What is it? The 13-inch MacBook Air is Apple’s most affordable laptop, designed with portability in mind.

What’s new? Apple introduced the M5 MacBook Air in March 2026, featuring the M5 chip with its faster CPU and GPU. The base configuration now starts with 512GB of storage (double the previous model), along with faster SSD speeds, more memory bandwidth, and support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.

Who’s it for? It’s perfect for students and everyday users who want a lightweight laptop that’s easy to carry, and powerful enough for working, studying, browsing, and doing light creative work. If you want a larger screen there is a 15-inch MacBook Air, which we discuss below.

How much does the 13-inch MacBook Air cost? The entry-level 13-inch M5 MacBook Air costs from $1,299/£1,299, that’s up $200/£200 from the launch price of $1,099/£1,099. You can create build-to-order models with more memory (up to 32GB) or storage (up to 4TB).

What are the specifications? The standard specs for the M5 MacBook Air offer an improvement compared to the previous generation. The MacBook Air now ships with 512GB SSD as standard.

• Apple M5, 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB memory, 512GB SSD, two Thunderbolt 4 ports: $1,299/£1,299.
• Apple M5, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16GB memory, 512GB SSD, two Thunderbolt 4 ports: $1,399/£1,399.
• Additional options: Up to 32GB memory, 4TB storage.

What are display specifications?

• While referred to as 13-inch, when measured diagonally the screen is 13.6-inches.
• The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina on the M5 MacBook Air display has a native resolution of 2,560×1,664 and 500 nits brightness.
• The MacBook Air M5 can support two external displays.

How do I connect stuff? The M5 MacBook Air models supports Thunderbolt 4, which means that they can support a dual monitor set up. If you want to connect USB-A devices, you need either a USB-C to USB-A adapter, like Apple’s $19 / £19 one, or a USB-C hub that has USB-A ports. In the U.K. and Europe Apple has stopped including a Power Adapter in the box, so you will need to buy one separately. See our round-up of the best USB-C hubs and adapters.

The 2026 MacBook Air offers Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) for connecting to a network. It also provides built-in Bluetooth (6) for wirelessly connecting a mouse or other peripherals. If you want to connect to an ethernet network, you need an adapter.

How fast is it? In our tests the M5 saw consistent gains over the M4 in the previous generation, as you can see in our Mac processor benchmarks. In some benchmarks the M5 even beats the M1 Ultra. If you are upgrading from an old Mac – especially if it is one with an Intel chip – you will see a huge difference.

Any other considerations? The MacBook Air should be more than fast enough for general-purpose use. The only issue is that, because it doesn’t have an internal fan, it may slow down during long processing sessions to keep cool. So if you are likely to be video editing or compiling code the MacBook Pro with its fan is a better choice. Also note that it’s impossible to upgrade the storage or memory after purchase, so you should buy the model with the largest amount of storage and memory you can afford or invest in external storage.

Why we recommend the 13-inch MacBook Air: The MacBook Air is a great choice for someone who does general-purpose work and moves around a lot, such as a student or a self-employed person.

We compare the MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro separately.

What’s new? The MacBook Neo is Apple’s new entry-level Mac laptop. It’s powered by an iPhone-class chip (the A18 Pro) rather than an M-series processor, and it introduces a colorful design and a simplified feature set at a much lower starting price, although not as low as it was, thanks to Apple’s June 2026 price hikes which pushed prices up $100.

Who’s it for? The MacBook Neo is designed to appeal to students and those who want to use a laptop for everyday tasks like web browsing, video calls, schoolwork, streaming, email and office apps. Because it uses an A18 Pro iPhone chip and is limited to 8GB of non-upgradable RAM, it is not suitable for heavy video editing or large-scale photo processing.

How much does the MacBook Neo cost? At launch the MacBook Neo was the cheapest Mac laptop Apple has ever released, starting at $599/£599. That price is now slightly more, at $699/£699, but it’s still about half the price of a MacBook Air.

What are the specifications? The MacBook Neo is the first Mac to use an A-series processor, the same family used in iPhones. That chip has a 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU, 8GB unified memory, and either 256GB or 512GB storage.

• Apple A18 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 8GB memory, 256GB SSD, two USB-C ports: $699/£699.
• Apple A18 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 8GB memory, 512GB SSD, two USB-C ports: $799/£799.
• Additional options: None.

What are display specifications? The MacBook Neo features a 13-inch Liquid Retina display with 2,408×1,506 resolution at 220 ppi, at up to 500 nits and sRGB color. That should be good enough for everyday work.

How do I connect stuff? Connectivity is basic. There are two USB-C ports; one is USB 3, the other is slower USB 2. There isn’t a separate MagSafe port so charging is via USB-C. There is a 3.5mm headphone jack. Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6 are included.

How fast is it? MacBook Neo uses the A18 Pro chip that first appeared in the iPhone 16 Pro. Our tests and benchmarks of that chip indicate that it offers similar performance to the M1. It is suitable for everyday tasks like web browsing, streaming, and office apps.

Any other considerations? To get to the low price Apple has made several trade-offs. The MacBook Neo lacks Thunderbolt and MagSafe support, there is no keyboard backlight and no Touch ID on the base model, and RAM is limited to 8GB with no option to increase that to 16GB.

Why we recommend the MacBook Neo: This is the most affordable way to own a Mac laptop – unless you buy a used or refurbished model. If you don’t need pro-level performance it’s a very compelling entry-point into Apple’s ecosystem.

What is it? The 15-inch MacBook Air is essentially identical to the 13-inch model above aside from the bigger screen and six-speaker system rather than four speakers. Surprisingly, battery life isn’t better on the 15-inch, despite the bigger battery.

What’s new? The M5 MacBook Air arrived in March 2026. Like the 13-inch version it features the M5 chip for faster CPU and GPU performance compared to the previous generation. The base configuration now starts with 512GB of storage (double the previous model), along with faster SSD speeds, more memory bandwidth, and support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.

Who’s it for? The 15-inch MacBook Air is ideal for anyone who wants a big-screen laptop for far less than the price of a 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro. The big screen will allow more room for spreadsheets and browser tabs, and for multitasking with multiple apps open. It’s also great choice for anyone who values portability due to its lightweight and thin design.

How much does the 15-inch MacBook Air cost? The price of the 15-inch model was $1,299/£1,299, but following the June 2026 price increases it now starts at $1,499/£1,499. There are three configurations and you can create build-to-order models with up to 32GB memory and 2TB storage.

What are the specifications? The specifications of the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air are generally the same as the 13-inch model, except there is no 8-core GPU option here. The actual screen measurements, measured diagonally are 15.3in. You are essentially paying $200/£200 more for the bigger screen.

• Apple M5, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16GB memory, 512GB SSD, two Thunderbolt 4 ports: $1,499/£1,499.
• Additional options: Up to 32GB memory, 4TB storage.

What are display specifications?

• While referred to as 15-inch, when measured diagonally the screen is 15.3-inches.
• The 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display has a native resolution of 2,880×1,864 and 500 nits brightness.
• The MacBook Air M5 can support two external displays.

How do I connect stuff? Both M5 MacBook Air models support Thunderbolt 4 and can support a dual monitor set up. For USB-A devices you need a USB-C to USB adapter (Apple sells one for $19 / £19), or a USB-C hub with USB-A ports. In the U.K. and Europe Apple has stopped including a Power Adapter in the box, so you will need to buy one separately. See our round-up of the best USB-C hubs and adapters.

The 2026 MacBook Air offers the new standards of Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) and Bluetooth (6). If you want to connect to an ethernet network, you need an adapter.

How fast is it? This is the same M5 as found in the 14-inch MacBook Pro, so you can expect similar performance. In our tests we found the M5 to be faster than the M1 Ultra in some benchmarks. If you are updating from an older Mac expect a big boost.

Any other considerations? The Air doesn’t have a fan to keep the computer cool, so it may throttle down its speed during long processing sessions, such as video editing or compiling code. If that’s the kind of work you intend to do, a MacBook Pro would be a better option. Also note that you won’t be able to update RAM or storage later, so get as much as you can afford.

Why we recommend the 15-inch MacBook Air: Starting at $1,499/£1,499, the 15-inch MacBook Air is a much more affordable Mac laptop than the 14-inch MacBook Pro, which starts at $1,999/£1,999, so if you want your screen to be bigger than 13 inches, and you don’t need the power of a MacBook Pro for the kind of work you do, the 15-inch MacBook Air is a great option.

What is it? There are three distinct types of MacBook Pro, the M5 model discussed here, and the M5 Pro and M5 Max models we look at separately. Like its more powerful siblings, the M5 MacBook Pro has an HDR ProMotion display, which the MacBook Air lacks. The MacBook Pro offers more ports than the MacBook Air: HDMI and SDXC slots. The 14-inch MacBook Pro offers 24 hour battery life – which, along with the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro chip, is the best battery life ever on a MacBook.

