Techtober this year jumped straight into November. The first week of the month was pretty busy at Engadget HQ, as we published a number of high-profile reviews over the past few days. Apple has the MacBook Pro and Mac mini, as well as the fantastic (and expensive) PS5 Pro. Plus, we also have another VR headset and several ereaders for book lovers. Read on for all the reviews this week and a look at what’s coming next.
Apple MacBook Pro (2024) Review
Our Mac expert Devindra Hardawar had a pretty busy week. Publishing four reviews in total, he focused primarily on Apple’s double dip. He tested the new M4-powered MacBook Pro in both 14- and 16-inch sizes. Not surprisingly, the new chips bring a speed boost, but there are also updates to the display, webcam, and battery life. Spec upgrades remain expensive, but if you opt for a machine powered by M4 Pro or M4 Max, you’ll also get Thunderbolt 5 support.
“If you’re running an M1 MacBook Pro, or still sticking with Intel models, you’ll definitely see some notable performance gains from these machines,” he explained. “But if you have an M2 or M3 MacBook Pro, the M4 hardware is less of a qualitative leap.”
Apple Mac mini (M4 Pro, 2024) review
The second part of Devendra’s double-header was the new Mac mini, now powered by Apple’s M4 chips. You’ll see the biggest speed increase with the M4 Pro here and 16GB of RAM is now standard. Of course, a key change is the smaller size, and the front-facing USB-C and headphone ports will come in handy.
“The Mac mini was the fastest computer I’ve reviewed this year, at least in terms of CPU benchmarks,” he wrote. “I’m used to being impressed by Apple Silicon, but the M4 Pro in our review unit (which also came equipped with 48GB of RAM) was still much better than I expected.”
Sony PlayStation 5 Pro Review
Devendra also assisted senior gaming reporter Jessica Condit in the much-anticipated PlayStation 5 Pro review this week. It’s no surprise that the two confirmed that the PS5 Pro is the most powerful console ever, powered by a faster GPU that unlocks 4K/60 fps action. There are also new ray tracing features, and the console comes with a 2TB SSD. But, you’ll have to pay a hefty price for it, and not every game has pro-level enhancements for you.
“There’s no doubt that the PS5 Pro is a niche product, not an upgrade targeted at all PS5 owners,” he added. “It’s for Sony devotees who want the ultimate PlayStation experience, and who will never upgrade to a gaming PC.”
HTC Vive Focus Vision review
Devendra concludes his marathon week with the latest HTC Vive VR headset. Unfortunately, the great design is hampered by a high price, limited gaming library, and outdated components. Simply put, “despite using an older CPU and lenses, it still offers good standalone VR,” he explained. “But for a $999 headset, it’s a shame HTC Vive didn’t make more of an effort to make the Focus Vision stand out.”
Kindle Paperwhite Signature (2024) review
Commerce editor Amy Skorheim reviewed both the new Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and the new standard Kindle this week, pitting them against each other in a head-to-head match. While the OG is still a workhorse, the more premium option offers more features. But, as Amy found, you might not need them.
“It depends on whether you think an upgraded experience will motivate you to read more,” she said. “If so, the price bump is probably worth it in the long run. But if you’re looking for an easy way to read books, get the base Kindle.”
Next round of reviews
I know I teased a Sonos Arc Ultra review for this week, but our audio expert (hi!) needed to do a little more testing with the soundbar. I double promise I’ll have another one coming early next week for your Veterans Day reading. We still have a new Mac, and we’re hoping to finish the iMac (2024) review next week as well. And another Amazon review will be coming soon with the updated Fire HD 8.