Skip to main content

Retina MacBook Pro

See All Stories

9to5Toys Last Call: $50 iTunes gift card for $40, 256GB Retina MacBook Pro $1,280, iPhone 6 battery case $30, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

DJI reveals a new Phantom 3 for beginner pilots loaded with specs

$50 iTunes gift card for $40 w/ email delivery from PayPal (20% savings)

13-inch Retina MacBook Pro w/ Force Touch (newest) 2.7GHz/8GB/256GBL $1,280 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

11-inch MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB (newest): $750 shipped (Reg. $899)

Lenmar MAVEN Apple-Certified MFi 3000mAh iPhone 6 Battery Case: $30 shipped (Reg. $62+)

The coolest Apple-certified MFI Lightning cables you can buy for your iPhone, iPad and iPod

More new gear from today:

Belkin QODE Ultimate Keyboard Case for iPad Air 2: $80 shipped (Orig. $130) or QODE Ultimate Pro: $100 (Orig. $150), more

The Lexus Hoverboard is here: watch as it flies around a skatepark and over water

  • Games/Apps: Aspyr Mac sale – Beyond Earth $20, Metro Redux (PS4/Xbox One) $20, more
  • Daily Deals: Logitech Harmony Keyboard $70, JBL Clip Portable Bluetooth Speakers $30, more
  • PreSonus Ceres 3.5-inch Powered Speakers w/ Bluetooth streaming $100 shipped (Reg. $230)

More deals still alive:

Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 128GB in all colors: $590 shipped (Reg. $699)

Two Philips Hue connected light bulbs (multiple styles) for $100 shipped (~$120 value)

New products & more:

Xbox One announces new Halo 5 Limited Edition Console, DVR functionality, games and more at Gamescon 15

Epson’s new EcoTank printers have enough ink for “two years” right out of the box

 

9to5Toys Last Call: MFi Lightning cable $6, Logitech $20 off $49, Chromecast w/ $10 Amazon gift card $30, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Amazon’s Dash Replenishment Service is here and Prime members can order today


MFi Lightning cables: iOrange 6.6-foot w/ LED indicator $12, Anker 3-foot in white $6 (Orig. $10)

Logitech $20 off $49: MX Master Wireless Mouse $80 shipped (Reg. $100), gaming accessoriesmore

Google Chromecast HDMI Streaming Media Player + $10 Amazon gift card: $30 Prime shipped ($45 value)

Amazon’s new Launchpad store offers the latest gadgets from crowdfunding campaigns and startups

More new gear from today:

LEGO iOS sale: Movie Video Game hits lowest price ever, Lord of the Rings & Harry Potter $1 ea. (Reg. $5), more

Games/Apps: Worms3 goes free for the first time, Dual Xbox One controller charging system $20, freebiesmore

Daily Deals: Atari Retro Gaming Console $35, 13” Retina MacBook Pro (Mid 2014) $1,499, more

More deals still alive:

Cut the cord! Mohu Leaf 50 Ultimate HDTV Antenna (open box): $30 shipped (Orig. $90)

Headphones: Sony MDR-7506 Professional Folding $70 (Reg. $100), Beyerdynamic DT 1350 $150 (Orig. $300+), more


Apple’s massive iOS sale w/ 100 apps for $0.99 ea: Rayman, Angry Birds, Pixelmator, Spider-Man, many more

Free McGraw-Hill iOS apps for kids: Monster Squeeze, more (Reg. $2 ea.)

QuickRes – the app that changes your resolution in a click: 50% off

App Store Free App of the Week: SpongeBob Moves In ($4 value)

Disney’s award-winning Animated iPad app hits a new all-time low price of $3 (Reg. $10)

Save 50% on the brand new Screenium 3 high-res, high-speed screen capture app for Mac

New products & more:

The LEGO Architect shows you how to build exact replicas of famous buildings and homes

Kodak’s 360 degree action camera adds must-see YouTube capabilities

Review: Bang & Olufsen Beolit 15 Bluetooth speaker

Review: DODOcase Apple Watch Charging Stand

Review: SanDisk Connect Wireless Stic

9to5Toys Last Call: 13″ Retina MacBook Pro $1,100, Mohu HDTV Antenna $30, Dell Laser Printer $100, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Kodak’s 360 degree action camera adds must-see YouTube capabilities