What’s new? In October 2025 Apple updated the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 chip. There were no other major changes, aside from the new option to add 4TB storage at point of sale. Bigger changes came with the launch of the M4 MacBook Pro in October 2024, back then we saw RAM increase from 8GB to 16GB as standard, camera improvements, and Thunderbolt 4 support.

Who’s it for? The 14-inch MacBook Pro is for a more demanding user than the MacBook Air. Its main benefit is the design allows for better cooling, which means that if you push the machine it won’t slow down to avoid overheating. However, there are other MacBook Pros available from Apple (including a 16-inch model) that offer faster processors, so if you really need a powerful machine one of those might be more suitable–we discuss the M5 Pro and M5 Max models below.

How much does the 14-inch MacBook Pro cost? The entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro M5 starts at $1,999/£1,999 (up from the $1,699/£1,699 it cost in March 2026 – even that was an increase compared to the $1,599/£1,599 it cost at launch in October 2025).

What are the specifications? The standard specs for the 14-inch MacBook Pro offer an improvement on the previous generation. The MacBook Pro now ships with 1TB SSD as standard, up from 512GB.

• Apple M5, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16GB memory, 1TB SSD, three Thunderbolt 4 ports, SDXC, HDMI, $1,999/£1,999.
• Additional options: 32GB memory; up to 4TB storage.

What are display specifications?

• Apple refers to it as a 14-inch screen, but the screen measured diagonally is actually 14.2-inches.
• The 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display has a native resolution of 3,024×1,964 and 1,000 nits brightness, 1600 nits peak, 600 nits SDR brightness, and ProMotion for adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz.
• The notch at the top of the display conceals the 12MP FaceTime camera which now features Centre Stage.

How do I connect stuff? There are three Thunderbolt 4 ports. These are compatible with USB-C (if you have wired devices that aren’t USB-C, you’ll need an adapter, we have a separate MacBook Pro Thunderbolt adapter guide to help you decide which ones you’ll need). The 14-inch MacBook Pro also comes with an HDMI port for connecting an external display or projector, and an SDXC Card slot for plugging in memory cards from cameras, audio recorders, and other devices. The HDMI port also supports multichannel audio output. The 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro still has the older Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless connectivity (the other MacBook Pro models and Air have been updated to the newer standards. In the U.K. and Europe Apple has stopped including a Power Adapter in the box, so you will need to buy one separately.

How fast is it? Apple described the M5 chip in the MacBook Pro as offering a “big leap” in AI performance thanks to a Neural Accelerator in each core. It also offers 4x better graphics performance compared to the M4, according to Apple. In some of our tests the M5 beat the M1 Ultra, which shows the progress Apple has made with its silicon over the past few years. The MacBook Air matches the specs of the M5 MacBook Pro, but the Pro outperforms the Air due to the inclusion of a fan for cooling (the MacBook Air doesn’t have the space for this). If you need it, more power is available from the MacBook Pro with M5 Pro or Max.

Any other considerations? Our advice is to max out the RAM (aka Unified Memory) and storage when you buy a Mac because you can’t update it later on.

Why we recommend the 14-inch MacBook Pro (M5): The 14-inch MacBook Pro costs $1,999/£1,999, which is much more than the 13-inch MacBook Air at $1,299/£1,299. However the $700/£700 difference is misleading: when comparing like for like: the 15-inch MacBook Air with 1TB SSD costs $1,799/£1,799, which is $200/£200 less than the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the same 1TB SSD. For that extra $200 you get a bigger screen on a machine that is better suited to processor intensive work.

What is it? The 14-inch MacBook Pro can also be configured with an M5 Pro or M5 Max chip, which are much more powerful than the standard chip in the M5 MacBook Pro. The Pro and Max MacBook Pro can support up to 18-core CPU, 40-core GPU, 128GB memory and 8TB storage, for a seriously fast Mac laptop. There’s a larger 16-inch MacBook Pro with similar specs that we discuss below.

What’s new? The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro or M5 Max was introduced in March 2026 and introduces Apple’s new Fusion Architecture chip that combines two 3nm CPU and GPU dies into a single unified system on a chip, which lets Apple scale performance and efficiency. In addition, the GPU includes a Neural Accelerator in every core, which Apple claims delivers up to 4x the AI performance of the previous generation. There is also faster memory and faster SSD speeds.

Who’s it for? If your work demands serious processing power, these machines are built to handle it. If you regularly work in professional software, the 14-inch MacBook Pro is a strong choice, and with either the M5 Pro or M5 Max chip they’re the most powerful laptops Apple has ever made. The 14-inch model costs less than the 16-inch version, making it the more budget-friendly option, and if you use an external monitor the screen size matters less. The M5 Pro MacBook Pro is designed for demanding professional tasks like software development, managing large photo libraries, or editing 4K video, while the M5 Max is aimed at even heavier workflows such as 3D animation, complex simulations, AI development, and high-end video production.

How much does the 14-inch MacBook Pro, M5 Pro & Max cost? The price now starts at $2,499/£2,499 (up from $2,199/£2,199) for the M5 Pro. The M5 Max version starts at $4,099/£4,099, up from $3,599/£3,599 prior to June 2026, and a gigantic leap from the previous generation starting price of $3,199/£3,199 (that M4 Max model came with 1TB SSD rather than 2TB).

What are the specifications? Here are the standard configurations for the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

• Apple M5 Pro, 15-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB memory, 1TB SSD, three Thunderbolt 5 ports, SDXC, HDMI, $2,499/£2,499.
• Apple M5 Pro, 18-core CPU, 20-core GPU, 24GB memory, 1TB SSD, three Thunderbolt 5 ports, SDXC, HDMI, $2,699/£2,699.
• Apple M5 Max, 18-core CPU, 32-core GPU, 36GB memory, 2TB SSD, three Thunderbolt 5 ports, SDXC, HDMI, $4,099/£4,099.
• Apple M5 Max, 18-core CPU, 40-core GPU, 48GB memory, 2TB SSD, three Thunderbolt 5 ports, SDXC, HDMI, $4,699/£4,699.
• Additional options: 128GB memory; up to 8TB storage, Nano-texture display.

What are display specifications?

• Apple refers to it as a 14-inch screen, but the screen measures 14.2-inches.
• The 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display hasn’t changed from its native resolution of 3,024×1,964, 254 pixels per inch, 1,600 nits of maximum brightness and 1,000 nits for HDR content, but it now offers 1000 nits for standard content, up from 600. You’ll also get a 1,000,000-to-1 contrast ratio and ProMotion support with a refresh rate up to 120Hz.
• The notch at the top of the display conceals the 12MP Center Stage camera with support for Desk View and 1080p HD video recording. The notch does not affect the available screen area—the work area is a 16-by-10 space, while the screen surrounding the notch is considered extra space and is used to display the menu bar.

How do I connect stuff? Unlike the M5 model, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and Max offers Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) and Bluetooth 6 for wireless connectivity. There are three Thunderbolt 5/USB C ports, an SDXC slot for plugging in memory cards from cameras, audio recorders, and other devices, and an HDMI port for connecting an external display or projector (the HDMI port supports multichannel audio output). In the U.K. and Europe Apple has stopped including a Power Adapter in the box, so you will need to buy one separately.

How fast is it? Apple built the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with pro users in mind and it shows in the performance. With the M5 Pro and M5 Max you can enjoy the fastest Mac laptops Apple has ever made. When it comes to graphics prowess the Max will always beat the Pro, so if you need the fastest then you’ll want the M5 Max.

Any other considerations? The MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro chips cost significantly more than other Macs, and the Max version costs even more, so you should consider whether the extra performance will actually benefit your workflow.

Why we recommend the 14-inch MacBook Pro (M5 Pro or M5 Max): If you want a laptop that can handle any task you throw at it—and you don’t have a constraining budget—you want a MacBook Pro. The only reason not to buy the 14-inch M5 Pro or M5 Max MacBook Pro would be if you saw a good deal on the discontinued M4 Pro/M4 Max version, just remember that that there was less storage in those model (512GB rather than 1TB at the entry-level).

What is it? The 16-inch MacBook Pro offers a similar set of specs and configuration options as the 14-inch MacBook Pro (above), but it has a higher price, a bigger screen, and better battery life – 24 vs 22 hours.

What’s new? Like the 14-inch MacBook Pro discussed above, the 16-inch MacBook Pro features Apple’s M5 Pro or M5 Max chips, which use Apple’s Fusion Architecture to combine two 3-nm CPU and GPU dies into a single unified system on a chip. This design allows Apple to scale both performance and efficiency. The GPU also includes a Neural Accelerator in every core, which Apple says means it can deliver up to four times the AI performance of the previous generation. There is also faster memory and improved SSD speeds compared to the previous generation.

Who’s it for? This is Apple’s largest ‘pro’ laptop and it’s designed for people who need a portable Mac to do work that demands extreme processing power. You could save some money with the 14-inch MacBook Pro, but if you need a big screen on your laptop this is the Mac for you. You’ll also benefit from longer battery life. Configured with the M5 Max this is the fastest and most powerful laptop Apple has ever created.

