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InformationWeek: Which Apple Mac should you pick?
Saturday, March 22, 2008 - 03:08 PM EST

"We've tested the Mac Pro, MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, the iMac, the Mac Mini, and the XServe. There's not a bad Apple among the bunch, and some are truly superb. We'll help you choose one that's right for you," Richard Hoffman reports for InformationWeek.

MacDailyNews Take: We'd be remiss if we didn't point out that the question "Which Apple Mac should you pick?" is a welcome upgrade from what used to be "Should you pick an Apple Mac?"

Hoffman continues:

Maybe that most recent e-mail virus was the last straw. Maybe you've been longing for a computer that "just works" and that you actually look forward to using. Maybe Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) Vista finally just sent you right around the bend. Perhaps it was that "Mac guy" on the commercials. Or maybe you are the "Mac guy."

For whatever reason, you've decided to buy a new computer from Apple and want a little help sorting out the different models. Well, you're in luck, because perhaps more than at any other time, Apple's product lineup is clear, logical, and targeted at distinct types of users and uses. The entire product line is one of the strongest Apple's ever had. Without hyperbole, it may be the best overall line of computers anyone has had, ever -- there's not a bad Apple among the bunch, and some are truly superb.

Plus, if you're a PC guy or gal contemplating making the switch to the Mac world, the good news is that, if you have to, you can still use Windows on just about any new Mac. Parallel's Desktop for Mac, VMWare's Fusion virtualizer products, and Apple's own included Boot Camp dual-boot enabler all allow Windows to run at native or near-native speed on your Mac. So, these days, your choice doesn't have to be either-or, it can be both.

From design to function, from form to performance, you pretty much can't go wrong with anything Apple is currently selling. We've tested them all in our labs over the past months, and they're just that good. Read on and we'll help you choose the right one.


Full article here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "Dennis M." for the heads up.]

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Mar 22, 08 - 02:13 pm Comment from: ron

Get an iMac.

Mar 22, 08 - 02:18 pm Comment from: BriAnimations

When my friends asks me, I ask them two questions:

1) Do you want a desktop or a laptop?
2) How much do you want to spend? (Remember, you get what you pay for.)

Then I take their price, and match it up to the nearest equivalent priced computer. Voila. Oh, and I tell them to get the least amount of RAM possible from Apple, and to just buy it from a third party dealer.

Mar 22, 08 - 02:30 pm Comment from: buill

I like Ram, Ram your ma ma ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Mar 22, 08 - 02:34 pm Comment from: Woody

@ Bri: Yup, that's exactly what I do, too.

Mar 22, 08 - 02:41 pm Comment from: IKON

I've never been sorry for having a macbook pro (at home connected to a 23 inch ADC). Price was not an issue, since the company paid.

I've several other (read: older) macs, still in use.

Mar 22, 08 - 03:20 pm Comment from: MacLovin

does it annoy you when people call them "Apple Macs"? it just doesn't sound quite right... its a little redundant...

Mar 22, 08 - 03:36 pm Comment from: Ampar

To MacLovin:
At least that's better than "Mac should do this" as if "Mac" is the company or a person. Or even better, the MAC. Why are they shouting?

Mar 22, 08 - 04:40 pm Comment from: Wun Dim Gai

I want a compact desktop that I can upgrade in a couple years and add an extra hard drive to. Is that so much to ask?

I already have an iMac, PowerMac G5, Titanium Powerbook, and a MacBook Air.


Please oh please, Apple, give me another reason to buy!

Mar 22, 08 - 04:47 pm Comment from: tt

how about the mac thats *REALLY good for games that costs less than $2000.......................................... ?

Mar 22, 08 - 04:48 pm Comment from: tt

for that matter less than $1500..


or $1000!!


wtf...

Mar 22, 08 - 05:10 pm Comment from: Ampar

"how about the mac thats *REALLY good for games that costs less than $2000?"

It's not a Mac but it's pronounced play' • stay • shun.

