Gadgets

Two years ago I ran this same comparison for the iPhone 16 Pro Max against the 15 Pro Max.1 Spec 16 Pro Max 17 Pro Max 18 Pro Max Silicon Chip A18 Pro A19 Pro A20 Pro CPU, fast + low-power coresiPhone chips mix a few big fast cores for short bursts of heavy work with several small low-power cores that handle everyday background tasks, so the phone feels quick without draining the battery. Apple calls the fast cores in the A20 Pro "super cores"; it has not described them as a different design from the fast cores in earlier chips. 2 fast + 4 low-power same 2 fast (~20% quicker) + 4 low-power Graphics, AI-boosted graphicsiThe graphics chip has small AI helpers built into every core, so work like sharpening video, cleaning up game visuals, and running AI photo edits happens faster without shuttling data over to a separate AI chip. 6-core, no AI helpers 6-core with AI helpers 7-core with AI helpers On-device AI chipiThe dedicated AI block inside the processor. Doubling it roughly doubles how much on-device AI work the phone can run at once, such as Apple Intelligence features, photo and video AI edits, and voice processing. 16-core same Two 16-core blocks, 32 total Build Frame Titanium Aluminum unibody same Front glass Ceramic Shield Ceramic Shield 2, 3x scratch resistance same Peak outdoor brightness 2000 nits 3000 nits same Weight 227 g 233 g 249 g Thickness 8.25 mm 8.75 mm same Battery Video playback 33 hrs 39 hrs 45 hrs Streamed video 29 hrs 35 hrs 40 hrs 50% fast charge 35 min, 20W 20 min, 40W ~15 min, 60W with AVSiAdjustable Voltage Supply, a USB-C fast-charging standard where the charger fine-tunes its voltage to what the phone asks for. You need a 60W-capable adapter that supports it to hit the fastest charge time. Cameras Rear system 48MP Fusion Main, 48MP Ultra Wide, Telephoto Three 48MP Fusion Three 48MP Fusion, variable apertureiA physical iris in the lens that opens and closes, like on a real camera. A wider opening pulls in more light and blurs the background more; a narrower one keeps more of the scene sharp. Main Optical zoom 0.5/1/2/5x 0.5/1/2/4/8x same Front camera 12MP TrueDepth 18MP Center Stage plus tap to zoom and rotate Cinematic mode 4K/30 same 4K/60, plus effects applied to existing video Other Bluetooth 5.3 6 same Storage at Apple Discontinued 256GB to 2TB same Also new on the 18 Pro Max, and not on the spec grid above: manual control over aperture, shutter speed and white balance with a live histogram, smart focus tracking, Apple Reference Image, better low-light video, and stabilized time-lapse up to 4K Dolby Vision. ...

Finally, I had Cat6a wires run in my home so I could set up a proper network, including having ceiling-mount Wi-Fi access points with Cat6a backhaul. This is my first time working with UniFi, and thus far the software (iOS app, web app, etc.) is incredible. I used LLM fusion to submit all of my network hardware, wire runs, and other details to have it plan out my server rack to optimize for spacing, cooling, and wire management. Quite happy with the end result. ...

Looking to upgrade from the iPhone 15 Pro Max to the iPhone 16 Pro Max? Here’s a detailed comparison of features and price. Update (September 2026): see the newer iPhone 18 Pro Max vs 17 Pro Max vs 16 Pro Max comparison. Price If you have the iPhone 15 Pro Max 256gb, which has an Apple trade-in value of $650, the net cost of upgrading to iPhone 16 Pro Max 256gb is $549. ...

AI Facebook AI: major updates to their open-source LLM model llama 3.1 and released the S egment Anything Model 2 (SAM2). Runway ML launched Gen-3 Alpha Image to Video and it’s incredible ChatGPT finally started rolling out advanced voice mode (preview only) AI search feature (preview only) Gadgets and Gizmos July was a bad month to work on my gadget addiction: AI assistant hardware: pre-ordered a wearable friend (that’s the actual name!) pre-ordered limitless pendant Sparkling Water: They got me with the Amazon Prime Day deal on the SodaStream Enso (~$160). I am impressed at how easy it is to use and the fact that it doesn’t require any power or cables. Stud finders: Finding studs in ceilings and walls continues to be my least favorite part of my home projects. I got the Walabot DIY 2 which uses radar scanning to see through the walls. It’s cool, but the jury is still out on whether it is any more accurate than my Franklin Sensor M210 ($60) which I got earlier this year and love. I also finally added an awl to my stud-finding toolkit. Charging devices: Added Anker 15W wireless charger to desk ($46). I wonder if anyone other than Matt Mullenweg thinks about charging apparatuses as much as I do. If you read this far I’d be remiss to not point you to my earlier post about 2024 travel gadgets I like. If you can recommend any must-have gadgets, please leave a comment. ...

Somewhere along the line between college and my late 30s I became really interested in buying only the top quality kitchen products as I gradually threw out the cheap ones I accumulated in my 20s. These are the ones I really stand behind. Duralex Mis en Place mini glass bowls, Made in France ($30) these Norpro Silicone pinch bowls are a nice kid-friendly alternative OXO Squeeze and Pour Silicone Measuring Cups ($30) a bit expensive, but I really prefer them over glass pyrex liquid measuring cups Matfer High-Temp Fish Spatula ($19) My go-to spatula for just about everything (we have two)! OXO Salad Spinner ($30) Takes up precious cabinet space but is crucial for washing/drying fruit and vegetables Electric Salt and Pepper Grinders ($32) I don’t love the quality of this product, but the convenience for cooking is unmatched. if you come across a higher quality version let me know. Cuisipro Cheese Grater ($34) I don’t like grating cheese, but recognize it’s necessary sometimes. I was surprised at how much better the experience is with a high-quality grater. Instant Vortex XL Air Fryer ($130) Substantially better than the cheap air fryer we started with.

according to chatgpt the risk of an EMP event in the US is low, but not impossible. that’s a good enough reason for me to do a little research and decide if there is a way to be prepared for less than $100. let’s see what we can do: This list assumes you already have some basic household items that everyone should have like a first-aid kit, manual can opener, flashlights, and non-perishable food. ...

always the gadget connaisseur, here are the ones that travel with me regularly in 2024 fisher matte black bullet space pen Anker Nano charging station pocket physio max deep muscle trigger mini carabiner hero clip 100W 6-in-1 portable charging cable