Released in mid-March, the Mac Studio is Apple’s most powerful M1 Mac to date. Paired with the new Apple Studio display, this potent little powerhouse is set to become the go-to for many studio professionals and high-performance users.

For those of you who may have been waiting for a re-designed 27 inch iMac with an M-series processor, it seems this one is for you, as the 27 inch iMac has been discontinued.

Apple’s offering for power users needing a potent desktop solution is now the Mac Studio and an external display. Given that many have long been dissatisfied with the all-in-one solution of an iMac, and would have preferred to choose their own monitor, or have the potential to upgrade their monitor or Mac separately, this is a great solution.

Let’s start by talking about hardware. The Mac Studio comes with either the M1 Max or the new M1 Ultra as processor options. The M1 Max offers significantly higher performance compared to the original M1 chip found in the MacBook Air, M1 Mac mini and iMac, but that gap is made even bigger when discussing the new M1 Ultra, which doubles the specs of the M1 Max.

The Ultra is made by combining two M1 Max chips using “UltraFusion.” Apple says due to its custom-built internal architecture, macOS sees the M1 Ultra as a single processor. UltraFusion is also what allows Apple’s multi-chip interconnect to offer 4 times better bandwidth than other companies’ similar tech.

The M1 Ultra brings total RAM up to a max of 128GB alongside a 20-core CPU, up to 64-core GPU, 800GB/s memory bandwidth, and super-fast 7.4GB/s for the SSD storage.

Working with multi-gigabyte graphics, 4K or 8K video projects, complex Photoshop or demanding Lightroom workflows, or complex After Effects or Final Cut rendering projects are where you will really benefit from the extra CPU, GPU, and RAM of an M1 Ultra Studio.

But for most users the M1 Max Mac Studio will cover all of your needs.

To keep that package cool there is a unique thermal architecture that pulls air in through the airflow channels on the bottom using double-sided blowers and pushes it out through additional perforations on the back of the unit.

On the front of the Mac Studio M1 Max, there is an SD card slot, along with two USB-C ports, which are swapped out for two Thunderbolt 4 ports for the M1 Ultra. On the back of the Mac Studio, connectivity options include four Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB-A ports, one HDMI port, one 10-Gigabit Ethernet port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones. The computer supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0.

All the Mac Studio hardware components are fixed, so you’ll need to carefully configure it how you want it from the start.

Here’s how the M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, and M1 Ultra compare in the Mac line up:

	Mac Studio	MacBook Pro 14/16 inch	M1 Mac mini/iMac	Mac Pro
CPU	M1 Max or M1 Ultra up to 20-core	M1 Pro or M1 Max up to 10-core	M1 – 8-core	Intel Xeon – up to 28-core
GPU	Up to 64-core	Up to 32-core	8-core	AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo
Storage	Up to 8TB	Up to 8TB	Up to 2TB	Up to 8TB
RAM	Up to 128GB	Up to 64GB	Up to 16GB	Up to 1.5TB

As with all Apple products currently, supply of M1 Max and M1 Ultra Mac Studio is likely to be severely constrained. Mac Aid are here to help and advise if you would like to consider Mac Studio. We will do our best to arrive at a spec that will suit your needs, and that can be delivered in as short a time as possible.

The introduction of the Apple M1 processor last year was a breakthrough that transformed the performance and battery life of many of the most popular Macs. Now Apple has unveiled the new M1 Pro and M1 Max bringing game-changing upgrades to their pro laptops.

We all want the ability to work as efficiently as we can and with the CPU in M1 Pro and M1 Max delivering up to 70 percent faster CPU performance than Apple’s M1 and the GPU in M1 Pro up to 2 x faster you are far less likely to be slowed down by your machine. Meanwhile the new M1 Max goes one better and is up to an incredible 4 x faster than M1!

M1 Pro and M1 Max introduce a system-on-a-chip (SoC) architecture to pro systems for the first time.

These chips are by far the most powerful chips Apple has ever built.