How much does the 16-inch MacBook Pro cost? There are four standard configurations starting at $2,999/£2,999 (up from $2,699/£2,699, which was already $200/£200 more than the previous generation, although with double the storage). The ultimate option is a $4,399/£4,399 (up from $3,899/£3,899) for a M5 Max.

What are the specifications? Here are the standard configurations for the 16-inch MacBook Pro introduced in 2026. The screen measures 16.2in diagonally.

• Apple M5 Pro, 18-core CPU, 20-core GPU, 24GB memory, 1TB SSD, three Thunderbolt 5 ports, SDXC, HDMI, $2,999/£2,999 (up from $2,699/£2,699).
• Apple M5 Max, 18-core CPU, 32-core GPU, 36GB memory, 2TB SSD, three Thunderbolt 5 ports, SDXC, HDMI, $4,399/£4,399 (up from $3,899/£3,899).
• Apple M5 Max, 18-core CPU, 40-core GPU, 48GB memory, 2TB SSD, three Thunderbolt 5 ports, SDXC, HDMI, $4,999/£4,999. (up from $4,399/£4,399).
• Additional options: 48GB, 64GB, or 128GB unified memory. Up to 8TB SSD, Nano-texture display.

What are display specifications?

• When measured diagonally, the screen is 16.2-inches.
• The 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display has a native resolution of 3,456×2,234, 1,600 nits of maximum brightness, and 1,000 nits for HDR content, but it now offers 1000 nits for standard content, up from 600. You’ll also get a 1,000,000-to-1 contrast ratio and ProMotion support with a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz.
• The notch at the top of the display conceals the 12MP Center Stage camera with support for Desk View and 1080p HD video recording. The notch does not affect the available screen area—the work area is a 16-by-10 space, while the screen surrounding the notch is considered extra space and is used to display the menu bar.

How do I connect stuff? The 16-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and Max offers Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) and Bluetooth 6 for wireless connectivity. There are three Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports that are compatible with USB-C. If you have wired devices that aren’t USB-C or are an older version of Thunderbolt, you’ll need an adapter. We have a separate MacBook Pro Thunderbolt adapter guide to help you decide which ones you’ll need. Unfortunately, be prepared to shell out a good amount of extra cash. These laptops also come with an HDMI 2.0 port for connecting an external display or projector, and an SDXC Card slot for plugging in memory cards from cameras, audio recorders, and other devices. The HDMI port supports multichannel audio output. In the U.K. and Europe Apple has stopped including a Power Adapter in the box, so you will need to buy one separately.

How fast is it? The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are both built for pro users – the 16-inch MacBook Pro doesn’t get any faster or more powerful options than the 14-inch model, but you will benefit from better battery life. The arrival of the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips make these the fastest Mac laptops Apple has ever made – 30% faster performance and stronger AI and graphics capabilities than the M4 generation, according to Apple. When it comes to graphics prowess the Max will always beat the Pro, so if you need the fastest then you’ll want the M5 Max.

Any other considerations? Apple has increased prices for this generation of MacBook Pro, compared to the predecessors, which makes what are already high-priced Mac laptops even more expensive. While this is partly explained by the inclusion of twice as much storage (now 2TB as standard) shoppers will want to consider whether they really need the extra performance. Look out for deals on the discontinued M4 Pro and M4 Max MacBook Pro models, but note that the older models will have less storage.

Why we recommend the 16-inch MacBook Pro (M5 Pro or M5 Max): The 16-inch MacBook Pro offers the largest display and longest battery life in Apple’s laptop lineup. Its large Liquid Retina XDR display is ideal for multitasking, providing more workspace for editing timelines, coding, and using design tools.

What is it? The M6 Mac mini is Apple’s smallest and most affordable desktop Mac. It has the same compact 5×5-inch design introduced with the M4 Mac mini in 2024, but the M6 replaces the M4 chip inside. Unlike an iMac, the Mac mini doesn’t include a display, keyboard or mouse, so it is particularly attractive if you already own those things. There is also a more powerful Mac mini with an M5 Pro chip, which we discuss separately. Note that while M5 Pro name indicates that the chip is an older generaion, it is still considerably more powerful than the M6.

What’s new? Apple updated the Mac mini with the M6 chip in August 2026, on-sale from September 22. The design hasn’t changed, but there are some significant improvements inside. The M6 has a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU, up from 10 CPU and GPU cores in the M4, along with Neural Accelerators in every GPU core and Apple’s first Dual 16-core Neural Engine. Maximum unified memory increases from 24GB to 32GB and memory bandwidth rises from 120GB/s on the M4 to as much as 170GB/s. Apple also says storage is up to twice as fast. Connectivity has been upgraded with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and 2.5Gb Ethernet as standard.

Who’s it for? The M6 Mac mini is a good choice for anyone who wants a powerful desktop Mac but doesn’t need the additional performance of the M5 Pro Mac mini or Mac Studio. It has more than enough power for everyday work, web browsing and office apps, but is also capable of photo and video editing, coding and gaming. Apple is particularly pushing the M6 Mac mini for AI workloads, including running local AI models and AI agents. If your work involves demanding video production, 3D rendering, large AI models or other processor-intensive professional workflows, the M5 Pro version will be a better choice.

How much does the Mac mini cost? The M6 Mac mini starts at $899/£899 with 16GB unified memory and a 256GB SSD. That’s $100/£100 more than the M4 Mac mini cost immediately before it was replaced, and $300/£300 more than the M4 model’s original $599/£599 launch price in October 2024. A 16GB model with 512GB storage costs $1,199/£1,199. There is also an M6 configuration with 24GB memory and 512GB storage, while additional memory and storage upgrades can be selected when you order.

What are the specifications? 

• Apple M6, 12-core CPU, 12-core GPU, 16GB memory, 256GB SSD, three Thunderbolt 4 ports, 2 USB-C, HDMI, 2.5Gb Ethernet, $899/£899.
• Additional options: 24GB or 32GB unified memory; up to 2TB SSD, and 10Gb Ethernet

The Mac mini does not include a display, keyboard, or mouse, so you’ll have to provide your own, or you can customize your order to include these devices as extra-cost options.

How do I connect stuff? There are two USB-C ports on the front of the Mac mini, supporting USB 3 at up to 10Gb/s, alongside a 3.5mm headphone jack. On the back are three Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports capable of speeds up to 40Gb/s, an HDMI port and a 2.5Gb Ethernet port. The Ethernet connection can be upgraded to 10Gb when you order. Wireless connectivity has also been upgraded to Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, and the Mac mini includes Thread networking support. The M6 model can drive as many as three displays, including two 6K screens and a third 5K display. Unlike some older Mac mini models, there are no USB-A ports, so you’ll need an adapter or hub for older USB accessories.

How fast is it?  Apple says the M6 delivers up to 40% faster CPU performance and twice the graphics performance of the M4. For everyday use, the M6 Mac mini is more powerful than most people will need. It is more than capable of photo and video editing, coding, gaming, and demanding creative and AI workloads. However, if you regularly work with heavy 3D rendering, high-end video production, or large local AI models, the M5 Pro Mac mini will be faster and better suited to sustained workloads.

Any other considerations? As with other current Macs, the unified memory and internal SSD can’t be upgraded after purchase, so think carefully about how much memory and storage you’ll need before you order. The 256GB SSD is likely to feel restrictive if you store lots of photos, video or large applications and we’d consider 24GB memory if you want to run more demanding creative or AI workloads. If you need more memory, Thunderbolt 5, or better performance look at the M5 Pro Mac mini instead. Display, keyboard and mouse not included.

Why we recommend the Mac mini M6: Though not as affordable as it once was, the Mac mini is an appealing way to get a powerful Mac if you already own a display, keyboard and mouse. Its combination of a tiny footprint, extensive connectivity and enough performance for everything from everyday work to photo and video editing makes it one of Apple’s most versatile Macs.

What is it? The M5 Pro Mac mini is the more powerful of the two Mac mini models introduced in August 2026. It uses the same compact five-by-five-inch design as the M6 Mac mini (and the predecessor), but substitutes the more powerful M5 Pro chip and Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. Despite the apparently older chip name, M5 Pro is significantly more capable than M6 for demanding professional workloads, with more CPU and GPU cores, greater memory bandwidth, support for up to 64GB of unified memory, and support for three 6K displays.

What’s new? The higher-end Mac mini moved from M4 Pro to M5 Pro in August 2026, on-sale from September 22. It now offers up to an 18-core CPU, 64GB unified memory and 307GB/s memory bandwidth, plus Neural Accelerators in every GPU core. Connectivity improves with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and standard 2.5Gb Ethernet, while genlock over USB-C supports professional video workflows.

Who’s it for? The M5 Pro Mac mini is for developers, video editors, 3D artists, musicians, researchers and other creative or technical professionals who need more processing and graphics power than the standard Mac mini offers, but don’t need to step up to a Mac Studio. It’s particularly well suited to running larger local AI models thanks to its 307GB/s memory bandwidth and support for up to 64GB of unified memory. Apple also highlights app development, video rendering, scientific simulations, 3D design, VFX and game development as suitable workloads. For ordinary office work, web browsing, photo editing and less demanding creative work, the M6 Mac mini should be more than sufficient and costs considerably less.

