Everything Apple announced this week: iPhones, iPads, Macs, and more
Summary:
Seven products in three days: iPhone 17e, MacBook Neo, iPad Air (M4), MacBook Air (M5), MacBook Pro (M5 Pro/Max), Studio Display, and Studio Display XDR
Everything is available on March 11 and can be pre-ordered now
The $599 MacBook Neo is Apple's most affordable laptop ever, and it's not a toy
Storage doubled on many products; prices up $100 on some Macs, but you're getting more for the money
Next-gen Wi-Fi 7 comes to many of the new models
Every time Apple announces new products, my inbox fills up with the same question: "Should I buy this?" This week was no exception, except that Apple announced seven products in three days. So instead of answering each email individually, I'm putting my general advice here in one place. If you have more specific questions about your situation, you can always book a 30-minute Zoom call with me.
For each product below, I'm comparing it to the model it directly replaces. But if you're upgrading from something several years older, the improvements are much bigger, because they stack year over year. Apple has comparison tools for Mac, iPad, and iPhone, where you can put your current model side by side with the new one.
Though they aren’t complete yet, I’m currently working on updating the iPhone, Mac, and iPad recommendations you’ll find on my recommendations page.
iPhone 17e
$599
Available March 11
iPhone 17e supports MagSafe for fast wireless charging and connects to a wide ecosystem of chargers, cases, wallets, and other accessories.
The most affordable current iPhone model, and a great option if you don't feel the need to spend more on the fancier cameras in the iPhone 17 or 17 Pro. Same $599 price as last year's model, but with double the storage (256GB) and, finally, MagSafe. That was the most complained-about omission from the iPhone 16e, and Apple listened. One big outstanding limitation that will affect some people is the lack of video output using an HDMI adapter. If you connect your phone to hotel televisions as I do to watch streaming TV, it won’t work.
What's new over the iPhone 16e:
MagSafe (magnetic wireless charging and accessories, like every other iPhone 17)
Faster A19 chip for snappier performance and better Apple Intelligence
Faster cellular with better battery life thanks to Apple's new modem
256GB starting storage (doubled from 128GB at the same price)
Tougher screen (3x more scratch-resistant)
New soft pink color option
According to benchmark tests, the iPhone 17e is roughly 2x faster than a 2020 iPhone SE for everyday tasks.
MacBook Neo (all-new)
$599 · $699 with Touch ID + 512GB (edu discount for as little as $499)
Available March 11
MacBook Neo is available in 4 colors, some of which are very dramatic.
This is the big one. Apple's most affordable laptop ever, and it's a real Mac, not a stripped-down experiment. The MacBook Neo has an aluminum body in four colors (blush, indigo, silver, and citrus, with color-matched keyboard and wallpapers), a 13-inch Retina display with iPad-style bezels and no notch, the A18 Pro chip, 16 hours of battery life, and it runs full macOS Tahoe with Apple Intelligence. At $599, this directly undercuts a lot of mediocre Windows laptops.
Student and educator pricing: The MacBook Neo drops to $499 for the base model and $599 for the Touch ID + 512GB model through Apple's Education Store. This isn't limited to college students. Teachers, school staff, homeschool educators, and parents buying for a college student all qualify for education pricing. That makes this $499 Mac a serious option for anyone in education.
There are two configurations and nothing in between: $599 gets you 256GB of storage and no Touch ID. For $100 more ($699, or $599 for education), you get 512GB and Touch ID. The 8GB of memory cannot be upgraded on either model.
What are the MacBook Neo Core Specs?
A18 Pro chip (the same chip from the iPhone 16 Pro, with one slightly trimmed component). Fast enough for everyday tasks, web browsing, and Apple Intelligence.
13-inch Retina display (sharp, bright, no notch). No True Tone (the feature that adjusts screen color to match room lighting), and standard color range (the Air and Pro have richer, more vivid color).
1080p camera (fixed, so it won't follow you around on video calls like the Air and Pro do), dual mics
Two speakers with surround-style sound
Two USB-C ports, both on the left side (one faster, one slower; only the faster one can drive an external display). Supports a single 4K external monitor; it can connect to higher-resolution displays like the new Studio Displays, but the image will be downscaled to 4K. Headphone jack included. No MagSafe, so charging uses one of the USB-C ports.