Apple 13″ MacBook Pro w/ Retina Display: 2.7GHz/8GB/128GB $1,100 (Reg. $1,299)

Cut the cord! Mohu Leaf 50 Ultimate HDTV Antenna (open box): $30 shipped (Orig. $90)

Color Wireless Printers: Dell LED Laser $100 (Reg. $150+), Canon All-In-One Inkjet $70 (Reg. $100)

Amazon’s new Launchpad store offers the latest gadgets from crowdfunding campaigns and startups

More new gear from today:

 

Daily Deals: Trendnet N600 Dual-Band Router $10, ZAGG iPad Mini ZAGGkeys Bluetooth Keyboard Cover (refurb) $10, more

Headphones: Sony MDR-7506 Professional Folding $70 (Reg. $100), Beyerdynamic DT 1350 $150 (Orig. $300+), more

More deals still alive:

Apple’s massive iOS sale w/ 100 apps for $0.99 ea: Rayman, Angry Birds, Pixelmator, Spider-Man, many more

Free McGraw-Hill iOS apps for kids: Monster Squeeze, more (Reg. $2 ea.)

QuickRes – the app that changes your resolution in a click: 50% off

App Store Free App of the Week: SpongeBob Moves In ($4 value)

Disney’s award-winning Animated iPad app hits a new all-time low price of $3 (Reg. $10)

Save 50% on the brand new Screenium 3 high-res, high-speed screen capture app for Mac

Samsung 850 EVO 1TB 2.5-inch Internal Solid-State Drive: $310 shipped (Reg. $350

New products & more:

Plantronics new BackBeat Sense Bluetooth headphones are loaded with sensors

This Lightning cable cleverly solves an annoyance every iPhone user deals with

Review: Bang & Olufsen Beolit 15 Bluetooth speaker

Review: DODOcase Apple Watch Charging Stand

Review: SanDisk Connect Wireless Stic

Best Buy Black Friday in July: iPad Air 2 $125 off, 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro $1,750, 27-inch 5K iMac $1,800, more

From 9to5Toys.com:

Update (7/24 8:30am): Best Buy’s Black Friday in July event is now open to everyone.

Just a week after Amazon’s Prime Day event (fiasco?), Best Buy is set to run its Black Friday in July Sale this weekend. One of the standout deals is a $125 discount on all iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi models. Even though the sale doesn’t officially kick off until tomorrow, new and existing My Best Buy members can access the sale starting right now. If you aren’t yet a member you can sign-up for free.

After the aforementioned discount, a 16GB iPad Air 2 will run you just $374.99 with free shipping. That’s $124.01 less than Apple is charging and the lowest price we’ve ever seen from a major retailer without the need for limited coupons or annoying rebates. The 64GB version is priced at $474.99 (Reg. $599) and 128GB is $574.99 (Reg. $699). If you’re looking for an iPad mini, Best Buy has the 128GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 3 on sale for $449.99 (Reg. $599). On the fence with which model to get? My advice is to stay away from the 16GB and go for at least 64GB since Retina apps and HD media take up so much room.

These are fire sale type prices. It’s really incredible to see a discount of up to 25% on a current generation flagship Apple product. There are some incredible iOS 9 features coming so now may be the time to upgrade.

Best Buy is also discounting the current generation 15-inch 256GB Retina MacBook Pro (model MJLQ2LL/A) down to $1,749.99 (Reg. $1,999) and the 27-inch Retina 5K iMac 3.3GHz/8GB/1TB (model MF885LL/A) to $1,799.99 (Reg. $1,999).
Expand
Expanding
Close

9to5Toys Last Call: Mac Developer App Bundle $60, 256GB Retina MacBook Pro $1,280, Tweetbot for Mac $10, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Review: The Bang & Olufsen Beolit 15 is a big-ticket Bluetooth speaker with a lavish design

Mac Developer App Bundle for $60: Hype, Forklift, Coderunner, Dash, more ($366 value)

Pay what you want for the 7-course Web Hacker Bundle ($1,043 value, currently $6)

13″ 256GB Retina MacBook Pro w/ Force Touch: $1,280 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