How much does the Mac mini cost? The M5 Pro Mac mini starts at $1,699/£1,699 with 24GB unified memory and a 512GB SSD. That’s $100/£100 more than the M4 Pro model cost following Apple’s June 2026 price increase, and $300/£300 more than the M4 Pro Mac mini’s original $1,399/£1,399 launch price.

What are the specifications? The standard M5 Pro Mac mini configuration is:

• Apple M5 Pro, 15-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD, three Thunderbolt 5 ports, 2 USB-C, HDMI, 2.5Gb Ethernet, $1,699/£1,699
• Additional options: M5 Pro with 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU; 48GB or 64GB unified memory; up to 8TB SSD, and 10Gb Ethernet

The Mac mini does not include a display, keyboard, or mouse, so you’ll have to provide your own, or you can customize your order to include these devices as extra-cost options.

How do I connect stuff? The M5 Pro Mac mini has two USB-C/USB 3 ports and a headphone jack on the front. On the back are three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI and Ethernet. Thunderbolt 5 offers transfer speeds up to 120Gbps and can also be used for display, storage, docks and other high-performance peripherals. It can drive up to three 6K displays. Wireless connectivity is Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, while wired networking is now 2.5Gb Ethernet as standard, with 10Gb Ethernet available as an option. Apple has also introduced genlock over USB-C, which will be useful in professional video setups where cameras and displays need to be synchronized.

How fast is it?  The M5 Pro offers up to an 18-core CPU, 20-core GPU and 307GB/s memory bandwidth, versus the M6’s 12-core CPU, 12-core GPU and 170GB/s. That makes M5 Pro better suited to demanding video, 3D, development and local AI workloads. Apple claims the M5 Pro Mac mini offers up to 4x faster LLM prompt processing in LM Studio, 1.4x faster ray-traced rendering in Blender, and 1.5x faster image processing in Affinity compared to the M4 Pro Mac mini.

Any other considerations? Memory and storage can’t be upgraded later, so choose carefully; for demanding work, extra unified memory is worth prioritizing. You’ll also need your own display, keyboard and mouse. The M6 Mac mini is cheaper and powerful enough for most users, while those needing substantially more performance should consider the Mac Studio. Display, keyboard and mouse not included.

Why we recommend the Mac mini (M5 Pro): It’s not as affordable as it once was, but the M5 Pro Mac mini packs impressive professional-level performance into an exceptionally small desktop. Compared with the M6 model, it offers more CPU and GPU cores, almost twice the memory bandwidth, up to 64GB unified memory, Thunderbolt 5, and support for three 6K displays. For developers, video editors, 3D artists, and demanding AI workloads, it’s a good middle ground between the standard Mac mini and the more expensive Mac Studio.

What is it? The Mac Studio with M5 Max is Apple’s high-performance compact desktop for professional users. It between the Mac mini with M5 Pro and the more expensive M5 Ultra version of the Mac Studio. It doesn’t come with a display, keyboard or mouse, but its small desktop design packs in considerably more sustained performance and connectivity than Apple’s laptops. The M5 Max version supports up to 128GB of unified memory and five external displays.

What’s new? Apple updated the Mac Studio in August 2026, replacing the M4 Max chip in the model introduced in March 2025 with the M5 Max. The design hasn’t changed, but there are significant upgrades inside. The M5 Max has an 18-core CPU and up to 40-core GPU, with Neural Accelerators built into every GPU core for much faster AI processing. Memory bandwidth increases to as much as 614GB/s, storage is up to twice as fast, and the Mac Studio gains Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. Apple has also added support for genlock over USB-C and Thunderbolt 5 clustering, which allows multiple Mac Studios to work together on distributed AI workloads.

Who’s it for? The Mac Studio with M5 Max is aimed at creative and technical professionals who need more performance than a Mac mini can provide, but don’t need the extreme power – or price – of the M5 Ultra. Apple specifically highlights musicians, photographers, software developers, engineers and designers working with 3D and motion graphics. It’s also a strong choice for video editing, software development, AI image and video generation, and running large language models locally. If your work involves exceptionally large AI models, complex VFX simulations or huge quantities of 8K video, the M5 Ultra Mac Studio may be more appropriate.

How much does the Mac Studio cost? The M5 Max Mac Studio starts at $2,499/£2,499. That gets you the M5 Max with an 18-core CPU, 32-core GPU, 36GB unified memory and 512GB SSD. The starting price hasn’t changed from the price Apple introduced in June 2026, but it is substantially higher than the previous model’s original launch price: the M4 Max Mac Studio started at $1,999/£2,099 when it arrived in March 2025.

What are the specifications? The entry-level M5 Max Mac Studio offers:

• Apple M5 Max, 18-core CPU, 32-core GPU, 36GB unified memory, 512GB SSD, $2,499/£2,499.
• Additional options: M5 Max SoC with a 18-core CPU, up to a 40-core GPU; up to 128GB unified memory; up to 8TB SSD storage.

The memory bandwidth of the M5 Max is 614GB compared to 546GB/s for the M4 Max model.

How do I connect stuff? The M5 Max Mac Studio has the following ports:

• Four Thunderbolt 5 ports on the back supporting speeds of up to 120Gb/s.
• Two USB-C ports on the front (these are Thunderbolt on the M5 Ultra model).
• SDXC Card slot on the front.
• Two USB-A ports.
• 10Gb ethernet.
• HDMI.
• 3.5 mm headphone jack
• Wi-Fi 7.
• Bluetooth 6.

The M5 Max supports up to five external displays. The Mac Studio doesn’t include a display, keyboard or mouse, so you’ll need to provide your own or add Apple’s as extra-cost options.

How fast is it? The M5 Max Mac Studio is significantly faster than the previous M4 Max model, with some of the biggest improvements coming in AI workloads. Apple says LLM prompt processing in LM Studio can be up to 3.9x faster than M4 Max, while text-to-image generation can be up to 3.5x faster. Magic Mask processing in DaVinci Resolve Studio is up to 3x faster, while Redshift scene rendering is up to 1.4x faster. Apple also says the new GPU can be up to 50 percent faster than the previous generation for graphics-intensive work. The 18-core CPU is also faster than the M4 Max and memory bandwidth rises to 614GB/s. The M5 Max can simultaneously play as many as 19 streams of 8K ProRes 422 video at 30fps. The Mac Studio’s active cooling also means it is designed to maintain this level of performance during long, intensive workloads.

Any other considerations? The M5 Max is an extremely powerful chip – if you don’t regularly perform processor-, graphics- or AI-intensive work, a Mac mini will probably offer better value. The main disadvantage is that the Mac Studio is just the computer: you’ll need to provide a display, keyboard and mouse or trackpad, which can add considerably to the overall cost if you don’t already own them. You should also choose your memory and internal storage carefully when you order because neither can be upgraded later.

Why we recommend the Mac Studio (M5 Max): The Mac Studio with M5 Max strikes a strong balance between performance and price for professionals who rely on processor- and graphics-intensive apps. Its 18-core CPU, powerful GPU, up to 128GB of unified memory and high memory bandwidth make it well suited to video editing, 3D rendering, software development, music production and AI workloads, especially if you regularly spend time waiting for projects to render, compile or export.

At $2,499/£2,499 it isn’t cheap, and you’ll still need to provide a display and peripherals, but it offers substantially more performance than the Mac mini while costing far less than the $5,499/£5,499 M5 Ultra model. With the Mac Pro discontinued, the Mac Studio is now Apple’s highest-performance desktop and the best fit for many creative professionals, developers, engineers and other power users. Read: Why Mac professionals should switch to a Mac Studio.

What is it? The Mac Studio with M5 Ultra is Apple’s most powerful Mac and its highest-end desktop. The M5 Ultra chip combines two M5 Max dies using Apple’s UltraFusion architecture, giving it significantly more CPU and GPU cores, memory capacity and bandwidth than the M5 Max model. It is designed for workloads that would overwhelm most Macs, including complex 3D rendering, multiple streams of 8K video, scientific simulations and running very large AI models locally.

What’s new? Apple introduced the M5 Ultra Mac Studio on August 25, 2026, replacing the M3 Ultra model that arrived in March 2025. The headline change is the M5 Ultra chip, which offers up to a 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU, with a Neural Accelerator in every GPU core. Memory bandwidth rises from 819GB/s on M3 Ultra to 1.2TB/s, while maximum unified memory remains 512GB. Apple has also introduced faster PCIe Gen 6-based SSD storage, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and genlock over USB-C. The external design is unchanged.

Who’s it for? The M5 Ultra Mac Studio is for people with exceptionally demanding professional workloads. That includes VFX artists rendering complex scenes, filmmakers working with multiple streams of high-resolution video, engineers running simulations, and AI researchers or data scientists working with very large models. Its ability to support as much as 512GB of unified memory is particularly significant for AI developers who want to run huge LLMs locally rather than rely on cloud services. Most users, including many creative professionals, will find the considerably cheaper M5 Max Mac Studio more than powerful enough.

