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Engadget review recap: Two new Macs, the PS5 Pro and more
The latest HTC Vive headset and two more Kindles.
Techtober rolled straight into November this year. The first week of the month was a busy one at Engadget HQ as we published a number of high-profile reviews over the last few days. There's the MacBook Pro and Mac mini from Apple alongside the beastly (and expensive) PS5 Pro. Plus, we've got yet another VR headset and more ereaders for the bookworms. Read on to catch up on all of this week's reviews and for a tease of what's coming next.
Apple MacBook Pro (2024) review
Apple
Apple’s 14-inch MacBook Pro is better than ever thanks to its M4 chips, Thunderbolt 5 support and slightly brighter screens.
- Fast M4 chips
- Brighter display
- Sharp 12MP Center Stage webcam
- Thunderbolt 5 with M4 Pro/Max
- Long battery life
- Pricey spec upgrades
Our Mac expert Devindra Hardawar had a busy week. Publishing four reviews in total, he primarily focused on an Apple double dip. He put the new M4-powered MacBook Pro through its paces in both 14- and 16-inch sizes. Unsurprisingly, the new chips offer a speed boost, but there are also updates to the display, webcam and battery life. Spec upgrades remain pricey, but if you opt for a machine with M4 Pro or M4 Max power, you'll also gain Thunderbolt 5 support.
"If you're running an M1 MacBook Pro, or still trucking along with an Intel model, you'll definitely see some notable performance gains from these machines," he explained. "But if you've got an M2 or M3 MacBook Pro, the M4 hardware is less of a qualitative leap."
Apple Mac mini (M4 Pro, 2024) review
Apple
Apple’s smaller Mac mini is mightier than ever, thanks to the M4 and M4 Pro chips, and it’s a better deal with 16GB of RAM to start.
- M4 Pro chip is incredibly fast
- 16GB RAM standard
- Front USB-C and headphone ports
- Smaller design takes up less space
- Thunderbolt 5 with M4 Pro
- Spec upgrades are overpriced
- Fan gets loud with heavy workloads
- No SD card reader
The second part of Devindra's double-header was the new Mac mini, which is also now powered by Apple's M4 chips. You'll notice the biggest speed boost with the M4 Pro here and 16GB RAM is now standard. Of course, a key change is the smaller size, and the front-mounted USB-C and headphone ports will come in handy.
"The Mac mini was the fastest computer I've reviewed this year, at least when it comes to CPU benchmarks," he wrote. "I've grown used to being impressed by Apple Silicon, but the M4 Pro in our review unit (which was also equipped with 48GB of RAM) was still a bigger leap ahead than I expected."
Sony PlayStation 5 Pro review
Engadget / Sony
The PlayStation 5 Pro is the most powerful console ever made, but you’ll pay dearly for its performance. Thanks to a faster GPU, it finally delivers 4K and 60 fps performance for PlayStation gamers, with a dash of new ray tracing features.
- Faster GPU enables 4K/60 performance
- PSSR AI upscaler works well
- New ray tracing capabilities
- Can slightly upgrade PS4 titles
- Comes with a 2TB SSD
- Expensive
- So expensive
- No disc drive
- Not all games have Pro enhancements
Devindra also assisted senior gaming reporter Jessica Conditt with the highly anticipated PlayStation 5 Pro review this week. It's no surprise the duo confirmed that the PS5 Pro is the most powerful console ever, powered by a faster GPU that unlocks 4K/60 fps action. There are new ray tracing features too, and the console comes with a 2TB SSD. But, you'll pay a high price for this one, and not every game has Pro-level enhancements for you to enjoy.
"There's no doubt that the PS5 Pro is a niche product, not an upgrade targeted at all PS5 owners," they said. "It's meant for the Sony devotees who want the absolute best PlayStation experience, and who will never upgrade to a gaming PC."
HTC Vive Focus Vision review
HTC Vive
The Vive Focus Vision is a sleek premium standalone VR headset that can also deliver solid PC VR. But it’s also running aging hardware, it’s riddled with software issues and it’s expensive compared to the Meta Quest 3.
- Excellent build quality
- Comfortable fit
- Hot-swappable battery
- Running 2020-era Snapdragon XR2
- Small library of titles
- Pricey
- Uses old Fresnel lenses
Devindra finished up his marathon week with latest HTC Vive VR headset. Unfortunately, great design is hampered by a high price, limited gaming library and older components. Simply put, "it still delivers decent standalone VR, despite using an aging CPU and lenses," he explained. "But for a $999 headset, it’s a shame HTC Vive didn’t try harder to make the Focus Vision stand out."
Kindle Paperwhite Signature (2024) review
Amazon/Engadget
The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is one of the most luxe ereaders you can buy, but some may not need to pay extra for all the nice-to-have features.
- Screen displays crisp text with a lovely warm light
- Flush-front screen and soft-touch back feel premium
- Noticeably faster page turns and scrolling
- Auto-adjusting warm front light is helpful
- Power button on the bottom edge is easy to accidentally trigger
- Can’t adjust touch screen controls
- Fewer page and font adjustments than the competition
- The features exclusive to the Signature aren’t essential
Commerce editor Amy Skorheim reviewed both the new Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and the new standard Kindle this week, pitting them against each other in a direct face off. While the OG is still a workhorse, the more premium option offers more features. But, as Amy found, you might not need them.
"It comes down to whether you think a heightened experience will make you read more," she said. "If so, then it’s probably worth the price jump in the long run. But if you’re just looking for a no-frills way to read books, go for the base Kindle."
The next round of reviews
I know I teased the Sonos Arc Ultra review for this week, but our audio expert (hi!) needed a little more testing time with the soundbar. I doubly promise that one is coming early next week for your Veterans Day reading. We still have one new Mac on the horizon, and we're expecting to wrap up the iMac (2024) review next week too. And there's yet another Amazon review coming soon with the updated Fire HD 8.
