

Benjamin Mayo Dec 31 2013 - 6:07 am PT

14 Comments

Following a quick look from Other World Computing last week, iFixit has published its teardown of the new Mac Pro.

Unlike any other Apple product iFixit has reviewed this year, the firm gives high praise to the repairability of the Mac Pro. The system uses no proprietary screws and RAM is accessible without the need for any tools. Add in the socketed, upgradable CPU originally found in the earlier teardown, the Mac Pro is the most repairable computer in Apple’s lineup by far.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Tweetbot for Mac updated with several much-needed bug fixes

Mike Beasley Dec 27 2013 - 3:08 pm PT

1 Comment

Tweetbot for Mac was updated today to version 1.4.1. The new update brings a collection of sorely-needed fixes to some of the biggest bugs affecting users of the previous version, including the inability to see new tweets when they load, problems with multi-monitor setups, and direct messaging issues. It also includes all of the updates to version 1.4, including smooth scrolling on OS X Mavericks, quick-reply from notifications, and more.

The update is available for free to all current users. New users can grab the app for $19.99.

What’s New in Version 1.4.1

– Fixed the issue where you can see “x unread items” but can’t scroll up to see them
– Fixed the issue where direct message images would not load when clicked
– Fixed the issue with some users seeing hangs related to iCloud syncing or playing audio
– Fixed the issue where the main Tweetbot window could move from the secondary to primary monitor after restarting the app

“Small, fast and in a league of its own” – the early Mac Pro verdicts are in

Ben Lovejoy Dec 24 2013 - 5:39 am PT

45 Comments

Audiovisual professionals may have had a very long wait for a new Mac Pro, and that wait may not be quite over, but from the early hands-on reviews it seems they’re unlikely to be disappointed.

The real performance of the machine is currently only being seen with Final Cut Pro, which Apple optimized to take full advantage of the dual GPUs, but it’s a near certainty that Adobe and others will follow this example.

With a price tag of anything up to $14,000 if you completely max it out, this is not a machine that will be seen gracing too many living-rooms, but for those earning their living from audio and video and where time is money, the early hands-on reviews suggest that the Mac Pro lives up to its promise …
Expand
Expanding
Close

Mac Pros start shipping with delivery date of December 30, demand outstripping supply (again)

Mike Beasley Dec 23 2013 - 3:59 pm PT

1 Comment

The first Mac Pro orders have started shipping, according to reports across Twitter. It seems that for now only off-the-shelf configurations are shipping, while built-to-order machines will ship early next month.

https://twitter.com/metamediact/status/415249229058035712

The Texas-built computer now lists shipping and delivery dates going into February on Apple’s web store, indicating that either the demand for these machines is higher than expected (an unlikely situation, given the price tag), or the supply is having a hard time keeping up with the limited demand.

This isn’t the first time this year Apple has suffered from supply issues, though the continuing pattern seems to indicate that perhaps the company should focus on increasing its supply capabilities in 2014.

New Retina MacBook Pros can drive 4K displays at 60Hz – when running Windows, Mac OS needs new drivers

Ben Lovejoy Dec 23 2013 - 5:51 am PT

20 Comments

Tests by French site Mac4Ever.com found that current model Retina MacBook Pro machines can use their Thunderbolt 2 connections to drive the Sharp PN-K321 4K display at 60Hz when running Windows 8.1 with the latest NVidia drivers, rather than the 30Hz possible with OS X. This suggests that OS X will be able to do the same when Apple updates the rMBP video/Thunderbolt 2 drivers.

While 30Hz is good enough for movies, our own Seth Weintraub found on his bargain Seiki that it gives a poor experience when scrolling webpages, and is of course completely unusable for games. 60Hz, in contrast, gives a smooth experience when using a computer. The mystery had been why the latest Retina MacBook Pros, with Thunderbolt 2 support, were limited to 30Hz when the specs should have made them capable of double this – and the video drivers appear to be the answer …

Expand
Expanding
Close

Flexibits discounting Chatology, Fantastical for Mac & iPhone for the holidays

Zac Hall Dec 20 2013 - 8:24 pm PT

3 Comments

Whether you’re in the market for great apps for yourself or gifting someone you know with apps you already love, it’s certainly a terrific time for buying some of the most notable apps on the Mac and iOS platforms. Just this morning we reported on a collection of indie developers who teamed up to create App Santa, a catalog of award-winning iOS apps including Tweetbot and 1Password with substantial discounts for the holiday season.