Tweetbot for Mac hits its lowest price ever: $10 (Reg. $13)

Amazon Gold Box – up to 60% off Logitech gear: M320 wireless mouse $10 Prime shipped, UE MINI BOOM $55 shipped, more

iPhone 6/Plus $100 off w/ VZW or Sprint 2-yr contract: 16GB $100, 64GB $200, 128GB $300

iPad mini 3 Wi-Fi 128GB in Silver or Space Gray for $450 shipped (Reg. $599)

Review: The DODOcase Apple Watch Charging Stand is a luxurious nightstand accessory

Review: SanDisk’s new Connect Wireless Stick is one of the easiest ways to expand your iPhone’s storage

Giveaway: Grain Audio OEHP.01 Over-Ear Headphones are an ideal daily set of cans, $199 value

More new gear from today:

Rain Design’s gorgeous aluminum mStand for MacBooks: $35 Prime shipped (Reg. $50)

More deals still alive:

Kmashi 10,000mAh Dual-USB Power Bank: $9.39 Prime shipped (Orig. $50)

App Store Amazing Apps/Games for $1: Blek, Spider Man, Goat Sim, more

App Store Free App of the Week: Angry Birds Space ($1 value)

$75 iTunes gift card for $65 shipped: save 13% on apps, music, movies and more

New products & more:

ZNAPS gives any Lightning or microUSB charging cable a MagSafe-like connector

A-Bike Electric has powered assistance in the “lightest” package in the world

9to5Toys Last Call: iPad mini 2 $230, SanDisk 128GB microSD $60, iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 64GB $500, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 64GB in all colors $500 shipped (Reg. $599)

Amazon Gold Box – SanDisk Flash Storage up to 50% off: 128GB microSD $60, 32GB Ultra Fit Flash Drive $11, more

iPad mini 2 Wi-Fi 16GB: $230 2-day shipped (Reg. $299)

iPad mini 3 Wi-Fi 16GB: $300 shipped (Reg. $399)

iPad Air Wi-Fi + Cellular 128GB in Silver: $449 shipped (Orig. $929)

13-inch Retina MacBook Pro: 2.7GHz/8GB/128GB $1,100 shipped (Reg. $1,299)

15-inch Retina MacBook Pro w/ Force Touch $1,819 shipped (Reg. $1,999)

Amazon Prime Day Hub, monster sales announced: Fire Stick $24, 32-inch TV $75, and 40-inch TV $115, more

Walmart CEO blasts Amazon’s Prime Day, promises a week-long sales event with “some special atomic deals”

Amazon is throwing itself a birthday party so big it’ll make you forget about Black Friday

Review: SanDisk’s new Connect Wireless Stick is one of the easiest ways to expand your iPhone’s storage

Giveaway: Win one of SanDisk’s newly released massive 200GB microSD cards ($250 value)

Small States: A-Lamp Design fashions charming lights for your home from US materials, multiple giveaways

More new gear from today:

Beats by Dre 1-Day Sale: Powerbeats2 Bluetooth Headphones, Pill 2.0 Portable Speaker $130 ea (Reg. $200)

RAVPower Portable 3,200mAh External Battery Pack w/ Flashlight: $7 Prime shipped (Reg. $13)

More deals still alive:

Samsung 850 EVO 250GB 2.5-inch Internal SSD $90 shipped (Orig. $140)

New products & more:

The Lemunati CS1 coverts your iPhone 6 into a Super 8 style camcorder for an “upgraded” filming experience

This TIE Fighter look-alike music machine plays your favorite action theme songs

 

Possible class action suit in preparation as Retina MacBook owners report ‘staingate’ screen issues

Site default logo image

A possible class action suit is in preparation over multiple reports of what appears to be anti-reflective coatings flaking off the screens of Retina MacBook Pros, resulting in a stained appearance. Most of the machines affected seem to be 2013 models.

