MagSafe - MacTech Solutions https://mactech-solutions.com MacTech Solutions Your Local Apple Experts Wed, 21 Oct 2026 22:45:01 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://mactech-solutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/cropped-MacTech_logo_pngicon1-32x32.png MagSafe - MacTech Solutions https://mactech-solutions.com 32 32 A Few of Our Favorite Things: 2025 Tech Edition https://mactech-solutions.com/a-few-of-our-favorite-things-2025-tech-edition/ Fri, 07 Nov 2025 23:15:48 +0000 https://mactech-solutions.com/?p=57746 The holidays may be just around the corner, but we field requests for tech gear recommendations year-round. Below you’ll find our suggestions, whether you’re shopping for an Apple tech enthusiast or simply looking to upgrade your own devices and accessories. Plenty of other excellent options exist—we’d love to hear about the peripherals that have worked well for you. We’ve included links to both the manufacturer’s website and Amazon, where you can sometimes find better pricing.

External SSD

All Macs now use fast internal SSDs, but built-in storage gets expensive fast. The pricing of external solid-state drives makes them compelling for both additional storage and silent Time Machine backups. SSDs also provide the ultimate performance for demanding workflows. The Samsung and Crucial SSDs are good general-purpose drives; for the highest performance with Thunderbolt 5, look at the OWC Envoy Ultra.

External Hard Disk Drive

For high-capacity backups or archives, spinning hard drives remain the budget-friendly choice. They come in sizes up to 20 TB, and you can pay less than $15 per terabyte, although $20–$30 per terabyte is more common. It’s impossible to recommend specific models without knowing how much storage you need, but these manufacturers are generally highly regarded. Because hard drive prices can fluctuate, visit diskprices.com to identify current deals on new drives.

  • Seagate: Seagate offers a collection of desktop and portable drives under its own name and the LaCie brand. Apart from some of the larger LaCie drives targeted at professionals, most are focused on the consumer market.
  • Western Digital: Although some debate Seagate versus Western Digital reliability, many people like the company’s wide variety of external hard drives.
  • OWC: Other World Computing sells desktop and portable drives with an emphasis on RAID storage and professional uses. OWC also offers enclosures for installing bare drives purchased elsewhere, which is a good way to save money if you want to upgrade the drive over time.

27-inch External Displays

An overwhelming number of displays in many different sizes work with the Mac. The sweet spot is often the 27-inch size used by Apple’s Studio Display, which leads the pack in both features and price. It’s a 5K display that provides unparalleled sharpness at its standard pixel-doubled resolution of 2560×1440. Competition in the 5K display space has picked up, with new entrants from Asus, Alogic, BenQ, Samsung, ViewSonic, and others. If 5K displays still exceed your budget, check out the 27-inch 4K displays from Alogic and BenQ below, which connect via USB-C. Dell and BenQ also make high-quality screens that connect using Thunderbolt, but they’re more expensive. Third-party displays often don’t include webcams and generally feature subpar speakers compared to the Apple Studio Display, so building a comparable display would require a separate webcam (or an iPhone using Continuity Camera) and speakers.

Webcams

If you have a display that lacks a webcam, or you’re looking to improve on the relatively unimpressive webcams in Apple’s older devices, you now have some excellent options to choose from. These webcams offer top-notch image quality and often include advanced features, such as automatic framing, desk mode, and cinematic effects.

Earbuds

A good set of earbuds is helpful for videoconferencing and, of course, for listening to music or podcasts while commuting, exercising, or just out and about. The AirPods and AirPods Pro are the default options for Apple users, and both are excellent, with the AirPods Pro in particular offering impressive noise cancellation. The AirPods 4 offer active noise cancellation as a $50 option, but they don’t match the AirPods Pro 3 in that category. EarFun has some good earbuds at much lower prices; Sony and Technics compete on the high end.

Laptop Chargers

Although all MacBooks come with a power adapter (we’re fond of the two-port models), you might want additional chargers that stay plugged in wherever you work or take up less space in your laptop bag. Plus, Apple’s chargers, though high quality, are expensive and large. Consider these alternatives, keeping in mind that fast charging requires higher wattages than standard charging (70W for the MacBook Air, 96W for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, and 140W for the 16-inch MacBook Pro). Extra ports are often welcome, and the OneAdaptr chargers work in 200 countries.

