After weeks of speculation, Apple has confirmed its new MacBook Pro OLED. The touchscreen laptop boasts a PROLED XDR display panel that provides up to 2,000 nits peak HDR and SDR brightness.

MacBook Pro OLED preorders are live right now with an official release date of November 6. You can choose between a 14-inch MacBook Pro OLED from $2,899 or a 16-inch MacBook Pro OLED from $3,339. The laptops can be customized with Apple's M5 Pro or M5 Max CPU. The base models for both laptops include 24GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.

Currently, MacBook Pro OLED preorders can only be made via the Apple Store. But I expect retailers like Amazon and Best Buy to offer preorders in the coming hours.

Quick Links

• Apple Store: from $2,899
• Amazon: check preorder stock
• Best Buy: check preorder stock

MacBook Pro OLED Preorders

MacBook Pro OLED Deals

Although the base MacBook Pro OLED models come packed with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, their $2,899 starting price is no joke. It may be awhile before we see any significant MacBook Pro OLED deals, so in the meantime your best bet is to take advantage of Apple's trade-in policy.

Currently, you can get up to $795 in trade-in credits for a used MacBook Air or up to $1,435 in trade-in value for a used MacBook Pro. (You can also trade-in other Apple devices such as iPhones and iPads). For example, my 15-inch MacBook Air (M2) in good condition is worth $600. I'd still be looking at a $2,299 starting price for an OLED MacBook Pro, but $600 is a noteworthy discount.

With Black Friday around the corner, I expect to see various MacBook deals for all of Apple's new devices. Make sure to follow Tom's Guide for the best deals now through the holiday season.

I'll be honest. I'm not a fan of the name. "MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display" is a mouthful. But this laptop, starting at $2,899, definitely made my jaw drop.

MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display: Specs

All about that panel

The first thing I noticed was the colorful tandem OLED panel. At 2,000 nits, this screen is so bright we had to turn down our camera to record it. The colors really pop off the display. The screen offers a 120Hz refresh rate and a 10 million to 1 contrast ratio, which Apple says is industry leading — and I believe it.

Finally notchless

The second thing that hit me is that the notch is gone, replaced by a smaller Dynamic Island. When playing music, for example, the music player will shrink in a little window at the top of the display, and you bring it back with a tap.

And that brings me to perhaps the biggest upgrade overall, as it's a first for MacBooks: touch.

A MacBook you can reach out and touch

I found the touchscreen support to be pretty smooth as I navigated between apps. I could draw using my finger with ease, though there's no Apple Pencil support to speak of.

As you would expect, pinch-to-zoom works well, and I could easily drag and drop video clips in a timeline. I also played a virtual keyboard (complete with chords) and interacted with a 3D model by spinning it around.

We'll have to see how well touch works with third-party apps, but Apple already promises support for Notion, Canva, Zoom, Microsoft Office, Adobe Lightroom and more.

Pro power without the extra weight

All of this is wrapped up in a design that's only 3 pounds, which is less than the MacBook Pro with M6 at 3.4 pounds. I could easily see myself carrying this as my everyday laptop — if I had the budget.

Another design highlight is that Apple has brought back the glowing Apple logo, so everyone will know from across the room that you have the touchscreen Mac.

A true mobile studio

Powering the MacBook Pro with PROLED is the M5 Pro and M5 Max chip, which should offer swift performance for creative pros and coders.

And this new MacBook Pro will hopefully sound as good as it looks, thanks to a new woofer design with 50% more bass.

The port selection is robust, with three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI, SDXC card, MagSafe and a headphone jack. And you get both Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support.

An unmatched display

Starting at $2,899 for the 14-inch version and $3,399 for the 16-inch, this is one pricey laptop. But if you want the very best display quality it could be worth the premium. Anyone who works with photos and video on a daily basis I think will love this panel.

I would say the touch interface is more of a bonus, and I'd like to see Apple offer it across the lineup just to give people more options.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple event LIVE: Touchscreen MacBook Pro OLED announced, iPad mini OLED and more
• Apple just announced a new iPad mini with an OLED panel and IP67 resistance
• Apple unveils new iMac with M6 — here are all the upgrades

Apple has capped off its week of "Pro and tell" announcements by unveiling the long-awaited touchscreen MacBook Pro OLED. In what could be the biggest update to MacBook Pro lineup since its inception twenty years ago, we now have a tandem OLED display on Apple's premium laptop for the first time.

In addition, Apple has dropped the notch in favor of an all-new Dynamic Island similar to what we're used to on the best iPhones. And guess what, the illuminated Apple logo on the lid is back!

Tom's Guide is in attendance at Apple's "Pro and tell" showcase in LA today, and we'll bring you our full reaction and hands-on with the new MacBook Pro OLED imminently. In the meantime, check out our live blog right here.

Specs

Price and release date

We’ll get the bad news out of the way first, the MacBook Pro OLED is set to start at $2,899 for the base-level 14-inch spec with the M5 Pro and rise to $3,399 for the 16-inch model.

If you want to go for the M5 Max spec, the starting price for the 14-inch version will set you back $4,499 while the 16-inch model is $4,799.

Pre-orders begin today, Wednesday, October 28, with shipping (and in-store availability) due to start on November 6.

That’s a serious chunk of change compared to the $1,999 starting price of the M6 MacBook Pro announced yesterday. It’s the highest starting price of any MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 price of the 17-inch model Apple revealed in 2006.

PROLED XDR Display with touch

Here’s why you’re going to be paying a premium for this laptop — it’s the step-up in display quality that we’ve been hoping for for years. Apple has named this device the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display and claims the laptop "offers a visual experience unlike any other."

We're talking about a tandem OLED panel that will outshine and outclass the mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR panel on the regular MacBook Pro. Users will get true per-pixel blacks and zero blooming around UI elements on this display.

Apple can push this display to peak HDR brightness of 2000 nits and for anyone who uses a MacBook Pro for visual creative work, this is going to be a game-changer.

"PROLED XDR is the world’s best laptop display, delivering true-to-life color and unparalleled brightness and contrast," Apple's press release explains.

"The PROLED XDR display offers tandem OLED technology unlike any other, with deep innovations in its layers that keep brightness and grayscale uniform across the entire display, while minimizing internal reflections common in traditional OLED designs.

"It’s all backed by advanced algorithms in the display engine that precisely control each pixel in real time, plus a meticulous manufacturing process and precise calibration of every panel for consistency from display to display."

In addition, the notch cutout that Apple introduced in 2021 has been replaced with a true Dynamic Island, just like you’ll find on the iPhone. This will bring Live Activities to the MacBook for the first time.

And finally, despite what Steve Jobs may have said, the MacBook now has touch input for the first time.

Apple says it's crafted touch input specifically for the Mac, with a touch sensor built directly into the display panel — not layered on top of it.

"Everyday tasks are simple and intuitive, allowing users to scroll through a webpage with a natural swipe; pinch to zoom in on a photo; drag and drop slides from one presentation to another; and double-tap a window to fill the screen, or flick to tile it into place," Apple wrote.

Design

Apple has made a few notable changes to the traditional design of the MacBook Pro, as a result of the new display. Because OLED panels don’t require the same backlight array, the company has been able to make the chassis thinner and lighter than its non-OLED counterparts.

With slimmer display borders, the 16-inch display now grows to 16.3 inches, while the 14-inch display delivers a more portable 14.2-inch design. What's more, this iteration of MacBook Pro is lighter, with the 14-inch weighing half a pound less at three pounds. The 16-inch version tips the scales at just four pounds.

Rumors before the event were that Apple has redesigned and stiffened the hinge to avoid the dreaded wobble when you reach up and touch the screen. It's something we'll be testing for in our hands-on.

The new MacBook Pro includes three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI, an SDXC card slot, MagSafe, and a headphone jack. In addition to the PROLED XDR display, it supports up to three external displays with M5 Pro and up to four with M5 Max. Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 are on board, as you'd expect.

Oh, and probably the most talked-about update to the design — the Apple logo glows. It feels like 2008 all over again!

macOS 27 Golden Gate

Apple has taken a leaf from the iPhone Duo book and made some subtle changes to macOS to optimise it for touchscreen input. The company says its own apps are optimized for the new MacBook Pro, and many existing apps work with Touch right away, because macOS automatically translates touches into clicks.

We don't know exactly how it's been implemented yet, but I hope we get context-aware touch scaling that means when you reach out to touch the display, target hitboxes will dynamically expand while context menus appear enlarged around your fingers.

Interactions familiar from iOS and iPadOS should be included, such as pull-to-refresh across native apps, multi-touch zooming, pinch-to-navigate in Safari, and direct scrubbing across timelines in creative suites like Final Cut Pro and Logic.

Of course, the MacBook Pro OLED’s full Force Touch trackpad continues to serve as the primary input, but having the option to interact directly with the screen is long overdue.

"Graphic designers can now use the entire display as their canvas, no longer constrained by the area of the trackpad when drawing; musicians can play software instruments right onscreen; and app developers can test how Touch performs in their iOS and iPadOS apps directly on the MacBook Pro display," Apple said.

Performance and power

The MacBook Pro OLED will ship with the M5 Pro / M5 Max chipset rather than the newer M6 processor in the non-OLED MacBook Pro. That may seem counter-intuitive but it’s a question of use cases. The M6 is more performant for single-core speeds but the Pro / Max delivers faster data transfer and better multitasking.

The MacBook Pro OLED is now configurable with up to 128GB of unified memory and now up to 16TB of storage.

Outlook

MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display is almost certain to prove a huge hit, despite those wallet-trembling price points.

The combination of an OLED touchscreen display on a MacBook for the first time, not to mention a slimmer and lighter profile as well as the ability to cram even more memory and storage into the chassis are what a lot of Apple users have been asking for. It still keeps the 12MP Center Stage camera tucked inside that Dynamic Island, though.

We’ll be getting hands-on with it as soon as possible and, following that, we’ll be putting the MacBook Pro OLED through our usual battery of lab tests when we get one in for review. Stay tuned to Tom’s Guide to find out just how good this ultra-premium MacBook Pro really is and whether or not it’s been worth the wait

After debuting at Made by Google earlier this year, Xreal's wired XR smart glasses are finally launching today, October. 28. The glasses are a partnership between Google, Qualcomm and Xreal powered by Google's Android XR platform and Qualcomm's Snapdragon Reality Elite chipset.

The new glasses are only launching in the United States, Canada, Japan and South Korea. Xreal says that the Aura glasses are expected to ship in mid-November.

Nicely, for a limited time, you can order the new glasses for $1,099, for the 256GB version with 12GB of RAM. That's $200 less than the announced normal price of $1,299. The 16GB/512GB configuration is on sale for $1,299.

“This is a defining moment for XR. We built AURA for people who want the power of spatial computing without being removed from the world around them," Xreal co-founder and CEO Chi Xu said in a press release.

Xreal Aura features

Compared to other display glasses like the Xreal One Pro Plus, the Aura is built for spatial computing, similar to the recently announced Meta VR Glasses. And with the launch sale, they're cheaper than Meta glasses, which aren't launching until spring 2027.

Xreal's glasses weigh under 95 grams, largely because the chips and battery are in a separate compute puck. The puck enables gesture controls but can also be used as a trackpad for navigation.

The lenses feature Sony micro-OLED prisms capable of a 70-degree field of view and 1200p resolution at 120Hz.

We've gone hands-on with the Xreal Aura a couple of times and found them pretty impressive. A personal favorite is the Aura's ability to connect directly to the Nintendo Switch over USB-C, something no other smart glasses can do without separate accessories or docks.

Accessories

As part of the launch announcement, Xreal revealed two new accessories we haven't seen before.

The ecosystem includes an Xreal game controller designed in collaboration with GameSir. The controller has a dedicated Gemini key so you can quickly access AI assistance if you want.

There's also a wireless portable keyboard for those who want to use the Aura for work and multi-window productivity setups.

Xreal did not announce prices or release dates for the accessories. We asked for more information here and will update if the company responds.

Price and availability

Both versions of the Xreal Aura are available for pre-order now with a ship date of mid-November. Xreal is offering them for $200 off their normal price through December 2026.

The 12GB/256GB version is $1,099. The 16GB/512GB is on sale for $1,299.

You can order it via the Xreal.com/aura store or at BestBuy.com. Expanded retail store availability will come to select Google Store locations in the US and Japan next year.

Tom's Guide will have a full review of the Xreal Aura when it launches in October, so keep us in your tabs to find out how it feels to use the Aura glasses.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tried Ray-Ban Meta's camera-free AI glasses — 5 unexpected uses that surprised me
• Xreal One Pro Plus vs. Viture Beast Round 2: Can a refresh even the stakes?
• I tested the RayNeo GT as a replacement to every screen I own — it's a mixed bag

The new Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition ($249) might be pricey, but it’s one of the best Kindles right now. Like the new basic Kindle (2026) I also reviewed, this model adds several upgrades that improve the reading experience.

This e-reader is lighter and thinner than before, making it easier to carry and hold for longer reading sessions. Amazon moved the power button from the bottom of the device to the right-hand side, virtually eliminating accidental shutdowns. The aluminum rear housing also gives the device a more premium feel. There are also connectors on the back for Amazon’s new wireless charging dock.

