9to5Mac Reviews

The price you’ll pay Apple for MacBook Pro leather cases has varied widely over the years, but with its anti-leather kick, the closest you’ll get to a leather case on apple.com is a “vegan leather” one from von Holzhausen.

On the plus side, that has brought the price down well below Apple’s leather years. For the 16-inch MacBook Pro, for example, the case costs a comparatively affordable $99.95. But while I respect Apple’s stance on the topic, for me there’s no substitute for real leather …

Anyone play Mega Man back in the day? That’s the first thing I thought of when I unboxed the new NuPhy Halo75 V2 mechanical keyboard. The awesome “blue lagoon” color just screams Mega Man, and the aptly named Halo75 puts on a really playful light show for your Mac as you type. Come to think of it, those blues also give 9to5Mac vibes…

TwelveSouth recently sent me their latest HoverBar Duo product to test with FaceTime on Apple TV 4K. HoverBar Duo is primarily marketed as an adjustable iPad mount for using the tablet hands-free. However, the arrival of FaceTime for Apple TV 4K makes HoverBar Duo a versatile solution for positioning your iPhone camera just right. Before trying it with FaceTime on Apple TV 4K, the TwelveSouth HoverBar Duo has proved useful with the iPhone in lots of other ways.

Mac display aficionados know that pixel count must scale with screen size to maintain Apple’s standard for “Retina” resolution.

That’s why the 24-inch iMac is 4.5K, the 27-inch Studio Display is 5K, and the 32-inch Pro Display XDR is 6K. These resolutions and display sizes each amount to 218 pixels per inch. The result is a balance of sharpness and screen real estate for the price of $1499, $1599, and $4999, respectively.

The pursuit of pixels per inch is also why the Mac community endured the LG UltraFine 5K monitor for so long, and why Samsung’s more featured version of the Studio Display gets our attention.

With that being said, is a larger display with less resolution always a compromise? I’ve been reviewing a BenQ DesignVue Design Monitor for several weeks, and this 4K 32-inch setup has solved a real problem for me.

The most recent smart scale from Withings is so advanced the company calls it a “health station.” I’ve been testing the Withings Body Scan and its features like segmental body composition measurements, nerve activity, 6-lead ECG, and more, which all come with Apple Health integration. Is it worth the premium price? I think so if these features are valuable to you.

Nomad has unveiled its latest premium Apple accessory today, the Magnetic Leather Back for iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Made with high-quality leather, this slick magnetic back is perfect for those who like to keep their iPhone as close to naked as possible but appreciate a little protection and the feel – and aesthetic – of leather.

I’ve previously said that much as Vision Pro looks insanely impressive, I’m still not expecting to hand over my cash before a third-gen device. If you’re of the same mind, then the $439 Viture One XR glasses might be worth a look.

To be clear, the company makes no claims to be competing with Vision Pro. Its glasses product are a very different beast, but do tick some of the same boxes – including the ability to view Spatial Video content shot on the iPhone 15 …

I’ve tested out dozens of new Apple accessories this year ranging from products to enhance and protect iPhone, iPad, Mac, and more. What am I still using? Here are my 6 favorite Apple accessories of 2023.

Ever wish you could bolt down your iPhone or iPad charger to an outlet so it doesn’t walk away? A neat little accessory lets you do just that, so we tested it out to see how it works. Read on for a hands-on look at the Lock Socket for iPhone and iPad chargers.

Having been a long-time on-ear headphone guy for mobile use, it was Master & Dynamic who persuaded me to switch to in-ear headphones for everything except flights. Five years on from the MW07, the company has just launched its third-generation model, the MW09.

If you’re in the market for a new pair of in-ear headphones, and are willing to pay a hundred bucks more than AirPods Pro pricing for a whole new level of audio quality – with a couple of important caveats – read on …

After launching a fun glow-in-the-dark limited edition Apple Watch Sport Band in August, Nomad is out with its latest batch of rare bands. The new limited edition Strike Sport Apple Watch Band blends some of the previous limited edition colorways into a sharp two-tone design.

Years ago, Apple used to offer popular iPad accessories like the Smart Leather Cover and Smart Leather Case. Now that Apple has completely moved away from leather, the iPad Smart Folio is just available in silicone. Stepping in to offer a premium, slim folio for iPad in leather, Nomad has just launched its Leather Folio and Folio Plus.

Earlier this year, Astropad launched its Magnetic Screen Protector for iPad delivering a paper-like feeling with Apple Pencil. Then the company launched a new product this fall that offers an even more impressive pen-on-paper experience. Here are my thoughts after testing out the Rock Paper Pencil kit that includes Astropad’s new magnetic screen protector along with two ballpoint-style Apple Pencil tips.

After releasing its first indoor HomeKit camera in 2021, smart thermostat leader Ecobee is out today with its first outdoor product – the Smart Doorbell Camera. With a sharp design, HomeKit support, wide-angle view, and unique integrations with its Smart Thermostat Premium, follow along for our full review.

I get offered a lot of Bluetooth speakers for review, and turn down most of them because I’ve experienced <insert company name here>’s prior offerings and have been left decidedly unimpressed. But the Tribit Stormbox Flow made it through, because my last experience left me very pleasantly surprised.

I wrote last year that the Tribit StormBox Micro 2 had absolutely no right to be as good as it was, for both size and price reasons – and the same is true of the company’s latest offering …

With Apple officially out of the leather case and accessory market, third parties stand as the only options for those who prefer to stick with the material. I’ve been testing out the Modern Leather Case and Folio with my iPhone 15 Pro, and have come to love them. I’ll also cover Nomad’s Rugged Case as a non-leather option for those who aren’t feeling Apple’s FineWoven or silicone cases.

Nomad launched its Base One and Base One Max (reviewed) premium MagSafe chargers in 2022 and followed up with Stand One earlier this year. Now the high-end Base One Max is expanding from a 2-in-1 to a 3-in-1 MagSafe charger with simultaneous power for iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. We’ve been testing out the metal and glass Base One Max 3-in-1, here’s a closer look.

Update: The band is back in stock after being back-ordered since the Apple Watch Ultra 2 launch back in September.

Nomad recently launched a new English Tan colorway of its leather Modern Band for Apple Watch. Coming with polished, brushed hardware in silver or black, this premium yet affordable leather band works no matter what Apple Watch finish you have. Follow along for our full review.

Following up on its premium Base One/Base One Max and Stand One official MagSafe chargers, Nomad is out today with two new products. Adding to the variety of the lineup with the same premium metal and glass build, the new Stand and Base are more affordable by going for MagSafe compatibility rather than official MFi certification. Along with a lower price, that also allowed Nomad to offer slick all-black variants.

Competition has been growing in the autonomous mower market and one interesting new company making a sharp-looking and impressively functional robot mower is Mammotion. Setting itself apart from much of the competition, the Luba AWD ditches the hassle of installing a perimeter wire thanks to a slick iPhone setup and GPS+RTK guidance. It also boasts the ability to mow straight lines, handle up to 1.25 acres, and can descend and climb up to 75% slopes.

As iPhones have matured over the last decade, one accessory that’s been commoditized – among others – has been smartphone cases. It’s difficult to stand out in a sea of countless choices but Carved has done just that with its literal one-of-a-kind, handmade works of art. Follow along for a detailed look at the Carved Live Edge iPhone Case, Traveler Case, and more.