A group calling itself Staingate says that it has a database of more than 2500 people affected by the issue. More than 1800 of them have joined a Facebook group, a petition has been created, and lawyers Whitfield Bryson & Mason are collecting details of owners for “potential legal action against Apple related to staingate” … 
Expand
Expanding
Close

9to5Toys Last Call: iPhone car mount $13, iPad Air 2 LTE 64GB $600, Retina MacBook Pro 256GB $1,350, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Professional Headphones $99 shipped (Reg. $169)

Amazon Gold Box: 40% or more off iOttie car mounts – One Touch 2 Holder $17 Prime shipped (Orig. $30), more deals from as low as $12.99

iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi + Cellular 64GB in Space Gray or Silver: $600 shipped (Reg. $729)

iPad Air Wi-Fi + Cellular 128GB in Silver: $449 shipped (Orig. $929)

Best Buy 4-Day Sale: 13″ Retina MacBook Pro 256GB $1,350 & 21″ iMac 1TB $1,150 + extra $100 off w/ .edu

App Store Free App of the Week: Star Walk 2 goes free for the first time ($3 value)

Bloons Tower Defense 5 for iPhone/iPad goes free (Reg. $3/$5)

The first chapter in the epic Infinity Blade trilogy is now available for free (Reg. $6)

App Store promo – Great Games 50% off: Halo Spartan Strike $3 (Reg. $6)more

Readdle launches Scanner Pro 6 for iOS w/ release day pricing: $3 (Reg. $6)

Amazon is now treating its Prime members to extra savings on new/upcoming video games

Score a 3-pack of discounted Monoprice MFi Lightning Cables for $16 shipped (Reg. $25)

USB-C cables $8 Prime shipped (Reg. $11), Anker 16,000mAh + Anker 3,200mAh Power Banks $37 shipped ($20 off)

$50 iTunes gift card for $40 w/ email delivery from PayPal (20% savings)

LAST CHANCE! Giveaway: Owen & Fred’s Desk Essentials collection ups your work game while looking good, $250+ value

Review: Logitech’s Anywhere 2 Bluetooth mouse shines w/ adaptive scrolling

Review: MPOW’s pocketable iStick is the best Bluetooth selfie stick you can buy today

More new gear from today:

Logitech Master MX Wireless Mouse $87 shipped (Reg. $100)

Games/Apps: Wii U bundle w/ Power A Gamer Kit $275, Car Club Tuning Storm free, more iOS freebies

Get access to every Nintendo 3DS game for only $65 shipped w/ this refurbished 2DS deal

Daily Deals: Seagate 8TB Backup Plus USB 3.0 External Hard Drive $230, HP Chromebook 14 $249, more

More deals still alive:

Griffin 30% off sitewide: Survivor Slim Case for iPad Air 2 $56 (Reg. $80)more

Apple is giving away free downloads of iOS cooking app Green Kitchen ($5 value)

New products & more:

Sony’s three new Bluetooth/AirPlay compatible speakers with price tags to match

Olloclip’s Kickstarter project delivers a customized photography setup for your iPhone 6/Plus

9to5Toys Last Call: Logitech Anywhere Mouse $28, 6,000mAh Power Bank $11, Tile tracker $20, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Daily Deals: Logitech MX Wireless Laser Mouse $28, Bluetooth headphones or earbuds $20, more

USB Power banks: Lumsing 6,000mAh $11 Prime shipped, Omaker 15,600mAh $20 Prime shipped

Keep tabs on anything with Tile Bluetooth item tracker: $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $25)

Grovemade’s new desk accessory wraps your Apple Magic Trackpad in a handcrafted tray

The Summer Mac Essentials Bundle: Unibox, Noiseless, Hider 2, Jump Desktop and more for $19.99 ($204 value)

iPad mini 3 Wi-Fi 16GB $300 (Reg. $399), iPad mini 2 Wi-Fi + Cellular 64GB $330 (Orig. $729)

Father’s Day Gift Guide: top picks, exclusive discounts and a $482 giveaway

More new gear from today:

Xbox One bundle/controller & refreshed Playstation 4 consoles leak ahead of E3

More deals still alive:

Headphones: Jabra Move Bluetooth on-ears $70 Shipped (Reg. $100), more

Apple 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro w/ Force Touch (latest model) 2.7GHz/8GB/128GB: $1,100 shipped (Reg. $1,299)

New products & more:

SanDisk details new portable USB C solid-state drives for MacBook and high capacity flash drives

