This week: Here’s our one week review of the M1 MacBook Air! TDLR; it's ridiculous.

Then: how do the new M1 Macs perform with 8GB vs 16GB of RAM? The differences are surprising!

Plus: Apple’s about to do their best Black Friday sale yet, we discuss. And we’ll wrap up with a hands-on review of Stereo HomePod minis.

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@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's stories

M1 MacBook Air is an instant classic [Review]

• I just opened more than 650 tabs in Safari on a new M1 MacBook Air. I would have opened more, but I got bored. The MacBook Air is just humming. I’ve never seen anything like it.

Video Demos Performance Differences Between 8GB and 16GB Apple M1 MacBook Pro

• All of the M1 Mac models use the same M1 chip, so the upgrade options are limited to SSD storage space and RAM. We haven't seen many comparisons that demonstrate the difference between a machine with 8GB RAM and the upgraded 16GB RAM option, but Max Tech today shared a video highlighting the performance between an 8GB MacBook Pro and a 16GB MacBook Pro.

Apple offers gift cards of up to $150 in new Black Friday promotion

• Apple today unveiled its four-day shopping event that kicks off on Black Friday. The company is offering gift cards of up to $150 when you buy select products, including iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and Mac. The event runs through Monday, November 30, but it excludes some of Apple’s newest products — such as iPhone 12 and the new iPad Air.

Apple Watch, MacBook tipped for big redesigns in late 2021

• Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities expects Apple’s next-generation Apple Watch to bring “innovative health management functions.” No details, but could be the long-rumored blood glucose monitor. And while the M1 Macs looks exactly the same as previous models, new form factors are coming, Kuo says. Again, no details. He also told investors iPhone 12 is off to a strong start.

6 reasons an M1 Mac might not be right for you

This week: Apple’s new M1 Macs are breaking all the benchmarks, and are now officially the fastest Macs ever made. The MacBook Air is outperforming the iMac! These M1 Macs are insane.

Plus: iPhone 12 Pro Max Vs. Mini — we’ve got them both! Which one is the keeper? We discuss. And stay tuned for our HomePod mini review, and our favorite tire inflator in an all-new Under Review!

CultCast is now listener supported! If you 💖 what we do, & if want to see more content with the same CultCast gusto, please join us.

Supporters get CultCast: Off Topic!, a new variety show hosted by Erfon Elijah (and friends), and a lot more!

Join CultCast Support!

This episode supported by

The NETGEAR Orbi WiFi 6 router gives you ultra-fast speeds and wider coverage throughout your home – it’s the biggest revolution in WiFi ever. Check it out today at your local Best Buy and at Netgear.com/bestwifi6.

Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at Store.Cultofmac.com

CultCloth will keep your iPhone 12, Apple Watch, iPad, glasses and lenses sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

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On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's stories

First M1 Macs blow reviewers’ socks off

• Still on the fence over Apple’s new M1 Mac mini, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro despite their stellar benchmarks? Find out what tech experts think of them in new reviews and hands-on videos.

M1 MacBook Review + Mac Mini (Dave2D)

iPhone 12 mini is the ultimate one-handed phone [Review]

• Buying a compact smartphone used to mean making some big sacrifices. You either had to settle for an older model, or you had to opt for an Android handset (ugh!). That’s no longer the case, thanks to iPhone 12 mini.

iPhone 12 Pro Max: Bigger, bolder and undeniably better [Review]

• iPhone 12 Pro Max is Apple’s biggest smartphone to date, with a Super Retina XDR display that measures at 6.7 inches diagonally. It’s also the fastest handset on the market, thanks to an incredibly speedy A14 Bionic processor that’s coupled with 5G connectivity (where available).

This week: early benchmarks are in for Apple’s new M1 silicon, and they show the new chip makes the new MacBook Air FASTER than the 16-inch MacBook Pro.  The M1 performance is HARD TO BELIEVE, and then there's the insane battery life...

Plus, HomePod mini reviews are in, and we go hands-on with Dolby Atmos on Apple TV with original HomePod!

CultCast is now listener supported!

Today we announced that CultCast is going listener supported. If you 💖 what we do, & want to see more content with the same CultCast gusto, please join us!

Supporters get CultCast: Off Topic!, a new variety show hosted by Erfon Elijah (and friends).

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On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's stories

Performance trajectory shows why jump to Apple Silicon makes perfect sense

• Apple improved its processors’ performance by a massive 3x in the past five years, according to analysis carried out by AnandTech.

Apple Silicon M1 Chip in MacBook Air Outperforms High-End 16-Inch MacBook Pro

• In comparison to Macs, the single-core M1performance is better than any other available Mac, and the multi-core performance beats out all of the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro models, including the 10th-generation high-end 2.4GHz Intel Core i9 model.

Apple Silicon M1’s biggest surprise? Insane battery life

• Apple Silicon was widely expected to be fast, but perhaps the biggest surprise of the new M1 chip is the insane battery life it enables.

First HomePod mini reviews: Superior audio that’s better late than never

• What HiFi?: “the HomePod Mini outperforms its size and price like no other smart speaker you can buy.”

HomePods + Apple TV + Dolby Atmos - WOW (review, sound test and reactions)

• Apple has brought Dolby Atmos support to HomePods!

This week: New MacBook Pros are right around the corner, and their Apple silicon are looking like powerhouses! Plus: a new leak gives us our first glimpse as the next-gen AirPods, and they look even better than we hoped. And forget everything you’ve heard about AirTags--Apple has BIG plans for this tech that extends far beyond what we’ve been told.

Join us in the CultClub! discord.gg/BrKdnSK

This episode supported by

Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at Store.Cultofmac.com

CultCloth will keep your iPhone 12, Apple Watch, iPad, glasses and lenses sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's stories

Is this our first glimpse of the next-gen AirPods?

• Apple’s third-generation AirPods reportedly will look very similar to the AirPods Pro, and a new photo shared online may give us our first glimpse of the new design.

Get ready for Apple Silicon Mac at ‘One More Thing’ event

• Apple sent out invites on Monday to an unprecedented third product launch event. This will almost certainly be the debut of Macs running Apple Silicon, the company’s own processors, and the long rumored AirTags.

Apple to Launch MacBooks With Own Chips Next Week

• Apple and overseas suppliers are ramping up production of three Mac laptops with Apple processors: new 13-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros and a new 13-inch MacBook Air, according to people familiar with the matter.

A14X Bionic to Be ‘Nearly on Par’ With 8-Core Intel Core i9-9880H, According to Fresh Performance Analysis

Two Massive Master Patents covering Apple AirTags has been Published illustrating many styles and Applications