USB Hubs

When you need to connect extra devices to your Mac, an inexpensive USB hub is often the answer (unless you prefer a Thunderbolt dock, next). The best hub for you depends on which ports you need, so our choices cover a range: the Anker 555 offers many different ports, the Anker 10-port hub provides many USB Type-A ports, and the Belkin 4-port hub focuses on USB-C ports.

Thunderbolt Docks

For more demanding scenarios, a full Thunderbolt dock is worth the extra cost over a USB hub. A Thunderbolt dock lets you connect multiple high-resolution monitors, high-speed drives, Ethernet, and more—all while charging your laptop through one cable. For the ultimate performance on a Thunderbolt 5-equipped Mac, go for the OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock. Otherwise, the Sonnet and CalDigit docks boast the most ports in horizontal and vertical form factors, respectively, and the OWC Thunderbolt mini Dock trades some ports for portability. Each company also offers more choices with different sets of ports.

Non-Apple Pointing Devices

Not everyone loves Apple’s trackpads or the flat Magic Mouse. Thankfully, many great third-party mice and pointing devices work with the Mac. Although most Bluetooth mice will work with the Mac, additional software may be necessary to control tracking speed, extra buttons, or scroll wheels. Unusual pointing devices like the Kensington trackball and Contour RollerMouse may be appreciated by those suffering from hand or wrist pain from mousing.

Non-Apple Mac Keyboards

All Macs other than the Mac mini come with a keyboard, but if you prefer a different key feel or layout, there’s a world of keyboards beyond Apple’s options (but only Apple’s support Touch ID). You’ll need to decide if you want a full-size keyboard with a numeric keypad or a compact keyboard that takes up less space on your desk—there are also in-between sizes. Also, different keyboards use different types of switches under their keycaps, so you may need to experiment to find what you like best. It’s worth buying a keyboard designed for the Mac to ensure it has or can be configured with the correct keys. The recommendations below should get you started; also check out other products from these manufacturers.

iPad Keyboards

Apple makes some of the best iPad keyboards, but they don’t work with all older models. The company makes the Magic Keyboard for the M4 and M5 iPad Pro models, the Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air and earlier iPad Pro models, and the Magic Keyboard Folio for the 10th-generation iPad. If you want to spend less, leave out the trackpad, or have a different case design, look into the alternatives.

Small-Device External Batteries

Although Apple continuously improves battery life for the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and AirPods, there will always be situations—travel, camping, non-stop use—where an external battery is a lifesaver. That’s especially true for older devices whose batteries don’t last as long as they used to. Apple has even gotten into the game with a MagSafe battery, but it works only with the company’s newest iPhone model.

MagSafe Chargers for the iPhone

While wired charging remains faster and more efficient than wireless options, MagSafe charging offers undeniable convenience for iPhone users. MagSafe chargers also work with wireless charging cases for the AirPods Pro, and chargers like the KUXIU X55 even include an Apple Watch charging puck.

One final piece of advice. For many of these product categories, you’ll find a dizzying array of products at bargain basement prices from alphabet-soup Chinese manufacturers. Although some may make quality products, we recommend sticking with reputable companies that have been serving Apple users for years. Even if their products are somewhat more expensive, they’re less likely to cut corners on manufacturing quality and safety (especially important with batteries and cables) and more likely to provide support in the event of problems.

(Featured image by iStock.com/Andrey Mitrofanov)

Social Media: Shopping for an Apple enthusiast this holiday season? Or maybe your own tech setup needs an upgrade? Check out our curated list of peripherals across multiple categories—from storage to chargers to keyboards.

]]> A Few of Our Favorite Things: Tech Edition https://mactech-solutions.com/a-few-of-our-favorite-things-tech-edition/ Wed, 13 Nov 2024 14:35:49 +0000 https://mactech-solutions.com/?p=57027 The holiday season is fast approaching, but we’re asked to recommend tech gear year-round. Here are some recommendations if you’re looking for a geeky gift for that special someone or need to supplement your tech toolkit with new or updated equipment. We don’t have personal experience with all these items, and there are undoubtedly many worthy alternatives—next time we chat, let us know about peripherals you’ve particularly liked. Where possible, we provide links to the manufacturer’s product page and to Amazon, where prices are sometimes lower.