GoPro’s new HERO+ LCD brings a touch display to its entry-level action camera

9to5Toys Last Call: iPad mini 2 WiFi+LTE 64GB $330, Retina MacBook Pro $1,100, Mac app bundle $20, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

iPad mini 3 Wi-Fi 16GB $300 (Reg. $399), iPad mini 2 Wi-Fi + Cellular 64GB $330 (Orig. $729)


Apple 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro w/ Force Touch (latest model) 2.7GHz/8GB/128GB: $1,100 shipped (Reg. $1,299)

The Summer Mac Essentials Bundle: Unibox, Noiseless, Hider 2, Jump Desktop and more for $19.99 ($204 value)

Amazon Gold Box – up to 50% off Logitech iPad gear: Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard $37 (Reg. $50), more

GoPro’s new HERO+ LCD brings a touch display to its entry-level action camera

SanDisk details new portable USB C solid-state drives for MacBook and high capacity flash drives

Father’s Day Gift Guide: top picks, exclusive discounts and a $482 giveaway

More new gear from today:

Kindle for Kids Bundle: Kindle e-reader + kid friendly cover + 2yr. warranty $99 shipped ($140 value)

More deals still alive:

30 discounted iTunes movie bundles: Jurassic Park $20, Godfather & Lord of the Rings Trilogy $15 ea, more

PlayStation Plus free games for Junes: Metal Gear Solid V Ground Zeroes, more

Xbox Live free games for June: Massive Chalice, Just Cause 2, Thief, more

New products & more:

Splatoon for Wii U inks the scene with colorful gameplay and an exclusive bundle

9to5Toys Last Call: 11″ MacBook Air (newest version) $800, 4x 16GB Flash Drives $16, Splatoon for Wii U, much more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call Updates:

Daily Deals: 13″ 256GB Retina MacBook Pro w/ Force Touch $1,300, 11″ MacBook Air $800, Dual USB Car Chargers from $6, more

4-pack of 16GB PNY Attaché USB 2.0 Flash Drives $16 shipped (Reg. $28)

$75 Staples Gift Card for $60 w/ email delivery (20% off)

App Store Free App of the Week: Hyper Square puzzle game ($2 value)

30 discounted iTunes movie bundles: Jurassic Park $20, Godfather & Lord of the Rings Trilogy $15 ea, more

More new gear from today:

Games/Apps: Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Unity Bundle $300 (Reg. $350), Stunt Star goes free, Machine World $1, freebies, more

More deals still alive:

iPad Air 2 64GB Wi-Fi in all colors for the same price as 16GB: $500 shipped (Reg. $599)

iPad mini 3 for the same price as the second gen model: $300 shipped (Reg. $399)

New products & more:

Bluelounge’s new extension cord brings style and USB power

Amazon Prime adds free same day delivery in select markets across the United States

9to5Toys Lunch Break: 13″ 256GB Retina MacBoook Pro $1,300, Crucial 2.5-inch 512GB SSD $171, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

13-inch Retina MacBook Pro w/ Force Touch (newest) 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB $1,300 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

13-inch MacBook Air:

1.6GHz/4GB/128GB $830 (Reg. $999)
1.6GHz/4GB/256GB $1,000 (Reg. $1,199)

Gold Box Gaming: Crucial 512GB SSD: $171 or 256GB $90, Trendnet AC router: $20, Dell 24″ display: $200, much more

Apple iPhone 6/Plus no-contract refurbished phones from $425 shipped

Apple-Certified iPhone 5/5S 2400mAh charging case with kickstand (5 colors): $15 Prime shipped

Small States: Feltmark’s Wald lighting combines simplicity and function, multiple giveaway winners

More new gear from today:

iPhone 6/Plus cases (multiple colors & styles): rooCASE from $12 (Reg. $25), Verus slim/wallet from $2 (Reg. $22)

ArmorSuit iPhone 6/Plus Screen Protectors for $0.95 Prime shipped (Reg. $6.95)

Audio-Technica AT2020USB Condenser USB Microphone $80 shipped (Reg. $99)

More deals still alive:

Yamaha RX-V377 5.1-Channel 4K A/V Receiver w/ USB $172 shipped (Orig. $300)

 

Portable Bluetooth Speakers: Logitech UE BOOM $129 (Reg. $199), Mpow MBOX $38 (Reg. $50)