Joining in on the holiday spirit is Flexibits, the development team behind Chatology for Mac, Fantastical for Mac, and Fantastical for iPhone. All three are apps which reliably solve a specific problem.

Chatology makes searching through iMessage chat logs on OS X less of a nightmare with stable software that even supports link and image parsing. Fantastical for Mac and iPhone (review) both provide a streamlined calendar experience with consistent and impressive natural language input with real time feedback. Direct links, screenshots, and prices below…
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple starts selling black Thunderbolt Cables alongside new Mac Pro

Mark Gurman Dec 19 2013 - 12:33 pm PT

7 Comments

The new Mac Pro is not Apple’s only new blacked-out product: to go with the new pro machine, Apple has released black versions of its 0.5 meter and 2 meter Thunderbolt cables. These cords have Thunderbolt ports on either side, and they work well for transferring data between Macs, connecting to hard drives, and connecting to various other Thunderbolt 1.0 or 2.0 peripherals. Apple is still selling the white cords, and the longer version is $39 per cable and the shorter is $29 (try Amazon for some less expensive options).

Update: Continuing the black theme, the Apple stickers that come with the Mac Pro are black (see above):

The Mac Pro ships with black Apple logo stickers.

— Mike Beasley is on Mastodon and Bluesky (@MikeBeas) December 20, 2013

Expand
Expanding
Close

9to5Mac’s biggest stories of 2013: ‘All the leaks were…’

Mark Gurman Dec 19 2013 - 9:00 am PT

4 Comments

Just like in 2011 and 2012, 2013 was an exciting year for 9to5Mac in terms of leaks, exclusive stories, and breaking news. This year was interesting however because there was considerable doubt cast at many of the stories we’d broke which added some entertainment into the mix. Below, we break down our biggest stories of the year by product type:

Expand
Expanding
Close

Hours after release, Mac Pro shipment estimates slip to February 2014

Benjamin Mayo Dec 19 2013 - 7:46 am PT

10 Comments

On Apple’s website, only a few hours since it went on sale, delivery estimates for the Mac Pro have slipped to February next year.

This morning, the store opened with delivery estimates of December 30th with some variants quoting a January timeframe. Now, it appears the initial allocation has sold out as Apple’s website now reports February shipment for all models.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Get 75% off Borderlands 2 GOTY for Mac from 9to5 & GameAgent: $15

Jordan Kahn Dec 19 2013 - 7:45 am PT

0 Comments

From 9to5toys:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R52I9sprmmI]

In case you missed our last mega deal for Mac gamers, we’ve once again teamed up with our friends over at GameAgent to get an exclusive deal on one of the hottest Mac titles around. This time you’ll be able to get 75% off Borderlands 2 Game of The Year Edition for Mac. Here’s what you’ll get with the GOTY edition:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Mac Pro appears on 3rd-party reseller sites where money can be saved

Ben Lovejoy Dec 19 2013 - 5:47 am PT

0 Comments

Shortly after going live on the Apple Store site, the Mac Pro is starting to appear on third-party reseller sites. While you’re unlikely to get your hands on one any sooner than buying via Apple (which currently lists Dec 30th as shipping dates), it can’t hurt to make a few calls.

You may also be able to save yourself the sales tax. B&H, which has the machines on pre-order, only charges sales tax in NY, and MacMall charges sales tax in just five states (and that’s in addition to the whopping $5 discount off the base price!) …
Expand
Expanding
Close

Miss Teen USA spied on via MacBook camera while indicator light was off

Ben Lovejoy Dec 19 2013 - 4:44 am PT

4 Comments

The Washington Post reports that when a high school classmate of Cassidy Wolf (aka Miss Teen USA) spied on her via the iSight camera in her MacBook, he did so using software that allowed him to keep the green indicator light off while viewing.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University were able to replicate the exploit, demonstrated in the above video, but only on MacBook and iMac models released before 2008.