How much does the Mac Studio cost? The Mac Studio with M5 Ultra starts at $5,499/£5,499, with a 30-core CPU, 64-core GPU, 96GB unified memory and 1TB SSD. That is $200/£200 more than the M3 Ultra model cost immediately before it was replaced, and $1,500 more than the $3,999 launch price of the previous-generation M3 Ultra Mac Studio when it was introduced in March 2025. There are a number of build-to-order options, including a 36-core CPU, 80-core GPU, and 16TB SSD. There was also a 512GB Unified Memory option, but memory shortages mean that won’t be available until October 2026. A Mac Studio with M5 Ultra, 16TB SSD and 256GB unified memory costs $18,299, the 512GB RAM option will cost even more when it is available.

What are the specifications? The Mac Studio with Mac Ultra processor offers these specs:

• Apple M5 Ultra, 30-core CPU, 64-core GPU, 96GB unified memory, 1TB SSD, $5,499/£5,499
• Additional options: M5 Ultra with 36-core CPU and 80-core GPU, up to 512GB unified memory (October onwards), and up to 16TB SSD.

The memory bandwidth of the M5 Ultra is 1.2TB/s compared to 819GB/s in the M3 Ultra model.

How do I connect stuff? The Mac Studio has the following ports:

• Four Thunderbolt 5 ports on the back supporting speeds of up to 120Gb/s.
• Two Thunderbolt 5 ports on the front.
• SDXC Card slot on the front.
• Two USB-A ports.
• 10Gb ethernet.
• HDMI.
• 3.5 mm headphone jack
• Wi-Fi 7.
• Bluetooth 6.

The M5 Ultra Mac Studio supports up to eight external displays at 6K and 60Hz, or up to four displays at 5K and 120Hz. The Mac Studio does not include a display, keyboard, or mouse, so you’ll have to provide your own, or you can customize your order to include these devices as extra-cost options.

How fast is it? Apple says the M5 Ultra delivers up to 1.3x faster multithreaded CPU performance, 1.8x faster graphics and 4.3x the peak AI compute performance of the M3 Ultra. Compared with M1 Ultra, Apple claims up to 2.4x faster CPU performance, 4.7x faster GPU performance and 9.8x faster AI performance. In specific workloads, Apple claims up to 3.3x faster ML training in Foundry Nuke, 4x faster LLM processing in LM Studio, 4.3x faster text-to-image generation and 1.7x faster Redshift rendering. SSD performance can also be up to twice as fast as the previous generation.

Any other considerations? The biggest consideration is whether you actually need this much performance. At $5,499/£5,499 before any upgrades, the M5 Ultra Mac Studio costs $3,000/£3,000 more than the entry-level M5 Max Mac Studio. The M5 Max model is already an extremely powerful workstation and will be sufficient for many video editors, developers, photographers and other creative professionals. If you do need large amounts of unified memory, remember that memory and internal storage cannot be upgraded after purchase, so choose your configuration carefully. Display, keyboard and mouse not included.

Why we recommend the Mac Studio M5 Ultra: The M5 Ultra Mac Studio is excessive for most people, but that is the point. It offers the highest CPU core count in any Mac, Apple’s most powerful GPU, up to 512GB of unified memory and an extraordinary 1.2TB/s of memory bandwidth in a compact desktop. The jump in AI performance makes it particularly compelling for developers and researchers who need to run extremely large models locally, while its 80-core GPU, powerful media engines and extensive Thunderbolt 5 connectivity make it equally well suited to demanding video, VFX and 3D workflows. If your work can actually take advantage of that hardware, this is the most powerful Mac you can buy.

What is it? The iMac is what Apple is famous for, although the current design is as far removed from the original as you can get. It’s the Mac to have in a living room or an office reception – somewhere you can show it off.

What’s new? In October 2024 Apple introduced the M4 version of the 24-inch iMac. Little has changed since the redesign of 2021, which represented the first major update in more than a decade, with a cleaner design and a choice of seven bright colors (slightly lighter shades for 2024).

Who’s it for? The iMac is great for both novices and demanding users. It can handle general-purpose and heavy-duty tasks equally well, although those after a replacement for a 27-inch IMac or iMac Pro might want to wait to see if the rumored iMac Pro ever materializes, or settle for a Mac mini Pro or Mac Studio. It’s ideal for someone who needs to buy a complete computer setup (keyboard, mouse or trackpad, and display) and wants to maximize workspace efficiency. The 24-inch iMac is a design icon that will look great in any office.

How much does the iMac cost? Following the June price hikes, the three standard configurations start at $1,499/£1,499 (up from $1,299/£1,299) for the entry-level model, and $1,699/£1,699 (up from $1,499/£1,499) for the mid-range.

What are the specifications? The 24-inch iMac still uses Apple’s M4 chip. Compared to other Macs, there is half the storage as standard, at 256GB. There are several configurations available as well as build-to-order options:

• Apple M4, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB memory, 256GB SSD, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, $1,499/£1,499.
• Apple M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16GB memory, 256GB SSD, four Thunderbolt 4 ports, $1,699/£1,699.
• Apple M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16GB memory, 512GB SSD, four Thunderbolt 4 ports, $1,899/£1,899.
• Apple M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD, four Thunderbolt 4 ports, $2,099/£2,099.
• Additional options: 32GB memory; up to 2TB storage

What are the display specifications? The 24-inch 4.5K Retina display has 11.3 million pixels and supports the P3 wide color gamut, over a billion colors, 500 nits of brightness, and True Tone. Apple treats the display with an anti-reflective coating to help with readability. The display hasn’t changed since the M1 model launched.

How do I connect stuff? The $1,499 24-inch iMac has two Thunderbolt 4 ports that also work with USB-C devices. The $1,699 and $1,899 iMacs have four Thunderbolt 4 ports (the previous generation had two Thunderbolt/USB 4 and two USB 3 ports). If you have a USB-A device, you need to buy an adapter, such as Apple’s ($19 / £19). If you have multiple USB-A devices and other items, consider a Thunderbolt hub. The 24-inch iMac also has a headphone jack on the side.

Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 are built-in. Apple doesn’t put a gigabit ethernet port on the 24-inch iMac—instead, it’s on the power adapter. But that ethernet-equipped power adapter comes standard with the $1,699 and $1,899 models. It’s not included with the $1,499 model, but you can select it as an option at the point of purchase—and yes, that means you’ll have to pay extra for it.

How fast is it?: The 24-inch iMac is the only Mac still using the M4 chip, so it’s not as fast as the other Macs, but it’s still got all the speed general consumers need, and it can even handle pro applications with no problem. However, the $1,499 model has only one fan inside its body, while the $1,699 and $1,899 models have two fans. That means the high-priced models do a better job of keeping the internals cool. The $1,499 model may need to slow down its performance on heavy-duty tasks in order to maintain a proper temperature.

Any other considerations? The iMac doesn’t represent particularly good value at its current price. A better buy is the MacBook Air, which offers a faster M5 chip with a 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB of memory, and a 512GB SSD for $1,299/£1,299. By comparison, the iMac costs $1,499/£1,499 yet includes an older M4 chip with an 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, the same 16GB of memory, and only a 256GB SSD. We feel that the iMac price is high compared to the specs on offer, but we do admire the design. We are holding out for a bigger screen. Apple is rumored to launch an M6 iMac in 2027.

Why we recommend the iMac (M4): The iMac was transformed when Apple introduced the redesigned 24-inch model in 2021, with major improvements to its design, display, and performance. If you’re buying one today, the $1,699/£1,699 model is the sweet spot, adding more ports, Touch ID, and Ethernet. We’d still love to see Apple revive the iMac Pro with a larger display, and sincerely hope one is in the pipeline.

• Charging: 60W
• Cable length: 3.3ft (1m)
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Colors: White

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15-18, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air
• Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air, charging or syncing MacBook Pro

If you want every iPhone accessory you own to be made by Apple, go with Apple’s own USB-C Charge Cable as a spare USB-C iPhone charging cable—at 60W it’s powerful enough to charge even a MacBook Air. At $19 / £19 it’s a fine, if comparatively expensive, solution.

Unlike Apple’s rather feeble plastic USB-C to Lightning cables, this 3.3ft (1m) charging cable has a robust woven design that means it is far less likely to fray or break with frequent winding and tugging. Apple also sells a $29 2m USB-C Charge Cable that is now also woven—it’s rated at up to 240W, overkill for an iPhone but top-end charging for any Apple USB-C device.

Its USB 2.0 data-transfer speed is super slow compared to 5Gbps or faster USB-C cables but it’s the same as Lightning. That doesn’t make a difference when charging your iPhone but if you are syncing an iPad or Mac via cable, transfer speeds will be frustrating. As the iPhone 15/16/17/18 Pro models boast 10Gbps data transfer, this cable’s low bandwidth is a bit of a disappointment if you use the cable for syncing.

It’s available in only white. If you fancy a color that matches your new iPhone or your soft furnishings, you need to read on for one of the third-party USB-C cables that we recommend—starting with the poppy Beats cables.