Mar 22, 08 - 05:11 pm Comment from: bond co. stooge

tt--buy a console, or better yet, get in a committed relationship.

Really.

Mar 22, 08 - 05:12 pm Comment from: bond co. stooge

Ampar! No Soup For You!

(dammit!)

Mar 22, 08 - 05:19 pm Comment from: DogGone

I'm hoping to get a MacBook Pro in the next few weeks. Whilst I have an upgraded G4 Sawtooth tower that is 8 years old and still going strong, the versatility of a laptop outweighs the upgrade options of a desktop.

Mar 22, 08 - 05:21 pm Comment from: Ampar

To bond co. stooge:

grin Rock on, friend!

Mar 22, 08 - 05:24 pm Comment from: ericdano

MacPro FTW. Insanely fast, built like a piece of art. Amazing computer.

Mar 22, 08 - 05:50 pm Comment from: Lilochris

First Mac I ever bought was a Mac Mini G4 when it came out.
I needed portability so I bought a 12 inch 1.2 Ghz iBook G4.

Then when the Core 2 Duo iMacs Came out, I went & bought one because I needed to bough windows from time to time in late 2006.

Now, I would love o have a Mac Pro so I can Upgrade it's hard Drive, Optical Drive, & Video Card in the future but it's too expensive for me. I like my iMac but I wish I could make it have a bigger screen which I can't, I wish to upgrade the hard drive & video card which I personally can't upgrade either.

I Also love my iBook G4 & it's never left me stranded. But I would like to go for a Black MacBook or better yet a MacBook PRO with Matte screen. But bogged me down to stick with the iBook until it dies. Had it since mid 2005 & still going strong.

I still use the Mac Mini as a Backup.

If I were to Replace my entire setup later, it would be a Mac Pro with a Cinema Display & a MacBook Pro.

Mar 22, 08 - 07:48 pm Comment from: tt

a con what? console??? HAHAHAHAHA

lemme know when any of the consoles can come close to the computational power of 2 geforce 8800s or 9800s and then I will get a console. when was the last time you saw a console at a 3000 person lanparty?

they need to make a more well rounded Mac.. soemthing with a standard hardrive (or 2) that takes a good graphics card that ISNT a macpro... I have an imac.. thats by far the best bang for the buck for a home machine.. but there is a missing mainstream mac.. performance users, gamers, or professional users that dont want to spend $2500 on a machine (not including monitors)

and I AM in a committed relationship.. I let my wife name the Mac.. how is that for committed!

think about it.. standard 2 pci express x16 slots for video, and 2 3.5" hard drives and NO MONITOR.... PLEASE APPLE I BEG YOU TO MAKE THIS MACHINE. you could call it the "Mac" what a concept

Mar 22, 08 - 08:23 pm Comment from: Mr. Reeee

tt...

Well, I was about to tell you to get a PS3… but you've got a point. ;^)

Apple SHOULD make a MID-range headless Mac for those of us who either don't want the size or expense or complete overkill of a MacPro. For a full-blown machine, size is more of an issue.

Half the slots, half the drive bays, half the sheer SIZE (or less!!!) for about half the price. I call it the Half-MacPro.

People have been SCREAMING for this for years!
I'd buy one to augment my MacBook Pro in a goddam heartbeat.
It would be a great VectorWorks 2D/3D CAD machine.

Will we EVER see one? Keep screaming!

Mar 22, 08 - 08:28 pm Comment from: Apple Mac, Apple Mac, Apple Mac, aaaaagh!

Apple Mac. For some reason this idiotic redundancy really pisses me off.
Its usually Brits that say it.
And Brits piss me off too.
Even though I used to be one before I escaped from the insane place they call Britain.

Apple Mac - like there is some other kind of Mac.....

'Oh, you mean an Apple Mac - sorry we only have Toshiba Macs in this store.'

Mar 22, 08 - 08:35 pm Comment from: Apple should make a computer exactly the way I wan

The other thing I REALLY hate is this belief that Apple 'should' make a computer thats cheap with no display, so people can attach a crappy display to it and undercut MacPro sales.