While the design has been overhauled, the display remains largely unchanged. The panel is still 7 inches with a 300ppi resolution. As a result, black-and-white pages and images look sharp and well-defined. In addition, the ambient light sensor automatically adjusts the front light, while the accelerometer rotates the screen when you change orientation.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition might not be revolutionary, but it offers enough meaningful upgrades that make it worth considering — especially if you own a Kindle released before 2021. Read on to see if the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is the right e-reader for you.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2026) review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is a higher-end version of the Kindle Paperwhite, featuring more storage, and aluminum design, and wireless charging.
• Who is it for? For folks who want an e-reader that feels more like a smartphone and that supports wireless charging.
• What does it cost? The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition costs $249 on Amazon. This model comes with 32GB of storage and with no ad support.
• What do we like? We like the thinner design, sharp 7-inch display, aluminum back, epic battery life, and the Kindle ecosystem.
• What don’t we like? We don't like the higher asking price and that wireless charging requires a $59 charging dock.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2026) review: Specs

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2026) review: The ups

The new Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition impresses thanks to its sleek design, brilliant display, long-lasting battery life, and seamless integration with the Kindle ecosystem.

Svelte design

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition doesn’t radically reinvent a Kindle’s design, but the subtle upgrades make for a sleeker e-reader that’s also great to hold. In short: Amazon took what worked and made it better.

My favorite new design aspect is the aluminum back since it makes this Kindle Paperwhite feel like holding a smartphone. The soft, rounded edges are also quite elegant. At 6.9 x 5.0 x 0.3 inches, it’s small enough to slip into your backpack or even a jeans back pocket. The aluminum adds some weight to the Paperwhite, but the even weight distribution helps mitigate that.

Having the power button on the right-hand side instead of at the bottom is a huge game-changer, especially if you always accidentally shut off older Kindles. The button itself is pretty unintrusive and doesn’t diminish the device’s svelte design. I’m glad this is now a standard feature of all current Kindles.

Sharp display

Like the previous model, the new Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition has a 7-inch display with 300ppi resolution. The screen is still flush with the bezels, but Amazon has employed a new reverse stack display construction to make the transition from screen to bezel even more seamless.

Black-and-white text looks phenomenal, with everything having the paper-like quality I’ve come to expect from Kindles. Even with the front lights off (in a well-lit room), text is always extremely legible, even if you opt for a smaller font size. If you do enable the Kindle’s lights, you can have it automatically adjust to the ambient lighting, and even enable warm light. The latter two features are especially useful for reading at night.

The Kindle Paperwhite is also great for reading black-and-white comics. This is especially true for manga, as the Paperwhite is about an inch smaller than a tankōbon book. I still prefer reading comics on an iPad Pro M5 or the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, but the Paperwhite does a good job of handling them in a pinch.

The display generally does a decent job of diffusing glare, but you’ll still get some, depending on where you’re reading. Sure, you don’t get the same kind of glare as on a glossy display, but you’ll see some here if the lighting conditions are especially harsh. All that is to say that the display isn’t anti-glare as advertised, but it does a fine job of minimizing glare overall.

Epic battery life

As with every Kindle, expect weeks' worth of battery life from the Paperwhite Signature Edition. Though I haven’t had the e-reader long enough to test whether or not Amazon’s claimed 12 weeks of battery life are true, I’ve yet to charge it during my past two weeks of use.

During my time, I read around an hour a day with adaptive brightness on. From 95% battery where I began, the Paperwhite is at 70% battery after two weeks. At this rate, I should get another five and a half weeks before I need to recharge, which is fantastic.

Considering how Amazon’s testing involves reading for 30 minutes a day with the backlight at 13, the company’s 12-hour claim isn’t that far off. All that’s to say that the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition will last you for weeks and weeks.

Kindle ecosystem

One of the main reasons that I and many others love Kindles is because of the user-friendliness. Not only is the device itself easy to use, but its connections to the Kindle Store and Goodreads provide a fuller experience. Not much has changed on that end, which isn’t a bad thing whatsoever.

The Home page shows all your active reads along with recent purchases. Right beneath this, a "Top Picks For You" row highlights recommendations based on your personal reading history. Similar curated recommendations populate the Kindle Unlimited and subsequent sections as you scroll down. Overall, these tailored suggestions are pretty accurate.

The drop-down menu serves as your primary control center for toggling options like airplane mode, Bluetooth, sync, brightness, and dark mode, as well as accessing the full settings screen. While this menu lets you check device info and wireless options, it remains relatively basic compared to what you would find on the best phones.

There are more options when you’re reading a book, such as changing the font size, font type, line spacing, and more. Beyond those, you can skip to specific chapters, highlight words or sections, get dictionary definitions, and more. I’m a big fan of the dictionary feature, which comes in clutch when reading old books that might have words I’m unfamiliar with.

Integration with the Kindle Store and Goodreads makes it a cinch to purchase books and update your reading status (respectively). I get a lot of use from the latter, since I’m obsessed with keeping track of the books I’m reading. I know some folks don’t care for Goodreads, but I think it’s great for my needs.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2026) review: The downs

While the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition has a lot to offer, it has some drawbacks that keep it from being perfect.

Proprietary wireless charging

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition supports wireless charging, but with a catch. Whereas the previous model supported Qi charging, this Kindle now has pogo pin charging designed to work exclusively with the new Amazon Charging Stand. If you want this peripheral, you’ll have to pay $59.

While you can still just charge the Kindle via its USB-C port, it’s a bummer that we can’t use Qi charging like we could before. Yes, the Amazon Charging Stand is an elegant way to charge your Kindle. But considering the price point and how you’ll rarely need to charge the Paperwhite, it’s hard to justify the need for it.

Higher asking price

In fairness, the Signature Edition Kindles were always the pricier Kindles. But now that all Kindles are more expensive than their previous models, the cost is even higher.

Whereas the previous Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition started at $189, the new model costs $249. Sure, you get 32GB of RAM, no ads, and an aluminum chassis, but that $60 price hike still stings!

Thankfully, you will likely be able to get this Kindle at a lower price during one of Amazon’s Prime Day events or Black Friday.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2026) review: Verdict

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2026) might come at a higher price, but it’s arguably the best iteration of Amazon’s flagship e-reader thanks to its smart upgrades. After using it for the better part of two weeks, it’ll be hard for me to go back to the previous model. It just feels so good to hold and read on for hours on end.

You won’t be disappointed with the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2026), but if you want to spend less, the standard Kindle Paperwhite costs a more affordable $199. And if you’re okay with a smaller device, the new basic Kindle is a fantastic e-reader that starts at $149.

That said, if you can afford it, you won’t go wrong with the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition. It's really that good.

It's been a big week for Macs, with Apple announcing the new MacBook Pro M6, iMac M6 and, more than likely, the very first touchscreen MacBook Pro. But this definitely isn't the end of Apple's computing ambitions, and word is that early 2027 could see the launch of two new MacBooks, including the MacBook Neo 2.

This news comes courtesy of Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, who claims that Apple is working on new versions of both the MacBook Neo and MacBook Air. These two machines are expected to arrive in the first half of next year, but sadly Gurman doesn't divulge any additional details about either of them.

Gurman refers to the updated machines as "refreshed," which I understand to mean very little in the way of meaningful design changes. My assumption is backed up by rumors that a major OLED redesign is coming at some point in 2028.

That'll be disappointing for some, considering we've had the same Air design for the past few years. But we should still expect the usual slew of upgrades, including an M6 chip and all the associated performance and battery upgrades that new hardware offers.

The MacBook Neo is likely to get similarly iterative upgrades. Considering how cheap the laptop was at launch, and the fact that Apple has had to raise the price due to skyrocketing RAM costs, it seems unlikely we'll see any major changes made to the Neo. Meaning all those cost-saving design choices are likely to stick around for a little while longer.

Gurman has previously claimed that the second generation will feature the A19 Pro chip, an increased 12GB of RAM and a bunch of new color options. It's unclear whether 12GB will be the standard amount of memory, or if it will be an optional upgrade for those willing to pay more — like Touch ID on the current Neo model.

Considering the skyrocketing price of RAM, and the fact the MacBook Neo has already suffered a value-reducing price hike, my money is on the latter.

As for when we might see these new machines, a smart bet would be March 2027 — or some time around then. Both the MacBook Neo and MacBook Air M5 were released in March of this year, and it makes sense that Apple would follow that same release pattern for their successors. Especially since spring is generally a pretty quiet month for Apple.

We'll have to wait and see how this all pans out, and what future rumors have to say about both machines.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple responds to iPhone Duo cracked inner screens — what to do if your phone is affected
• M6 iMac vs M4 iMac: Is Apple’s latest all-in-one actually worth the upgrade?
• First iPhone 18e specs leak point towards a disappointing upgrade for Apple's next low-cost iPhone

Data breaches have become commonplace in our current era of privacy invasions, and having our data exposed on the dark web is a serious possibility. Your information being blasted is scary no matter where it is, but if you’re not someone browsing the dark web, how would you know if your information got leaked? Ideally, companies will alert you if there’s been a breach, but that’s not always the case, especially if the company doesn’t even know it’s been hacked.

If you have any reason to believe that your sensitive data has been leaked, you should know how to find out what it is and how to deal with it.

Finding your data on the dark web

Don’t start surfing the dark web yourself. The last thing you need is to infect your system with malware that’ll expose more of your data to malicious actors. There are a couple services you can use that’ll scan for your data across marketplaces and forums.

Both Aura and Experian are trusted services that offer a free dark web scan. If they find nothing, you’re likely free and clear. However, if something pops up, you should act immediately.

Can you remove data from the dark web?

No, unfortunately there’s no way to delete your data from the dark web, and I wouldn’t trust any service that claims to do so. What you need to do now is identify the exposed data and defuse the threat.

One of the most common data breaches involve emails and passwords. Obviously, you need to change your passwords, but you also should activate two-factor authentication (2FA) or multifactor authentication (MFA) on all your accounts. Yes, all of them, not just the affected ones. Using unique passwords for every account is also important so you can isolate threats — this can be made more convenient with a password manager.

If your banking or credit card credentials got leaked, you need to contact your financial institutions and place freezes or fraud alerts on your accounts. If your social security number got leaked, you’ll need to freeze your credit. Go to Equifax Credit, Experian Credit, and TransUnion Credit to do that. While the service is free and you can lift the freeze whenever you want, you should keep it frozen and only temporarily lift it when you need to apply for new credit.

Still, once all your information is out in the open, someone can use that data to impersonate you. Potential victims of identity theft should file a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on IdentityTheft.gov. While it’s unlikely to be able to change your Social security number, it can be done in extreme cases.

Bottom line

Again, once your data has been exposed, there’s no removing it from the dark web. And it’s possible that another breach of your data could find itself there, so you might want to use a continuous dark web monitoring service. Experian is one of the free ones, although it does have paid tiers.

As far as prevention goes, there’s not much you can do to stop your data from being leaked into the wild, but there are steps you should take to reduce the potential damage to your life, namely maintaining unique passwords for your accounts and activating 2FA or MFA.

The most important takeaway here is not to dawdle. Take the measures to protect yourself and monitor your accounts going forward. You could be exposed to something as simple as spam emails, which you should be able to suss out, but there are worse things than spam.

More from Tom's Guide

• Smart TVs collect a surprising amount of your data — here’s how to stop them
• 10 simple security settings you should change on your phone and PC right now
• Does antivirus software still slow down your PC in 2026? We tested the top security software to find out

Hackers have reportedly broken into 25 servers across four countries, including systems connected to a U.S. government-affiliated organization. Security researchers also discovered evidence that AI tools may have played a role in the attack.

According to a new report from Dream Research, published Monday, the attackers exploited critical vulnerabilities in PHP, a programming language used by millions of websites, before using another security flaw to gain full control of vulnerable systems.

The attacks targeted servers in the United States, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. Researchers found evidence pointing to a possible Chinese connection, although they have not identified the attackers or confirmed any government involvement.

What makes the discovery particularly concerning is how far the attackers managed to get. In one U.S. government-affiliated environment, they moved beyond the initial breach and gained access to internal network information, employee account listings and authentication credentials.

And while AI's exact role remains unclear, researchers found several tools in the attacker's environment that raise questions about how AI could be accelerating cyberattacks.

Hackers turned one security flaw into a much bigger attack

The attack started with two critical security flaws, known collectively as PHP2Shell, that were publicly disclosed on October 21.

PHP is used behind the scenes by millions of websites, including WordPress sites and online services. The two vulnerabilities, tracked as CVE-2026-109618 and CVE-2026-109619, can let hackers run malicious commands on vulnerable servers.

But the attackers didn't stop there. They combined those flaws with another Linux vulnerability called Fragnesia, allowing them to take full control of certain firewall systems without needing a username or password.

According to a Dream Research report shared with Tom's Guide, the entire process could take less than 15 minutes.

The hackers started by scanning roughly 19,000 internet-facing firewalls before narrowing their targets to 240 potentially vulnerable systems. From there, they used automated attacks to breach 24 firewalls and an additional internal management server, bringing the total to 25.

Researchers also found that the hackers had installed malicious web-based tools on many of the compromised systems, giving them a potential way back in even after the initial attack.

