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The Apple products you shouldn't buy this month: October 2023 edition

Oct, 03, 2023 Hi-network.com

TheiPhone 15 is out, rounding out this year's Apple update cycle.

June Wan/

OK, so with the iPhone 15 now out , along with a refreshedApple Watch line , Apple is ready for the holiday season as all focus will be on having enough products in stock to satisfy as many orders as possible between now and the end of the year.

Also: Thisabsolute beast of a USB-C charger can power your whole desk

Apple'slatest device refresh also means that we can trim a lot of stuff off the don't buy list.

Are you all excited for the Vision Pro mixed reality headset? Well, don't hold your breath: That's not going to launch until early 2024.

The 'Naughty' list

  • 13-inch MacBook Pro : This is now overpriced for what you're getting.Unveiled a year ago at WWDC 2022, this is due for a refresh to an M2 Pro or M2 Max chip.
  • 13-inch MacBook Air : With anM2 version of the MacBook Air now available for only$100 more , it no longer makes any sense to pay full price for one based on the M1 chip. 
  • 24-inch iMac : Now that the M1 chips have been superseded by the M2, Apple is asking a lot of money to pay for a Mac that could see a refresh in the next few months.
  • iPad Mini : Released in September 2021, it's worth keeping in mind the age of this tablet. Two years is a long time in tech. Would you pay full price for an iPhone 13, which was released at the same time? No, you wouldn't.
  • Joining the iPad Mini is theiPad Air . Released in March 2022, this isn't as old as the Mini -- but it's flown past that 18-month mark, making it a dubious buy for the price.
  • iPhone SE : This handset is now over the 18-month-old mark, and while it could be 2024 before we see an update released, it's worth bearing in mind that the current model was released in March 2022. 

The 'Nice' list

Apple iPhone 15 and 15 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 15 Pro

Jason Hiner/

We have the much-anticipated refresh of the iPhone line. The standard iPhone 15 line gets the processor that's currently in the iPhone 14 Pro line, a new 48-megapixel main camera, and USB-C, while the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max get a new A17 Pro chip, a titanium structure, and updated cameras including a 5x telephoto.

Also: Every iPhone 15 model compared: iPhone 15 vs. Plus vs. Pro vs. Pro Max

iPhone 15

View now at Apple

Apple Watch Series 9

More power thanks to the S9 SiP chip, new features such as double-tap gestures, and a new brighter display come to the Apple Watch.

  • S9 SiP chip
  • 45mm or 41mm aluminum or stainless steel case
  • Up to 2000 nits display brightness
  • 50-meter water resistance

Also: Apple Watch Series 9: Top 4 new features we're excited about

Apple Watch Series 9

View now at Apple

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Apple's flagship smartwatch gets an upgrade in the form of the new S9 SiP chip, more storage, and a brighter display.

  • S9 SiP chip
  • 49mm titanium case
  • Up to 3000 nits display brightness
  • 100-meter water resistance

Also: Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs. Ultra: Is it time to upgrade?

Apple Watch Ultra 2

View now at Apple

2023 Apple Mac Pro

M2 Ultra Mac Pro

Jason Hiner/

This monster system finally got the Apple Silicon treatment. With astarting price of$7,000 , it's not cheap, but once you start adding the extras it's a lot cheaper than its predecessor.

  • Apple M2 Ultra chip, with 24-core CPU and up to 76-core GPU
  • Up to 192GB of unified memory
  • 32-bit Neural Engine
  • Up to 8TB of storage 
  • 2 x HDMI
  • 2 x 10Gb Ethernet
  • Rack- or desk-mounting options

M2 Ultra Mac Pro

View now at Apple

2023 Apple MacBook Air

Apple's "thin and light" laptop gets bumped up to a15-inch display and an M2 chip .

  • 15.3-inch LED-backlit display with IPS technology
  • 2880-by-1864 native resolution at 224 pixels per inch
  • 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
  • 10-core GPU
  • 16-core Neural Engine

2023 15-inch MacBook Air

View now at Apple

2023 Apple Mac Mini with M2 chip

Mac Mini with M2 chip

Apple

Apple's "starter" Mac gets the M2 Apple Silicon treatment, bringing it into 2023.

  • Apple M2 or Apple M2 Pro chip
  • Two Thunderbolt 4 ports (M2) or four Thunderbolt 4 ports (M2 Pro) 
  • Two USB-A ports (up to 5Gb/s)
  • HDMI port
  • Gigabit Ethernet port (configurable to 10Gb Ethernet)
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack
  • 8- to 12-core CPU
  • 10- to 19-core GPU
  • 8GB to 32GB unified memory
  • 256GB to 8TB storage

Also: This $75 dock turns your Mac Mini into a Mac Studio (sort of)

2023 Apple Mac Mini with M2 chip

View now at Apple

2022 Apple MacBook Air Laptop with M2 chip

Getty/Bloomberg

Apple's M2-powered MacBook Air is a powerhouse of a laptop, offering a huge performance boost over the older Intel-powered MacBook Air, such as 15 times faster video editing -- yes, video editing on a MacBook Air! -- and up to 18 hours of battery life.

Review: Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022): Sleeker, faster -- and pricier

  • The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display features over 500 nits of brightness, P3 wide color, and support for 1 billion colors.
  • Next-generation M2 8-core CPU with 8-core GPU and 8GB of unified memory
  • Up to 18 hours of battery life
  • 1080p FaceTime HD camera, three-mic array, and four-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio
  • A MagSafe charging port, two Thunderbolt ports, and a headphone jack
  • Weighs just 2.7 pounds

2022 Apple MacBook Air with M2 chip

$849 at Amazon

2nd-gen AirPods Pro

Christina Darby/

The second-generation AirPods Pro  is a major upgrade over the previous model, giving Apple's premium buds a massive lead over the competition.

Also: AirPods Pro might be an inexpensive solution to your hearing loss

  • Active Noise Cancellation reduces unwanted background noise.
  • Adaptive Transparency lets outside sounds in while reducing loud environmental noise.
  • Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking places sound all around you.
  • Multiple ear tips (XS, S, M, L)
  • Touch control lets you swipe to adjust volume, press to direct media playback, answer or end calls, and press and hold to switch between listening modes.
  • Sweat- and water-resistant for AirPods Pro and charging case.
  • MagSafe Charging Case includes a speaker.
  • The case features a lanyard loop.

Also: Adaptive Audio listening mode is coming to AirPods Pro 2

2nd Gen AirPods Pro

$229 at B&H Photo-Video

AirTag

CNET

Blowing away the competition, Apple'sAirTags are the perfect gift for someone who constantly loses things. You can add them to your luggage, your bike, your remote, or even your moving boxes -- the possibilities are endless. 

Also: How to find out if an AirTag is tracking you

Well-made, robust, and with a replaceable battery, these will make misplaced keys or lost wallet things of the past.

AirTag

$29 at Best Buy

Apple

Unlock the best new features in iPhone 15, iOS 17, and Apple Watch with these tipsiOS 17: The most impactful new iPhone features are also the ones you'll notice the leastNew iPhone 15 models compared: iPhone 15 vs. Plus vs. Pro vs. Pro MaxOne subtle (but important) reason to buy the iPhone 15 Pro instead of the iPhone 14 Pro
  • Unlock the best new features in iPhone 15, iOS 17, and Apple Watch with these tips
  • iOS 17: The most impactful new iPhone features are also the ones you'll notice the least
  • New iPhone 15 models compared: iPhone 15 vs. Plus vs. Pro vs. Pro Max
  • One subtle (but important) reason to buy the iPhone 15 Pro instead of the iPhone 14 Pro


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