MacBook: 5 Features You Need to Use
January 18, 2023
Welcome to one more installment on technology and Apple products. This article is intended primarily for those people who are just trying out a MacBook for the first time and for those who are already loyal users but do not know any of these tools.
It does not matter which MacBook series you prefer, whether you save some money on a lightweight MacBook Air or shell out for a portable powerhouse in the form of a MacBook Pro, the MacBook series is the most versatile of all Apple’s computers. And here are some of the standout features you should be using.
1. All-Day Battery Life
The first MacBook Air with an M1 processor ran for around a third longer than its predecessor, while the 16-inch 2021 MacBook Pro doubled battery life in video playback compared to the 2019 model. And all this happens, when Apple decide ditched Intel in favor of its own Apple Silicon processors.
For example, you should expect around 17 hours of “wireless web” with a 13-inch MacBook Pro with an M2 chip and similar performance from the revised M2 MacBook Air released in 2022.
2. Best-in-Class Laptop Speakers
They sound incredible when you are sitting right in front of them, and they can fill a room as well as many portable Bluetooth speakers if the need arises. Apple’s 2021 refresh improved on already-impressive results, adding a depth to the bass response that few other models can match.
Both the Pro and Air are great for watching movies or streaming videos if you are in an environment where you can turn up the volume.
3. Fast Charging
The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models all support fast charging, as do the M2 MacBook Air models, provided you use a suitably powerful charger.
If you have a 14-inch MacBook Pro that uses an M1 Pro with an 8-core CPU, the 67w charger in the box is not good enough. You will need Apple’s 96w USB-C adapter instead.
All models of the M2 MacBook Air have fast charging ability, but none of them ship with a power adapter that supports the feature. For that, you will need Apple’s 67w USB-C adapter. This could be worth the investment, up to 50% charge in 30 minutes. Be aware that Apple did not include the required charger in the box for all models. And the fast charging is only possible using the MagSafe port on the 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
4. HDR Playback on a Bright Display
Reaching a peak brightness of 1600 nits in HDR content, prepare to be dazzled when watching HDR10, Dolby Vision, or HDR videos you’ve shot yourself on an iPhone.
Thanks to the mini-LED technology, the MacBook Pro makes heavy use of dimming zones to increase contrast ratio by switching off the backlight to improve black reproduction. It is not OLED-quality, but it is still one of the best notebooks displays on the market.
5. Power and Charge over USB-C Too
MagSafe is not the only way you can power your laptop. All models with MagSafe can also be powered using a USB-C cable that is connected to a suitable adapter.
Pre-Apple Silicon MacBooks only charged over USB-C, but newer 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro (2021) and M2 MacBook Air (2022) models reintroduce MagSafe. Unfortunately, none of the MagSafe MacBook Pro or Air models support fast charging over USB-C.