• Charging: 60W
• Cable length: 5ft (1.5m)
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Colors: Power Pink, Rapid Red, Bolt Black, Surge Stone, Nitro Navy

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15-18, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air
• Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air, charging or syncing MacBook Pro

Beats is an Apple company so it’s just as trustworthy, and these tangle-free 60W cables are not only a cent cheaper than Apple’s white cable, they are half as long again and available in some great colors to make life feel that bit more vibrant.

A 3m version ($29.95) supports charging up to 240W, which is aimed more at MacBooks but might suit your needs if the charger is on the other side of your room and you are doomscrolling TikTok videos in bed.

Data transfer is slow, so this—like many iPhone cables—is mainly a charging cable.

• Charging: 60W
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Monitor support: No
• Cable length: 3ft (0.9m) or 6ft (1.8m)
• Colors: Black, Gray, Red

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15 and 16, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air
• Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air, charging or syncing MacBook Pro

This 60W USB-C charging cable is available three colors, which can be useful if you need to distinguish between cables—or know who in your household “borrowed” your charging cable… Available in two lengths (3ft or 6ft) the Anker 310 is top quality, with a tough braided construction that’s super affordable—especially in this twin pack.

Its data-transfer speed is slow (480Mbps) but, for charging an iPhone or small MacBook, it’s just what you need at a price that significantly undercuts Apple. And, as you’ll read later in this feature, it’s perfectly good for charging iPads and mid-sized MacBooks, too.

• Charging: 100W
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Monitor support: No
• Cable length: 0.5ft (15cm), 1ft (30cm). 6.6ft (2m), 10ft (3m)
• Colors: Urban Black, Glacier White, and Summit Yellow

• Best for: Charging all iPhones, charging all iPads, charging all MacBooks
• Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air, syncing MacBook Pro

The inCharge XL a well-built clever cable that charges nearly everything as fast as is possible, is simple to use, and easy to keep protected with its tied cap and travel pouch. It’s a boon if you have older Lightning devices as well as USB-C Apple gear and even fiddly MicroUSB gadgets.

The older adapters slide from the USB-C connectors, and are protected when not in use by a protective tied cap. The custom nylon cable itself is braided with reinforced. The clever part is that the Lightning connector also works as the MicroUSB adapter. Remarkably, it stays reversible unlike the ultra-fiddly MicroUSB.0

There are six charging options: USB-C to USB-C; USB-C to Lightning; USB-C to MicroUSB; USB-A to USB-C, which I can’t see ever being used; USB-A to Lightning; and USB-A to MicroUSB. It can charge to 100W using the base USB-C to USB-C configuration, which is enough to fast-charge all but the 16-inch MacBook Pro. 100W is fine for the 16-inch but you need 140W (PD 3.1) for fast charging that particular model.

The Rolling Square inCharge XL might be all you need for charging, but look elsewhere for cables with a decent data-transfer rate.

• Charging: 60W
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Monitor support: No
• Cable length: 5ft (1.5m)
• Colors: Cosmos, Kraft, Slate Green, Zebra

• Best for: Charging all iPhones, charging all iPads, charging MacBook Air
• Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air, charging or syncing MacBook Pro

This 60W USB-C charging cable is a great choice for people who own a pre-15 USB-C iPhone or a later phone but still have Apple devices with a Lightning charging port—think older AirPods or pre-USB-C iPad. It has USB-C on one end to plug into your charger but at the other there’s a fixed choice between USB-C and Lightning. You can’t charge two devices at the same time but you won’t need to have two cables near you at all times if you still own some Lightning devices

It’s available in three unique colors and patterns, which should also make it easier to distinguish in your crowded cable drawer, and it’s braided for durability.

• Charging: 100W
• Data transfer speed: 10Gbps
• Monitor support: 4K
• Cable length: 3.3ft (1m) and 6ft (1.8m)
• Colors: Black or White

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15/16/17/18, charging and syncing iPad, charging MacBook Air and 14-inch MacBook Pro
• Not for: Syncing MacBooks, charging 16-inch MacBook Pro

Apple has increased wired data transfer bandwidth to 10Gbps on the iPhone 15/16/17/18 Pro and Pro Max—20x faster than the USB-C of the plain iPhone 15/16’s 480Mbps (0.48Gbps). If you want to take advantage of this significantly increased wired bandwidth, you’ll need a cable like this one from Cable Matters that also supports 10Gbps, as the USB-C cable that Apple includes with all the iPhones is really for charging only and rated at 480Mbps.

It can also charge at up to 100W—more than enough for an iPhone but also enough for even the 14-inch MacBook Pro. It’s fine for a 16-inch Pro but fast-charging that laptop requires a 240W cable.

MacBook and iPad Pro owners may prefer a Thunderbolt cable with 40Gbps data transfer.

It’s available in black or white and 3ft or 6ft lengths.

• Charging: 240W
• Data transfer speed: 40Gbps
• Monitor support: 6K (iPad Pro) 8K (Mac)
• Cable length: 3.3ft (1m)
• Colors: Black

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15/16/17/18, charging and syncing iPad, charging MacBook Air and MacBook Pro

For ultimate iPad Pro data transfer bandwidth, choose a Thunderbolt 4 or USB4 cable. This USB4 can be used with the iPhone 15/16/17/18 and any MacBook—even the mighty 16-inch MacBook Pro—as its 240W/40Gbps specs are broadly Thunderbolt 3 compatible. Anker notes that it is not a fully Thunderbolt 4 cable so if you need that, keep reading.

This Anker 515 USB4 cable is overpowered from a charging point of view but therefore offers some Apple tablet and laptop future-proofing. Remember, you won’t harm your iPad or Mac using a premium higher-wattage cable.

Where it wins is its 40Gbps data bandwidth, the maximum you’ll get from any USB-C cable, and capable of connecting an iPad Pro to a 6K USB-C display at 60Hz. Via a Mac, it could support an 8K display.

• Charging: 100W
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Monitor support: No
• Cable length: 10ft (3m)
• Colors: Black, Red, Silver

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15/16/17/18, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
• Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air or MacBook Pro

Sometimes you just need a very long charging cable. Maybe your wall socket is on the other side of the sofa or desk—or even in another room—and you need your iPhone to hand for calls and messaging. This 10-foot (3m) USB-C cable should be long enough for you.

Sometimes you need a more colorful charging cable. Ok, you don’t really need a more colorful charging cable but it’s nice to have the option. If you want even more color variations, but at a shorter cable length, keep reading…

Available in black, red or silver, this USB-C cable can charge at a fast 100W—more than enough for an iPhone or iPad and plenty for a MacBook.

• Charging: 60W
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Monitor support: No
• Cable length: 0.8ft, 9.6in (0.24m, 24cm)
• Colors: Black

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15 and 16, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air
• Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air, charging or syncing MacBook Pro

There are times when you don’t want a long cable snaking all over your desk or tabletop. All you need is a short cable to charge your device. While we have seen shorter than this 9.6-inch USB-C to USB-C cable, some that we’ve tested have been flaky at charging so we prefer to go with a brand that we trust.

It is too short to tangle but long enough to dangle from a wall charger, and is also available in a two pack or pack of five.

If you need a short cable but faster charging speed look at the 6-inch (15cm) Plugable Cable that offers 240W power but zero data transfer, which it claims as a data-security feature.

Also worth considering is the Nimble PowerKnit 3 Cable Travel Kit, available from the Apple Store. This is a three-pack of really short 5-inch 60W recycled USB-C cables with connectors for USB-C and Lightning connector, plus USB-A.

• Charging: 60W
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Monitor support: No
• Cable length: 1ft to 5.9ft (0.3m to 1.8m)
• Colors: Black, Alarm Red, Pine, Sandstone, Lemon, Candy, Azur, Slate Green

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15 and 16, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air
• Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air, charging or syncing MacBook Pro

If sometime you need a long cable but are mostly happy with a short one, consider a coiled USB-C cable such as the POP Cable from Native Union. Its shortest length is 1ft (0.3m) but can easily be pulled up to 4ft (1.2m) and can stretch to a maximum 5.9ft (1.8m).

The POP Cable XL ($34.99) goes from 1.6ft (0.5m) but can easily be pulled up to 7.9ft (2.4m) and can stretch to a maximum 9.8ft (3m).

Not only does it stretch to your needs of the moment, it adds a touch of nostalgia for those who remember when landline phones came with a twisty cord, and adds a blast of color to your desk.

• Charging: 60W
• Cable length: 4 inches (0.1m) to 3.5ft (1m)
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Colors: Black

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15 and 16, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air
• Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air, charging or syncing MacBook Pro

A long trailing cable is just about excusable if hidden behind a desk but is wholly inappropriate in a handbag or stuffed in your pocket. Most of us find it helpful to keep a tangle-free charging cable in a car, briefcase or backpack. This cable takes up only a few inches of space when fully retracted. You pull the cable from both ends to extend it to five set lengths: 1ft, 1.5ft, 2.2ft, 3ft and 3.5ft.