The attackers reached a U.S. government-linked network

Arguably, among one of the more concerning discoveries involved three compromised servers linked to a U.S. government-affiliated organization.

After breaking into an internet-facing firewall, the hackers gained access to details about the organization's internal network, including its VPN, login systems and other servers.

They then worked their way deeper into the network, compromising a central firewall management server and stealing an account password. They also obtained a list of users and groups within the organization.

Researchers found evidence that the attackers tried to guess employee passwords, create unauthorized accounts and access additional login credentials, although it's unclear whether those attempts worked.

Dream Research also warned that the hackers may still have had access to some systems when the report was published, but that hasn't been independently confirmed.

The security firm hasn't named the firewall manufacturer or disclosed which software versions were affected, but says it has notified the vendor.

AI tools were discovered in the attacker's environment

Researchers also found signs that the attackers may have used AI. Their tools included Anthropic's Claude Code and an AI-powered security platform called aiscan, configured to work with the Chinese AI models DeepSeek and Kimi.

They also uncovered roughly 40 custom scripts whose consistent formatting and comments suggested some may have been written with AI assistance.

However, Dream Research cautioned that there's no direct evidence AI was used to create the exploits or carry out the attacks. The tools may have been present without playing a role in the breaches.

Still, the findings raise concerns about how hackers could use the same AI coding assistants that developers rely on to write code and troubleshoot problems.

Researchers also found clues suggesting a possible Chinese connection, including Chinese-language prompts, systems set to China's time zone and targets concentrated in the U.S. and East Asia. None of this, however, confirms who was behind the attacks.

Final thoughts

PHP2Shell doesn't directly affect your phone or laptop, but it could put information stored by websites and online services at risk. If attackers compromise those servers, they may gain access to passwords, sensitive data or internal systems.

Dream Research found no evidence that ordinary consumers' personal information was stolen in this campaign. However, the vulnerabilities are already being exploited beyond these 25 servers.

Amazon Web Services detected exploitation attempts as early as October 17, four days before the flaws were publicly disclosed. Sophos initially reported successful exploitation but later corrected its findings, saying it had observed scanning and a small number of failed attacks, with no confirmed breaches in its customer environments.

If you run a WordPress site or online store, check with your hosting provider to make sure PHP is patched. Updating WordPress plugins alone won't necessarily fix the problem. Administrators should also check for signs of compromise, since installing a patch won't remove an attacker who's already gained access.

For everyone else, using unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication and watching for suspicious login alerts remain sensible precautions.

More from Tom’s Guide

• I tested ChatGPT vs. Grok with 5 questions boomers actually ask — and the winner surprised me
• Microsoft just offered 60,000 workers a way out as AI spending soars — here's what it could mean for your job
• ChatGPT has a clever new way to fight back against election deepfakes — I tried it and it actually works

The ultimate all-in-one just got an upgrade: the M6 iMac is here. But if you already have the M4 model, is this worth the upgrade?

Because if you’re looking at the press photos, you’ll be hard-pressed to spot the difference. Don’t strain your eyes. On the outside, these two machines are identical twins. But it’s what’s inside that counts.

Apple’s done some serious surgery under the hood — significantly beefing up the internals to handle the massive local compute requirements of Siri AI, as well as the increasing workflow demands.

So if you are sitting on an M4 iMac, or still clinging to an older model, here is the brutal face-off to help you decide if the M6 is actually worth your money.

• Pre-order iMac M6: Starting at $1,499 (pre-orders open Wednesday, October 28 at 1:10pm ET)

M6 iMac vs M4 iMac: Specs

Design and display: Copy and paste

If you were hoping for a larger display or the introduction of an OLED screen to match the iPad mini 8 and incoming touchscreen MacBook Pro, you are going to be disappointed.

The M6 iMac retains the exact same 24-inch 4.5k Retina display. You get the same 500 nits of brightness, the same True Tone technology, and the same option to upgrade to Nano-texture glass. It’s a fine display, don’t get me wrong, but I was hoping for something — would 120Hz really be so difficult to add?

As for the design, Apple didn’t update the paint bucket. M6 iMac comes in the same seven colors as M4: blue, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange and silver. The 12MP Center Stage camera remains unchanged, same with the up-to-four Thunderbolt 4 ports.

It’s the same hardware wrapped around a much faster engine, so let’s talk about the real difference here.

The power jump: Escaping RAMageddon with raw compute

Here’s where the new iMac actually flexes its muscles. The tech industry is currently in the middle of an AI arms race, and local processing requires serious hardware to prevent your machine from choking.

The M6 chip jumps up from the M4’s 10-core CPU and GPU configuration up to a 12-core mix. But the most vital upgrade isn’t the core count; it’s the data pipeline that increases memory bandwidth from the M4’s 120 GB/s to 170 GB/s.

And when combined with the new dual 16-core Neural Engine, Apple claims the M6 delivers up to 5x faster on-device AI performance than the M4. If you’re relying heavily on Siri AI or running local LLMs (Large Language Models), the bottleneck has been truly smashed.

We’ve already tested the M6 in the Mac mini, so here’s how it fares against the M4 iMac.

Plus, shoutout to the wireless upgrades too — bumping up to a much faster and stable Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 (up from the M4’s Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3).

Verdict: Should you upgrade?

I’m torn on this, so let me break it down for you. There are several answers!

If you own an M4 iMac and you’re just doing day-to-day work: Absolutely not. Save your money. The M4 remains a capable machine — provided your daily workflow doesn’t involve intensely heavy local AI processing or rendering massive 3D scenes in Blender. At which point, if you’re doing all that, you’ll be looking at Pro or Max chips anyway!

If you own an M4 iMac and want to dabble with local AI: The improvements to that Neural Engine and GPU make AI performance uplifts worthwhile here to upgrade.

If you own an M1 or Intel iMac: Hit that buy button right now. M6 is up to 18x faster than the most popular Intel-based iMac. The leap in performance, transition to Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 7 and sheer AI processing power of M6 makes this the perfect time to ditch your aging desktop.

More from Tom's Guide

• Cancel your iPhone Duo pre-order: Here's why I think the iPad mini 8 and iPhone 18 Pro combo is cheaper and better
• I strapped a touchscreen to my MacBook Pro to see if macOS is ready for next week — 3 things that need fixing quickly
• Apple MacBook Pro M6 just unveiled with 30% faster graphics, 25% faster AI and up to 24 hours of battery life

The 14-inch MacBook Pro M6 is here! This year’s model features the new Apple M6 chip, promising faster performance and longer battery life. And thanks to the Apple N1 chip inside, this laptop supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. However, due to Apple's price hikes, this entry-level MacBook Pro now starts at $1,999.

The new MacBook Pro M6 has all the updates we’ve come to expect from yearly iterations. That raises the question: is it a meaningful upgrade over the MacBook Pro M5? To answer that, I’ll outline all the upgrades and what has stayed the same to help you decide whether you need to upgrade.

Here are the biggest upgrades between the MacBook Pro M6 and the MacBook Pro M5 that you need to know.

MacBook Pro M6 vs MacBook Pro M5: What’s different?

Price

The first big difference between the new MacBook Pro and the previous model is the starting price. As I said in the intro, this new MacBook Pro is significantly more expensive.

Whereas the M5 MacBook Pro originally cost $1,599, the new model starts at $1,999. While that’s actually the current price of the M5 MacBook Pro, thanks to RAMageddon, that’s a small consolation. And of course, choosing more storage and RAM will bump up the price even further.

Apple M6 chip

Next up is the inclusion of an Apple M6. Like the A20 Pro chip in the iPhone Duo, this new processor is based on TSMC’s 2-nanometer architecture that’s meant to deliver notable power and efficiency gains over M5. Based on our testing of both chips, said gains should be around 10-15%.

Compared to the M5 chip's 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, the M6 upgrades both by adding two extra cores each. It also incorporates a Dual 16-core Neural Engine designed for machine learning and AI tasks.

Apple says that the 12-core GPU delivers up to 25 percent faster AI performance and up to 30 percent faster graphics processing than the M5.

Furthermore, the Neural Engine is enhanced by dedicated Neural Accelerators built into each GPU core, giving the M6 MacBook Pro a substantial edge when running AI-driven creative software.

While we need to bring the MacBook Pro M6 into our lab to see what it can do, we have a sense of what to expect from our testing of the new Mac mini M6. As you can see above, there are noticeable performance gains, though nothing earth-shattering. That said, you’ll certainly feel the difference if you’re still using an M1 or M2 MacBook Pro.

Connectivity and battery life

Connectivity also gets a nice upgrade on the MacBook Pro M6, as this model features Apple's N1 chip, which supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.

This delivers higher throughput and lower networking latency than the previous model’s Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. On top of that, Bluetooth 6 offers better power efficiency and enhanced location tracking for wireless peripherals, such as headphones and game controllers.

Speaking of power efficiency, Apple claims the M6 MacBook Pro delivers up to 24 hours of battery life. We’ll need to run our battery test to confirm, but given that the M5 MacBook Pro lasted 18 hours, 24 hours might not be too far off.

MacBook Pro M6 vs MacBook Pro M5: What’s the same?

Design

Apple’s MacBook Pro line has featured the same design since late 2021 and things haven’t changed with the M6 model. That means we get another sturdy yet light slab of machined aluminum that’s easy to travel with and use.

The MacBook Pro M6 has the same dimensions (12.31 x 8.71 x 0.61 inches) and weight (3.4 pounds), along with identical color choices in Space Black and Silver. The port selection remains unchanged as well, offering an SDXC card slot, three Thunderbolt 4/USB4 ports, an HDMI port, MagSafe 3 charging, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Display

Apple has kept the 14.2-inch Mini-LED display running at 120Hz ProMotion for the M6 MacBook Pro refresh. We still have the notch cutout at the top, and no Dynamic Island-like functionality. If rumors are true, that's an upgrade reserved for the still-unannounced MacBook Pro OLED.

Since the display isn’t different, our benchmarks for the MacBook Pro M5 should be virtually identical on the new model. That means you’ll get excellent color representation (sRGB and DCI-P3) and color accuracy (Delta-E). Even without an OLED, the M6 MacBook Pro’s mini-LED panel should be a feast for the eyes.

Other features

Here is a brief rundown of everything else that’s the same on the new MacBook Pro M6.

• 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View: Desk View can be hit or miss, but the webcam itself should deliver the same sharp and colorful photo and video quality as previous MacBook Pro models.
• Sound system: As before, the MacBook Pro M6 has a six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio and force-cancelling woofers. That means you’ll get exceptional audio quality for a laptop. There’s also a three-mic array that should also do a good job of capturing your voice during video calls and recordings.
• Media engine: The MacBook Pro M6 supports H.264/HEVC/ProRes/ProRes RAW + AV1 decode.

MacBook Pro M6 vs MacBook Pro M5: Outlook

As expected, the 14-inch MacBook Pro M6 is largely a modest refresh of previous models. But while there are no revolutionary upgrades, the M6 chip should provide meaningful performance and efficiency boosts. This is especially true for anyone still using an older M-series MacBook Pro or an even more ancient Intel model.

If you fall into the latter camp, then the MacBook Pro M6 is worth considering, even if it costs much more than before. However, anyone still using an M5- or even M4-powered MacBook Pro might want to reconsider, as those machines are still plenty powerful.

The MacBook Pro M6 arrives on November 6, so stay tuned for our full review where we’ll put Apple’s new flagship laptop through its paces.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple event LIVE: MacBook Pro M6 and iMac M6 just announced ahead of 'Pro and Tell'
• Apple unveils new iMac with M6 — here are all the upgrades
• Apple iPhone Duo 2 with Face ID is reportedly being tested even before the first foldable hits shelves

Whenever Samsung launches a new flagship tablet, it's usually the Ultra model that gets most of the attention. With its massive 14.6-inch display, it's not surprising that the South Korean electronics giant would want its biggest and most impressive device all over its marketing materials, but that doesn't mean you should overlook the Galaxy Tab S12 Plus. This isn't like the difference between Samsung's Galaxy S26 Plus and S26 Ultra — both tablets are practically identical in terms of software and horsepower, with only a few minor downgrades on the smaller model.

Granted, I've only had the Galaxy Tab S12 Plus for a couple of weeks, but I already think it's the better buy for many people. If you're looking for what is essentially the Android equivalent of Apple's 13-inch iPad Pro M5, chances are you're not shopping for the biggest tablet Samsung can physically make — most people will want something a little more portable, with a premium screen, strong performance, excellent battery life, pen support and enough versatility to handle both work and entertainment. In that sense, the 12.6-inch Tab S12 Plus feels more practical.

Lately, it's become the device I find myself using more than almost anything else, and honestly, I find its size far more practical to use on a day-to-day basis than the Ultra models I've tested in the past. Not only have I been neglecting other devices, like my Nintendo Switch 2, since its arrival, but I've even started using it over my actual phone.

The display feels like the sweet spot

Having spent years alternating between smaller tablets that can feel a bit restrictive and larger models that aren't always practical to carry around, the Tab S12's 12.6-inch display feels just right. That might make me sound like Goldilocks, but the display is large enough for movies and TV shows to feel immersive, while the tablet itself is slim and compact enough to easily slip into a messenger bag or backpack.