They feature fast unified memory, industry-leading performance per watt, and incredible power efficiency, along with increased memory bandwidth and capacity. M1 Pro offers up to 200GB/s of memory bandwidth with support for up to 32GB of unified memory. M1 Max delivers up to 400GB/s of memory bandwidth — 2x that of M1 Pro and nearly 6x that of M1 — and support for up to 64GB of unified memory. That’s 4x the amount of memory of the latest released PC laptops. Meaning graphic and processor-intensive workflows that seemed unimaginable on a laptop previously are now possible.

In addition to this, enhanced media engines with dedicated ProRes accelerators are included specifically for pro video processing. All this on the beautifully vibrant, Extreme Dynamic Range, Liquid Retina XDR display. The best display ever on a notebook.

The M1 Pro and M1 Max boast incredible battery life (up to 21hrs on the 16 inch model) and can deliver the same level of performance whether plugged in or using the battery. With such a powerful battery one would expect things could get a little heated during use however this machine actually keeps its cool very well, meaning if you need to put it on your lap – as the name laptop would imply – you don’t risk scorching your legs.

The 14 and 16 inch MacBook Pros see the re-introduction of some of the ports which pro-users have been missing on recent MacBook Pros. With three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, an HDMI port and an SDXC card slot. There is also the return of Mag Safe charging and the reintroduction of physical function keys instead of the Touch Bar, whilst retaining Touch ID.

These MacBook Pros are a heftier design, without the tapered design that made previous MacBook Pros appear slimmer than they really were. So they can appear to be a little on the chunkier side compared to their recent predecessors. And it seems that like many of us, they do appear to have gained a few covid kilos – nothing too drastic though only about 200gm. This added weight is barely noticeable really and very easy to overlook with all the M1 Pro and M1 Max have to offer. The M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pros represent another huge step forward by Apple.

Interested in taking that step and upgrading to the new M1 Pro or M1 Max MacBook Pro? Both are available in a 14 & 16 inch models and can be ordered through Mac Aid, your authorised Apple Reseller today! Call us to find out more about which model would best suit your needs.

The recently released macOS Monterey promises to help users connect in new ways as well as work more efficiently, and seamlessly across their Apple devices. So what has changed?

In order to create a smoother workflow, changes to Safari including a compact tab bar option and Tab Groups are new in Monterey. Tab Groups helps you to organise your tabs in a way that works for you and syncs them across all your Apple devices meaning you can continue your current project from anywhere, as well as easily share tabs with others. The compact tab bar option not only takes up less space, giving you more room to browse, but also takes on the colour of the site you’re on helping you to really focus on what you need to on the page.

Notes has long been a go-to app to capture quick thoughts and information and Monterey’s introduction of Quick Note is sure to make it even more so. With Quick Notes you can make a note while in any app by scrolling your mouse cursor to the bottom right corner of your screen and clicking the black pop out square. Thoughts and ideas can be jotted down at any moment and you can add links from other apps making it even easier to quickly note down a location from Maps or save a website you’re interested in from Safari. You can now tag notes giving you a faster way to categorize them and making them easy to find later with the new Tag Browser.

For those of us who can be easily distracted, Focus can really help you keep your attention where it needs to be. With Focus you can choose to allow only the notifications you want to disturb you meaning you can get your work done or perhaps spend quality time with others without unnecessary interruptions. Focus mode also syncs between your devices so you really can keep your focus on what’s important.

Connecting from home whether for work or on a personal level has become a very real necessity for all of us in recent times and the Monterey upgrades to Facetime & Messages will make this a better experience than ever before.

FaceTime calls now sound more natural and lifelike with the introduction of spatial audio and there are two new microphone modes giving users greater control over the sound of their voice. The introduction of Voice Isolation means background noise is no longer such an issue as it can be minimised making just your voice be heard loud and clear. On the occasions you do want everyone to hear everything Wide Spectrum allows all noise to come in.

The brand new SharePlay feature in FaceTime enables you to have a conversation while still listening to music or watching a movie or TV show. It also gives you the ability to share your screen so you can all watch or listen together syncing playback and controls so everyone’s reactions to the same thing can be seen at the same time.

The addition of the Shared with You section in the Photos, Safari, Apple News, Apple Podcasts and Apple TV apps means you can easily find shared content, see who actually shared it with you and respond directly from the app you’re in without having to go back into Messages.

What else is new with macOS Monterey?