Stephen Checkoway, a computer science professor at Johns Hopkins and a co-author of the study. “Apple went to some amount of effort to make sure that the LED would turn on whenever the camera was taking images,” Checkoway says. The 2008-era Apple products they studied had a “hardware interlock” between the camera and the light to ensure that the camera couldn’t turn on without alerting its owner […]

In a paper called “iSeeYou: Disabling the MacBook Webcam Indicator LED,” Brocker and Checkoway describe how to reprogram the iSight camera’s micro-controller to allow the camera and light to be activated independently. That allows the camera to be turned on while the light stays off.

While this particular exploit appears limited to older Macbooks, it was recently revealed through court papers that the FBI has the ability to do the same thing with a variety of current laptops including Apple products.

Final Cut Pro updated to version 10.1, 4K monitoring, Mac Pro optimisations and more

Benjamin Mayo Dec 19 2013 - 12:29 am PT

4 Comments

Alongside the release of the new Mac Pro, Apple has updated Final Cut Pro in the Mac App Store to take advantage of the machine’s immense raw processing power. Specifically, Apple says that playback and rendering has been optimised for the Mac Pro’s dual GPUs.

Final Cut 10.1 also adds 4K support, including monitoring across Thunderbolt 2 and HDMI displays as well as 4K titles, transition and generators. The update also adds a whole slew of other minor features and changes to the modern (if controversial) video editing suite.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple Online Store back online, revamped Mac Pro now available, shipping Dec. 30th

Mike Beasley Dec 19 2013 - 12:22 am PT

2 Comments

During this year’s WWDC keynote address, Apple surprised pro users with a look at a completely redesigned version of the Mac Pro, a machine many thought had long been abandoned by the company. At the time, the only availability information that was available was an ambiguous “shipping by December,” though Apple recently gave a more specific release date: today.

After about an hour of downtime, the Apple Online Store has come back up with the option to order the latest-generation Mac Pro. The quad-core model starts at $2,999, with a 6-core model available starting at $3,999.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Telltale’s ‘Walking Dead: The Game – Season 2’ arrives on iOS and Mac

Jordan Kahn Dec 18 2013 - 6:12 am PT

2 Comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DO0l_hwoQ8]

The much anticipated Season 2 of Telltale’s official Walking Dead game, which some of you might have picked up for free in our bundle earlier this month, has today finally landed on both Mac and iOS. Telltale confirmed on its blog that the new season is now available to download for Mac and PC through Steam ($24.99), and the iOS version for iPhone and iPad is now available on the App Store for $4.99.

The sequel to 2012’s Game of the Year continues the story of Clementine, a young girl orphaned by the undead apocalypse. Left to fend for herself, she has been forced to learn how to survive in an unforgiving world. But what can an ordinary child do to stay alive when the living can be just as bad – and sometimes worse – than the dead?

Experience what it’s like to play as Clementine, meet new survivors, explore new locations and make gruesome decisions in this five-part game series of choice and consequence.

Episode one is available now for Season 2, but Telltale notes that you can “Save 25% on additional episodes in The Walking Dead: Season Two by purchasing the Multi-Pack [Episodes 2-5 bundle] via in-app in the ‘Episodes’ menu.”

Apple releasing ‘assembled-in-USA’ 2013 Mac Pro tomorrow

Zac Hall Dec 18 2013 - 5:39 am PT

8 Comments

After three years without a substantial update and several months of teasing and promoting, Apple has finally announced that tomorrow it will begin selling the newly designed and more powerful Mac Pro it first showed off at WWDC back in June. (Full press release below.)

