Latest news with #SarahKobos
New York Times
01-08-2025
- New York Times
The Best Accessories for Your USB-C Laptop
Michael Hession/NYT Wirecutter This lengthy cable is MFi-certified, sturdily built, and comfortable to grip, and it has a lifetime warranty. Plus, with the right wall charger it can fully charge most iPhones in about an hour. While most people might have a stand-alone wall plug for charging their iPhones, you can also use a USB-C-to-Lightning cable to connect your older iPhone to a MacBook. It won't juice up as quickly as with a fast-charging wall adapter, but it'll get the job done in a pinch. This lengthy cable is MFi-certified, sturdily built, and comfortable to grip, and it has a lifetime warranty. Read more about it in our guide to the best Lightning cable. Michael Hession/NYT Wirecutter This 240 W cable can fast-charge even the latest 16-inch MacBook Pro, but the flexible, woven cord works just as well with phones. $14 from Amazon (3.3-foot) This cable supports 240 W charging, which is required for fast charging with certain laptops such as the 16-inch M3 MacBook Pro, but it's still thin and flexible enough to work well as a phone charger. Its aluminum connectors and woven nylon are nice touches, too. Read more about it in our guide to the best USB-C cables and adapters. Michael Hession/NYT Wirecutter We like the Cable Matters USB-IF Certified 10 Gbps Gen 2 USB-C to USB-C Cable because it doesn't cost much and passed all of our signal-integrity tests. Read more about it in our guide to the best USB-C cables and adapters. Sarah Kobos/NYT Wirecutter More than just functional, this cable is especially well designed with premium materials and more length options. Some new monitors have USB-C ports, and some laptops still have HDMI or DisplayPort, but most people using an external monitor still need an adapter cable. This cable comes in a range of lengths from 3 to 15 feet, and can transmit a 4K signal at 60 Hz. Read more about it in our guide to the best USB-C video cables and adapters. Sarah Kobos/NYT Wirecutter Most of the DisplayPort cables we tested worked perfectly at 4K resolution and 60 Hz, but this one is made with nicer materials and comes in more lengths. All the DisplayPort cables we tested worked perfectly at 4K resolution and 60 Hz, but this one comes in 3-, 6,- and 10-foot options and its cable and housing materials are top-notch. Read more about it in our guide to the best USB-C video cables and adapters. Nick Guy/NYT Wirecutter This cable supports up to 1920×1200 at 60 Hz. And unlike other, similar cables, its converter chip and DisplayPort controller aren't in a bulky plastic collar. Read more about it in our guide to the best USB-C video cables and adapters. Amazon If you need to connect to an older projector or monitor, this 6-foot cable puts out 1920x1080 resolution at 60 Hz for a reasonable price. Read more about it in our guide to the best USB-C video cables and adapters. This article was edited by Caitlin McGarry.
New York Times
11-07-2025
- New York Times
These 15 Prime Day Deals on AirPods, Apple Watch, and MacBook Air Are Still Available
Sarah Kobos/NYT Wirecutter Apple AirTag Bluetooth Tracker (4-Pack) — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $65 ; street price: $80 Walmart deal price: $65 ; street price: $80 Best Buy deal price: $65 ; street price: $80 What we like: Our top Bluetooth tracker pick for iPhone users. Also recommended in multiple Wirecutter gift guides. Leverages Apple's extensive Find My network and is impressively accurate in pinpointing an item's precise location. Replaceable battery. Water-resistant. Other things to know: Doesn't have any way to ring your phone. Cannot attach to your stuff directly. Sales on four-packs typically offer the best price per tracker. Read more: The Best Bluetooth Tracker $100 Apple Gift Card + $10 Best Buy Gift Card (Digital Delivery) — Pick Accessory Best Buy deal price: $100; street price: $110 What we like: A nice-to-have gift card for those who use Apple products and shop at Best Buy. Great for purchasing Wirecutter-recommended Apple products, accessories, apps, and more. Essentially $10 of free money for purchases from Best Buy. Redeemable in stores or online. Other things to know: Email delivery. Go to on an Apple device to add the gift card to your Apple account. Use your balance for online and Apple Store purchases. Free $10 Best Buy gift card. Read more: The iPad Is the Best Tablet Smartish Gripmunk Case with MagSafe for iPhone 16 — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $16; street price: $20 What we like: Our top pick for the best basic iPhone 16 case. Soft, rubber-like plastic (TPU, or thermoplastic polyurethane) is easy to install and won't stretch out. Slim profile with a great grip and excellent protection. Easy access to new Camera Control button. Affordable without feeling cheap. Other things to know: The Gripmunk has been our pick for the best basic iPhone case for years now and continues to maintain that spot. Looks a bit plain. On sale in most colors (make sure you select the MagSafe option). Read more: The Best iPhone Case for iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max Smartish Gripmunk with MagSafe for iPhone 15 Case — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $16 (deal on black, blue, or clear); street price: $20 What we like: Our top pick for the best basic phone case for the iPhone 15. A one-piece case made of soft, rubber-like plastic (TPU, or thermoplastic polyurethane); provides more than adequate coverage and protection. Easy to install but won't stretch out. Affordable but doesn't feel cheap. Other things to know: Has been our pick for the best basic iPhone case for years now and continues to maintain that spot, but it's a very plain case. The iPhone 16 is out now; this case is for the previous-gen iPhone. Deal for black, blue, or clear. Read more: The Best iPhone Case for iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max Smartish Gripzilla with MagSafe for iPhone 16 Case — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $24 (deal on black or clear black); street price: $30 What we like: Our top protective case pick for the iPhone 16. Basically the Smartish Gripmunk but slightly thicker. Added air pocket corners offer even greater shock absorption. More deeply recessed finger ridges on either side create an especially secure grip. MagSafe support is built in. Other things to know: The larger corners give it a little more bulk, which tends to be the trade-off with a more protective case. Deal on black or clear black. Read more: The Best iPhone Case for iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max Smartish Wallet Slayer Vol. 1 for iPhone 16 Case — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $20 (deal on black, blue, or green); street price: $25 What we like: Our top pick for the best iPhone 16 wallet case. Holds up to three cards firmly without sacrificing design or Camera Control access. Soft, rubberlike TPU construction, with air pockets in the corners, pebble-textured sides for grip, and rubber interior. Other things to know: Not MagSafe-compatible, so you'll need to switch cases to use wireless charging or magnetic accessories. Thicker profile than traditional cases. Not the best deal we've seen, but still a good price. Deal on black, blue, or green. Read more: The Best iPhone Cases Here are all of the best Amazon Prime Day deals, as curated by Wirecutter's meticulous team of journalists. Walmart has launched its own summer sale event to counter Prime Day. Only some deals are actually worth grabbing. If you need to buy a new computer, our thoroughly vetted Prime Day deals are worth snagging. We've tested thousands of headphones and earbuds — and these are the best pairs to buy on sale during Prime Day.