External SSD

All Macs now use solid-state storage internally, and the pricing of external solid-state drives now makes them attractive for both additional storage and silent backups. SSDs also provide the ultimate performance for demanding workflows. The Samsung and Crucial SSDs are good general-purpose drives; look at the OWC Envoy Pro FX for high-performance tasks.

External Hard Disk Drive

For extensive backups and massive archives, you need a large external hard drive. They come in sizes up to 20 TB, and you can pay less than $20 per terabyte, although $20–$30 per terabyte is more common. It’s impossible to recommend specific models without knowing how much storage you need, but check out products from these manufacturers. Because hard drive prices fluctuate wildly, visit diskprices.com to identify current deals on new drives.

  • Seagate: Seagate offers a collection of desktop and portable drives under its own name and the LaCie brand. Apart from some of the larger LaCie drives, most are aimed at consumers.
  • Western Digital: Although some suggest that Western Digital drives are less reliable than Seagate’s, many people like the company’s wide variety of external hard drives.
  • OWC: Other World Computing sells desktop and portable drives with an emphasis on RAID storage and professional uses. OWC also offers enclosures into which you can install bare drives purchased elsewhere, which can save money if you want to upgrade the drive over time.

External Displays

You can find a wide array of displays that work with a Mac, with Apple’s Studio Display leading the pack in both features and price. It’s a 5K display that provides unparalleled sharpness at its standard pixel-doubled resolution of 2560×1440. There’s little direct competition—LG offers the main 5K display that’s cheaper. If that still exceeds your budget, check out the 27-inch 4K displays from Alogic and Asus, which connect via USB-C. Dell and BenQ also make high-quality screens that connect using Thunderbolt. Note that these third-party displays don’t include webcams and generally feature subpar speakers compared to the Apple Studio Display, so building a comparable display would require a separate webcam (or an iPhone using Continuity Camera) and speakers.

Laptop Chargers

Although all MacBooks come with a power adapter, you might want additional chargers that stay plugged in wherever you work or take up less space in your laptop bag. Plus, Apple’s chargers, though high quality, are expensive and large. Consider these alternatives, keeping in mind that fast charging requires higher wattages than standard charging (70W for the M3 MacBook Air, 96W for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, and 140W for the 16-inch MacBook Pro). Extra ports are often welcome, and the OneAdaptr chargers work in 200 countries.

USB Hubs

There are lots of reasons to want a USB hub, and your needs will push you toward one product or another. We chose three options: the Anker 555 provides many different types of ports, the Anker 10-port hub provides numerous USB Type-A ports, and the Satechi 4-port hub offers USB-C ports.

  • Anker 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1) (Anker, Amazon)
  • Anker 60W 10-Port USB 3.0 Data Hub (Anker, Amazon)
  • Satechi 4-Port USB-C Hub (Satechi, Amazon)

Thunderbolt Docks

USB hubs are sufficient for many situations, but for more demanding setups, you’ll want a Thunderbolt dock that enables you to connect multiple external displays, hard drives, and Gigabit Ethernet, all while using high-wattage charging. The Sonnet and CalDigit docks boast the most ports in horizontal and vertical form factors, respectively, and the OWC dock trades some ports for portability.

Non-Apple Pointing Devices

Some people dislike trackpads, and others aren’t fond of Apple’s Magic Mouse. Luckily, there are plenty of alternatives. Although most Bluetooth mice will work with the Mac, additional software may be necessary to control tracking speed, extra buttons, or scroll wheels. Unusual pointing devices like the Kensington trackball and Contour RollerMouse may be appreciated by those suffering from hand or wrist pain from mousing.

Non-Apple Mac Keyboards

All Macs other than the Mac mini come with a keyboard, of course, but if you’re not a fan of the feel and minimal key travel of Apple’s keyboards, you might consider an alternative. You’ll need to decide if you want a full-size keyboard with a numeric keypad or a compact keyboard that takes up less space on your desk—there are also various sizes in between. Also, keyboards use different switches under their keycaps, so it may require experimentation to find what you like best. It’s worth buying a keyboard aimed at the Mac market to ensure it has or can be configured with the correct keys. The recommendations below should get you started; also check out other products from these manufacturers.

iPad Keyboards

Apple makes some of the best keyboards for the iPad, but they don’t work with all older models. The company makes the Magic Keyboard for the M4 iPad Pro models, the Magic Keyboard that works with the iPad Air and earlier iPad Pro models, and the Magic Keyboard Folio for the 10th-generation iPad. If you want to spend less, leave out the trackpad, or have a different case design, look into the alternatives.

