On the Hypothetical “Thinner” M6 MacBook Pro

Rumors are swirling about a redesigned MacBook Pro slated for release next year, featuring the M6 chip, a thinner chassis — and most notably — an OLED display. A recent 9to5Mac article summarizes the rumors.

I’m particularly excited about the prospect of an OLED screen. This technology promises higher brightness, improved contrast ratios, and more vibrant colors, making the types of things folks do on a MacBook Pro even easier.

However, the notion of a thinner design makes me nervous. In my experience, when surveying the needs of MacBook Pro users — especially those in same creative professions — the desire for a slimmer profile rarely tops the list. More commonly, folks want better battery life, enhanced performance, and adequate input/output.

Apple has a history of pursuing thinner designs, sometimes at the expense of functionality. The butterfly keyboard is the most recent example. If “thinner” is on that whiteboard in Cupertino, I hope Apple doesn’t compromise the performance and reliability that MacBook Pro users depend on. Perhaps advancements in chip design will allow for a thinner MacBook Pro without sacrificing battery life or power. But even if that is true, I’d argue the MacBook Pro still doesn’t need to get thinner. I’d fill that empty space with more battery and a better cooling system to let the new MacBook Pro run even harder.

In the meantime, we can anticipate the release of the M5 MacBook Pro later this year, likely in the fall as the last MacBook Pro with this current, much-loved, design.

Daylite: The All-in-One Business Tool for Apple Users (Sponsor)

Running a small business or working as a solo professional often means juggling a dozen roles at once — client meetings, project deadlines, follow-ups, invoicing — you name it. I’ve learned the hard way that when your tools aren’t helping you stay on top of all that, they’re just adding to the chaos.

That’s where Daylite comes in. It’s a powerful CRM and project management app made specifically for Mac, iPhone, and iPad users. What sets Daylite apart is how well it blends contact management, project tracking, calendar integration, and team collaboration, all in one place. It’s like having a command center for your business, designed with the Apple ecosystem in mind.

Daylite is especially useful if you’re in a client-focused profession like legal, design, real estate, coaching, or consulting. You can link your emails, notes, tasks, and appointments to individual clients and projects, so nothing slips through the cracks. I love how it integrates with Apple Mail and Calendar, making it feel like a natural extension of the tools many of us already use daily.

One thing that really stands out is how Daylite helps you stay proactive, not just reactive. You can set up pipelines for sales or onboarding workflows, assign tasks to your team, and always know what the next step is. That means less time digging through email threads and more time actually doing the work.

Moreover, the Daylite development team is 100% committed to giving Mac users the best native experience. They’ve proven that with decades of innovative updates. And because Daylite is a native Mac app (not just a web wrapper), it feels snappy and familiar. There’s no clunky interface or learning curve; it just works the way you expect it to.

If you’re trying to grow your business or just bring some order to the daily madness, I highly recommend checking out Daylite. It’s a great example of a thoughtfully built tool for Apple-centric teams who want to work smarter.

This Month in the MacSparky Labs

We had a lot of fun this month in the MacSparky Labs. Notable events was a meetup of Vision Pro users to reflect on the first year with Apple’s new device and a deep dive on e-books in light of Amazon tightening the screws on downloading your purchased book.

Here’s what took place in the Labs for the month of March 2025:

  • 2025-03-03 – Testing Cotypist (BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-31 – TRMNL to Show Status Information (SU,BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-28 – Lab Report 2025-03-28 (SU,BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-21 – The Lab Report for March 21, 2025 (SU,BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-19 – March 2025 Deep Dive – Ebook Workflows (EA)
  • 2025-03-19 – FOD – Vision Pro Check-In (Podcast) (SU,BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-17 – Using ChatGPT with Timing Data (BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-17 – Accessing the Labs Calendar (BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-14 – The Lab Report for March 7, 2025 (SU, BA, EA)
  • 2025-03-12 – Using Supercharge (SU,BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-10 – Choosing “Send From” Email Account in Apple Mail (BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-08 – FOD – Vision Pro Check In (Event) (SU,BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-07 – Labs March Meetup (SU,BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-07 – The Lab Report for March 7, 2025 (SU, BA, EA)
  • 2025-03-05 – Sparky’s Tech Travel Gear 2025 (SU, BA, EA)
  • 2025-03-03 – February 2025 Deep Dive – iPad + Mac (Video) (EA)

If you’d like to be a part of the MacSparky Labs, you can get more information and join right here.

Mac Power Users 790: Wandering Around The Verge, with David Pierce

David Pierce is editor-at-large at The Verge. This week, he joins Stephen and me on Mac Power Users to talk about the hardware and software he relies on for work, the overall state of Apple in 2025, and his complicated feelings about his new SodaStream.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

  • 1Password: Never forget a password again.
  • DEVONthink: Get Organized — Unleash Your Creativity.