They listened to you whiners and made the Mac mini.
Now buy one and STFU.

'But I want one with more slots/power/etc.'
So buy a Mac Pro.
'But its too expensive'
Tough.

'I want a girlfriend with big tits - the one I have is great but she has small tits'

Whats it like to want?

If you dont like what Apple offer, buy a frickin PC.

Mar 22, 08 - 08:43 pm Comment from: All U Need 2 Know

Buy a Mac- any Mac. They are all good.

Caveat 1-If you are a gamer, video editor or a photographer avoid the Vampire Video models (MacBook, MacBook Air, Mac mini).
Caveat 2- Load up on RAM, but don't buy it from Apple as it will break your checkin account at about 4x the going rate for quality memory modules from Crucial or others.
Caveat 3- You can buy AppleCare up to 1 year after your purchase, so don't skimp on your computer just to get AppleCare at the time of sale.

Suggestion 1- Buy a copy of Circus Ponies NoteBook. You can thank me later.
Suggestion 2- Unless you must, buy iWork instead of Office:Mac. Mellel is a great Word Processor for those who don;t need the Spreadsheet & Presentation apps.
Suggestion 3- If you do a lot of research give Devon Technologies DevonThink and DevonAgent a try. They are well worth the price.

Mar 22, 08 - 09:04 pm Comment from: Tommyr

Get a Mini and thank me later!

Mar 22, 08 - 09:50 pm Comment from: Afib

If money is not limited Apple Xserve.

Mar 22, 08 - 10:27 pm Comment from: Two words:

"MacBook" and "Duh."

If you're someone who needs a different Mac than that, then you're someone who already knows it.

Mar 23, 08 - 12:24 am Comment from: Big Al

@ Apple Mac, Apple Mac, Apple Mac, aaaaagh!

What is redundant about Apple Mac?

Apple used to make Apple computers.

Apple now makes Mac computers.

Motorola used to make Mac clones. Sony made real Macs (PB 100).

You can't call a new computer just made by Apple Inc. an Apple. It's not an Apple, it's a Mac. Calling it an Apple Mac is not redundant at all. It is very accurate, if anything.

Get over yourself.

Mar 23, 08 - 02:09 am Comment from: will

I've recently made a short webpage with a guaranteed fast answer to this specific dilemna :
It's easy to choose a Mac !
Tell me if it works for you.

Mar 23, 08 - 02:21 am Comment from: Brit

@Apple Mac, Apple Mac, Apple Mac, aaaaagh!

Is that you ron? ... you tard, you were never a Brit, you've never been there.

Get over yourself.

Mar 23, 08 - 03:50 am Comment from: Gavron

IKON,

personally I prefer the ACD to the ADC.

Mar 23, 08 - 08:06 am Comment from: ralph from berlin

one more thing to improve the line. when i was with a friend yesterday shopping for a new iMac (his first mac) it was easy and cheap to upgrade to 2gb of ram in the shop (mediamarkt - that's a big chain here in germany, most of them with apple shop in shops). it took 10 minutes and was a 25 euros upgrade. the same should be possible with the graphic-card. so the imac could appeal even to the high-end gamers. let me put in a 200/300 euro graphic-card, from time to time boot into windows and crysis or cod4 - here i come.

Mar 23, 08 - 10:04 am Comment from: ron

@@@@Brit. Is that you ron? ... you tard, you were never a Brit, you've never been there.

Get over yourself.

Why do you give a sh-t where I was born? It was in Swindon, moved to Oxford after two weeks. Escaped England in the 50's. BTW, the word 'Brit' wasn't invented then. It was 'English' at the time. Get an iMac.

