If you’re shopping for your first Mac, you might be surprised at the variety of Apple hardware available. From the small, inexpensive Mac mini to the big 17-inch MacBook Pro, you’ve got a lot to think about. Your choice should start with deciding between a desktop and a laptop. Do you need the Mac to be portable? Will you need to transport it between home and work or between home and school? Will you want to use it on trips? Or maybe you just need to be able to sit at your desk one minute, the kitchen table the next, and the couch the next.
If you decide to go for a portable MacBook, you have three main branches to choose from. The basic MacBook and MacBook Pro differ only in that the MacBook has slightly lower specs and a white plastic case. The white MacBook is a good choice if it’s a companion to a desktop Mac, or if budget is your primary concern. Otherwise, the lower-end 13-inch MacBook Pro is a better value.
From there, you can bump up the screen size and specs to a 15-inch or 17-inch MacBook Pro. Larger screens are better for artists and video editors, or anyone who needs to use professional-grade tools. There’s also the MacBook Air, which is an ultralight version of the MacBook Pro with minimal features so it weighs just three pounds. You pay more for the compact size, but this can be a good option if you don’t need power but find you carry your computer everywhere. Note that it has almost no external ports, so expansion is a problem.
If you’re going for a desktop Mac, start by taking a good look at the Mac mini. Don’t be fooled by its low starting price. It includes a decent processor, a hard drive, and plenty of expansion ports. You must bring your own monitor, keyboard, and mouse, but you can take a very large screen. Even professionals will find that a mini can handle a lot. At the other end of the spectrum is the Mac Pro. This massive metal tower houses the high-end processors and can be expanded to hold 4 drives and plenty of memory. It’s also the only Mac that supports some high-end video cards. This is the machine for those who make a living editing videos or developing software and multimedia projects.
The Mac flagship is, of course, the iMac. Combine the computer and monitor in one body. You can get a variety of processors, depending on your needs and budget. Please note that all Mac models come with the latest version of Mac OS X and the iLife suite of applications. So no matter which one you get, the list of things you can do with your Mac remains the same.
