macplusplus

About

Username
macplusplus
Joined
Visits
293
Last Active
Roles
member
Points
3,141
Badges
1
Posts
2,119

Reactions

2KLike4Dislike240Informative

  • Review: The iPhone XR isn't a $1,000 flagship, but isn't any less of a premium experience

    macplusplusmacplusplus

    Though the processor is the same across the board, the iPhone XR has slightly less memory, holding 3 gigabytes of RAM compared to the 4 gigabytes of its stablemates. The lesser amount of RAM would seem to be a problem, but it is still a considerable amount for the average workload of mobile users.

    Actually less RAM is definitely not a problem for the XR, because its Liquid Retina display is less demanding than the Super Retina of XS/XS Max. The XR renders @2x, while XS/XS Max render @3x thus they need more memory. Less RAM is a positive factor on battery life.

    Comparing the resolutions doesn't carry much information unless someone explains how the x264/HEVC renderers map the 1080 movie pixels to device pixels (828 in XR, 1125 in XS and 1242 in XS Max). Higher resolution may also be involved with HDR. Setting those aside for the moment, comparing the logical resolutions reveals a powerful XR in terms of display area: XR's display area is equal to XS Max' with 414x896, while the XS can offer only 375x812. As such, XR and XS Max are more suited to landscape use since they both offer more height than XS.

    albegarcphilboogiewatto_cobraracerhomie3

  • Even with all the improvements to the iPad Pro, it still can't replace my Mac yet

    macplusplusmacplusplus
    lorin schultz said:
    I haven't looked for ways to make an iPad replace my MacBook Pro because even just casual use keeps exposing obstacles that suggest I shouldn't bother (at least not yet).

    I recently tried to AirDrop a couple large documents from my Mac into the "Files" section of my iPhone. Apparently that's not what Files is for. I didn't bother looking into what it actually does because whatever that is, it doesn't seem to be what I want. Maybe it's a useful feature, but my first (and so far only) experience with it was not positive.

    In my work I regularly have to create more than one version of a project. When I finish the first version I copy it and make changes to the copy that I then save as another version. I don't see an easy way to do that in iOS.

    I get that a new UI will mean learning new methods and I have no problem with that, but so far there seem to be some common uses that just plain don't have an iOS equivalent, and others, like text editing, involve such absurd gymnastics as to be more of a deterrent to the platform than a "solution."

    None of that is a problem, as I just happily continue to use my Mac. It just makes me think people like Andrew who really want to move off the laptop onto an iPad have a while to wait yet.
    When you Airdrop a file from your Mac to your iPhone, iOS asks you what to do with the received file. At this step you can place it into the Files app. Apparently you couldn’t come even to this step because otherwise you wouldn’t recite that story.
    thtelijahg

  • Mac mini 2018 Review: Apple's mightiest mini yet

    macplusplusmacplusplus
    vulpine said:
    So if I want to add a 1TB SSD to this machine for casual desktop use, what's the most sensible option? Will a SATA drive + USB-C adapter give me good performance for the lowest price? Is it worth it to move up to an NVMe drive + USB 3.1 Gen 2 adapter, even though this is faster than the USB port's 10G/s capability? Or is Thunderbolt 3 performance enough of a difference that it's worth it to get NVMe + TB3, even though the TB3 adapter is more than $200?

    It still looks like NVMe is less expensive than SATA, even though NVMe is also faster - is this correct?
    There is a reason Intel sells 960 GB Optane at $1200. There are a lot of cheap and attractive Amazon listings but since Thunderbolt 3 in the PC world is so rare, I couldn’t find any true benchmark on these NVMe SSDs performance in a TB3 enclosure. All seem to come mostly in M.2 form factor, thus essentially internal. So I’d suggest the tried and tested way: buy an USB 3.0 SATA Drive, the cheapest.
    vulpine

  • Mac mini 2018 Review: Apple's mightiest mini yet

    macplusplusmacplusplus
    entropys said:
    entropys said:
    you know, all apple had to do was have both the RAM and the SSD in slots, and I think that would be a worthy Mac Mini. RAM only is only half way there.  Apple should be ashamed of what they charge for SSD upgrades. Ashamed.

    So, if I was to pick a configuration, I would probably go for an i5, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, then add an extra 8GB RAM myself and have a decent sized thunderbolt 3 external drive to boot off cabled under the desk.
    No external drive would match the internal NVMe speed, even on Thunderbolt 3. So it is understandable that Apple reasonably fix their prices according to “competition” from external devices. Show me an external TB3 drive faster than the internal SSD then I’ll agree with you.
    It’s a Mac mini. I’ll repeat that. It’s a Mac mini.  I don’t care if the Mac Mini’s TB3 connected SSD is marginally slower than the soldered internal drive.  It will drop from ludicrously fast speeds to just astonishingly fast speeds. See Mike’s comment above where he is getting 40 gigabit/s throughput. TB and NVMe mean this ain’t SATA speeds anymore. The only negative will be still thinking of the prices Apple charges for SSD in their cheapest computer every time I boot it up.
    Ask him also how much does it cost. This is an Intel Optane SSD 905P (960 GB). Thunderbolt box not included.
    That particular config, the box is included, and it is not cheap. The drive as pictured is $1300, with the enclosure if you want it separately for $199.
    Twice the price of basic Mac Mini, (almost, @ $1300). Apple’s 1 TB internal SSD upgrade is $800...
    williamlondon

  • First wave of 2018 iPad Pro reviews praise new features, but warn on price & OS limitation...

    macplusplusmacplusplus
    hentaiboy said:
    Dead_Pool said:
    Jobs clearly saw the iPad as the future of computing. It was the product he had spent his entire career working toward. His generation had dreamed of something like it for nearly 30 years. He would have been far more aggressive than post-Steve Apple has been in addressing the factors that are holding it back, such as an awkward file system and lack of a pointing device.
    The same Jobs that mercilessly mocked the stylus?

    “Who wants a stylus? "You have to get 'em, put 'em away, you lose 'em. Yuck! Nobody wants a stylus. So let's not use a stylus."

    Or was he waiting for the world to invent magnets?
    Pencil is not stylus.
    elijahg