And that's before I get to the display's picture quality — I've been rewatching “The Sopranos” on my last few train rides, and this AMOLED panel has consistently delivered rich colours, excellent contrast and stunning brightness, while its 120Hz refresh rate makes navigating its UI feel incredibly snappy. Although Tom's Guide has yet to run its usual lab tests on the Tab S12 Plus, Samsung quotes the same peak brightness figures as the larger Tab S12 Ultra, which delivered excellent results in our testing and remains one of the best tablet displays we've reviewed, significantly outperforming the iPad Pro M5.

Of course, glare is still a concern. This being Australia, the sun can be particularly brutal during morning commutes, making reflections more noticeable than I'd like. It's not enough to ruin the viewing experience, and the display is bright enough to push through most lighting conditions, but I did find myself wishing Samsung had included some form of anti-reflective coating. Given how much time I spend using the tablet outside the house, that would probably be the one display upgrade I'd put at the top of my wishlist for the next generation.

I've ended up reading more comics than watching TV shows

Truth be told, I've probably spent more time reading comics on the Tab S12 Plus than watching TV shows, which wasn't something I expected going in. I've been catching up on DC's Absolute Batman series (excellent) and the latest Lobo run (ridiculous, but fun) whenever I get the chance, and it made me realise how much I missed the hobby.

And, after attempting to read comics on a variety of foldable smartphones (not ideal), the 12.6-inch screen on the Tab S12 Plus feels downright luxurious by comparison, allowing me to take in the glorious artwork in its entirety. Also, its AMOLED display makes the artwork look super crisp, with colours that pop with amazing vibrancy, and true blacks that allow for inky shadows and detailed line work.

Quite a few times now I've found myself opening a comic just to fill ten or fifteen minutes and then realising I've been sitting there for the better part of an hour. It's obviously a fantastic screen for comics, though I think its portability is just as important — the Tab S12 Plus is easy enough to take almost anywhere, which means it's usually close at hand when the urge to read strikes.

Reading comics also had the knock-on effect of inspiring me to use the S Pen more often. I used to draw quite a bit in my younger days, and in a comic book style. Lately, I've been using Split Screen View on the Tab S12 Plus to look at particularly striking comic panels on one side of the display while attempting to sketch it in Clip Studio Paint on the other, which is so handy. And now that I've started getting used to the Clip Studio Paint app, the next step is to do some basic drawing tutorials focused on 3D figures and poses.

Its Pro Keyboard is quality

There's no sugar-coating it: Samsung's Pro Keyboard for the Galaxy Tab S12 Plus is expensive. At $350 / £289 / AU$499 for the keyboard alone, it's more expensive than many entry-level Chromebook devices. Add that to the cost of the tablet and you're looking at the kind of money that could buy a pretty decent laptop.

Having spent some time using it, though, I can at least understand where some of that money is going. The aluminium construction gives the tablet a much sturdier feel when it's sitting on a desk, and both the keyboard and trackpad are good enough that it makes you feel like you're using an actual laptop. The only thing that regularly reminds me it's still a tablet is the U-shaped support built into the hinge, which folds out behind the display and sticks out a little further than you'd expect once it's open. I also love how firmly its magnets snap to the Tab S12 Plus — it's surprisingly hard to detach from the keyboard unless you hold the support stand and tilt the tablet forward.

Most of my workday revolves around writing, research, photo editing, and responding to emails and Slack messages, and the Tab S12 Plus is more than capable of handling all that. Admittedly, I prefer to do the bulk of my feature writing on a mechanical keyboard, but I can take care of most other tasks on the Tab S12 Plus without any real hassles. The keyboard also sports a large trackpad with physical click functionality, a dedicated button to switch on DeX mode, an AI key and a programmable hot key to launch your favourite apps. I also realised fairly late in the game that the keyboard is backlit — you just have to hold the Fn key and hit F12 to switch the backlight on and cycle through its three brightness settings.

My only real gripe is that it's a fingerprint magnet. The brushed aluminium looks great fresh out of the box, but it was absolutely covered in fingerprints after I passed it around the office for a few minutes. It's hardly a deal-breaker, though I ended up having to wipe the prints off with a tech wipe.

Bigger isn’t always better

The Ultra might be the flashiest product in Samsung’s Tab S12 line-up, but in daily use, bigger isn’t always better. A 14.6-inch screen basically demands a desk, whereas the Tab S12 Plus still feels like a tablet you can actually hold. It’s light and thin enough to comfortably use without tiring your arms, but with a 12.6-inch display that's still big enough to get creative on.

It does come with a couple of downgrades compared to the Ultra — it only has a single camera on its rear compared to the Ultra’s dual camera setup, and for some reason the Tab S12 Plus doesn’t get the same Wi-Fi 7 support as the Ultra, topping out at Wi-Fi 6E instead — but I don’t think either of those concessions should be considered deal breakers.

That said, with a starting price of $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$1,999, it isn't cheap. Factoring in that pricey Pro Keyboard does make you start considering a laptop as an alternative, especially if you prefer full desktop apps. Still, being able to jump from a casual handheld tablet to a proper DeX workstation in seconds is something most 2-in-1 laptops just can't pull off. It’s versatile, easy to take anywhere, and actually fits the way I live and work — which is why it’s quietly become my favourite tablet.

More From Tom's Guide

• Apple just announced a new iPad mini with an OLED panel and IP67 resistance
• Apple responds to iPhone Duo cracked inner screens — what to do if your phone is affected
• These are the 5 best 2-in-1 laptops we tested to work, draw and stream on one machine

Well, look what the cat dragged in. It's deals season, and in a surprising turn of events, Australia's largest telco, Telstra, has joined in on the discounting fun.

From now until November 2, 2026, Telstra is slashing up to AU$240 off its NBN plans during the first six months of service. The telco, which owns 35.2% of Australia's wholesale NBN market share, is synonymous with premium pricing, plans and perks, so these savings are pretty valuable (and rare, if I'm being honest).

The most enticing deal is Telstra's NBN 500 plan, at AU$69p/m for the first six months. You'll save a nice AU$180 before the price increases to AU$99p/m ongoing, and it costs the same as Telstra's current offers on the NBN 50 and NBN 100 tiers. This means if you have an FTTP or HFC connection at home, you can get up to 10x faster internet for the same price as Telstra's slow 50Mbps plan.

The only catch? You'll need to BYO modem to sign up for Telstra's NBN 500 plan. If you want to add Telstra's Smart Modem 4 to your plan, you'll need to pay AU$360 upfront. You can opt for a version of the same plan that incorporates the modem's price, though, at AU$79p/m (for 6 months, then AU$113p/m ongoing).

That's not the biggest dealbreaker, though — we typically suggest BYO modems, especially if you want to shop around for a better NBN deal when the introductory offer ends — however, Telstra's ongoing price is high.

Compared with the other 30+ NBN 500 providers I monitor, Telstra's ongoing price is AU$2.50 more than the average AU$96.43 monthly cost. Especially when pitted against budget providers that offer the same no-frills internet-only service, there are several ISPs that offer a better deal in the long run.

For example, Exetel's NBN 500 plan is just AU$80p/m ongoing, with no introductory offer or increase in sight. The plan doesn't include a modem or any other fancy perks, but it is AU$36 cheaper in the first year and AU$228 in the second, putting AU$264 back in your pocket to go towards a new modem or mesh Wi-Fi system.

But no matter how you slice or dice it, if you're ready and willing to join Australia's largest telco, this is a good opportunity to do just that. Not in the market for an NBN 500 plan? You can check out Telstra's other NBN deals below.

More from Tom's Guide

• Best NBN deals in Australia October 2026
• Best NBN plans in October 2026: I've compared the top choices for value, speed, gaming and more

Let's face it, most of us don't want to use Google for everything. We know every email we send or document we save is inspected for personal data to target us with ads. But the issue is that there's really no alternative...or is there?

Proton is changing the status quo – and it's doing a very good job of it. The Swiss company started off with Proton Mail – which, by now, is a truly viable Gmail alternative – but since then it has developed one of the best VPNs, Proton VPN, as well as Proton Drive, Pass, Docs, Sheets, Calendar, and most recently, Meet. Almost everything you need to de-Google your life.

Proton Unlimited includes every one of these apps. It usually costs $12.99 per month, but right now, in the run up to Black Friday, the 12-month plan has dropped to $6.49 per month ($77.88 upfront). This is the cheapest I've ever seen it.

If you're not sure, you can also purchase a single month for just $1 – although the discounted price on the long-term plan will likely end before that first month runs out.

This is almost certainly one of the very best Black Friday VPN deals we'll see this year, and it's not even November. More info below.

All you need to de-Google yourself

At $6.49 a month, Proton Unlimited covers a lot of ground. Proton VPN gives you access to 21,000+ servers across 149 countries, support for up to 10 devices, and excellent speeds. It also includes NetShield ad-blocking, Secure Core servers for extra security, Tor over VPN, split tunneling, a kill switch, and a strict no-logs policy.

Proton Mail includes 15 encrypted email addresses, unlimited hide-my-email aliases, and support for up to three custom domains.

Proton Drive adds 500 GB of encrypted cloud storage, with version history, while Proton Pass goes beyond basic password management with 50 vaults, unlimited logins, and a built-in 2FA authenticator which means one less app to juggle.

Proton Calendar keeps your schedule encrypted and off Big Tech servers, while Proton Meet offers private video calling without the Google or Zoom overhead.

Round that out with Proton Wallet – an encrypted Bitcoin wallet – and Lumo AI, Proton's privacy-first AI assistant, and you have a self-contained privacy ecosystem that rivals anything Big Tech offers.

One subscription, an escape from Google, and the biggest discount you'll see outside of Black Friday.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

The MacBook Pro line is about to get a boost in power! The new 14-inch M6 MacBook Pro has hit the scene, and if you've been hankering for an upgrade, there's no better day than today to grab your M6 MacBook Pro pre-order.

According to Apple, the M6 MacBook Pro's 12-core GPU delivers up to 30 percent faster graphics and up to 25 percent faster AI workloads compared to the M5 chip. Meanwhile, graphics performance is up to 11x faster and AI performance is up to 13x faster compared to the capabilities of the M1 chip.

Apple's new 14-inch M6 MacBook Pro starts at $1,999. Pre-orders are live now (they started at 10:10 a.m. PT on October 28.) Pre-order now and you're set to get your new MacBook on November 6.

As well as the M6 chip, the MacBook Pro M6 features a 14.2-inch Liquid Retina display (you can opt for a Nano-Texture coating to reduce glare for an extra $150.) The base model comes with 16GB unified memory and 1TB storage. You also get a 70W power adaptor in the box.

In terms of ports, there are three Thunderbolt 4s on board, as well as a MagSafe 3 port, 3.5 mm headphone jack, HDMI port and SDXC card slot. The M6 MacBook Pro also gets Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support, and the option for two external displays.

There's already a lot to be impressed with about the MacBook Pro M6. We put the Mac mini M6 up against the MacBook Pro M5 Pro and MacBook Pro M5 Max in single-core Geekbench 6.7 tests, where the M6 chip came out on top. The new chip didn't take first place in the multi-core tests, but these improvements are still good to see.

It could be the ultimate all-in-one computer — the new iMac is here. It has been upgraded with the latest M6 chip, making it even more powerful than before.

Apple says the new M6 chip enables up 2.5x faster performance in apps like Microsoft Excel versus the iMac M1 and up to 1.5x faster performance versus M4.

You also get up to 3.3x faster graphics performance for tasks like photo editing compared to the iMac M1, and up to 2x faster performance than M4. Gaming is up to 2x faster compared to M4. Plus, the M6 iMac is up to 12x faster with on-device AI performance.

The base M6 iMac is priced at $1,499. Pre-orders are live now (they started at 10:10 a.m. PT on October 28.) The release date is due for November 6.

This iMac comes with a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display. This is the same as the already excellent iMac M4 released a few years back. The base model comes with 16GB memory and 256GB storage, but you can pay extra to upgrade if you wish.

There are seven color options to choose from — Blue, Purple, Pink, Orange, Yellow, Green and Silver. And you also get a matching Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse included in the box.

There's not long to wait, so make sure to secure your M6 iMac pre-order while you can!

Interested in the M6 chip's capabilities? We put the Mac mini M6 up against the MacBook Pro M5 Pro and MacBook Pro M5 Max in single-core Geekbench 6.7 tests, and you'll see below that the M6 came out on top. While the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro still won out on on the multi-core tests, it's still a big improvement for the M6 iMac that's very nice to see.

Apple is continuing its "Pro and Tell" announcements this week with an all-new iMac to follow yesterday's iPad mini 8 reveal.

As expected, Apple has upgraded its colorful all-in-one with the M6 chip that will turbocharge performance in a similar vein to the Mac mini we reviewed back in September. The iMac 2026 will also ship with macOS 27 Golden Gate, which includes the next version of Apple Intelligence and Siri AI.

Though this year's iMac is more of a spec refresh, it should be a nice upgrade for folks working with older models. That said, the higher price stings. That said, here's everything we know about the new M6 iMac.

M6 iMac: Price and release date

The new M6 iMac with a 10-core CPU/GPU starts at $1,499 ($1,449 for education). iMac with a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU starts at $1,699 (U.S.) and $1,599 for education.

