The CultCast MacBook Neo Surprise, XDR Is Tempting Me, And The Truth About AirPods Max 2! (CultCast #741)
Mar 20, 2026
They unpack an iFixit teardown that reveals a surprisingly user‑replaceable MacBook Neo battery. They gawp at the Studio Display XDR’s mini‑LED tech, 5K@120Hz and massive dimming zone count. They run through what is and is not new with AirPods Max 2, including H2 improvements and lingering codec limits. They also note Apple buying MotionVFX and talk Tim Cook’s comments about the iPhone’s future.
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MacBook Neo Brings Real Repairability Shift
- iFixit found the MacBook Neo unusually serviceable with a battery screwed in rather than glued, improving long-term repairability.
- Airfront Elijah notes Apple likely prepared this design for upcoming EU rules requiring user-replaceable batteries in 2027.
Studio Display XDR Is A More Complete Pro Display
- Studio Display XDR uses mini‑LED with ~2,300 dimming zones and supports 47–120Hz adaptive refresh, delivering improved HDR and smoother motion over Pro Display XDR.
- It adds built‑in camera, six‑speaker audio, dual Thunderbolt 5 ports and 140W pass‑through, making it more complete for most users despite being 27" 5K.
AirPods Max 2 Upgrades Chip and ANC But Limits Persist
- AirPods Max 2 gains the H2 chip, improved ANC (up to 1.5x), new DSP for more natural Transparency, Bluetooth 5.3 and reduced latency but wireless high‑res limits remain.
- Lossless/high‑fidelity still requires a wired USB‑C connection to a 24‑bit/48kHz source; wireless codec bottleneck frustrates audio purists.