Wi-Fi 6E (not Wi-Fi 7)
How fast is it?
vs. 2020 Intel MacBook Air: About 3x faster for everyday tasks according to benchmarks.
vs. M1 MacBook Air (2020): About 1.4x faster for everyday tasks. Roughly equal for heavy multitasking (the M1 has more processing power to throw at multiple apps at once).
A18 Pro estimates based on iPhone 16 Pro benchmarks with the same chip.
My hesitation with the Neo
My biggest reservation about recommending the MacBook Neo is the 8GB of memory, which cannot be upgraded. I typically recommend 16GB to future-proof a Mac purchase (more on Mac longevity here), but that's not an option on this machine. 8GB is enough for what most people do today: email, web browsing, note-taking, and streaming. But apps and websites get more demanding every year, and in a few years, 8GB may start to feel cramped.
That makes the Neo best suited for two types of buyers: people who are very price-sensitive and need a solid computer right now, and people who expect to replace their laptop in two to four years anyway. Think of a college student who might outgrow the computer before the memory becomes a limitation, or a casual user whose needs genuinely start and end with email, notes, and light web browsing. If you plan to keep your next Mac for five or more years, I'd point you toward the MacBook Air M5, which starts at 16GB.
iPad Air (M4)
$599 (11") · $799 (13")
Available March 11
The iPad Air now has the same M4 chip that powered last year's iPad Pro (slightly less powerful version, but close), at the same price as before. This is just an incremental update over the M3 iPad Air, so no big surprises. If you want an iPad that doubles as a laptop replacement, this is the sweet spot.
What's new over the M3 iPad Air:
M4 chip (up to 30% faster overall)
50% more memory for smoother multitasking
Wi-Fi 7 (first time on iPad Air, noticeably faster on compatible networks)
Faster 5G on cellular models with better battery efficiency
According to early benchmarks, the new iPad Air is about 2.7x faster than a 2020 iPad for everyday tasks.
MacBook Air (M5)
$1,099 (13") · $1,299 (15")
Available March 11
This is still the Mac I recommend most. The starting price went up $100 to $1,099, but the starting storage doubled from 256GB to 512GB. If you were going to upgrade to 512GB anyway (which I usually recommend), you're actually paying $100 less than before, because that same configuration used to cost $1,199. Wi-Fi 7 is a nice bit of future-proofing, too. Most other specs got a modest bump, but nothing that’s too surprising or different.
What's new over the M4 MacBook Air:
Faster M5 chip (particularly for Apple Intelligence tasks, up to 4x faster)
512GB starting storage (doubled from 256GB), and the storage itself is faster
Wi-Fi 7 (faster wireless on compatible networks)
How much faster is it?
vs. 2020 Intel MacBook Air: 3.7x faster for everyday tasks, 6x faster for heavy workloads. This is not a typo.
vs. M1 MacBook Air (2020): 1.8x faster for everyday tasks, 2.1x faster for heavy workloads.
Speed measured by Geekbench 6. Source.
MacBook Pro (M5 Pro and M5 Max)
14" starts at $1,699 (M5) · 14" starts at $2,199 (M5 Pro)
Available March 11
The MacBook Pro got faster chips and more storage. Unless you're doing serious creative or professional work (video editing, 3D modeling, software development, working with large AI models), the MacBook Air is a better fit and a better value. But if you do need the extra horsepower, the improvements this year are significant: up to 30% faster for everyday tasks, 4x faster for AI processing, and 50% faster graphics.
Storage and price change for the base M5 MacBook Pro: Apple removed the 512GB option entirely. The base M5 now starts at 1TB / $1,699 (was 512GB / $1,599). That's $100 more, but if you were going to upgrade to 1TB anyway, you're actually saving $100 because the old 1TB configuration cost $1,799. Storage upgrade prices dropped too: 2TB is now $400 (was $600), and 4TB is $1,000 (was $1,200).
The M5 Pro and M5 Max models are available with upgrade options for more memory (up to 128GB), more storage (up to 8TB), and faster chips. The 16-inch model starts at $2,699 (M5 Pro) and $3,899 (M5 Max). Wi-Fi 7 is included on the M5 Pro and Max models, though the base M5 MacBook Pro still has the older Wi-Fi 6E.