Nano-texture Normalcy

It’s been a while since Apple introduced Nano-texture glass on iPad, and in that time, they’ve expanded the option to the MacBook Pro. What’s interesting to me is that we haven’t seen any major controversies or “gates” surrounding this technology. The Nano-texture glass seems to be delivering as promised, reducing glare while maintaining a sharp, high-quality display.

I’ve had the chance to use the Nano-texture glass option on iPad and have seen it on the MacBook Pro as well. The common complaint that colors appear slightly less vibrant is valid, but the screen remains incredibly sharp. And if you need a non-reflective display, this is an obvious choice. It makes particular sense on iPad and MacBook Pro, given that these are among Apple’s devices that are often used outdoors or in bright lighting conditions.

Another positive development is the price. I remember that when choosing the Nano-texture glass on the Pro Display XDR, it set you back $1,000. Now, you can get it on a MacBook Pro for just $150.

I can’t help but wonder if Apple will eventually bring Nano-texture to the iPhone. Given how often people use their phones in direct sunlight, it could help. Regardless, for those who need a high-end, anti-reflective display, Apple’s Nano-texture glass is the best I’ve seen, and far superior to any screen treatment or film I’ve tried.

Sticking with My M2 Mac Studio: A Surprising Decision

If you listened to the most recent episode of Mac Power Users, you heard me struggling with a decision: should I upgrade my Mac?

As you may know, I’ve been happily using an M2 Mac Studio with 8TB of internal storage. It’s a powerhouse, and it fits perfectly in Endor Studios (my home studio). I’m a big believer in contextual work, and when I sit at my desk, I’m instantly in production mode. My workflow is optimized for this machine, and until recently, I hadn’t seriously considered replacing it.

But then, something happened.

I got a call from an old lawyer friend who, for various reasons, needed a Mac with 8TB of storage. He made me a generous offer (more than Apple would have given me for a trade-in). It was likely the best offer I’d ever get for this Mac, and for a moment I thought: “Well, of course, I should upgrade!”

That’s when things got complicated.

I started looking at different options: MacBook Pro with M4 chip, a new M4 Mac Studio but with a smaller SSD—and I even placed multiple orders, only to cancel them later. That’s not like me. Usually, when it’s time to upgrade, I just do it. But something about this wasn’t sitting right.

At first, I thought maybe I was just being indecisive. But when I looked more closely at the benchmarks between the M2 and M4, it hit me: I don’t actually need this upgrade.

Apple’s M-series chips have fundamentally changed upgrade cycles. In the Intel days, new Macs felt like necessary upgrades every few years. But now, my M2 Mac Studio is still ridiculously fast — it’s a rocket ship — and the M4 is just another rocket ship that flies a little faster. But my M2 still gets me into orbit.

Beyond that, I really love having an 8TB internal SSD. I’m making hundreds of videos a year between the MacSparky Labs and the Field Guides, and this giant drive makes that painless. It allows me to keep all my files on one machine, making my backup and restore process effortless. A new Mac with the same storage would be very expensive, and anything less would force me into an external storage setup, which wouldn’t be terrible, but is also more friction than I currently have. If Apple’s SSD pricing were more reasonable, maybe I would have gone for it; but that’s not the case today.

While the idea of a MacBook Pro was tempting — being able to take my full production machine on the road — realistically, I don’t need that. I already have a MacBook Air that handles my mobile work just fine, and when I’m traveling, I rarely feel the need to do full-scale production. Plus, the MacBook Pro would have added downsides, like louder fans and a bit more hassle in my workflow.

So, after all the internal debate, I came to a conclusion that still feels a little strange to me: I am not upgrading.

That’s not to say I’ll never upgrade. I’m sure at some point, I’ll talk myself into a new Mac. And I totally understand why some folks are jumping from M2 to M4 — Apple’s chips keeps getting better. But for me, right now, my M2 Mac Studio is just too perfect to replace.

So, that’s where I landed. Have you ever found yourself going back and forth on an upgrade decision? This is a new experience for me. 🙂

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CrossOver 25 for Painless Mac Gaming

Many Mac gamers are fans of CrossOver, a Mac application that enables you to run native Windows software on macOS. When compatible, it’s an easy way to play PC games on your Mac. I once used it to play a PC-only Star Wars online role-playing game (RPG) on my Mac. I stopped not because CrossOver failed, but because I realized I can’t be trusted with an online RPG.

The latest version, CrossOver 25, introduces several enhancements, including the ability to play popular PC games like Red Dead Redemption 2. It’s built on Wine 10.0, incorporating over 5,000 improvements that benefit many applications. Notably, CrossOver doesn’t require a Windows license, making it a straightforward solution for running Windows apps on your Mac.

If you’re using a Mac and are missing your PC games, CrossOver 25 might be the answer you’re looking for.

CrossOver can also run PC productivity apps, too. I have a friend that uses it to run an ancient Windows version of Quicken. (Long story…)