New products & more:

Just throw the Lily Camera drone in the air and it will automatically record

Sony’s new LED Lightbulb has a built-in Bluetooth speaker with iPhone controls

How-To: Upgrade the SSD in your MacBook Air or Retina MacBook Pro, boosting size & speed

Over the past two weeks, I’ve written about the (surprisingly easy) process of adding solid state drives (SSDs) to radically speed up older iMacs, and the varied challenge levels of adding SSDs to older Mac Pros, Mac minis, and non-Retina MacBooks. Today’s guide looks at the easiest SSD installations of all: the MacBook Air and Retina MacBook Pro. A new SSD in one of these machines could have two, four, eight, or sixteen times the original storage, plus two to four times faster speeds.

Apple shipped most MacBook Airs and all Retina MacBook Pros with solid state storage, so upgrading these machines for extra capacity and speed is generally as simple as picking a new drive, then using two special screwdrivers during the installation process. Assuming your MacBook is old enough to be out of warranty — except for a few specific models — you’ll find that pretty much anyone can handle this swap with the right tools. Below, I’m going to show those tools to you, as well as the MacBook-ready SSDs that are worth considering…


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

9to5Toys Last Call: Speck iPhone 6/Plus cases 50% off, PlayStation 4 $329, Retina MacBook Pro $550 off, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the brand new 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Speck CandyShell iPhone 6/Plus cases in multiple colors/styles from $17 Prime shipped (50% off)

PlayStation 4 hits all-time price low of $329 in Walmart last-minute gift sale

  • Add-on! Best Buy Gamers Club Unlocked Membership, get 20% off all video games for 2-years: $30 shipped (70% off)

13″ Retina MacBook Pro 2.8GHz/8GB/512GB (late 2013) $1,449 (orig. $1,999)

Holiday Gift Guides:

More new deals:

More deals still alive:

New products/ongoing promos/info:

Site default logo image

9to5Toys Last Call: iPad Air 2 $489 w/ $100 gift card, iPhone 6 discounts, Retina MacBook Pro (2013) $1149, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the brand new 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

 

16 GB iPad Air 2 (Wi-Fi model): $489 + get a $100 gift card (orig. $499)

iPhone deals at Walmart:

  • Get a $75 Walmart gift card when you buy a new iPhone 6 or iPhone 5s
  • iPhone 6 (16 GB) priced at $179 on contract (orig. $199)
  • iPhone 5s (16 GB) priced at $79 (orig. $99)

Apple 13.3-inch Retina MacBook Pro (2013) 2.4GHz/8GB/256GB: $1,149 shipped (orig. $1,399)

First look: LifeProof starts taking orders for its waterproof iPhone 6 frē case

Amazon offers $40 off Kindles, Fire TV and more w/ Prime membership purchases

Twelve South makes the best iPhone 6/iPad dock even better by simplifying its setup and adding a gold color option

Small States – TM1985: former Ralph Lauren designer goes American made w/ elegant backpacks, $407 giveaway + 25% discount


Other new deals:


More deals still alive:

Black Friday:

We’re updating our email newsletter with Black Friday/holiday shopping ideas and savings

Top leaks:

All other leaks/info:

New products/ongoing promos:

Site default logo image

Apple Store refurbished Retina MacBook Pros dip to lowest prices ever, now start below $1,000

From 9to5Toys.com:

Apple quietly released an updated lineup of Retina MacBook Pros earlier this morning and as a result, previous generation (which, let’s be honest, aren’t a big step down) refurbished models have received notable price drops.

At the low end, the October 2012 (first generation) 13-inch model has dropped $59, which has made it the first refurbished Retina MacBook Pro with a 1 year Apple warranty to dip below $1,000. This pricing isn’t completely unprecedented as we have tracked new models at $999.

A best bet: Prices for the 2013 Haswell model now start at $1,019. That’s down from $1,099 (that $20 extra will go a long way on battery life alone).

You can browse Apple’s entire refurbished offerings, but keep in mind quantities are extremely limited and popular models tend to sell out quickly. Be sure to check back frequently because inventories are constantly being replenished. Apple refurbished products have a reputation for being nearly as good as new and are still eligible for AppleCare.