Small Device External Batteries

Although Apple continuously works to improve battery life for the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and AirPods, there will always be situations—travel, camping, non-stop use—where an external battery is a lifesaver. That’s especially true for older devices whose batteries don’t last as long as they used to.

MagSafe Chargers for the iPhone

Wired charging will always be faster and more efficient than wireless charging, but the convenience of MagSafe charging for the iPhone is compelling. As a bonus, MagSafe chargers can also power wireless charging cases for the AirPods Pro, and some, like the KUXIU X55, feature a puck for recharging the Apple Watch.

  • Apple MagSafe Charger (Apple, Amazon)
  • Belkin BoostCharge Pro Portable Wireless Charger (Belkin, Amazon)
  • KUXIU X55 3-in-1 Wireless Charger (KUXIU, Amazon)

Let us leave you with a final piece of advice. For many of these product categories, you’ll find a dizzying array of alternatives at bargain basement prices from no-name Chinese manufacturers. While it’s impossible to make blanket assertions, we recommend sticking with reputable companies that have been serving Apple users for years. Even if their products are somewhat more expensive, they’re less likely to cut corners on manufacturing quality and safety and more likely to provide support in the event of problems.

For more information on all the great Apple products, features, and services, and especially great gift ideas for this Christmas, stop by MacTech Solutions, 4020 Rhea Rd, Suite 3B, Wichita Falls.  We’re open Monday thru Friday, 10am to 6pm

(Featured image by iStock.com/Gatot Adriansyah)

 

]]> For the Best Mac Webcam, Use Your iPhone https://mactech-solutions.com/for-the-best-mac-webcam-use-your-iphone/ Mon, 25 Mar 2024 21:01:29 +0000 https://mactech-solutions.com/?p=55908 The near-ubiquity of videoconferencing is a lasting effect of the pandemic. The ease of gathering a group virtually usually more than makes up for the downsides. Despite that, many people still appear in video calls with low-resolution, poorly lit video that makes the call less effective.

A better webcam is an easy way to improve your video, and the best readily available webcam may already be in your pocket. That’s because you can use your iPhone and its high-quality cameras as a wired or wireless Mac webcam, thanks to Apple’s Continuity Camera technology.

Your Apple gear likely meets the Continuity Camera system requirements. You need an iPhone XR or later (all iPhones introduced in 2018 or later) running at least iOS 16 and a Mac running macOS 13 Ventura or later. Both must be signed in to the same Apple ID.

You’ll want a mount that holds your iPhone in landscape orientation (horizontally) at the top of your Mac’s screen, with its rear cameras facing you. The first such mounts for laptops and desktops came from Belkin, but numerous manufacturers now sell inexpensive alternatives that have different industrial designs and support iPhones that can’t use MagSafe. Continuity Camera can drain your battery, so it’s worth plugging in a charger cable or getting a screen mount that also holds a MagSafe charger; look on Etsy for options, such as this one.

Although the samples above show the iPhone’s cameras in the upper-right corner, you can rotate the iPhone to position the cameras in the lower-left corner, which may put them more in line with your eyes and improve eye contact.

(Technically, you can put the iPhone anywhere—a tripod behind your screen would also work—and it doesn’t have to be in landscape orientation. However, apps detect the iPhone as a webcam automatically only when it’s in landscape orientation, and if it’s below or to the side of your screen, the video angle will likely be problematic. You can also take your iPhone off its mount and walk around with it as long as you stay in Bluetooth range of your Mac.)

When the iPhone is locked and in position, its camera and microphone become available to videoconferencing apps like FaceTime, Zoom, and Webex. Your app may start using the iPhone as a camera automatically, but if not, look for a menu or icon that lets you choose the desired camera. Similarly, you can use the iPhone’s mic as your audio input for the call, although the Mac’s built-in mic, AirPods, or other mic may offer equally good or better audio quality.