How much faster is the M5 Pro?
vs. 2019 Intel MacBook Pro 16": About 3x faster for everyday tasks, nearly 4x faster for heavy workloads.
vs. M1 Pro MacBook Pro (2021): About 1.8x faster across the board.
Speed measured by Geekbench 6. M5 Pro estimates based on Macworld analysis; real benchmarks expected within a week of launch.
Studio Display (updated)
Starting at $1,599
Available March 11
Apple's 27-inch external display gets a meaningful update. The big deal: a faster connection (Thunderbolt 3 got upgraded to Thunderbolt 5) so one cable from your MacBook handles video, data, and charging, and you can now daisy-chain up to four displays. The six-speaker system gets 30% deeper bass, and the 12MP camera now supports Desk View (works like a document camera, showing your desk from above during video calls).
What's new:
Thunderbolt 5 connection (one cable for video, data, and charging)
12MP camera with Desk View
Six-speaker system with 30% deeper bass
Compatibility note: Neither the new Studio Display nor the Studio Display XDR works with Intel Macs. You need a Mac with Apple's own chip (M1 or later, which means 2020 or newer) and the latest macOS update. If you still have an Intel Mac, you'd need to upgrade your computer first.
Studio Display XDR (renamed from Pro Display XDR)
Starting at $3,299
Available March 11
Brand new. This replaces the $4,999 Pro Display XDR (now discontinued). It's a 27-inch display with dramatically better contrast and brightness than the standard model, a smoother 120Hz refresh rate, and professional-grade color accuracy. This is aimed at work where perfect color accuracy is worth real money. If you're not sure whether you need it, you probably don't, and there are more affordable external displays worth considering.
Key specs:
Much deeper blacks and brighter highlights than the standard Studio Display
120Hz (smoother scrolling and video playback; see note below)
Professional-grade color accuracy for photo and video editing
Same 12MP camera with Desk View and six-speaker audio as the standard model
Includes a built-in stand (no separate $999 stand purchase like the old Pro Display XDR)
The 120Hz smooth scrolling doesn't work with every Mac. If you have one of the earlier Apple chip Macs (M1, M2, or M3 generation), the display will run at the standard 60Hz instead. You need an M4 or M5 Mac for the full 120Hz experience. Everything else (the better picture quality, speakers, camera, etc.) works on any Apple chip Mac.
What do I recommend?
Upgrading from an older iPhone? The iPhone 17e at $599 is a great choice if you don't need the fancier cameras on the iPhone 17 or 17 Pro. You'll get Apple Intelligence, MagSafe, double the storage of last year's model, and years of updates ahead.
Need a laptop on a budget? The MacBook Neo. It's a real Mac with real macOS, all-day battery, and Apple Intelligence. If you're a student, a first-time Mac buyer, or you mostly browse the web, email, and stream, this is more than enough. And if you're a student or educator, the $499 education price is hard to beat.
Want a laptop for school, home, or general work? The MacBook Air M5. The 13-inch at $1,099 is the sweet spot for most people who want extra storage, more memory, and Wi-Fi 7 over the Neo.
Need serious power for creative or professional work? The MacBook Pro M5 Pro. Most professionals don't need the M5 Max unless they're working with enormous video files or running intensive simulations. These computers are bulky so traveling with them all the time is more difficult than the Air.
Want an iPad that does (almost) everything? The iPad Air M4 at $599. Incredible value. The iPad Pro is for those who are willing to spend a lot more for a better screen and Face ID.
Need an external display? Both Studio Displays are made for creative professionals and people who are willing to spend extra on a perfect product. If you're a home or office user, there are more affordable options that will serve you well. I have some recommendations here. Either way, if you do go with a Studio Display, you'll need a Mac from 2020 or later with an Apple chip.
When you need more help
With this many new products at once, it can be hard to figure out what's right for your situation. That's something I help clients with all the time. Whether you need help deciding between two models, setting up a new device, or transferring everything from your old one, I'm here for that. I offer one-on-one sessions in San Francisco and DC, or we can do it over Zoom from anywhere. You can book a session here.
Images courtesy Apple Inc.