It's hardly surprising, but that's a step up from the $1,299 entry-level price the M4 iMac launched with in 2024. As with its other devices, Apple increased prices in June to a new starting price of $1,499, so if you view it through that lens, it's not as bad. But it just reinforces that even Apple isn't immune to the effects of RAMaggeddon.

Shipping will begin on November 6, the same date as the new iPad mini 8. Pre-orders begin on October 28.

M6 iMac: Performance

The biggest overhaul for the new iMac is in performance, thanks to the addition of the M6 chip. We won't know precisely how this chip pairs with the iMac hardware until we test it for ourselves — but we can get a good idea from our time with the M6 Mac mini.

In our review of that machine, the M6 chip "really shone" and "didn't miss a beat" even when we put it under some serious pressure. Here's how the chip held up against the same benchmarking tests as the M5 and M5 Pro chips inside a MacBook Pro.

If the new iMac delivers similar performance, it will be a much more powerful computer than its predecessor. Apple introduced the M6 in August, and like the A20 Pro in the iPhone Duo, it's built on a 2-nanometer process. It should easily outclass the 3-nanometer architecture used in the M4, particularly in AI processing, thanks to a Dual 16-core Neural Engine specifically for AI and machine learning tasks.

This means if you plan to use Apple's desktop for running local AI language models or experimenting with local agents — as well as creative tools — you could see a big improvement.

M6 iMac: Design

The new iMac keeps the same overall design and display specs as its predecessor. That's by no means a bad thing, but considering the design hasn't changed meaningfully since 2021, a few extra flourishes wouldn't have gone amiss.

The front of the computer is still a 24-inch 4.5k Retina display with a 4,480 x 2,520 pixel resolution and 500 nits of peak brightness. With the iPad mini 8 getting the OLED treatment, it would have been nice to see it here too, but Apple is sticking with the LED-backlit LCD technology from the M4 iMac. That said, 12-core models offer a nano-texture display option.

The iMac comes in seven colors: blue, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange, and silver.

M6 iMac: Networking

Alongside the new M6 chip's performance, the 2026 iMac gets a networking boost with improved wireless connectivity, including Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0 out of the box.

Most users will welcome the jump to Wi-Fi 7, as it gives you access to the faster 6 GHz band and protocol features like Multi-Link Operation (MLO), which (my colleague Anthony tells me) aggregates multiple bands simultaneously for lower latency and higher throughput.

And having Bluetooth 6 will give you more accurate distance tracking, better power efficiency, and lower-latency wireless audio if you happen to have a pair of AirPods Max 2 on your desk.

Lastly, models with a 12-core CPU / 12-core GPU M6 chip can have 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, which Apple says is up to 2.5x faster than the previous iMac.

iMac: Camera, audio, and accessories

Other features for the iMac M6 include a 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View. For sound, it has two pairs of force-canceling woofers and two tweeters, plus support for Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos. There's also a microphone array.

Expect a color-matched Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad, all with USB-C charging ports. It will also support Touch ID.

M6 iMac: Outlook

The iMac was due for an upgrade, and it's good to see it join its smaller brother in the ranks of Apple devices powered by a 2-nanometer chip. If you're using an older iMac, the jump to M6 alone may be enough to warrant an upgrade — especially if you plan to do a lot of AI-related work on your desktop.

The sticking point may be that the design and display remain unchanged. And, of course, there's a price rise to factor in as well. We'll retain final judgment until we've reviewed it, but Apple's new iMac looks set to take the crown of the best all-in-one PC for 2026 without too much trouble.

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• I put the iPhone Duo vs. Galaxy Fold 8 through a 10-round photo face-off — and there's a clear winner
• 'Polished but rough': The common flaws in the iPhone Duo found by nine different reviewers

Apple has unveiled an October refresh of its 14-inch MacBook Pro complete with the M6 processor that brings the laptop in line with the Mac mini and today's also-announced M6 iMac.

As part of Apple's "Pro and tell" announcements this week, we now have a brand new MacBook Pro to compliment the iMac and yesterday's iPad mini 8 reveal. If the rumors are true, then we may be in line for one more MacBook-related reveal this week: the highly-anticipated touchscreen MacBook Pro OLED.

But let's return to this device which, sadly, doesn't come with a touchscreen or much in the way of a new design. Reportedly, Apple is saving its MacBook Pro redesign for the M7 version of the machine next year. But then again, criticizing the MacBook Pro for its design seems churlish — the thin and light aluminum unibody enclosure conceals a vast amount of power and is just as good to look at now as it's always been.

As with the new iMac, the M6 MacBook Pro will ship with macOS 27 Golden Gate, which includes the next version of Apple Intelligence and Siri AI.

Here's everything we know about the new M6 MacBook Pro.

M6 MacBook Pro: Price and release date

The new M6 MacBook Pro starts at $1,999 or $38.99 per month for 12 months. That gets you the default configuration of an M6 chip, 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

In the U.K., the pricing starts at £1,999 and pre-orders in both regions begin on Wednesday, October 28. Shipping will begin on November 6.

In line with just about every other consumer electronics release this year, that's a price increase over the $1,599 starting cost of last year's 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro. Of course, since then Apple put the pricing up by $300 in June which makes this technically not a price hike... but still — it's a higher cost in my book thanks to ongoing component and memory shortages driven by AI demand.

M6 MacBook Pro: Performance

The biggest single reason for picking up the M6 MacBook Pro is in the name: Apple's M6 chip follows the A20 Pro inside the iPhone Duo and moves to a 2-nanometer architecture that'll deliver a notable power and efficiency gain over previous models.

We've seen the M6 chip only in one Mac product so far; the latest Mac mini and in our review we noted its performance "really shone" and "didn't miss a beat" even when we put it under extreme multitasking.

Here's a breakdown of how the chip inside the Mac mini held up against the same benchmarking tests as the M5 and M5 Pro chips inside last year's MacBook Pro.

Specific performance will, of course, be slightly different for this machine but the above results should give you an indication of how much more powerful it's likely to be over last year's MacBook Pro. It likely won't be enough to convince M5 owners to jump, but anyone still using an M1 or M2 MacBook Pro will find the M6 is the upgrade they've been waiting for.

The M5 chip consisted of a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU while the M6 improves that by two additional cores in both the CPU and the GPU. In addition, it's got a Dual 16-core Neural Engine for AI and machine learning that could take the fight to Nvidia's RTX Spark machines that are specifically targeting on-device AI workloads.

Apple says the 12-core GPU delivers up to 30 percent faster graphics and up to 25 percent faster AI workloads when compared to M5.

The Neural Engine is also supported by Neural Accelerators in each GPU core that should mean the M6 MacBook Pro is streets ahead when it comes to using AI-powered creative tools.

M6 MacBook Pro: Design

We could have seen this one coming a mile away, but Apple hasn't changed up the outward design of the MacBook Pro for the 2026 iteration. In fact, it's largely the same as the design we've had since 2021: a solid slab of machined aluminium that's both sturdy and light given the amount of power under the hood.

The M6 MacBook Pro retains the same 12.31 x 8.71 x 0.61 inch dimensions and 3.4 pound weight as the previous generation and the color options remain a choice between Silver and Space Black.

Apple has kept the 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display running at 120Hz ProMotion for the M6 MacBook Pro refresh. We still have the notch cutout at the top, squashing the rumor Apple would switch it up for an iPhone-style Dynamic Island this time around. And, as mentioned up top, there's no touchscreen here for interacting with macOS 27 Golden Gate.

When it comes to ports, the M6 MacBook Pro keeps the current physical I/O layout: you get three Thunderbolt 4/USB4 ports, an HDMI port, an SDXC card slot, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and MagSafe 3 charging.

M6 MacBook Pro: Networking and battery life

Alongside the performance from the new M6 chip, the MacBook Pro also benefits from receiving Apple's N1 chip and a boost to Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.

The current model still uses Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 so the M6 refresh will give users lower networking latency and higher throughput. Bluetooth 6 leads to better distance tracking and more power efficiency for wireless accessories like game controllers or a pair of headphones.

Apple says the M6 MacBook Pro's battery life gets up to 14 additional hours for Intel-based upgraders and up to four more hours for users coming from M1, delivering up to 24 hours overall, so users can get more done on a single charge.

M6 MacBook Pro: Outlook

The MacBook Pro refresh is pretty customary once October rolls around and Apple has delivered more or less what we expected here: no big design changes but whole host of extra power and battery life efficiency.

We'll reserve judgement until we've got the new M6 MacBook Pro into the Tom's Guide lab for benchmarking but it's safe to say the new chip is going to deliver in some pretty clear-cut ways.

Anyone upgrading from an M1, M2 or older Intel MacBook Pro will see a dramatic leap in performance and read/write speeds. Creative professionals and anyone working with local AI will benefit from the additional power of Apple's new chip.

However, for those already using an M4 or M5 machine, there may be less of a reason to upgrade. Especially since the potential reveal of a MacBook Pro OLED tomorrow could easily eclipse today's news for many MacBook fans.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple iPhone Duo 2 with Face ID is reportedly being tested even before the first foldable hits shelves
• I put the iPhone Duo vs. Galaxy Fold 8 through a 10-round photo face-off — and there's a clear winner
• 'Polished but rough': The common flaws in the iPhone Duo found by nine different reviewers

Digital privacy stalwart Proton is reportedly set to interview employees across the company about how they use AI in their work, and the answers could help decide who keeps their job. The firm behind Proton Mail and Proton VPN – one of the best VPNs – told staff about the plan in an internal email on Monday, October 26, which was leaked to 404 Media.

The email calls the re-interviews "consequential." What interviewers conclude will be written up and fed into a broader review of the organization, which could change people's roles and responsibilities – or whether they stay at Proton.

The move fits a wider push under CEO Andy Yen, who has been steering Proton toward heavier AI use, including the launch of Lumo, its privacy-focused chatbot. Proton had not responded to 404 Media's request for comment at the time of publication, but has now made a public statement on Reddit.

What Proton says

In the Reddit comment on r/ProtonMail, posted from the Proton_Team account, the company claims it is "not doing layoffs and using AI as an excuse." As a counterpoint to this, it states it has a talent shortage and is hiring across the organization.

"AI is changing the tech industry," the comment continues, "and we, like everyone else, need to evolve our ways of working to remain effective in our industry, and to deliver features faster to users."

The company says it is "assessing how colleagues are adapting to these tools, what support they need, and who can help lead this work."

Finally, Proton states that it is also "assessing whether everyone has the skills they need to take a step forward in a post-AI world," and "offering the support that is necessary, to those who need it, to succeed."

In the Reddit comment, Proton also published the full email, which it says went to some of its staff.

Who gets interviewed – and by whom

The email itself is less reassuring to those impacted: "We are now extending re-interviews more broadly to assess how people are adapting to AI and whether they have the capabilities and approach needed for Proton’s next phase."

Not everyone will be re-interviewed. Interviews will be prioritized according to the organization's assessment needs, the email says, and an invitation – or the lack of one – isn't an outcome in itself. Any decision affecting someone's employment will come separately.

Those who are invited will be interviewed by someone outside their own team and reporting line, chosen from a pool of leaders who "demonstrate strong AI capability."

The interviews will run from November 4 to 11, and staff are told to arrive with concrete examples of their use of AI. The email is blunt about what passes muster here: "Be ready to discuss what you have changed in your work, the results, what you have learned, what has not worked, and what you would do differently. A list of tools alone will not demonstrate this."

What Proton wants from staff

The email also presents the interviews as a route to advancement, saying staff who rethink their work, put AI into practice and help others adapt may be offered greater responsibility. It asks for "curiosity, judgment and urgency."

Yen himself first interviewed more than 40 senior leaders across Engineering and Product, the email says, before the process widened to staff across the company.

AI is not new at Proton. An AI writing assistant arrived in Proton Mail in 2024, Lumo followed in July 2025, and the chatbot got an upgrade in June 2026. Proton says it keeps no server-side logs of Lumo conversations and runs the chatbot on its own infrastructure.

Yen told Wired in an interview published in August that AI is surveillance and that Proton was reluctantly pulled into building AI tools. He added that he would probably prefer a world without AI, but accepts it is here to stay. Clearly, his opinion has not changed on the matter.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

So Apple just dropped the highly anticipated OLED iPad mini 8 to kick off its “Pro and Tell” week, and on paper, it’s a $699 powerhouse that you best believe I’m pre-ordering.

But look closer, and you may see that the tablet’s surprise arrival just created a massive problem for Cupertino’s most hyped product of the year. Because in my opinion, Apple essentially just nerfed the iPhone Duo.

For the past few weeks, the tech world has been obsessed with the new foldable, and it’s a great piece of hardware for sure. But let me explain why pairing a standard iPhone 18 Pro with the new iPad mini 8 isn’t just a better big-screen experience — it’s actually cheaper, stronger and infinitely more reliable.

Here’s the math

So, my first reason is cutting straight to the numbers. Apple’s leap into the foldable market is expensive. You are paying at least $2,000 for the privilege of a folding screen.

But what happens when you unbundle that experience?

• iPhone 18 Pro: $1,199
• iPad mini 8: $699
• Total: $1,898

Don’t get me wrong — that's still a hefty chunk of change. But for significantly less than a Duo, you can have a flagship iPhone with a better camera (and better battery life), and a dedicated 8.5-inch OLED tablet.