We have begun manufacturing the Mac Pro in Austin. It’s the most powerful Mac ever. Orders start tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/Jrd1Gic3Ya

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) December 18, 2013

The road was certainly not rapid between update cycles with two years of nary a word on whether or not the Mac Pro line had any life left in it and a full year of teasing and promoting the 2013 model being released tomorrow. Let’s take a look at the Mac Pro saga that led to today’s debut…
Expand
Expanding
Close

How to build a 4K Hackintosh on the cheap for fun and profit

Chance Miller Dec 18 2013 - 4:50 am PT

41 Comments

Over the years, building ‘Hackintosh’ computers has become both a lot easier and more popular. For those unfamiliar, a Hackintosh is essentially a machine running OS X on non-Apple approved and manufactured hardware. There are many reasons to build a Hackintosh instead of buying a Mac directly from Apple. They can be more expandable, faster, have more features and configurations, run quieter and can be a great learning experience. One of the biggest reasons to go down the road of building your own, however, is price. It’s no secret that Apple charges a premium for its products, especially if you don’t need some of the hardware (Thunderbolt for example). And thanks to the ongoing growth of the Hackintosh community, the process has become very easy over the past few years.

Back in 2011, Seth took a stab at building a Hackintosh. He originally intended on it being an affordable, baseline model without many bells and whistles. He ended up building a $750 ‘beast’ that competed with the best iMacs of the day, though. Now, it’s my turn to make an attempt at building a Hackintosh, but with an added twist. I am building one capable of performing on par with the highest-end Macs and capable of powering a 4k monitor. And, I want it took look ultra-sleek on the outside and be absolutely silent. I don’t want to be able to hear the hard drive, fans, or anything else –essentially nonexistent in my office. Most of all, I want to do it on a budget of about $1500, not including a 4k display.

Let me preface this with something, though: I have never built a computer, Windows or OS X. In fact, up until this project, I was pretty clueless as to what went into building a computer. So if I am able to successfully build this machine, pretty much anyone can. My best friend for this project was easily tonymacx86.com, which we have praised in the past for its clear breakdown of compatible parts and software guides.

Let’s start by discussing the parts that I decided to use for this build.

Full parts list at Amazon:

Intel Core i7-4770K Quad-Core Desktop Processor 3.5 GHZ – $320
Corsair Enthusiast Series 650W Fan – $99.99
Gigabyte GA-Z87X-UD5H Z87 LGA 1150 Motherboard – $222
TP-LINK TL-WDN4800 Dual Band Wireless PCI Express Adapter – $43
Corsair Vengeance 16GB DDR3 RAM – $160
SanDisk Extreme SSD 120 GB SSD – $117 (or any SATA 3 SSD)
EVGA GeForce GTX760 Graphics Card – $265
Seagate Barracuda 2 TB HDD – $80 (or any 1-4TB SATA3 HDD)
Fractal Design Define R4 Case – $132
Seiki 39-inch 4K Display – $499 (Varies wildly though)

Total cost without display: $1439. With 4K display, under ~$2,000…

Expand Expanding Close

9to5 Walking Dead Bundle: The Walking Dead for Mac w/DLC + Season 2 pre-order: $25 (Reg. $55)

Zac Hall Dec 3 2013 - 9:38 am PT

1 Comment

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IASztJRc9nw]

Just in time for The Walking Dead: Season 2, Mac Game Store is offering an exclusive bundle to 9to5Mac readers including the original The Walking Dead title for Mac, The Walking Dead: 400 Days DLC, and a pre-order of the sequel release which hits the Mac later this month.

The total bundle is $24.95, just two bucks more than a copy of The Walking Dead: Season 2, so it’s definitely worth checking out if you plan to pick up the game anyway. Total savings amounts to $27.52 so it’s essentially a freebie.

The Walking Dead is a five-part game series set in the same universe as Robert Kirkman’s award-winning comic book series. Play as Lee Everett, a convicted criminal, who has been given a second chance at life in a world devastated by the undead. With corpses returning to life and survivors stopping at nothing to maintain their own safety, protecting an orphaned girl named Clementine may offer him redemption in a world gone to hell.

The deal is good through Friday so check it out on Mac Game Store today.

