Don’t Waste Your Money on These Apple Products: January 2023 Edition

2022 has been a busy year for Apple, with the company updating quite a few things, from Iphonethe Professional AirPodsthe Apple Watchand iPad and iPad Pro.

This means it will enter 2023 with a very strong product range and much less “secondhand” than in previous years.

That said, there are still Apple products that you should avoid, either because they are about to be refreshed or they won’t be updated as Apple is phasing them out.

Now that it’s 2023, we can expect a whole new update cycle in the coming months.

Also: Apple’s MacBook Air M2: Product of the Year on ZDNET

List of “Naughty”:

• Small iPad: With this tablet now nearing the 18-month mark (and likely to get a refresh in a few months), it’s hard to justify launching a $500 starting price here, unless you really, really, REALLY want a smaller form factor for something specific (such as a drone in flight or use as a video display).
• iMac 24 inch: Now that the M1 chip has been dropped by M2, Apple is asking a lot of money to pay for a Mac that can be refreshed in the next few months (maybe April 2023).
• Mac Mini: Released in November 202, this is the oldest Mac M1 and it has been forgotten that Apple still offers the “premium version” powered by Intel processors when the M2 would perform much better. . I really hope that this is suitable for a M2 upgrade soon and until then I highly recommend avoiding it.
• MacBook Pro M1 14 and 16 inch: Now that the M2 chip has landed, it is safe to say that these laptops are currently on loan and will likely be refreshed as early as this year.
• Mac Pro: With the transition to Apple Silicon underway, this great currency investment just doesn’t make sense at this point. Avoid this critical period unless you really have to replace a broken machine.

Also: Apple iPad Pro 2022 M2 is my copilot (drone)

List of “Beautiful”:

Apple MacBook Air 2022 laptop with M2 . chip

Apple’s latest MacBook Air supports M2 It’s the powerhouse of a laptop, delivering significant performance gains over the old Intel-powered MacBook Air, such as 15x faster video editing — (yes, video editing on MacBook Air! ) — and 18 hours all day of battery life.

Review: Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022): Sleeker, faster — and more expensive

• 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display with 500+ nit brightness, P3 wide color and support for 1 billion colors
• Next Generation M2 8-Core CPU with 8-Core GPU and 8GB Unified Memory
• Up to 18 hours battery life
• FaceTime HD 1080p camera, three-mic array, and quad-speaker audio system with Spatial Audio
• MacBook Air has a MagSafe charging port, two Thunderbolt ports, and a headphone jack
• Weighs only 2.7 pounds

AirPods Pro 2nd Generation

Apple’s best AirPods got so much better! The AirPods Pro second generation is a major upgrade over the previous model and puts the 2nd generation AirPods Pro ahead of the competition.

Also: AirPods Pro could be an inexpensive solution to your hearing loss

• Active noise cancellation reduces unwanted background noise.
• Adaptive Transparency allows outside sound in while reducing loud ambient noise.
• Personalized spatial sound with dynamic head tracking locations that sound around you.
• Multiple ear tips (XS, S, M, L).
• Touch controls let you swipe to adjust volume, tap to navigate media playback, answer or end calls, and long-press to switch between listening modes.
• Sweat and water resistant for AirPods Pro and charging case.
• MagSafe charging case with speaker.
• The case has a lanyard loop.

Also: Apple AirPods Pro 2nd generation: 6 tips and tricks | See our review

Apple Watch Ultra

This is Apple Watch that I’ve always wanted. Bigger, brighter screen, better waterproof, more space on screen for complex functions and exciting new features for explorers.

Also: Why the Apple Watch Ultra has been my favorite Apple product for years

• Rugged and efficient, built to meet the needs of endurance athletes, outdoor adventurers and watersports enthusiasts — with a dedicated strap for each.
• Up to 36 hours of battery life, plus all the Apple Watch features to keep you healthy, safe, and connected.
• 49mm corrosion resistant titanium case. The Digital Crown is larger and the buttons are easier to reach.
• 100m water resistant. Customizable Action Buttons for instant physical control over multiple functions.
• The always-on Retina display is easy to see, even in direct sunlight.
• Precise dual frequency GPS to calculate accuracy, distance, route and speed.
• Advanced health sensors give you insights into your health. Autumn detection and Detect the problem can automatically connect you to emergency services in the event of a major fall or car crash. Hold the Action button to activate a siren that can be heard up to 600 feet away.

Note that the orange strap gets dirty very quickly… mine looks so worn. You should also check it out Nomad Band Options for Apple Watch Ultra.

Review: I put the Apple Watch Ultra over a Tough Mudder

AirTag

Blow your opponent away, Apple AirTags It is the perfect gift for someone who often loses their belongings. You can add them in your luggage, your bike, your remote controlor even your move box – the possibilities are endless.

Also: How to Hide Apple AirTag on Your Bike (and Why You Should)

Well-built, powerful, and with replaceable batteries, these will make losing keys or wallets a thing of the past.

Also: This helps you find your AirTag in the dark

MacStudio

So much power in a small box. In fact, this is a workstation with a form factor not much larger than the Mac Mini.

You can choose between the M1 Max and M1 Ultra (unless you’re dealing with extremely high GPU workloads you should be fine with the M1 Max products) and can spend anything from $2,000 to $4,000 on this hardware.

Also: 6 best Macs

combined with Studio monitorThis is a total beast of a system.

Remember that while this is a powerhouse, the M1 chips are on loan as we move into the era of the M2.

iPhone SE

A budget iPhone with a bunch of great features. Sure, it’s reached that age mark, but if you want a cheap iPhone (and don’t want to buy secondhand), this is the iPhone for you.

• 4.7 inch Retina display.
• 5G.
• Fast A15 Bionic processor.
• Great camera.
• Touch ID biometrics.

At this price, it’s a great deal for a low-cost iPhone and still worth buying in 2023.

Review: Apple iPhone SE (2022): You simply can’t find a better phone at this price