You get the same expansive inky-black OLED canvas for reading, gaming and watching movies, but you keep over $100 in your pocket. Apple has inadvertently priced its own foldable out of the market for anyone willing to carry a small bag.

The durability trap

Now, if you’ve been anywhere on the internet recently, you’ve seen that iPhone Duo screens are cracking. iFixit did a teardown and noted a potential hinge design flaw that could be causing it.

Make no mistake: IP68 resistance rating aside, foldables are incredibly fragile pieces of tech with moving mechanical hinges. Even if it's a small percentage, the risk of damage does go up.

Now look at the iPad mini 8. The speaker grilles are eliminated in favor of what the company’s calling an Acoustic Display — speakers behind the screen. And there’s no folding mechanism here. It’s a solid slab of aluminum and rigid glass (with no crease to be found).

Why spend two grand on a fragile folding screen when you can buy a sealed OLED tablet that you can casually toss into a backpack (or big pocket) without a second thought?

No spec compromises

Usually, separating your devices means you are sacrificing power on the tablet side. Not this time.

The iPad mini 8 skipped several generations of silicon to pack the 2nm A20 Pro chip you’ll find in the Duo and 18 Pro. And while nothing about RAM has been formally announced yet, I’m guessing it’ll sport the same 8-12GB of memory (maybe 8GB on that base model, but again, not confirmed).

It also features the new N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7 and Thread, and the C2 chip for a beastly 5G modem.

You aren’t getting a watered-down companion device; you’re getting a tablet that’s just as powerful as the Duo with a massive battery. Plus, that iPhone 18 Pro has a much better camera system to boot.

My verdict

I don’t want this to feel like a dunk on the iPhone Duo. It is a fundamentally great foldable, and if you’re in that crowd that loves the versatility, you’ll love it.

But look past the shiny status symbol — to me, the iPad mini 8 just proved foldables are a bad investment for most of us.

If you want the ultimate mobile setup, the play is obvious. Cancel your iPhone Duo pre-order. Pick up a standard iPhone 18 Pro for daily comms and photography, and spend the rest on an OLED iPad mini 8 for bigger-screen consumption and gaming.

You’ll save money, get a larger OLED screen and most importantly, you won’t wake up in a cold sweat worrying that a grain of sand just destroyed your $2,000 phone.

More from Tom's Guide

• We predicted the OLED MacBook Pro's $500 price hike — here's what the leaks say and why MacBook Air buyers may miss out
• I strapped a touchscreen to my MacBook Pro to see if macOS is ready — 3 things that need fixing quickly
• At $1,000, Apple's rumored HomeView Max better do the dishes, too

Apple just surprised everyone with the news of the iPad mini 8, announced two days ahead of the company's Pro and Tell event.

The iPad mini 8 marks the biggest redesign in years, although some key specs stay the same. One thing has changed: The price, and not for the better.

What's new compared to the iPad mini 7, and is now the right time to upgrade? We'll dig into the specs and compare the iPad mini 8 to our own review of the previous generation.

iPad mini 8 vs. iPad mini 7: Specs

iPad mini 8 vs. iPad mini 7: Price and availability

Apple's iPad mini 8 was announced on October 26, 2026, with pre-orders opening on October 28 at 10:10 a.m. PT. The tablet ships starting on Friday, November 6.

Pricing for the iPad mini 8 starts at $699 for the 128GB Wi-Fi model, or $849 for the Wi-Fi + cellular model. Students and educators can score a discount, bringing the price down to $649 and up.

Swapping to nano-texture glass adds an extra $100, but the option is only available on the 256GB and 512GB models. Those higher-capacity iPads start at $799 and $999, respectively, and that's without the nano-texture glass.

This is a big price hike compared with the iPad mini 7's launch price: $499. Apple recently raised the price to $599 in June, along with the rest of its lineup. This new model adds another $100 on top in its cheapest configuration.

With this gen-to-gen price increase, the mini is just $50 below the 11-inch iPad Air.

iPad mini 8 vs. iPad mini 7: Design

The new iPad mini looks familiar at a glance, but it should be noticeably slimmer. It measures 5.4mm thick compared to the iPad mini 7's 6.3mm. The Wi-Fi model weighs 0.56 pounds (255g) vs. 0.65 pounds (293g) on the iPad mini 7. In Apple's own words, it's the lightest iPad ever made.

The footprint barely changes, with the two iPads nearly identical in dimensions (7.69 x 5.22 x 0.21 inches vs. 7.69 x 5.3 x 0.25 inches for the iPad mini 8 and 7, respectively). That doesn't mean there are no hardware changes within, though. Apple still managed to fit a larger 8.5-inch screen by cutting the bezels by 24%, so you get more display in a tablet that's essentially the same size.

The bigger change is durability. Apple added IP67 water resistance, with the company claiming the tablet survived lab testing at a maximum depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. It's the first water-resistant iPad, which is handy for travel and for use in the kitchen, for instance.

Color-wise, we're seeing a downgrade. The iPad mini 8 comes in midnight and starlight, while the iPad mini 7 offered four colors. There's still no Face ID.

iPad mini 8 vs. iPad mini 7: Display

The display is the headline upgrade for the iPad mini 8, because Apple is finally bringing OLED to this line of iPads. It swaps the old 8.3-inch LCD for an 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR panel, increasing the resolution from 2266 x 1488 to 2316 x 1512, so pixel density stays at 326 ppi on the bigger screen.

Apple rates the contrast at 2,000,000:1, so expect bright, vivid colors and deep blacks. The iPad mini 8 could make a huge difference when you're watching movies or playing games.

The display is also significantly brighter. Apple rates the new mini at 600 nits for regular content, up from 500 nits on the mini 7 (we measured 493 nits in our review). HDR content peaks at double that, hitting 1,200 nits, and the screen can dim down to 1 nit, which makes reading in bed a lot less hard on your eyes.

There's also the new nano-texture option to cut glare, but as mentioned before, it'll cost extra across every model (except the 128GB, which doesn't have it). It's the same matte glass Apple offers on the iPad Pro.

One upgrade that's still missing from the mini is ProMotion. Apple hasn't listed it on the spec sheet, so we presume the iPad mini 8 will stay locked at 60Hz.

iPad mini 8 vs. iPad mini 7: Performance

The iPad mini 8 runs on Apple's A20 Pro chip, the same 2nm chip as the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The iPad mini 7 uses the A17 Pro, built on a 3nm process and first found in the iPhone 15 Pro. That's a big generational jump between the two chips.

We won't know the actual performance figures until the new mini lands in our reviewers' hands, but we know Apple's claims for now, and they're big.

Apple promises up to 60% faster CPU performance and up to 2.7x faster graphics. AI performance gets a huge boost of up to 4.5x. Apple also says that memory bandwidth will more than double.

Not every iPad mini gets the same chip, though. The 128GB and 256GB models have a five-core CPU and a single 16-core Neural Engine. The priciest 512GB model gets the full power of the A20 Pro chip, with a six-core CPU and Apple's dual 16-core Neural Engine.

The fine print says Apple's 60% CPU figure comes from testing the six-core version. We can't imagine this will make or break the performance of the cheaper model, though.

Every iPad mini 8 gets the same seven-core GPU, up from five cores on the mini 7, with Neural Accelerators built into each core.

iPad mini 8 vs. iPad mini 7: Battery life

There are no shake-ups in battery life between the iPad mini 8 and the mini 7. Apple rates both at up to 10 hours.

It appears that Apple chose to spend the 2nm efficiency gains on the brighter OLED panel. While battery life seems to have stayed the same, it's good news that it hasn't dropped with the other upgrades and the thinner chassis.

Apple says the mini 8 can reach 50% in about 30 minutes, but only with a 35W or higher charger, which is sold separately. Of course, our lab tests will reveal how long the new iPad mini can endure.

iPad mini 8 vs. iPad mini 7: Audio and cameras

The iPad mini 8 uses what Apple calls an Acoustic Display: woofers that play through the screen for punchier bass and more volume, plus tweeters tucked between the glass and the aluminum frame. Apple got rid of speaker holes, and that must've played a part in the IP67 rating, since we're looking at a more sealed design.

The camera upgrades seem subtle at a glance, but they're not insignificant. The front camera has finally moved to the landscape edge, which fixes our biggest complaint from our iPad mini 7 review. With that said, it's still a 12MP Center Stage camera, but with a wider f/2.0 aperture (up from f/2.4). That could help in dim rooms.

The 12MP rear camera shoots 4K video at 60 fps as before. It also adds an Adaptive True Tone flash, which Apple says should improve document scanning.

iPad mini 8 vs. iPad mini 7: Connectivity

The iPad mini 8 uses Apple's own N1 wireless chip. That brings you Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support. That's an upgrade over the mini 7, which offered Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

Apple says N1 boosts performance on 5GHz networks and makes AirDrop and AirPlay more reliable. To make the most of Wi-Fi 7, you'll need a Wi-Fi 7 router, but it still offers solid future-proofing.

Cellular models switch to Apple's C2 modem, which Apple says delivers up to 50% faster data speeds than the mini 7 while using less battery life. Both iPad minis are eSIM-only.

iPad mini 8 vs. iPad mini 7: Software and Siri AI

Both the iPad mini 8 and mini 7 run iPadOS 27 with Apple Intelligence and Siri AI. Siri AI is Apple's rebuilt assistant, which leans heavily on your personal context and understands what's on screen.

The difference is that only the newest iPad mini supports Apple's most advanced on-device model, which brings more expressive Siri voices and more accurate dictation. Siri AI recently got a sizeable upgrade that makes it more useful than ever, so this is good news for the new iPad.

iPad mini 8 vs. iPad mini 7: Is it time to upgrade?

Apple's iPad mini 8 brings a host of interesting upgrades, such as an OLED display, promised performance upgrades, and even water resistance. There's a lot to get excited about.

However, the iPad mini 7 is no slouch. When it first launched, we dubbed it the best iPad mini ever. If you're still using the iPad mini 7 and you're happy with its performance, you may not need to rush to upgrade unless the new OLED display really speaks to you. The steeper asking price could also be discouraging, unless you're using a much older iPad mini model.

With the iPad mini 8 launching on November 6, it won't be long until we can truly pit it against its predecessor to see if the upgrades make a significant difference. Expect a review from us soon, so stay tuned!

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple iPhone Duo 2 with Face ID is reportedly being tested even before the first foldable hits shelves
• I put the iPhone Duo vs. Galaxy Fold 8 through a 10-round photo face-off — and there's a clear winner
• 'Polished but rough': The common flaws in the iPhone Duo found by nine different reviewers

To mark the 25th anniversary of Steve Jobs unveiling the first iPod on October 23, 2001, Apple slipped a brilliant, nostalgic easter egg onto its website.

Instead of serving a generic "Page Not Found" screen, the web version of Apple Music now hosts a fully interactive, functional replica of the original 2001 monochrome breakthrough, complete with its iconic mechanical scroll wheel.

It makes for a fun slice of early-noughties nostalgia, but it also highlights just how far hardware has drifted from doing one thing beautifully.

How to find Apple’s iPod easter egg

Accessing it is simple: open a desktop browser and head to music.apple.com/tomsguide.

Sitting on the screen is a functioning monochrome model from 2001.

Doubling as a digital time capsule, you can click around the mechanical scroll wheel, the physical menu buttons, and spin through nostalgic staples from Gorillaz to The Ting Tings and Daft Punk, with 90-second audio previews playing right in your browser.

It is a clever tribute, and it was hard not to lose time absent-mindedly clicking through the virtual iPod. But the novelty also serves as a revealing mirror for how consumer technology has evolved over the past quarter of a century.

The case for single-purpose hardware

Today, we live squarely in an era of bottomless hardware complexity. Between multi-screen designs like the iPhone Duo and annual iOS updates (like iOS 27) that pile on new feature after feature, today's devices exist to capture every spare second of human attention.

Every device is an omni-tool designed to blur boundaries: work, streaming, social media, messaging, and finance all collapse onto a single pane of glass. The iPod came from a radically different school of design, one that mastered a single purpose rather than chasing every conceivable distraction.

Syncing an iPod was about curating a finite collection rather than scrolling a bottomless stream. It carried no notifications, nudges, or background tracking — it played your music and left you alone. That is, I think, what I miss about hardware from that era.

There is obviously a place for the mini-computers in our pockets, and most of us couldn't get through a day without them. But there is also a genuine appetite for hardware that isn't engineered to keep your thumb moving.

Stumbling across its virtual ghost on an Apple 404 page is a reminder that the iPod's real magic was doing one job so well it never needed your attention for anything else.

More from Tom's Guide

• I disabled these iOS 27 features and my iPhone finally feels responsive again
• After spending three months testing iOS 27, these 5 features are my absolute favorite
• iOS 27 has a hidden Mac Easter egg — here's how to trigger it

Apple just announced the upgraded iPad mini 8, the first small Apple tablet with an OLED display, as part of the company's "Pro and Tell" event. New MacBooks should be announced later this week.

The update is huge but also comes with a $100 price increase, meaning the new iPad mini starts at $699, or $58.25 per month for 12 months. Fortunately, Apple also increased the trade-in value for older iPads.

It's not a massive increase — $20 more than previous rates at most — but it might help take some of the sting away from the new price tag.