For the most part, the iPhone acts like a standard webcam. After you end the call, remove it from the mount to use it normally again. Should you need to check something on your iPhone during the call, you can remove it from the mount and either tap the Pause button or just unlock it—your video (and audio, if you’re using the iPhone as a mic too) will pause. To resume, lock and remount your iPhone. You may want to warn the other people on your call first in case something goes wrong and you get disconnected.

Receiving a phone call is a similar situation. Answering the call on the iPhone pauses the audio and video for the videoconference until you end the call, lock the iPhone, and mount it again. You may also be able to answer the call on the Mac, but that also pauses the audio and video, and you may need to choose the iPhone as your camera again afterward.

Ultimately, using your iPhone as a webcam is remarkably easy—Continuity Camera just works in our experience. The only tricky part is finding the screen mount and charger that work best with your Mac and usage patterns.

Be sure to visit Facebook Page, as well, or stop by 4020 Rhea Rd, Suite 3B in Wichita Falls, Monday-Friday, 10am to 6pm

(Featured image by Belkin)

Social Media: Many of us spend significant chunks of the workday on video calls, and the best way to improve your onscreen look is with a better webcam, which you can probably find in your pocket. Learn how to use your iPhone as your Mac’s webcam here.

]]> Use StandBy to Make Your iPhone into a Clock, Photo Frame, and More https://mactech-solutions.com/use-standby-to-make-your-iphone-into-a-clock-photo-frame-and-more/ Thu, 04 Jan 2024 14:18:06 +0000 https://mactech-solutions.com/?p=55678 iOS 17 offers a new mode for the iPhone: StandBy. All you have to do is connect your iPhone to a charger wirelessly or with a cable, position it on its side in landscape orientation, and press the side button to lock the screen. Standby works best with a MagSafe charging stand. Swipe left or right to switch between three screens: widgets, photos, and clocks. Swipe up and down to move between widgets, photo collections, and clock styles. On the widget screen, touch and hold to add and remove widgets, and on the photo screen, touch and hold to choose which collections and albums to display. You can choose how long the display stays active in Settings > StandBy > Display. By default, it will stay on all the time on iPhone models with an Always-On display; a tap or nudge will wake it on other iPhone models. Finally, StandBy remembers your preferred view in different locations, so it can be a clock in the bedroom, a photo frame in the kitchen, and a clock at the office.

 

(Featured image by Apple)

]]> Keep iPhone 12 and MagSafe Accessories Away from Pacemakers https://mactech-solutions.com/keep-iphone-12-and-magsafe-accessories-away-from-pacemakers/ Thu, 18 Feb 2021 14:07:18 +0000 https://mactech-solutions.com/?p=52894 Remember when we had to keep magnets away from floppy disks to avoid scrambling them? Modern storage is no longer vulnerable, but magnets and electromagnetic fields from consumer electronics can interfere with medical devices, like implanted pacemakers and defibrillators. Although iPhone 12 models contain more magnets than prior models, Apple says they’re not expected to pose a greater risk of magnetic interference. However, after a study found that one pacemaker could be deactivated by holding an iPhone 12 near it, Apple issued a support document recommending that you keep your iPhone 12 and MagSafe accessories more than 6 inches (15 cm) away from your medical device or more than 12 inches (30 cm) away while wirelessly charging. Better safe than sorry—if you have a pacemaker, don’t put your iPhone or any other consumer electronics in a breast pocket.

 

(Featured image by Ulrike Leone from Pixabay)

]]> Use Your MagSafe Power Adapter’s “Wings” https://mactech-solutions.com/use-your-magsafe-power-adapters-wings/ Mon, 24 Apr 2017 15:50:41 +0000 http://mactech-solutions.com/?p=27906 For many years, Apple has shipped MagSafe power adapters with Mac laptops (although the 12-inch MacBook and 2016 MacBook Pro laptops have different adapters with USB-C ports). Many people have never realized that the MagSafe adapter has two “wings” on the corners on either side of the integrated cable. Flip them out and you can wrap the cable around them, securing it with the little clip that slides along the length the cable. If you’ve been fussing with a messy MagSafe cable while traveling, give the wings and clip a try!

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