u/IslandTune

I recently picked up a pair of Beats Studio Pros at Target when they were on sale for $150. I had a pair of Studio 3s that I loved, but they started showing some signs of wear and I’d been eyeing up the Pros since they came out.

Now that I’ve spent a few days with them, I’m still not convinced I love them. Immediately I noticed that the left side sounds muffled when in transparency mode. Is this normal, or is this a unit defect?

Also, I’m pretty disappointed that the technology to seamlessly switch between Apple devices wasn’t put in these headphones. I use my AirPods a lot, and automatically switching back and forth between my MacBook and my iPhone is a feature I didn’t realized I used so much. I had assumed since these were newer that they would be capable of doing that, but I suppose that’s a feature Apple keeps for the AirPods line (and $500 for the AirPod Maxes is a tad steep😭).

I haven’t compared them yet, but I’m also not convinced the noise cancellation from the 3s to the Pros got any better (nor am I convinced it’s equally as good). Maybe it is, but I just don’t love these headphones like I did the Studio 3s when I first got them.

That being said, there are some features I’m enjoying. USB-C charging was LONG overdue. I probably stopped using my 3s partially because whenever they died I’d have to hunt down a micro USB cable. I also do appreciate the transparency mode, even if the sound seems a bit uneven.

What’s your experience with the Studio Pros? Likes vs. Dislikes? Do yours also have the weird transparency mode issue? I’m trying to decide if I should keep them or take them back and look for a different pair/brand.

Looking for some advice on the best way to play Minecraft Story Mode on Apple Silicon. I have an M5 Pro MacBook Pro (64Gb RAM, 18-CPU, 20-GPU). I own the game on Steam; the Mac port is 32bit so it doesn't run natively.

I've tried playing it using CrossOver, but there's a known issue that causes the game to not launch.

I own an old version of Parallels, but it isn't compatible with Apple Silicon. I don't really want to upgrade Parallels because it's expensive and I don't need it very often, but using a virtual machine seems to be the only option here.

Is VMWare a valid option? I've seen some people say that it doesn't run games very well, but seeing as this is an older game I thought it might suffice. Anyone have any experience with this?

Has anyone tried running Minecraft Story Mode using VMWare? I've tried running it on CrossOver, but it unfortunately does not work. I have an old version of Parallels, but it doesn't work on Apple Silicon Macs and I don't really want to upgrade because it's expensive and I don't think I'd use it very often (MCSM is the only thing I currently would need it for). I don't have any experience with VMWare, but it seems to be a good (and free) alternative to Parallels. Wondering if anyone has experience playing MCSM using VMWare (or any games for that matter).

Edit: I have purchased MCSM and the pass on Steam; I just need a way to run it lol

Hello there! :) I just got a new M5 Pro MacBook Pro and I’m looking to do some gaming on it. I purchased MCSM Season 1 and 2 on Steam back when it was still available, but sadly I don’t think I ever played more than an episode or so:( These games still intrigue me and I want to give them a shot!

I’ve downloaded both games using Crossover. Season 2 appears to work great (though I’ve only launched the game, haven’t played any episodes since I haven’t played season 1 yet), and it looks like I even purchased the adventure pass as well, so I THINK I’m good to go for season 2 (please correct me if I’m wrong).

Season 1 on the other hand is a different story. The game installs but won’t launch in crossover (which is consistent with reviews on Crossover’s compatibility list). I imagine I also probably got the adventure pass for Season 1 but I can’t even check since the game closes as soon as it tries to open.

What’s the best way to play Season 1? Is there a way for me to play my legitimate Season 1 copy? Do I need to use the mega-thread to set sail on the high seas? Any tips on getting this game running on an Apple Silicon Mac would be greatly appreciated!

Edit: Confirmed through my Steam library that I do in fact have the adventure pass for season 1 as well. Just need to figure out how to play it🥲

I’ve been rocking my 2017 i7 MacBook Pro for some time now, and it’s CERTAINLY time for an upgrade. I recently ordered a new MacBook—a 14in M5 Pro MacBook Pro with Nano-texture display, 18-core CPU, 20-core GPU, 64GB RAM, and 2TB storage. For reference, this comes out to $3549 on the Apple Store (though I did get the education discount so it was almost $300 less than that price).

It arrives on Friday, and honestly I’m very excited. However, shortly after I ordered it, I began to wonder if the configuration I ordered wasn’t the best choice. Gaming on my current MacBook is not something I do much of currently because… well… it’s an intel MacBook from 2017. But I definitely want the ability to play games on my new computer. I know the computer I’ve ordered is very capable, and I may just be overthinking it, but I’ve started to wonder if I should’ve gone for the M5 Max chip instead and lower the amount of RAM. For instance, the 14in M5 Max MBP with Nano-texture display, 18-core CPU, 32-core GPU, 36 GB RAM, and 2 TB storage is $3749.

So essentially, for an extra $200 you get an additional 12 GPU cores but 28 GB less RAM. My thought here is that GPU-cores are very important when it comes to gaming, and 36 GB RAM is still quite a lot (I went for the 64 GB option in the name of “future proofing” but honestly can’t imagine ever needing that much).

I got almost 10 years of use out of my current MacBook, and I’d like my next one to last me about the same, so I’m really trying to make sure I’m very happy with my decision. Can anyone offer advice with their experience on machines of similar specs? Should I consider returning the M5 Pro MBP after I get it and buy the M5 Max MBP instead? Am I overthinking it and the 13 extra GPU cores aren’t really that big of a deal?

I’m finally upgrading my MacBook and I’m considering purchasing a keyboard and mouse. I would like to do some gaming on the new machine, but honestly I’ll probably end up using a controller more often than not, so I’m not sure how much I should care about the keyboard/mouse being “good” for gaming.

For the mouse, I’m considering the Logitech MX Master 4, the Magic Mouse, and even the Magic Trackpad. I know some people hate on the Apple Magic peripherals, but I honestly think I’d probably like them enough for everyday use. Would love to know people’s pros and cons for these options.

For the keyboard, I’m considering the Magic Keyboard or an RGB mechanical keyboard, but I don’t have a specific brand or model in mind. If I go the RGB route, I definitely want one with good Mac compatibility and features, like a high level of customization (not just large zones), etc.

What keyboard and mouse do you use? What are some important features you’d look for if you were looking for a new keyboard and mouse?