Data transfer is slow but at 60W it will charge even a mid-sized laptop if connected to a suitable wall charger.

It’s not braided by feels strong and will be protected in its winding shell. Look out for the two-pack for extra value.

Baseus

The Baseus Free2Pull Mini, pictured above, is an alternative 60W retractable USB-C cable. It’s not a two-pack like the Cable Matters set but is available in four colors: black, blue, purple and white. Pull the cable from both ends to extend it to five set lengths: 1.1ft, 1.9ft, 2.7ft, 3ft and 3.3ft.

We review two 100W retractable USB-C cables in the MacBook cable section further down. If you want to fast-charge your MacBook as well as your iPhone or iPad, investing in the 100W models makes more sense.

• Charging: 60W
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Monitor support: No
• Cable length: 3.3ft (1m) or 6.6ft (2m)
• Colors: Speckled recycled white

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15/16/17/18, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air
• Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air, charging or syncing MacBook Pro

The exterior of this sustainable USB-C to USB-C cable is constructed using plant-based materials, thus reducing a reliance on petroleum-based plastics like thermoplastic elastomer (TPE).

The packaging is recyclable (the bio-based cables are secured by a recyclable paper sleeve) and even the shipping is carbon neutral, offsetting the CO2 produced.

Shipping outside the UK is an extra US$6.30 or €6, but if you value the planet that’s not a lot to pay.

• Charging: 60W to 240W
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Monitor support: No
• Cable length: 3.3ft (1m), 6.6ft (2m), 10ft (3m)
• Colors: Black

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15/16/17/18, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air
• Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air, charging or syncing MacBook Pro

The cable is made from a BPA and PVC-free flexible knit recycled fabric derived from 100% recycled plastic bottles and recycled aluminum cable heads.

It feels lovely as well as robust, and is also available in a higher-charging 240W version—the equally recycled PowerKnit FLEX USB-C to USB-C Cable, sold in a three-pack of 1m, 2m and 3m lengths—meaning you can stay fully charged and environmentally conscious at the same time. Also available at the Apple Store for $59.99 / £49.99 and Amazon.

• Charging: 60W
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Monitor support: No
• Cable length: 5ft (1.5m)
• Colors: Black, Sand, Desert Rose

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15/16/17/18, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air
• Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air, charging or syncing MacBook Pro

Cables can do other things, too. This multitasking braided cable is a chic, durable and comfortable crossbody lanyard for your iPhone or office pass.

You don’t have to worry about being without a charging cable when you’re wearing this 2-in-1 lanyard. Detach the ends to reveal the USB-C connectors that will come in handy when you need to charge your iPhone, iPad or MacBook.

The 480Mbps transfer speed isn’t super-speedy but will get light work done when you need it.

QDOS

An alternative is the 1.2m QDOS PowerLoop 2 in-1 Lanyard & USB-C Cable that has a marine blue option (pictured above) if the Satechi colors are not to your liking.

• Charging: 100W
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Monitor support: No
• Cable length: 5ft (1.5m)
• Colors: Black, White

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15/16/17/18, charging and syncing iPad, charging MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
• Not for: Syncing MacBooks, charging 16-inch MacBook Pro

This special USB-C cable can not only charge a MacBook Pro at 100W but with a wireless Watch/AirPods charging puck on one end it can at the same time power up your Apple Watch or AirPods case. Note that when connected to a MacBook the wireless pad gets in the way of the adjacent Thunderbolt port. If you can live without one while charging, this need not matter but if you always use every port on your MacBook it could be a proble.

We like this a lot as we always leave our Watch chargeing cable in another room when hard at work on the Mac.

• Charging: 240W
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Monitor support: No
• Cable length: 3ft (0.9m) or 6ft (1.8m)
• Colors: Misty Blue, Daffodil Yellow, Lilac Purple, Coral Pink, Lavender Grey, Mint Green, Cloud White, and Midnight Black

• Best for: Best for: Charging iPhone 15/16/17/18, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
• Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air, charging or syncing MacBook Pro

We’re big fans of the colorul Beats USB-C cables reviewed above, but if your preferred color isn’t supplied there, Anker’s choice of eight mostly pastel colors gives you more options than the monochrome alternatives. Apple delights in offering its iPhones in various shades but religiously sticks to white for its charging cables. The color choice depends on charging speed and cable length plus where in the world you are based. Anker also sells a 100W version in the same range of bold colors in case the 240W versions are unavailable and in the same 3ft or 6ft lengths.

Anker claims that its 643 cable—with silicone covering a triple-layered system of copper wires—has a tensile strength of 220 lbs (100kg) and can withstand as many as 25,000 bends. We haven’t tested this as it would hurt our wrists, but it certainly feels tough enough to withstand more everyday rigors.

It supports 240W charging so is as powerful as any cable can get, although it’s not a data-transfer winner.

• Charging: 60W
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Monitor support: No
• Cable length: 3.3ft (1m) or 6.6ft (2m)
• Colors: Cotton Candy, Light Mint, Lavender, Black

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15/16/17/18, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air
• Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air, charging or syncing MacBook Pro

This quality USB-C cable, available in two lengths, is from the people at Casetify who create such fun phone cases. They have carried over some of the fun into the dull world of cables with four color options. The Cotton Candy USB-C cable is a real beauty, graduating from a cyan blue to a cute pink. Even the black version is nicely speckled.

You’ll pay more than usual but you will get a premium braided cable that will bring joy everything you connect it to your device.

• Charging: 60W
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Monitor support: No
• Cable length: 3ft (0.9m) or 6ft (1.8m)
• Colors: Black, Red, Gray

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15 and 16, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air
• Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air, charging or syncing MacBook Pro

Just as we recommended the Anker 310 USB-C cable for iPhones and iPad charging, it’s hard to go wrong with this to charge small and mid-sized MacBooks, too. Buy the twin pack and use one for whichever Apple device that takes your fancy.

Suitable for all MacBook Air models and the 13-inch MacBook Pro, this 60W USB-C cable is able to supply the charge you need to keep those MacBooks powered up.

Its data-transfer speed is pretty feeble but as a charging-only cable, this is all you really need. It is not suitable for connecting a Mac to a USB-C monitor—that would require at least a 5Gbps cable.

Its braided design makes it tough—Anker claims it can be bent and unbent over 10,000 times. In this twin-pack, the Anker 310 USB-C cable is a very affordable option.

• Charging: 100W
• Data transfer speed: 20Gbps
• Monitor support: 8K
• Cable length: 3ft (0.9m) or 6ft (1.8m)
• Colors: Black

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15/16/17/18, charging and syncing iPad, charging MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
• Not for: Syncing MacBooks at very fastest speeds

This jack-of-all-trades high-quality USB-C cable can charge at up to 240W, transfer data at 20Gbps, and connect a Mac to a 8K monitor.

It’s a premium build, but its thicker gauge wires make it tricky to roll up as easily or compactly as other cables.

It seems churlish to downplay this cable’s impressive 20Gbps bandwidth but if you need the fastest data transfer, look to a Thunderbolt 4 or better yet Thunderbolt 5 cable.

Another 6ft affordable 240W cable is the $24.99 EcoFlow RAPID Pro USB-C to USB-C Cable, which is all you need if you aren’t using the cable for data transfer. It’s hard to get better than the price on this 240W 20Gbps Cable Matters cable, though, and it is a powerhouse on bandwidth as well as charging speed.

• Charging: 100W
• Cable length: 1ft (0.3m) to 3ft (0.9m)
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Colors: Gray

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15/16/17/18, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
• Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air or MacBook Pro

Ugreen offers a tangle-free retractable USB-C cable that is a compact, carry-in-your-pocket cable that, as soon as you hold it, declares itself a must-have. Who doesn’t get annoyed by a drawer full of loose snaking cables? Pull the cable from both ends to extend it to four set lengths: 1ft, 1.8ft, 2.5ft and 3ft—a touch shorter than Cable Matters.

It beats its 60W rivals, reviewed in the iPhone/iPad cable section above, by supporting 100W of charging power—enough for even the largest MacBook, whereas the Cable Matters and Baseus cables max out at 60W. Data speed, as with the Cable Matters alternative, is a slow but usable 480Mbps USB 2.0. It will transfer data but its main function is charging.

Again, Baseus has a similar length 100W retractable cable that’s available in a more exciting range of colors: Black, White, Blue and Purple.

• Charging: 100W
• Cable length: 1.9ft (0.6m) to 6.6ft (2m)
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Colors: Black, White, Purple, Blue

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15/16/17/18, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
• Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air or MacBook Pro

If you need a longer cable but still want it in neat transportable/storable shape, this cable takes up hardly any space when fully retracted. You pull the cable from both ends to extend it to seven set lengths: 1.9ft, 3.1ft, 4.1ft, 4.9ft, 5.7ft, 6.2ft and 6.6ft.

It can charge at 100W so will power up any MacBook when connected to the right USB-C charger, and it comes in four colors just for the fun of it.