Best Buy continues to be the best place to buy a new MacBook for anyone with access to an .edu email address. The big box retailer offers students an additional $100 off already discounted MacBook prices. All other buyers should follow our buying guides and 9to5Toys to keep up with the best Mac deals.

Site default logo image

Three hacks for adding permanent storage to your MacBook Air or Retina Pro through the SD card slot

transcend-jetdrive-lite

MacBook Airs and Retina MacBook Pros offer practically zero upgradability, but one area that there is some flexibility with is storage. Many third party memory manufactures are taking advantage of the SD card slot present in MacBook Airs and Retina Pros to add semi-permant storage to these Macs. We first saw these products begin popping up last year, but the release of Transcend’s JetDrive Lite line this morning made us think it was worth taking a look at three of the options currently available.

These expansion drives are nearly as convenient as on-board storage but can be used for Time Machine backups and transferring large files between devices.

The problem with shoving any SD card into your MacBook is that is protrudes out from the laptop casing, which leaves the card and your Mac vulnerable to damage or getting knocked out. It’s also an eyesore to constantly have a card peaking out from your Mac’s otherwise seamless and uniform design. The memory expansion modules we’re going to take a look at are customized to fit nearly flush.

The most well-known version is the PNY StorEDGE. It comes in two different capacities (64GB/128GB), is colored black, and protrudes just enough to make it easy to remove. The 64GB/128GB models retail for $100/$200, but these are available for $38.95 and $75.04.

The SanDisk minidrive is only available in 64GB, and it includes a pull tab to make it even easier to remove. Some people may dislike the fact that the pull tab has ‘SanDisk’ branded on it, but that doesn’t seem like a deal-breaker to me. It retails for $59.99, but is currently on sale for $49.99.

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

Just this morning Transcend announced its JetDrive Lite expansion cards in 64GB and 128GB capacities. Transcend says that users can expect read and write speeds of up to 95MB/s and 60MB/s respectively, which is the fastest of the bunch. Obviously, there isn’t any real world data to backup these claims yet and overall performance will also vary by Mac, it is still nice to see Transcend attempting to push the product category forward. The JetDrive Lites are priced aggressively with current rates starting at just $39.99 for 64GB and going up to $79.99 for 128GB.

nifty-minidrive-silver

If you already own a micro SD card you could opt to increase your MacBook storage by popping it into a custom adapter which mimics the modules mentioned above. The Nifty Minidrive is capped with hand-polished mini-drivealuminum so it will match your Apple hardware. It’s available in silver and red at a retail price of $39.99 (on sale at Amazon for $34.99). There is also the less-elegent, but more budget-conscious solution called “The MiniDrive“, which looks to be a Nifty clone but at only $20.

Also, if you are really determined to expand your Mac’s memory, you can upgrade its internal SSD with one of Transcend’s new JetDrive kits.

Before making your final purchase, be sure that the model you choose is compatible with your specific Mac model as some manufactures have slightly different SKUs for different Macs. SD slot depth also varies between models so some of the aforementioned solutions may protrude more or less depending on your Mac.

Apple building support for driving 4K displays at ‘Retina’ resolution, 60Hz output from 2013 MacBook Pros

Site default logo image

4K display running at “Retina” resolution on 10.9.3

Earlier today, Apple provided developers with the first beta for the upcoming release of OS X Mavericks version 10.9.3. Apple did not disclose any new features coming in 10.9.3, but we have discovered that the update includes notable enhancements for users with Macs connected to 4K-resolution monitors. With 10.9.3, Mac users can now natively set their 4K monitors to run the Mac operating system at a pixel-doubled “Retina” resolution.

The new settings, which appear nearly identical to the settings on a standard Retina MacBook Pro display, can be seen here on a 10.9.3 Mac connected to a 4K monitor:


Expand
Expanding
Close

RIP Mac optical drives? Rumor suggests Apple to drop last non-Retina MacBook Pro this year

Site default logo image

DigiTimes is claiming that Apple will cease production of the non-Retina version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro this year as it prepares to launch refreshed Retina models toward the end of the year.

