Entertainment
The best MacBooks: Which model should you get in 2025?
Any time you shop for a new laptop, a lot of people are going to tell you the same thing: Get a MacBook.
We don’t blame them. The best MacBooks are fantastic laptops, and while they don’t afford you the freedom of customization that other brands offer, that’s not something everyone will care about. Most of us just want a high-quality laptop that’ll get us through work, school, and play with minimal fuss.
Although MacBooks can get a bit pricey — with the latest M4 MacBook Pros reaching into truly frightening territory — they justify the price with Apple’s signature design, user-friendly OS, and zippy M-series processors. Plus, you can often find MacBook Air and Pro models on sale (with the cheapest ones priced around $850 to $999).
After testing out Apple’s entire lineup of laptops, we’re here to help you narrow down the choices and take home the Apple machine of your dreams. So, let’s start shopping.
Your first big decision: MacBook Pro vs. Air
With today’s current lineup of MacBooks, you really only have two options: The MacBook Pro or the MacBook Air. So, which is right for you?
If you’re a creative who regularly pushes your laptop to the limit with demanding video and photo editing applications, you’ll want to aim for the Pro. The name of the game with the Pro line is processing power, and the latest iterations are the speediest and most performance-driven yet.
Testing the M1 MacBook Air after its 2020 release.
Credit: Zlata Ivleva / Mashable
Testing the super-powered M3 MacBook Pro.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
If convenience and portability are your top priorities, then the Air will be most suited to you. It’s thin and light, and it even comes in a 13-inch option if you’ll be lugging it around wherever you go. Plus, ever since the debut of Apple’s M Series chips, the MacBook Air has become a pint-sized powerhouse. The most current model utilizes the M3 chip, so you won’t be sacrificing all that much in terms of power.
Which generation MacBook is the best?
This will come down to what you’re willing to give up in performance, and in some cases, quality. But, whatever you do deem worthy of sacrificing, you’ll be paid back in savings. For example, the 2022 model M2 MacBook Air won’t come with the latest chip, but you’ll still be scoring an impressive laptop that frequently goes on sale for just $849.99. That’s compared to the $1,249 price tag of the most recent Air, and the $1,599 asking price of the latest Pro.
A photo from Mashable’s test of the M1 MacBook Air.
Credit: Zlata Ivleva / Mashable
Testing the M2 MacBook Air.
Credit: Molly Flores / Mashable
So, if you’ve got a lighter budget, don’t fret — you can still get a MacBook at an affordable price. Older MacBooks are still very much worthy of your consideration, and they won’t cost you nearly as much.
What are the best MacBooks?
After testing out the latest Apple laptops, we think there are five MacBooks worth buying in 2025. Check out our top picks below, their pros and cons, and who we think would like each model best.
How we tested
Mashable staff subjected all of the MacBooks on this list to varying degrees of hands-on testing. At minimum, this involved inspecting their build quality and using them for a variety of real-world tasks for several weeks at a time. This included working in different kinds of documents, checking emails, watching videos, taking photos on their webcams, participating in video calls, listening to music (via Spotify), playing games (if possible), and experimenting with any unique software features or use cases they claimed to support.
Additionally, most of the MacBooks featured here were made to run industry-standard benchmark software. We run these benchmarks because they replicate real-world tasks to produce scores we can use to easily compare different laptops’ performance. We recently started implementing these benchmarks in our testing, and you can expect to see them in all of our new laptop reviews going forward.
Performance benchmarks
We evaluate a laptop’s overall performance by running the appropriate version of Primate Labs’ Geekbench 6. (That would be macOS for MacBooks; Windows for Windows laptops, including gaming laptops; and Android for Chromebooks.) This test measures CPU performance in a handful of common tasks, and we record the resulting multi-core score. The higher the score, the better.
Battery life benchmarks
We look to see about 11 to 12 hours of battery life in the MacBooks we test, with 15-plus hours being exceptional, and 9 to 10 hours in the Windows laptops we review, with 12+ hours being ideal. Gaming laptops are a different story: They only need to last at least 2 hours per charge to get our approval, earning extra brownie points for reaching the 4-hour mark. Meanwhile, 8 hours is our baseline for Chromebooks, but 9 to 10 hours is best.
We’ve assessed laptops’ stamina a couple different ways in the past. To standardize our battery life testing methodology, we conduct a video rundown test on MacBook and Windows laptops that involves playing a looped 1080p version of Tears of Steel, a short open-source Blender movie, at 50 percent brightness.
Final thoughts
After evaluating a laptop’s hands-on performance and benchmark testing results, we make our final recommendations based on whether we think they offer a good overall value for the money. A too-expensive laptop will sometimes get a pass if we think it looks and works so great that it’s worth the trouble of finding it on sale.
It bears mentioning that these aren’t the only MacBooks we’ve tried — we’re constantly testing and assessing new models across different categories, and many don’t make the final cut. With that in mind, you can expect this guide to evolve on a pretty continuous basis. We’re always on the lookout for new top contenders.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
Mashable Top Stories
Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