As a reminder, this depends on the model. A newer iPad mini 7 will get you more money, and the tablet's condition matters, too. The numbers we're showing here are potentially what you can get if everything is in good shape.

MacBook trade-in values

This week we're expecting Apple to introduce a new version of the MacBook Pro, likely featuring the M6 chip that we just tested in the updated Mac mini. Additionally, like the iPad mini 8, we should also see a new MacBook Pro with a touchscreen OLED display, a first for Apple.

Like the iPad trade-in program, the Mac and MacBook version will also get a bit more money. Unfortunately, that suggests that the new MacBook Pro and MacBook Ultra will be far more expensive than last year's models.

We're looking at a potential $3,000 price tag for the OLED MacBook.

With that in mind, here's what you could get for trading in your MacBook or Mac.

Right now, we know that pre-orders for the iPad mini 8 will open up on Wednesday, October 28, with shipping beginning on November 6. Presumably, the new MacBooks will have a similar pre-order and shipping window.

How to trade in your iPad or Mac

If you haven't traded in with Apple before, you can swap out your device online or at an Apple Store.

In-store is pretty straightforward. You'll want to unpair any accessories, back up the device and sign out of services like iCloud, iTunes and the App Store. For an iPad, you don't need to erase anything as an Apple specialist will help you with that.

On a Mac, however, Apple requests you erase your hard drive and reinstall macOS. Once those are done, take it into an Apple Store where a specialist will inspect the device and give you a value; if it has no value, Apple will recycle the device.

If you go the online route, you'll need your device's serial number. Plus, you'll do it as part of purchasing a new Apple device. Adding the device is part of the checkout process. Apple will send you a trade-in confirmation email with instructions for backing up your data and prepping the device.

Finally, you can mail the device in or drop it off at an Apple Store. The company will include step-by-step instructions for this part in the confirmation email.

More from Tom's Guide

• The iPhone Duo just came out, and owners are already seeing screens crack at the hinge
• After spending three months testing iOS 27, these 5 features are my absolute favorite
• Apple iPhone Duo 2 with Face ID is reportedly being tested even before the first foldable hits shelves

The iPad mini 8 is on the way! The latest mini but mighty tablet from Apple comes with a ton of upgrades and exciting new features. I'm super hyped to see that OLED panel for myself.

The iPad mini 8 starts at $699, and pre-orders officially started at 10:10 a.m. PT today (October 28.) Pre-order now and you're all set to get your new tablet on release day on November 6.

Want the full iPad experience in a small package? The iPad mini has always been a go-to for powerful performance on the go, and the 8th iteration of the tablet looks like it's going to be better than ever.

For starters, it now comes with an 8.5-inch OLED panel — or Super Retina XDR panel, as Apple calls it. OLED displays arguably offer the best visuals of any display type, with enhanced contrast making colors truly pop off the screen. There's also now an option for a nano-texture display that will cut down on glare, making this device easier to use in bright conditions.

Also new for this tablet is an IP67 durability rating. This rating ensures the tablet can survive submersion in water in case it takes an accidental dip.

iPad mini 8 pre-orders begin now! Don't forget to lock yours in to secure your tablet.

Apple's second hardware event of October is taking place this week and I'm expecting it to be even bigger than the 'Welcome home' showcase a couple of weeks ago that unveiled the Apple HomeView.

This time around, Apple is widely expected to unveil OLED MacBooks in both 14-inch and 16-inch variants. And, at long, long last, Apple will make the jump to a full touchscreen for the first time ever. Slight sidebar here; my colleague Jason got tired of waiting and has already strapped a touchscreen to his MacBook Pro.

Mark Gurman, the Apple Whisperer himself, confirmed in a report over the weekend these machines are coming but added there'll be a twist to the tail. Although the MacBook Pro OLEDs will come with touch enabled, they'll be saddled with an M5 Pro and M5 Max chipset, while an also-announced non-touch MacBook Pro 14-inch will debut with the brand new M6 chip. Strange stuff indeed.

But there's going to be more on offer this week than just the MacBook OLED. Apple has today announced a refreshed iPad mini 8 — so let's dig into exactly what you can expect to see at Apple's "Pro and tell" event this week.

Apple 'Pro and tell': When is it?

Apple's "Pro and tell" event is taking place on Wednesday, October 28 and, just like the "Welcome home" showcase a couple of weeks ago, it was teased by Apple's senior vice president of marketing, Greg Joswiak.

There has been very little information beyond the name of the event, but some journalists (Tom's Guide included) have been invited to Los Angeles for an in-person presentation at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 5pm GMT on Wednesday, October 28.

We haven't seen any details on a livestream and following today's surprise iPad mini 8 announcement, it seems like Apple's plan is to drip-feed the announcements between now and Wednesday. We may see a few announcement videos and corresponding press releases posted to Apple's newsroom over the next few days.

Finally, once the products are out in the open, Apple will host its showcase on Wednesday giving media the chance to go hands-on with them. Of course, we'll be giving you up-to-the-minute reports as it happens, so stay tuned to Tom's Guide.

Apple 'Pro and tell': Confirmed and rumored products

If the rumors are to be believed, we could see up to four different devices unveiled by Wednesday.

Let's take a look at each one of them in turn.

Confirmed: iPad mini 8

The new iPad mini 8 is official and swaps the 8.3-inch LCD on the iPad mini 7 for a larger 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel. As a result, the tablet is thinner and lighter.

Another design upgrade is IP67 water and dust resistance. The iPad mini 8 is also powered by the A20 Pro chip, which should make it the fastest iPad mini yet.

You can read everything about the iPad mini 8 right here.

Rumored: MacBook Pro OLED

The most exciting new product likely to launch is the touchscreen-enabled MacBook Pro I mentioned up top. This could be the biggest upgrade to the MacBook product line in years but will require some heavy tweaks to macOS 27 to make it more touch-friendly. Considering Apple has been refining iPadOS for years, this isn't a chasm that'll be difficult to cross.

Elsewhere, the benefits of and OLED display will be hard to beat. You can expect a much better contrast with deeper blacks that the already-impressive Liquid Retina XDR display on the existing MacBook Pro.

As mentioned above, Mark Gurman seems to believe the MacBook Pro OLED (MacBook PrOLED?) will arrive with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips instead of an M6 chip. It will reportedly come in 14- and 16-inch variants and will be slimmer and lighter than the current MacBook Pro. Expect a sky-high price tag, though. Possibly as high as $2,399 for the 14-inch model and $3,599 for the 16-inch variant.

Rumored: M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch)

Alongside the MacBook Pro OLED, it's likely we'll also see an upgrade to the base level MacBook Pro, bumping it from the M5 chip to the M6 that was first unveiled inside the Mac Mini earlier this year.

Some rumors suggest we'll get a hole-punch front-facing camera in place of the current notch. Otherwise, it's likely to be the exact same outer shell as the current 14-inch MacBook Pros.

Rumored: M6 iMac

Following in the footsteps of the upgraded M6 MacBook Pro it's been heavily rumored we'll also see a new version of the iMac with the M6 chip on board. As with the M6 MacBook Pro, the M6 iMac will be an iterative upgrade that likely consists of a chip upgrade and little change to the design or the screen.

The current iMac features a 24-inch 4.5k Retina display with a 4,480 x 2,520 resolution and a max brightness of 500 nits and I'd expect to see the 2026 model remain unchanged.

There may be a lot of potential iMac customers out there hoping Apple will give its all-in-one the touchscreen treatment. Sadly, that doesn't look like it's on the cards for this week either.

Apple 'Pro and tell': Prices and should I buy?

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but judging by the way prices have skyrocketed this year, it's unlikely these new Apple products are going to be easy on the wallet.

For example, the new iPad mini starts at $699, or $58.25 per month for 12 months, for the Wi-Fi model, and $849, or $70.75 per month for 12 months, for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. That's a big jump from the $499 starting price of the iPad mini 7 a couple of years ago and I expect the other devices announced this week to follow suit.

However, in some cases if you've been holding out on an upgrade for awhile, this could be the time to make your move. Pre-orders will almost certainly be available from Wednesday, October 28 (that's the case for the iPad mini 8) with shipping likely to occur in November.

Of course, we’ll keep an eye on the prices of outgoing models the day they’re discounted, so you’ll know exactly when the discount is real. And let's not forget that with Black Friday on the horizon we could see some stellar discounts on slightly older models that might make more sense for some people. Either way, the next few weeks are going to be prime time for buying a new Mac.

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Apple has just given its smallest tablet a giant upgrade.

As posted in the Apple Newsroom, the new iPad mini swaps the old 8.3-inch LCD for a larger 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel. As a result, the tablet is thinner and lighter. Another design upgrade is IP67 water and dust resistance. The iPad mini 8 is also powered by the A20 Pro chip, which should make it the fastest iPad mini yet.

Here's everything we know about the new iPad mini.

iPad mini 8: Price and release date

The new iPad mini starts at $699, or $58.25 per month for 12 months, for the Wi-Fi model, and $849, or $70.75 per month for 12 months, for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model.

Pre-orders begin on Wednesday, October 28, with shipping starting on November 6. The iPad mini will be available in Midnight and Starlight with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB configurations.

iPad mini 8: Display

The biggest overhaul is the 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, as Apple calls it. According to the company, it delivers a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, which is more than double the previous peak brightness. Like the iPhone Duo, there is a nano-texture option to cut glare.

Apple doesn’t mention ProMotion, so this likely stays at 60Hz. Even so, the shift from LCD to OLED with true blacks and much higher brightness should be immediately noticeable for video, reading, and general use.

iPad mini 8: Design

The new mini keeps the same overall footprint but is now just 5.4mm thick, and the bezels are 24% thinner. That lets Apple fit a slightly larger screen without making the tablet any bulkier in your hand or bag.

It comes in midnight and starlight colors and carries an IP67 rating for splash, water, and dust resistance, which is a first for any iPad. Apple notes the rating isn’t permanent and can diminish with wear, but it’s still a meaningful upgrade for a device people toss in bags or use outside.

There’s also a new Acoustic Display speaker system with redesigned drivers for punchier bass and clearer highs, plus a 12MP Center Stage camera now placed on the landscape edge.

iPad mini 8: Performance

Inside, the iPad mini 8 packs an A20 Pro chip, which is the same one as in the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Apple says it offers up to 60% faster multithreaded CPU performance and up to 2.7x faster graphics, along with a major jump in AI capability (up to 4.5x). Higher storage configurations get a dual 16-core Neural Engine.

Connectivity also improves with the N1 chip, adding Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread, while cellular models get the more efficient C2 modem. The tablet runs iPadOS 27 with the latest Apple Intelligence features.

iPad mini 8: Outlook

The rumors appear to be true, as the iPad mini 8 has received its biggest upgrades in years. This is especially true with the addition of OLED and water resistance.

The higher price will be the main sticking point, especially after recent increases across Apple’s lineup. That said, the new features could make folks forgive the new sticker price, as this promises to be the best iPad mini yet. Stay tuned for more!

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If you were hoping Apple’s leap into OLED touchscreens was going to come without a price rise, it looks like Wednesday is going to be a rude awakening.

Over the weekend, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman dumped the final puzzle pieces for Apple’s “Pro and Tell” event. The Cupertino crew are indeed launching 14- and 16-inch OLED touchscreen MacBook Pros with Dynamic Islands to boot, but starting prices could be up to $500 higher than current models.

This confirms exactly what we reported last week, when Counterpoint Research told us that the combo of tandem OLED tech, touch features and skyrocketing memory costs (RAMageddon) would trigger a $300 to $500 increase. Now, the leaks are backing it up.

But before you panic or grab your wallet, you need to understand the decision Apple will put on you in a couple of days.

M5 brute force vs M6 efficiency

The most confusing part of Wednesday’s event won’t be the price; it’ll be the silicon.

Apple is reportedly splitting the lineup. The ultra-premium MacBook Pr-OLEDs are sticking with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips — while the standard 14-inch Pro and new iMac will pack the brand-new M6, but not have OLED or touch.

It looks like a paradox, but it is actually a highly specific use-case decision.

The extra raw grunt of the Pro and Max chips really makes this the choice for creative pros who want that far better display (and Apple Pencil support…please, Apple), with the local AI chops to really challenge Nvidia’s RTX Spark.

The OLED waiting room is feeling airy

If you’re looking at that potential $3,000 OLED price tag and thinking, “I’ll just wait for the OLED MacBook Air,” you’ll be waiting a long time.

This is another part of Gurman’s report. Apple is indeed currently testing OLED panels for future MacBook Air and iMac models, but those releases are “some way off.”

MacBook Airs almost always refresh in the spring of each year, and it’s looking like the 2027 update will stick with the standard LCD display. You’ll have to pay the Pro premium for perfectly inky blacks and touchscreen gestures. There is no budget backdoor.

What kind of Mac user are you?

Wednesday is going to completely reset the Mac buying landscape. It used to be simple: pick your size, your M chip, and get largely the same excellent experience.

Now, it’s becoming a little more confusing, so let me help. If your daily workflow involves heavy video editing, digital art, or you have the budget to be an early adopter of macOS touch gestures, the OLED M5 Pro/Max is your dream machine. The multi-core power is there, and the screen will be unmatched.