Apple is expected to stop production of the 13-inch MacBook Pro in the second half of 2014 and will replace the product line with thinner models equipped with a Retina display. Meanwhile, Intel will offer second-generation ultrabooks in the fourth quarter of 2014, pushing the notebook industry further into the ultra-thin era, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers … 
Expand
Expanding
Close

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

Site default logo image

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

Apple fixes 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro trackpad/keyboard issues, graphics bug on 15-inch

Site default logo image

With the new 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro launch last month, many users have noticed and complained about issues relating to the computer’s keyboard and trackpad becoming unresponsive.

In line with Apple’s promise, a fix has been delivered:

This update is recommended for MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, late 2013) models.    This update addresses an issue where the built-in keyboard and Multi-Touch trackpad may become unresponsive.

The solution comes in the form of the MacBook Pro Retina EFI Update 1.3, and this update is available via Software Update in the Mac App Store. Apple has also released an update for the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro to fix issues relating to NVIDIA Graphics chips:


Expand
Expanding
Close

Thinner, lighter, FASTER: Early benchmarks show 50-65% improvement in MacBook Pro’s Iris graphics

Site default logo image

Macworld’s benchmarks

…less expensive, better battery life too

Apple’s relentless improvement iterations continue unabated. Macworld’s early benchmarks on Apple’s new base model 13″MacBook Pro with built in Intel Iris Graphics are in and show huge speed gains in graphics performance:

The most impressive improvements in the new laptops came courtesy of the new Iris graphics. Compared to the HD 4000 graphics in the early 2013 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro, the Iris graphics posted between 45 and 50 percent higher frame rates in Cinebench r15’s OpenGL tests and the Unigine Valley Benchmark. Unigen’s Heaven benchmark showed the new systems with about 65 percent improvement in frame rates over the earlier model.

Iris Graphics also support displays up to 4K at 24Hz, a first for Apple’s entry level Pro laptops.

CPU performance improvement is slight but the Intel Haswell architecture adds a few hours of (Apple’s estimated) battery life while the machine actually got thinner and lighter. Meanwhile, Apple loaded up faster 802.11ac Wifi and speedy Samsung PCIe SSDs up to 1TB and Thunderbolt 2.0.

Price? Dropped $100  to $1299. (we are already seeing discounts/tax advantages in our Products section).
Expand
Expanding
Close

New Haswell MacBook Pro teardowns beautiful but prove almost non-repairable by mortals

Site default logo image

MacBook Pro 13

Teardowns of the new  13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models reveal lots of shiny technology, but with the machines following the construction lead of the MacBook Air, it’s no surprise to see IFixIt giving both models low scores for repairability. The extreme difficulty in removing both battery and trackpad mean both models get even worse scores than the Air, at just 1 out of 10.

As with the Air, RAM is soldered directly to the logic board, so if you think you may need more in the future, take a deep breath and pay Apple’s price for the 16GB upgrade as there is no way to upgrade it later. IFixIt also draws particular attention to the difficulty of replacing the battery,

The lithium-polymer battery is glued rather than screwed into the case, which increases the chances that it’ll break during disassembly. The battery also covers the trackpad cable, which tremendously increases the chance that the user will shear the cable in the battery removal process.

More details and photos below the fold … 
Expand
Expanding
Close

Report: New MacBook Pros on sale Oct 24/25, iPads Oct 30/31, Mac Pro Nov 15

Site default logo image

Image: techbeat.com

French site MacG, which has an imperfect track-record, claims to have been given the dates on which the new MacBook Pros, iPads and Mac Pro will go on sale. The claimed dates are:

With Apple’s media event scheduled for 22nd October, this would put the MacBook Pros on sale very quickly indeed, just two or three days later.

However, the iPad and Mac Pro dates do not make as much sense. Apple has typically launched its new iPad models on Fridays (or Saturday for the original version), making it unlikely that the new tablets would hit store shelves on a Wednesday or Thursday (as the MacGeneration report claims).

As for the Mac Pro, that machine is a built-to-order computer, so perhaps it would be difficult to pinpoint an actual launch date for that product. MacG also happened to have claimed that Apple’s event would occur today, so that does not add much credibility to these new claims.

Below is what we’re expecting to see for each product … 
Expand
Expanding
Close

Manage push notifications

notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications
notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications