Techtober started in November this year. The first week of the month was a busy one at Engadget HQ as we published a number of high-profile reviews over the past few days. In addition to Apple’s MacBook Pro and Mac mini, there’s also the awful (and expensive) PS5 Pro. We also have yet another VR headset and e-reader for the bookworms out there. Read on to see all of this week’s reviews and find out what happens next.
Apple MacBook Pro (2024) review
apple
Apple’s 14-inch MacBook Pro is better than ever thanks to its M4 chip, support for Thunderbolt 5, and a slightly brighter screen.
ProsFast M4 Chip Bright Display Sharp 12MP Center Stage Webcam M4 Pro/Max Powered by Thunderbolt 5 Long Battery Life $1,549 at Amazon
Mac expert Devindra Hardawar has had a busy week. We published a total of four reviews, mainly focusing on Apple’s double dip. He tested the new MacBook Pro with M4 in both 14-inch and 16-inch sizes. Naturally, the new chip brings speed improvements, but so does the display, webcam, and battery life. Spec upgrades are still expensive, but if you choose a machine with M4 Pro or M4 Max power, you’ll also get Thunderbolt 5 support.
“If you’re running an M1 MacBook Pro, or if you still have an Intel model in your truck, you’ll definitely see a noticeable performance increase from these machines,” he explained. “But if you have an M2 or M3 MacBook Pro, the M4 hardware isn’t a qualitative leap forward.”
Apple Mac mini (M4 Pro, 2024) review
apple
Apple’s tiny Mac mini is more powerful than ever thanks to its M4 and M4 Pro chips, and it’s even better value starting with 16GB of RAM.
ProsM4 Pro chip is incredibly fast 16 GB RAM Standard front USB-C and headphone ports Small design takes up less space Upgrades to Thunderbolt 5Cons spec with M4 Pro are expensive Fan noise under heavy workloads No SD card reader $580 on Amazon
The second part of Devindra’s double header was the new Mac mini, also powered by Apple’s M4 chip. The M4 Pro sees the biggest speed increase, with 16GB RAM now standard. Of course, the key changes are the smaller size and convenient front-mounted USB-C and headphone ports.
“The Mac mini was the fastest computer I’ve reviewed this year, at least when it comes to CPU benchmarks,” he wrote. “I’m used to being impressed by Apple Silicon, but my review unit, the M4 Pro (which also had 48 GB of RAM), was still a bigger step forward than I expected.”
Sony PlayStation 5 Pro Review
Engadget / Sony
The PlayStation 5 Pro is the most powerful console ever made, but you’ll pay a high price for that performance. Thanks to a faster GPU, it finally brings 4K and 60 fps performance to PlayStation gamers, along with some new ray tracing features.
Pros Faster GPU allows for 4K/60 performance PSSR AI upscaler works great New ray tracing features Can slightly upgrade your PS4 titles Comes with 2TB SSD Cons Expensive and doesn’t have a disk drive Pro enhancements for all games $699 on Amazon
Devindra also assisted senior gaming reporter Jessica Condit with this week’s much-anticipated PlayStation 5 Pro review. It’s no wonder that these two agree that the PS5 Pro is the most powerful console ever, with a fast GPU capable of 4K/60 fps action. There are also new ray tracing features, and the console comes with a 2TB SSD. However, this comes at a high price, and not all games have pro-level enhancements to enjoy.
“There is no question that the PS5 Pro is a niche product and not an upgrade aimed at all PS5 owners,” they said. “This is aimed at Sony fans who want the absolute best PlayStation experience and are never going to upgrade to a gaming PC.”
HTC Vive Focus Vision Review
HTC Vibe
Vive Focus Vision is a sleek premium standalone VR headset that also offers robust PC VR. But it also runs aging hardware, is riddled with software issues, and is expensive compared to Meta Quest 3.
Pros Great build quality Comfortable fit Hot-swappable battery Cons Runs a 2020-era Snapdragon XR2 Limited library of titles Expensive Uses old Fresnel lenses $999 at Adorama
Devindra completed his marathon week using the latest HTC Vive VR headset. Unfortunately, great design is hampered by a high price, limited game library, and outdated components. Simply put, “despite using an aging CPU and lenses, it still delivers decent standalone VR,” he explained. “But for a $999 headset, it’s a shame that HTC Vive didn’t do more to make Focus Vision stand out.”
Kindle Paperwhite Signature (2024) review
Amazon/Engadget
The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is one of the most premium e-readers you can buy, but some people may not want to pay extra for all the nice-to-have features.
Pros The screen displays crisp text with a nice warm light Gives a nice front screen and soft touch feel Visibly faster page turns and scrolling Automatic adjustment of the warm front light is useful Cons The power button on the bottom edge is easy to accidentally trigger You can’t adjust the touchscreen controls It has more adjustments than competitors with fewer pages and fonts. Signature-specific features are not required. $200 on Amazon
Commerce Editor Amy Skorheim reviewed both the new Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and the new standard Kindle this week, putting them head-to-head. OG remains the flagship, but more premium options offer more features. But as Amy discovered, they may not be necessary.
“The bottom line is whether you think increased experience will lead you to read more,” she says. “If so, it’s probably worth the price increase in the long run. But if you’re just looking for a no-frills way to read books, go for the basic Kindle.”
next review
We teased this week’s Sonos Arc Ultra review, but audio experts (hey there!) needed some more time to test the soundbar. I double promise that the book will arrive early next week for Veterans Day reading. I still have one new Mac, and I’ll be putting together a review of the iMac (2024) next week. And another Amazon review for the updated Fire HD 8 is coming soon.