Mar 23, 08 - 10:35 am Comment from: Cubert

I helped my girlfriend set up her MacBook this weekend. She loves it! We have been dating for 4 months and I did ZERO pontificating about Apple and the Macintosh platform. It was her periodic use of my PowerBook that showed her the error of her ways. The contrast between using my PowerBook all weekend and then going back to her Toshiba laptop or her PC at work started to make the differences between the two operating systems abundantly clear. Now, she HATES Windoze.

Also, my friend Wes bought a MacBook this weekend. He lives in the apt. above me and has had many problems with his two Winblows laptops. One of them would power down every time he put a disc into the optical drive - any disc, including a Windoze install disc! For months now he has not been able to find a reason or a solution. Whenever this would happen, he would pop down to my place and use my PowerBook for whatever he would need to do. Fast forward a few months to this week, add in a tax refund check, and voila! A new MacBook! He is excited as hell, like a little kid at Christmas! Wait until I install iWork for him and he get a chance to use Pages and Keynote for himself (and not just see my end results).

Uncle Steve, can I get royalty checks from Apple? I've got about 2 dozen switchers under my belt!

Happy Easter and Passover everyone!!!

C3

Mar 23, 08 - 10:50 am Comment from: Cubert

tt,
Your wife says "hello" and hopes you that enjoyed your 3000 person LAN party, but, her mouth is a little, uhhh, full right now (as are a few other things) at our own little 3 person FAN(NY) party.

Mar 23, 08 - 12:56 pm Comment from: Brit

FWIW, Brit (above) is not me.

Get an iMac. Spookily, all my Macs have cost me the same amount - around £1000. I started with an LC (slow!), then I had a Performa 2500 (a dog). My (current) iMac is easily the best yet.

Mar 23, 08 - 04:01 pm Comment from: Ampar

"One of them would power down every time he put a disc into the optical drive . . ."

That's a feature.

wink

Mar 23, 08 - 09:33 pm Comment from: Master

"Which Apple Mac should you pick?"
They don't make Macs anymore.
They don't make PowerMacs anymore.

{Scowling smiley goes here}Everything on that list is an Xtel box. Funny, when Apple downgraded to Intel, everything became "Mac-" and "-Pro".

This reminds Me of the "Performa" series. Fancy names are all the information We need to choose a computer--unless one is so stupid as to use Wintel!

Sure, "Apple Mac" is redundant! But if you are an idiot, then it has a comforting sound. Like "ATM machine", "JBL Lansing", and "FET transistor"! {Disgusted smiley goes here}

Mar 23, 08 - 10:39 pm Comment from: TowerTone

"Which Apple Mac should you pick?"

I like the one with fries and a Dr. Pepper.
The apples come with the kid's meal....

Mar 23, 08 - 10:42 pm Comment from: TowerTone

Master
Is that like TSP-Phosphate Free?
I mean, wouldn't that just be trisodium?

Mar 24, 08 - 09:51 am Comment from: ThunkDifferent.com

We don't want too many people getting mac, then they will become, "the enemy"

-http://ThunkDifferent.com

Mar 24, 08 - 10:28 am Comment from: DLMeyer

"Apple's product lineup is clear, logical, and targeted at distinct types of users and uses"
Yeah, but not for everyone. Where's that mini-tower for the large number of us who want a lot more than an iMac but can make do with a lot less than a MacPro? You know, the one with a decent graphics card, room for at least 8GB of RAM, room for a second HD, and a honking Quad to drive it all? Apple tried to cheap it out with the Quad MacPro, but that's a stripped down version of the bigger box and still keeps a lot of stuff we don't really need. A second optical drive, for example. A Quad-based Mac midi should cost 2/3-rds what the similar MacPro costs, starting where the iMac ends.

Mar 24, 08 - 05:44 pm Comment from: drmacnut

I say get an iMac Apple Mac, or perhaps a nice Apple Mac MacMini will suit, or perhaps if you need the power, a Mac Pro Apple Mac would fit the bill (but break the bank), so just go with a neat and tidy Apple Mac MacBook in white, or if you are power hungry and on the go, a pro Apple MacBook Pro Mac would be perfect!

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