After Apple introduced the AirPods 5 last week, we got a set to take home and review. We've been testing the AirPods 5 for the last week and have some initial thoughts. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The ‌AirPods 5‌ have the same overall design and fit as the AirPods 4, so they're just as comfortable as the prior-generation model. Active Noise Cancellation has been improved through new internal acoustic architecture, and it's surprisingly good. The ‌AirPods 5‌ don't have silicone ear tips so you might not expect ANC to work as well as earbuds with a tighter fit, but there is a noticeable improvement over the ANC version of the AirPods 4. Apple says the ‌AirPods 5‌ use low-noise microphones and a new compressor tuned for open-ear ANC. The compressor is tuned to a wider frequency range and can react faster than before when conditions change. Sound is measured for the left and right ears independently, correcting for fit leaks to further improve ANC. Sound quality on the ‌AirPods 5‌ was muddier than on the AirPods Pro 3, especially in the low mids. iOS 27 has custom EQ, though, which allows for adjustments. The ‌AirPods 5‌ support Adaptive Audio and Transparency, so they have most of the same audio features as the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌. Apple used to limit ANC to the higher-end version of the AirPods 4, but with the ‌AirPods 5‌, it's universal. You can now get AirPods with ANC for just $129. There's an upgraded model with […]

The first unverified benchmark result for Apple's new M5 Ultra chip surfaced in the Geekbench 7 database today, offering a look at the chip's impressive performance gains. The new Mac Studio will be Apple's first device to be equipped with the M5 Ultra. Here is how the highest-end M5 Ultra chip with a 36-core CPU scored: Single-core CPU score: 3,774 Multi-core CPU score: 52,516Apple never released an M4 Ultra chip. Here are the average scores for the highest-end M3 Ultra chip with a 32-core CPU on Geekbench 7: Single-core CPU score: 2,920 Multi-core CPU score: 39,059 Unsurprisingly, the M5 Ultra is Apple's fastest chip ever. If this Geekbench result is accurate, it has up to around 30% faster single-core CPU performance and up to around 35% faster multi-core performance compared to the M3 Ultra. But, it comes at a steep cost. In the U.S., the Mac Studio with a 36-core M5 Ultra starts at $6,799. Apple said the M5 Ultra has up to 1.25× faster single-threaded CPU performance and up to 1.3× faster multi-threaded CPU performance compared to the M3 Ultra, so the benchmark result roughly aligns with or even beats those advertised claims. However, keep in mind that there wil be some variance in scores as additional results surface. Here is where the M5 Ultra slots in for maximum multi-core CPU performance:M5 Ultra: 52,516 M3 Ultra: 39,059 M5 Max: 35,119 M5 Pro: 33,593 M4 Max: 29,047 M2 Ultra: 28,789 M4 Pro: 24,894 M3 Max: 24,649 M1 Ultra: 23,328 M6: 22,783 M5: 17,948 M2 Max: […]

MacRumors has partnered with OWC to bring our readers big savings on the retailer's best Thunderbolt docks, USB-C cables, and external storage enclosures. These exclusive deals will run through Monday, September 21 at 12:00 a.m. CST, so you have the rest of this week to shop. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with OWC. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. All discounts have been applied automatically, so all you need to do is follow the links below and add one of the accessories to your cart to see the savings. There are seven total items on sale, including two docks, three enclosures, and two USB-C cables. $50 OFFOWC 11-Port Thunderbolt Dock for $179.99 $205 OFFOWC Express 4M2 Ultra Enclosure for $244.99 The two docks on sale include the OWC 11-Port Thunderbolt 5 Dock for $229.99 ($90 off), and the 11-Port Thunderbolt Dock for $179.99 ($50 off). These docks expand the capabilities of your Mac setup by adding 11 additional ports to your computer. One of the overall steepest discounts in our exclusive sale is on the OWC Express 4M2 Ultra Enclosure, which is on sale for $244.99 ($205 off). Below you'll find additional desktop RAID systems on sale, as well as two USB-C cables at low prices. OWC 11-Port Thunderbolt Dock - $179.99, down from $229.99 OWC 11-Port Thunderbolt 5 Dock - $229.99, down from $319.99 OWC Express 1M2 80G Enclosure - $114.99, down from $149.99 OWC Express 4M2 Ultra […]