Technologies
Best Mac Studio Deals: Up to $200 Off at Best Buy for Totaltech Members
The 2022 Mac Studio is Apple’s most powerful desktop computer to date. Here are the best places to buy one.
Last year, Apple added a new compact desktop: the Mac Studio. Essentially a supercharged version of the Mac Mini, the machine hit shelves in March 2022 and we’ve been tracking Mac Studio deals ever since.
The Mac Studio comes with serious hardware that’s designed to handle even the most demanding tasks with ease. There are two different versions of the machine: one that features the M1 Max processor found in the top-end 2021 MacBook Pro models, and one that is equipped with an even more powerful M1 Ultra chip.
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Whether you’re a developer or content creator, having a fast and powerful computer is a must, which is why Apple says this machine can «deliver an unprecedented level of performance, an extensive array of connectivity, and completely new capabilities in an unbelievably compact design that sits within arm’s reach on the desk.»
Apple was serious when it spoke about power. You can configure the Mac Studio to come with up to 128GB of RAM, an 8TB SSD and up to a 64-core GPU. Like with many other Apple desktops and laptops, you’ll need to make your configuration choices while ordering. You can make changes to the system-on-a-chip (processor), memory, storage and opt to include preinstalled software if you wish.
Read more: Apple Mac Studio Review: A Compact Desktop for Creators
Retailing for $1,999 and up, the Mac Studio is now readily available to buy and pick up in-store, and we’ve been on the hunt for the best Mac Studio deals across a variety of retailers since its launch. We’ve listed the best Mac Studio deals available right now below and we’ll keep this list updated as new offers emerge to help save you the most cash.
Best Mac Studio deals
Best Buy has both M1 Max and M1 Ultra-equipped Mac Studio models available to order and is offering up to $200 off for members of its Totaltech program. That’s a $200-per-year subscription, so not worth signing up for specifically to get in on this deal, but worth noting if you already subscribe. In addition, Best Buy is dishing out four months of Apple Music, three months of Apple TV Plus and three months of iCloud Plus with the purchase of a Mac Studio for new or returning to subscribers to those services.
If you want complete customizability without having to navigate certain configurations being in or out of stock, shopping from Apple directly is the obvious choice. There are two variants, one with the M1 Max chip and one with the brand-new M1 Ultra chip. Pricing starts at $1,999 for the former and $3,999 for the latter. Apple won’t be discounting the Mac Studio, but you can pay in installments if that suits your budget better and get 3% cash back if you pay using your Apple Card.
B&H has various Mac Studio configurations available to order, though none currently have direct discounts. The retailer does, however, offer a neat way to save on sales tax with its house-branded B&H Payboo credit card — it gives you the tax back as cash back. On a purchase as large as a Mac Studio, that could be a decent chunk of change depending on where you live.
You can configure a Mac Studio to order at Adorama, though there are no direct discounts to be found at present. The Adorama Rewards program is free to sign up for, though, and allows you to earn points to redeem as credit against future purchases.
Technologies
Apple Reportedly Planning Cheaper Macs to Compete With Budget Chromebooks, PCs
Apple doesn’t market its machines as affordable, but that could be changing.
Apple may release more affordable Mac laptops to compete with Chromebooks and budget-friendly Windows laptops as early as 2026.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports the company has plans to roll out a machine for «well under $1,000.» According to Gurman, the new laptop is already in early production under the codename J700. This matches earlier rumors that a low-cost MacBook Air was in the pipeline at around $599, which would allow Apple to directly compete with other cheap laptops, including Chromebooks and Windows PCs.
A representative for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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According to the report, costs will be kept down by using a lower-end LCD that’s smaller than the 13.6-inch MacBook Air, potentially making the new affordable MacBook as small as 12 inches.
Another way Apple could reduce the cost is by using an A-series iPhone chip, which falls short of the top-tier performance offered by the MacBook Pro or the current M4 Air. The upcoming chip may be a variant of the A19 Pro chip that debuted with the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air, which Apple says is capable of MacBook-level performance.
As CNET senior editor Matt Elliott noted, the promise is a bold one. He speculates that the rumored $599 MacBook Air may get the same smartphone processor, or an M-series chip based on that architecture.
Bloomberg also reports that a MacBook Pro with an M5 Pro and M5 Max chip is in development, and Apple has completed work on a MacBook Air powered by the M5 chip, which is planned for release early next year.
The affordable laptop would be designed for casual users, students and businesses, specifically individuals who need a device for tasks such as web browsing, light media editing and document creation. The tech giant is also targeting the education market, as well as iPad buyers who may also want a traditional laptop.
«If this is strictly a move to entice consumers with a high-quality, lower-cost MacBook running MacOS in place of an iPad with a keyboard, then yes, Apple can likely take a chunk of that market,» said Josh Goldman, managing editor at CNET.
«Making inroads into the education market at this point, where Chromebooks have taken over since the pandemic, will prove challenging, though I’m sure it’s nothing that throwing billions of dollars at can’t fix,» CNET’s Goldman said.
This price range is ‘a big departure’
Price is likely to be key here. A $599 price tag would place the new Mac in the same range as more affordable Chromebooks and entry-level laptops, representing a significant change from Apple’s previous strategy.
«Apple potentially dipping into the Chromebook range of $300 to $500 with a new MacBook is a big departure,» said Goldman.
He notes that one of Apple’s most affordable MacBooks is the M4 MacBook Air, available new starting at $999 for the 13-inch model. Walmart still sells a new M1 MacBook Air, a 5-year-old laptop, for around $600.
By contrast, an iPad 11th Gen with a Magic Keyboard will run you around $600, making it clear that Apple’s target market for the rumored device is students and lighter users.
Apple typically hasn’t targeted the lower-priced segment of the market with its MacBooks. However, with consumer wallets under pressure from inflation, high tariffs and layoffs, an affordable MacBook could be imperative and timely.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Nov. 5, #408
Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Nov. 5, No. 408.
Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is pretty diverse. The blue answers stuck out to me right away, because some of them are super famous and the others felt like they belonged with those names. If you’re struggling but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it free online.
Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta
Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: How to see a game.
Green group hint: Soccer.
Blue group hint: Giddy up!
Purple group hint: Not a run play.
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: Ways to consume a sporting event.
Green group: NWSL teams.
Blue group: Triple Crown horse racing winners.
Purple group: Pass ____.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is ways to consume a sporting event. The four answers are in person, radio, streaming and television.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is NWSL teams. The four answers are Current, Dash, Pride and Spirit.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is Triple Crown horse racing winners. The four answers are Citation, Gallant Fox, Omaha and Secretariat.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is pass ____. The four answers are breakup, interference, protection and rush.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 5, #878
Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Nov. 5, #878.
Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.
Today’s NYT Connections puzzle has a diverse mix of topics, including a neat blue category that music fans will ace. And it isn’t too tough, but if you need help, you’re in the right place. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.
The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.
Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time
Hints for today’s Connections groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: Mess up.
Green group hint: Lead pipe is another one.
Blue group hint: They command the stage.
Purple group hint: Not snow, but …
Answers for today’s Connections groups
Yellow group: Make a hash of.
Green group: Weapons in the game Clue.
Blue group: Iconic soul singers.
Purple group: Rain ____.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is make a hash of. The four answers are blow, botch, butcher and spoil.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is weapons in the game Clue.The four answers are candlestick, knife, rope and wrench.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is iconic soul singers. The four answers are (Anita) Baker, (Roberta) Flack, (Aretha) Franklin and (Gladys) Knight.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is rain ____. The four answers are bow, coat, forest and maker.
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