• Universal control means you are able to use a single keyboard, mouse, or trackpad seamlessly between your Mac and your iPad and with no setup required.
• Airplay comes to Mac so you can share, play or present content from another Apple device directly to the screen of your Mac.
• Live Text means you can interact with the text in any image. So, if you need to pull contact details from a photo, just click on them and you can call, message or save any number, go directly to an address in Maps and copy and paste just like you would with any other text.
• Greater detail has been added to Maps making it a much more immersive experience with incredible detail for roads, neighborhoods, trees, buildings, and more.
• Added Mail Privacy Protection hides your IP address meaning senders can’t see your location or any of your other online activity. It also prevents senders from seeing if you’ve opened their email.
• iCloud now offers a premium service with a new subscription storage plan iCloud+.

Monterey is a great evolution of the macOS. However we always suggest that clients delay upgrading to the newest operating system initially so that Apple can iron out any teething problems.

If you do decide to upgrade to macOS Monterey, make sure to capture a Time Machine backup immediately before the upgrade, and never do a major OS upgrade like this if you have impending deadlines or other time-sensitive needs of your Mac.

macOS Monterey is available now as a free software update on Macs with Apple M1 processors as well as compatible Intel-based Macs, but before you go ahead and install, we recommend you contact one of the team at Mac Aid to ensure macOS Monterey is right for you and your Mac.

As all of us here know, Mac users are very passionate about our Macs. But sometimes, even the most devoted Mac enthusiast will find times where they need to use programs that simply aren’t available or are no longer supported on the Mac, or maybe even a custom-built PC based application that you have to use for work.

This is becoming less frequent than it was, as more and more applications become web-based. A great thing about a cloud service where you login through a browser window is that it will work everywhere, but lack of Mac OS compatibility is something that still happens

The correct solution for you will depend on the applications you need to run and which Mac you are using. Things are a little bit different when it comes to Intel vs M1 Macs, which is something to keep in mind. If you have an M1 or are planning the upgrade, some additional research will make sure you end up with everything you need.

Bootcamp. Allows you to install Windows onto your Intel Mac. At startup, you will be able to choose whether to boot into Mac OS or Windows. Note that this is only an option if you are running an Intel based Mac with a pre Big Sur OS, as this isn’t an option for M1 based Macs. Bootcamp is for those who want to keep their Mac hardware but need to run Windows full time.

Parallels is a popular and user-friendly option that lets you install another OS onto your Mac and run it within Mac OS. It essentially gives you a window into Windows (or Linux and others). This is an excellent option if you don’t need to run windows all the time. For instance, if you only need to run a couple of apps, you can jump in and out as needed. You do need to keep in mind that when running a virtual machine, you are running two operating systems simultaneously, which will use additional RAM, storage and CPU resources, so you need to make sure your Mac is up for the task. If you have an M1 Mac, you also need to be aware that you will have to install the ARM version of Windows, which comes with some limitations.

Microsoft Remote Desktop Services can be an excellent option for businesses needing to run Windows based applications. This involves running a Windows server, and staff log onto the server into their own instance of Windows and use it just like a Windows machine. The server provides all the processing power, so everything happens server-side, and nothing occurs locally, it’s like streaming the desktop. Something like this can be the answer when a popular piece of software stops supporting Macs.

Looking to the very near future, we will be keeping a close eye on and keeping you up to date with Windows 365. While not commercially available yet, Windows 365 promises to deliver a cloud-based, personalised Windows 11 PC experience to any device, including Macs and iPads.

We understand that there are some circumstances where having a Windows machine might be the right choice for you, which is why we have recently become authorised resellers of the Microsoft Surface range. We have put in a lot of time and research to bring you what we believe is the best Windows option available. With sleek design, power and long battery life, these machines do not disappoint.

Whatever your needs are when it comes to running Windows, get in touch with us to discuss the right option for you or your business. Our name might be “Mac Aid”, but we are very conversant with specifying, installing and supporting Windows based systems as well.

In the world of technology, there are two types of people, those that backup and those that wish they had backed up.

The consequences of not backing up at all or of backing up incorrectly can be absolutely devastating both professionally and personally. And it happens more often than you might think. People with incredibly important personal and or professional data on their computers come to Mac Aid, begging us to do whatever we can to get back their irreplaceable files, work projects, original music compositions, PHD’s, sentimental photos, you name it. No matter how often we remind people of the importance of backing up, we still come face to face with people panicking and even in tears facing the horrible realisation that their data is possibly gone for good.