Gift Guide: The complete guide to home music production on your iPad or Mac

Jordan Kahn Dec 1 2013 - 11:36 am PT

5 Comments

With an iPad and few accessories, these days anyone can have a functional recording studio in their home for less than the cost of a Mac. Whether you’re just getting started and want a modest iPad recording setup in your living room, or you’re looking to setup a full-blown home studio with your Mac, our comprehensive gift guide below will walk you through all the essentials and save you some cash in the process.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Where to find the best Black Friday deals on iPhones, iPads, Macs, & Apple accessories

Jordan Kahn Nov 28 2013 - 10:21 am PT

3 Comments

It can be hard to cut through the noise with just about every retailer online having sales for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the best deals available only for iPad, iPhone, iPods, and Mac. You won’t find any deals on TVs or microwaves in the list below, just the best of the best accessories for your iOS device and Mac, and we’ve only included great products from companies we trust (many of which we’ve reviewed personally). If you still need to buy a Mac, iPhone, or iPad first, you’ll also find a roundup of the best deals on Apple hardware from 9to5Toys at the bottom. As always, we’ll update as more deals are announced throughout the weekend and you can send any you might find to tips@9to5Mac.com.
Expand
Expanding
Close

The Bureau – XCOM Declassified arrives on the Mac App Store

Jordan Kahn Nov 28 2013 - 8:11 am PT

0 Comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx8l2vVWULU]

Originally released in August for Xbox 360, PS3, and Windows, 2K and TransGaming just released The Bureau — XCOM Declassified on the Mac App Store. The release follows the launch of the popular XCOM: Enemy Unknown game on Mac earlier this year, but unlike that game, XCOM Declassified is a third-person shooter with strategy elements taken from the classic XCOM titles. The game received some mixed reviews, but was generally well received by most.

The year is 1962. JFK is President and the Cold War has the nation gripped by fear – but a far more powerful and insidious enemy than communism is threatening America. Known only to a select few, a top-secret government unit called The Bureau begins investigating and concealing a series of mysterious attacks by an otherworldly enemy. As special agent William Carter, call the shots, pull the trigger and lead your squad in a gripping third-person tactical shooter set within a high-stakes, covert war to defend humanity. The Bureau’s mission is clear – survive, adapt and overcome the enemy threat to protect the citizens from the truth.

The Bureau – XCOM Declassified is available now for $34.99 on the Mac App Store. Minimum system requirements below:

OS: Mac OS X Mountain Lion 10.7.5 or higher
Processor: Intel Core i series processor
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Hard Drive: 15 GB free
Video Memory: 512MB
Video Card: AMD HD4870 / NVIDIA 8800GT or better*
Input: Keyboard and 3 button Mouse or Logitech Dual Analog Stick Gamepad

(via iMore)

Apple’s Black Friday deal to be store gift card promotion, not discounts

Mark Gurman Nov 27 2013 - 12:31 pm PT

4 Comments

Update: Live in Australia.

As part of the American Black Friday sales tradition, Apple typically offers minimal discounts on its own products and third-party accessories via its online and physical retail stores. However, this year will be significantly different. According to multiple sources, Apple’s sales event this Friday will be based around gift cards, not discounts on products. If a customer buys a product from Apple on Black Friday, instead of receiving a discount, they will be given an Apple Store gift card. This gift card will likely not be able to be used at the time of purchase, solely at a later date. The setup is similar to that of Apple’s recent Back to School campaigns, but it is Apple Store cards, not iTunes cards…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Parallels Black Friday Bundle: 8 great apps for the $79.99 price of Parallels 9 alone (82% off)

Seth Weintraub Nov 20 2013 - 1:53 pm PT

5 Comments

The Black Friday software bundles are already streaming in and this latest from Parallels promises to be popular. For the retail price of Parallels 9 alone ($79.99), you get Parallels 9 and a 6 month subscription to Parallels Access for iPad. Parallels then adds Snagit screen capture tool, CleanMyMac 2 and Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac. You also get a year of Hightail (formally Yousendit) Professional plan for sending big files via email, Boom volume booster and mSecure password manager. A fantastic deal at $79.99 (make sure to click the “Bundle and Save” link), it ends December 3.

We reviewed Parallels 9 in September (excerpted below the fold) and found it to again be the best virtualization software for Mac with speed improvements for Mavericks and Windows 8.1 along with easier setup and operation.

Today’s earlier Black Friday software bundles from Adobe and Stack Social.
Expand
Expanding
Close