But if you are a coder, writer or everyday power user who just wants future-proof efficiency without paying a $500 early-adopter display tax? Ignore the touchscreen hype. Grab the entry-level M6 MacBook Pro, enjoy the single-core speed bump, and keep that extra cash in your pocket.

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Adding extra layers of protection to your devices will save you a lot of trouble down the road. Invasion of privacy is rampant in this current day and age, and while it may seem like the powers at be might already know everything about you, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t fight back.

Protect yourself by enabling these simple security settings on your smartphone and PC.

Enable automatic updates

It might feel like there’s an update every other day, but don’t sleep on keeping your devices up to date. Security vulnerabilities are inevitable, and will keep popping up so long as the tech exists. If you’re way behind on your updates, go to the System Settings on your device to enable automatic updates. If that’s unavailable, manually update it and check for updates periodically.

Disable your Advertising ID

Your device is actively collecting your data to feed you “relevant” ads, but you never know exactly what kind of data is being collected and where it’s going. Whatever device you may have, you’ll likely find options for your Advertising ID in the Privacy section of your System Settings. Disable or delete all mention of personalized advertising. You’ll still get ads, mind you, but they won’t be tailored by your personal data.

Disable lock screen notifications

If you’re out in public, it’s best practice to disable your lock screen notifications to prevent onlookers from gleaning your private information, especially if the data being displayed is sensitive. You can find this setting in the Notifications section of your device, where you can disable previews, or hide content.

Limit location permissions

You don’t need social media apps tracking your location all the time. Go to the Privacy or Security settings of your device and disable location permissions or limit them in specific apps. If an app needs your location to function, select the option that only allows it while using the app. Apps don’t need to be tracking your movements in the background when not in use.

Lock your device

Don’t leave your device permanently unlocked or to lock only after a long period of time. Come up with a longer, ideally unique, password and set your device to lock immediately when you move or put it away. You should be able to find this in your Security settings or your Account settings depending on your device. Disable any settings that extend unlock times in “trusted” environments. You could lose access to your device close to your home or car and leave it open to malicious actors.

Block the install of unknown apps

Most devices already have a setting that blocks the installation of unknown apps, but if you’re like me, you might have had to disable this feature in order to download something outside of native app marketplaces. Do yourself a favor and reinstate the block of unknown apps in your Security or App settings.

Enable device encryption (PC & Mac)

If your Mac or PC is ever stolen, the thieves won’t get access to your data if you’ve scrambled it by encrypting your drive. You’ll find this setting in Privacy & Security in both Windows 11 and macOS. On Windows it’s called BitLocker, and on macOS it’s called FileVault.

Enable Firewall (PC & Mac)

Turn on your network firewall to prevent suspicious connections from exploiting your device. If you have a Windows device, Microsoft Defender Firewall is likely already enabled, but it doesn’t hurt to check it in the Privacy & Security section. Meanwhile, macOS Firewall is actually disabled by default. You can turn that on by going to your System Settings and navigating to Network > Firewall.

Get a VPN

Unfortunately, smartphones and PCs rarely come with built-in VPNs, so it’s not exactly a simple setting you can turn on, but I highly recommend getting one to beef up your network privacy. If you’re not looking to spend money, Proton VPN is a reputable and free VPN.

Update browser permissions

Whatever your primary browser may be, you should adjust your default permissions in your Site Settings, usually found in the Privacy & Security section. Set each of the permissions to “Ask first” if they’re not already. The last thing you need is some random website activating your microphone or downloading files without your permission. You might also find a Safe Browsing setting in your browser, if not already built-in, that you can enable as well for enhanced protection.

Bottom line

Taking charge of your security settings is one of the few things you can do to stay in control of your privacy. Corporations are actively spying on us to try to sell us the “next best thing,” but we don’t have to make it easy for them. And we definitely don’t want to make it easy for hackers to steal our data and wreck our lives.

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If the tidal wave of leaks leading up to Apple’s ‘Pro and Tell’ event this week are accurate, we are days away from the biggest paradigm shift in Mac history: the OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro.

For a decade, the Cupertino crew swore they would never put a touchscreen on a Mac. They told us the ergonomics were wrong. They told us to buy an iPad. But the PC industry moved on, OLED got cheaper, and now Apple is finally caving.

But throwing a touch panel on a laptop is only half the battle; the operating system actually has to know what to do with your fingers. Rather than wait for Apple to take my money, I got impatient. Now with macOS2 27 installed, I went back and hooked the Intricuit Magic Screen touch layer to my current M5 MacBook Pro.

And after aggressively poking my display to see what a touch-first Mac actually feels like, it’s clear that macOS in its current form is suffering an identity crisis. Apple has a lot of software duct tape to apply before next week.

The finger vs. the mouse

The first 10 minutes of poking my MacBook Pro felt so familiar to other touch-enabled laptops like the Surface Laptop Ultra I just reviewed. Scrolling through articles with a flick of the wrist, pinching to zoom and tapping to pause on YouTube videos feels instantly natural.

But then, you actually try to get some work done.

Right now, macOS treats your finger exactly like a mouse cursor. There seems to be no native touch intelligence layer bridging the gap between your physical digit and the digital UI. That’s not a bad thing when it comes to simple tapping and scrolling, but the preciseness of a mouse cursor vs the blunt instrument of a finger is an issue.

When you try to hit the tiny, classic “traffic light” buttons in the top corner of the window, you’re playing a frustrating game of digital darts. And there isn’t any real gesture control built-in here to make the app bar appear or snap windows together.

What macOS desperately needs

Now, I know that chances are if Apple’s going to announce an OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro next week, it's already done a lot of the software tweaks in secret. But if I can propose three things that would make it great:

Hardware over software?

Using a touchscreen Mac today proves that the hardware experience is undeniably brilliant, but while there are some touch-friendly features on the trackpad, the OS software at the moment is actively fighting you.

If Apple unveils this MacBook Pro next week, it’s likely to be paired with a touch-optimized macOS update that borrows heavily from the iPhone Duo and iPadOS. And if they do that, they won’t just be catching up to Windows laptops; they will redefine how you interact with your computer.

Because ultimately, Windows 11 isn’t really touch friendly either, give or take some buttons. It’s a part of the laptop experience that has gone ignored for a while. And I’m quietly excited for Apple to change this.

We will find out on Wednesday. Keep your screen wipes ready.

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BenQ is no stranger to making some of the best monitors for macOS users, and now, the computing giant is venturing into the peripherals realm with INFTYLAB, a sub-brand dedicated to macOS accessories. I’ve spent a week using the BenQ INFTYLAB M Mouse PS01 which hopes to replace your Apple Magic Mouse, and I have to say: I’m impressed.

The PS01 delivers a smooth and responsive tracking experience, and it features dual scrolling wheels to streamline your workflow. In addition to that, you can map macOS gestures to its buttons via its user-friendly companion software. The mouse is ergonomic and comfortable, too, and it’s essentially the antithesis of the Apple Magic Mouse.

While it isn’t without its flaws, it’s arguably one of the best mice around. For the complete breakdown, read my full BenQ INFTYLAB M Mouse PS01 review.

BenQ INFTYLAB M Mouse PS01 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? An ergonomic mouse with dual scroll wheels and programmable MacBook trackpad gestures
• Who is it for? For macOS users and sedentary workers
• How much does it cost? $119 / £89
• What do we like? The ergonomic design, dual scroll wheels, customizable buttons, and user-friendly software
• What don’t we like? The lack of a left-handed version, and the price

BenQ INFTYLAB M Mouse PS01 review: Specs

BenQ INFTYLAB M Mouse PS01 review: The ups

There’s a lot to like about the BenQ INFTYLAB M Mouse PS01. It’s very comfortable and ergonomic, and sublime for productivity — especially if you’re a macOS user.

Supremely comfortable and ergonomic

There aren’t many macOS-first mice out there, and chances are, you’ve been recommended the Apple Magic Mouse ($79) to accompany your iMac, MacBook, what-have-you. But we all know that Apple’s first-party mouse is an ergonomic nightmare, and as someone who spends up to eight hours a day, five days a week at her desk, I can’t overstate the importance of an ergonomic mouse.

The BenQ INFTYLAB M Mouse PS01 is the perfect Magic Mouse alternative, primarily because it doesn’t hurt your hand or wrist. Measuring 4.53 x 2.85 x 1.63 inches, the PS01 is ideal for those with small- or medium-sized hands. The mouse has some height to it, similar to the Logitech MX Master 4 ($119), and my palm sat comfortably atop it. I found the PS01’s thumb rest very comfortable, too. Even after a full day of using the mouse, I didn’t feel any pain or discomfort in my hand, wrist or arm.

Another thing I love about the PS01 is its exceptional build quality. At 3 ounces, the mouse is lighter than the Logitech MX Master 4 (5.29 ounces) and the Logitech Signature Comfort Plus M850L ($49, 3.8 ounces), but it feels substantial in the hand, and doesn’t feel poorly built either. It uses high-quality plastic and aluminum (in its scroll wheel) to deliver a wonderful rodent. As a macOS peripheral, it feels and looks the part.

Dual scroll wheels

The BenQ INFTYLAB M Mouse PS01 is a productivity powerhouse, and is superb for anyone who spends their work week at a desk. In addition to its buttons that you can assign macOS gestures to, you get two scroll wheels. A vertical scroll wheel is located on the top, between the left- and right-click buttons, and a horizontal wheel is placed on the side.

As their names suggest, the free-moving top wheel enables up and down vertical scrolling, while the side wheel moves the cursor from side to side. As someone who navigates large spreadsheets and sometimes very long Slack threads, I love that the dual wheels streamline my workflow. I don’t really have to take my hand off the mouse and use my MacBook’s built-in trackpad for anything now.

And this brings me, very nicely, to my next point…

macOS gestures at your fingertips

If you’re thinking the BenQ INFTYLAB M Mouse PS01 features a touch-sensitive shell like the Apple Magic Mouse, I’m going to stop you right there. While it doesn’t feature a Multi-Touch surface, all of its buttons are customizable — and you can assign your trackpad-like gesture of choice to two of them.

By default, the top button (located right behind the scroll wheel) is programmed to take a screenshot. Meanwhile, the back button (located next to the horizontal scroll wheel) toggles Mission Control which displays all open windows. These can be customized via INFTYLAB Glide (more on that shortly). For example, I used the software to assign App Exposé to the back button as that’s something I use often when working on my MacBook Air M2.

I’ve found the buttons highly responsive. I love the tactile feedback they give when pressed. This applies to the other buttons, too. The left- and right-click buttons are not only quiet so they don’t disturb your coworkers, but they also feel tactile and not too soft. You get a maximum DPI of 6,000 which essentially increases the speed of your cursor. The PS01’s movements are smooth and fluid. Overall, it delivers an exceptional tracking experience.

User-friendly companion software

The BenQ INFTYLAB M Mouse PS01 is accompanied by the INFTYLAB Glide software, available for free on macOS as well as Windows. It looks and behaves like Logi Options+ and that’s no bad thing — it’s a compliment!

Sporting a clean interface with zero intrusive pop-ups or ads, Glide enables you to assign trackpad and Multi-Touch gestures to the PS01’s buttons. You can also adjust the mouse’s DPI (between 400 and 6,000), and of course, update its firmware.

You can also assign Quick Pie to one of the buttons, which displays your most-used commands in a circular menu, negating the need to memorize shortcuts. Once you’ve customized the mouse and selected your chosen settings, you can use the PS01 with any macOS device, as it saves the profile into its internal memory.

BenQ INFTYLAB M Mouse PS01 review: The downs

I had to really nitpick to find flaws in the BenQ INFTYLAB M Mouse PS01 — that’s because it’s a standout mouse. One thing worth noting is that there’s no left-handed version, and the mouse is a little expensive.

No left-handed version

If I had a nickel for every time I tested an ergonomic mouse that was designed for right-handed people only, I would have a few. I’m right-handed but I know left-handed folks, and work with one, too, and I know she isn’t happy about the BenQ INFTYLAB M Mouse PS01 being available in both orientations. I feel like if you’re making an ergonomic mouse, you have to consider both left- and right-handed users.

Like I said, this isn’t the first time I’ve encountered this issue. Other ergonomic mice, like the Logitech MX Master 4 and the Keychron M6 8K, come in the right-handed orientation only. It’s just a shame that the PS01 costs nearly $120 and isolates between 10% and 12% of the global population.

Expensive

If you’re on a budget, the BenQ INFTYLAB M Mouse PS01’s price tag might put a frown on your face. It has a retail price of $119 at B&H U.S. / £89 at BenQ U.K., which makes it one of the most expensive productivity mice I’ve tested — and the same price as the Logitech MX Master 4. In comparison, the Apple Magic Mouse starts at just $79 at Amazon U.S., but it’s nowhere near as ergonomic or comfortable as the PS01.

But turn that frown upside down because cheaper alternatives are available. The Keychron M6 8K is an MX Master 4 dupe and costs just $69, while the Keychron M7 is available for $49. You can also grab the Logitech MX Master 3S which is often on sale for around $79 at Amazon U.S. Of course, all of these mice are system-agnostic and don’t feature macOS-specific gestures, and the PS01 is worth the investment for its seamless Apple integration alone.

BenQ INFTYLAB M Mouse PS01 review: Verdict