There are many different ways these losses can occur, from hardware failure, MacBooks taking a tumble down the stairs, ransomware, natural disaster, burglary/theft (with backup hard drives often being taken at the same time) or perhaps your favourite beverage accidentally knocked onto your MacBook, we’ve seen it all. Sometimes data recovery is possible, however it is not only costly, but with changes in hardware design and technology, it’s becoming increasingly difficult and sometimes is just plain impossible. The least favourite part of the job for any of our techs is breaking news like that to someone.

If you are backing up, do you know if it’s actually working?

This is something that is not set and forget. Just because you think you are backing up doesn’t mean you are, and you don’t want to find out when it’s too late. Check your backup regularly by testing whether you can retrieve a file from it.

Are you backing up appropriately?

If the only backup you have is plugged into your Mac at all times, it is just as susceptible to ransomware or hardware damage as your Mac itself. If all your backups are in the same location as your Mac, a natural disaster could wipe out the lot.

For businesses especially, your backup needs to not only protect you appropriately, but you need to consider how much downtime can you afford in the event that you need to restore from your backups. Having a backup is one thing, but if the unfortunate circumstances present themselves that your backups need to be used to reinstate your data, the types of backups you have will affect how long it will take to get you up running again.

What backup strategies are there?

For home users, generally a Time Machine backup and/or storing your data on an iCloud drive is all you need to do. If you need help or advice in doing that, Mac Aid is always here to help.

For business users there is more to consider, the amount of data is likely much larger, may be very sensitive or important, and you may also have legal obligations to retain data for a period of years.

Full Data: Everything on your system is backed up, every file, every folder. This is the fastest to restore but requires the most storage and takes the longest to back up out of all options. Depending on the amount of data you have, this isn’t always viable.

Incremental: All changes made since the last backup are recorded. This results in faster backup speed and less storage space is needed, however, it can be time consuming to restore.

Differential: similar to Incremental, however, it backs up all changes since the last full backup. Therefore a differential backup will take up less storage space than a full backup but more than an Incremental. Restore time is faster than incremental.

Mixed: Businesses will often use a mix of the above that gives them the best balance of storage requirements vs restore time. As an example, they may run a Full weekly and a Differential or Incremental daily.

Mirror backup: In a business context, it might be viable to consider “mirroring” your data entirely to another device, preferably offsite. This is the best and most efficient backup you can have but requires considerable outlay for hardware, software and internet connectivity. Mac Aid has many business clients running offsite mirrored backups. 

What media should you backup to?

A hard drive is the simplest and easiest backup solution and is used by most Mac Aid clients. Hard drives are fairly inexpensive these days, and it can be an economical solution to have a set of alternating drives that are disconnected and taken offsite when not running.

Tape is still a good solution if you have a considerable amount of data to backup. Tapes are economical given the amount of data they can hold, are easily moved offsite and are generally a safe, stable and reliable backup media. They can be comparatively slow to write to and retrieve from and require a dedicated software platform to run them.

Cloud backups are being adopted by many Mac Aid clients these days. They are a good reliable solution and relieve you of the need to maintain any backup hardware at all. 

Where should you store your backup?

Local: A local backup is stored close to the original source. This type of backup is fast to restore from and helpful for such things as hard drive failure and damage from dropping or liquid. It can also provide a way to restore your data after a Malware or ransomware attack. Keep in mind that this may only be the case if the drive is not plugged into your Mac at the time of the attack, otherwise it could also be compromised.

Offsite: Offsite backups are stored at a separate location from the original source, although they may originate onsite and then be transferred. This ensures that your backup remains safe if your data is destroyed by something like a natural disaster.

Cloud: Cloud backups are stored on remote servers accessed over the internet. This has the benefit of being accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, and much like offsites, cannot be affected by a natural disaster at your site.

Depending on your setup and the amount of data you have, different types and different combinations of backup will be right for you. If you are not currently backing up or unsure if your backup method is adequate, talk to Mac Aid to ensure your important files and photos are safe.