• Charging: 100W
• Cable length: 3.3ft (1m) to 6.6ft (2m)
• Data transfer speed: 480Mbps
• Colors: Black, Blue, Blaze Orange

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15/16/17/18, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
• Not for: Syncing iPad, syncing MacBook Air or MacBook Pro

The braided Statik MagStack Pro cable—available in 3.3ft (1m) or 6.6ft (2m) lengths—can carry up to 100W of power, but its special power is that it’s magnetized so automatically wraps up into a neat coil when you’re done with it.

You can buy it in a bold “Blaze Orange” as well as Black and Blue.

• Charging: 100W
• Data transfer speed: n/a
• Monitor support: No
• Cable length: 6in (15cm), 3.3ft (1m) or 6.6ft (2m)
• Colors: Black

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15/16/17/18, charging iPad, charging MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
• Not for: Syncing any device

This 240W USB-C cable is special because of what it doesn’t/can’t/won’t do, which is transfer any data between your connected devices. This becomes a feature as the impossibility of data transfer ensures security in public spaces.

Many charging cables retain minimal 480Mbps (USB 2.0) data lines, which is fairly useless anyway—if you want bandwidth go for something actually useful, such as the 20Gbps on the Cable Matters cable reviewed above or 40-80Gbps on a Thunderbolt cable. By removing any data delivery at the hardware level, Plugable eliminates potential data security risks with a design that is simpler than other data-blocking solutions that include bulky adapters. Each cable features a distinctive red connector so you can easily distinguish between other cables.  

Plugable

Handily, it’s available in three lengths: a standard 3.3ft (1m), a longer 6.6ft (2m) cable, and a five-pack of very short 6-inch (15cm) cables, pictured above.

• Charging: 240W
• Data transfer speed: From 480Mbps to 40Gbps
• Monitor support: Up to 8K
• Cable length: 3ft (0.9m), 6ft (1.8m), 10ft (3m), 13ft (4m)
• Colors: Black

IT professionals are often dealing with tens or even thousands of mystery cables, and trying to identify which are charging cables, which are data transfer only, and which work with what video resolution is nigh on impossible unless the cables are labelled. Startech.com’s latest range of cables—USB-C, USB4, HDMi and DisplayPort— all feature Quick Identification markers printed directly onto the cables for at-a-glance asset management.

If you only own a few cables this might not be so important—if you have a whole office floor of them, it’s essential.

• Charging: 240W
• Data transfer speed: 120Gbps
• Monitor support: 8K
• Cable length: 3.3ft (1m)
• Colors: Black

• Best for: Charging charging and syncing MacBook Air and MacBook Pro

Apple’s M4 Macs now boast a Thunderbolt 5 port, which can transfer data at up to 80Gbps (120Gbps for video using Bandwidth Boost that creates a unidirectional but fatter pipe)—twice as fast as Thunderbolt 4. While there aren’t many actual Thunderbolt 5 devices out there to connect to at that speed, Apple is right at the front of the technology race as usual. Thunderbolt 5 is backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 4, 3 and USB-C so this Thunderbolt 5 cable will work with any USB-C-type device.

All Thunderbolt 5 cables support up to 240W charging. Some Thunderbolt 4 cables do the same but most max out at 100W.

• Charging: 240W
• Data transfer speed: 120Gbps
• Monitor support: 8K
• Cable length: 6.6ft (2m)
• Colors: Black

• Best for: Charging charging and syncing MacBook Air and MacBook Pro

To reach its 2m length without throttling data-transfer speeds, this cable is built with integrated active circuitry that is compliant with the latest 80GBps/120Gbps Thunderbolt 5 standard. The active design preserves signal integrity where passive cables may fall short, making it ideal for longer connections to Thunderbolt 5 devices, external GPUs, high-resolution displays, and compatible docks.

• Charging: 240W
• Data transfer speed: 120Gbps
• Monitor support: 8K
• Cable length: 1.7ft (0.5m), 3.3ft (1m), 5ft (1.5m) and 6.6ft (2m)
• Colors: Black, White

• Best for: Charging charging and syncing MacBook Air and MacBook Pro

Why should every Thunderbolt 5 cable be black? CalDigit sells one in White, although only in a 0.5m length. If that’s long enough for you, then rejoice as it’s also the cheapest Thunderbolt 5 cable we trust.

CalDigit

There is a CalDigit Thunderbolt 5 Pro Braided Cable in black, and that is available in both 0.5m, 1m and 2m lengths—and now 1.5m, with the latter a first for Thunderbolt 5 cable and offering maybe a sweet spot between 1m and 2m lengths.

• Charging: 240W
• Data transfer speed: 120Gbps
• Monitor support: 8K
• Cable length: 1.7ft (0.5m) and 3.3ft (1m)
• Colors: Black

• Best for: Charging charging and syncing MacBook Air and MacBook Pro

Looking remarkably like Apple’s Thunderbolt 5 cable but priced significantly lower, the Anker Thunderbolt 5 cable is a wise choice as the new top-end MacBook comes with three such ports but not one TB5 cable.

This cable is available in two lengths but just one color, unlike the CalDigit Thunderbolt 5 Pro Braided Cable, reviewed above, that dares to go white.

Also worth checking on pricing are Thunderbolt 5 cables from iVanky, Silkland and Cable Matters.

• Charging: 240W
• Data transfer speed: 80/120Gbps
• Monitor support: 8K
• Cable length: 2.6ft (0.8m)
• Colors: Black

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15/16/17/18, charging and syncing iPad, charging and syncing MacBook Air and MacBook Pro

Plugable also offers a right-angled Thunderbolt 5 cable. While its Thunderbolt 4 equivalent, reviewed above, offers much including 240W charing and 8K video support, the TB5 version is capable of bidirectional 80Gbps or even unidirectional 120Gbps.

If you can afford it, Thunderbolt 5 is the better long-term choice but the 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 version of this cable is cheaper.

• Charging: 100W
• Data transfer speed: 40Gbps
• Monitor support: 8K
• Cable length: 2.6ft (0.8m)
• Colors: Black

• Best for: Charging and syncing MacBook Air and 14-inch MacBook Pro
• Not for: Charging 16-inch MacBook Pro

As a certified Thunderbolt 4 cable, this guarantees 100W charging and super-fast 40Gbps data transfer speeds.

If you just want to charge your MacBook, it’s probably overkill but if you need to use it to connect to a docking station or other device, we recommend you double-up on charging power and data speed.

CalDigit sells an active 2m version of this cable for $99.99. It’s so much more expensive because of the circuitry required to get 40Gbps over a longer distance. Belkin sells an equivalent 2m Thunderbolt 4 cable at a more affordable price, see review below.

Backward compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C, you can’t go wrong with a Thunderbolt 4 cable unless you need Thunderbolt 5’s 80-120Gbps and 240W strengths. If so, keep reading.

• Charging: 100W
• Data transfer speed: 40Gbps
• Monitor support: 8K
• Cable length: 6.6ft (2m)
• Colors: Black

• Best for: Charging and syncing MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
• Not for: Charging 16-inch MacBook Pro

This certified “active” Thunderbolt 4 cable supports 100W charging and super-fast 40Gbps data transfer speeds over a greater cable length than normal “passive” Thunderbolt cables. The active part enables the longer cable but significantly increases the cost.

You can get longer from Apple, see its 3m active TB4 cable below, but the cost gets even higher!

• Charging: 100W
• Data transfer speed: 40Gbps
• Monitor support: 8K
• Cable length: 10ft (3m)
• Colors: Black

• Best for: Charging and syncing MacBook Air and 14-inch MacBook Pro
• Not for: Charging 16-inch MacBook Pro

It’s certainly expensive, but this active Apple Thunderbolt 4 cable is as long as you can get while maintaining 100W charging power and 40Gbps data-transfer speed.

It’s braided for strength and backward compatible with other Type-C connectors and ports.

• Charging: 240W
• Data transfer speed: 40Gbps
• Monitor support: 8K
• Cable length: 3.3ft (1m)
• Colors: Black

• Best for: Charging charging and syncing MacBook Air and MacBook Pro

To connect your 16-inch MacBook to a Thunderbolt 4 docking station, you need both top data bandwidth and as much charging power as a cable can support—so you need a cable that supports both 240W and 40Gbps data transfer.

This passive Thunderbolt 4 cable offers both 40Gbps bandwidth with 240W charging that’s more powerful than standard TB4 cable.

• Charging: 240W
• Data transfer speed: 40Gbps
• Monitor support: 8K
• Cable length: 2.6ft (0.8m)
• Colors: Black

• Best for: Charging iPhone 15/16/17/18, charging and syncing iPad, charging and syncing MacBook Air and MacBook Pro

Sometimes a cable plays hard to fit in tight spaces, and only a cunningly right-angled connector head will do the job. If that’s the case, then this is the most powerful and fastest right-angled Thunderbolt 4 cable that money can buy.

It will work at up to 240W, and as a Thunderbolt 4 cable of course offers 40Gbps data-transfer speeds. As mentioned above, Apple demands you use its own MagSafe power cable if you want to utilize PD 3.1 at 140W for its 16-inch MacBook Pro.