Apple Mac

Mac OS
The latest Mac OS X, version 10.5, should be out this spring, possibly as early as April. Read our Leopard review for our take on the Developer's Release.

In the meantime, Apple has shipped the latest update to its flagship product, Mac Tiger OS, and has included several useful new features, such as Spotlight desktop search, Smart Folders (which add new items to saved searches), and Safari RSS--all features that Microsoft has promised its Windows users in Longhorn, yet so far hasn't delivered. We think the new Mac Tiger OS is a solid release and is worthwhile for those who skipped Panther or have waited until Tiger's release to purchase their new Apple hardware. Even casual Mac users will immediately see the difference between 10.4 Tiger and 2003's 10.3 Panther because of flashy new native utilities, such as Dashboard. In addition to the visible new features, Tiger includes significant overhauls under the hood, debuting a 64-bit architecture to take advantage of more addressable memory space and several core technologies that range from accelerating onscreen graphics to offering new programming interfaces that, if developers take advantage of them, could significantly change how we use computers. If you're tired of Microsoft's many promises, or if you've been thinking of replacing your PC with a new Mac, Tiger may well be your best incentive to switch. But we're holding back on our highest honor, the Editors' Choice designation, until we complete our formal testing.

Mac laptops
In 2006, the big news for Mac notebooks was the addition of Intel processors; by the end of the year, MacBooks upgraded to Intel's latest Core 2 Duo CPUs. We've been impressed by the mix of Apple's lauded industrial design and user-friendly operating system with the kind of high-end hardware usually seen only on the PC side--not to mention the ability to run Windows XP through Boot Camp. You can get the high-end MacBook Pro in two sizes, 15 or 17 inches. The 17-inch MacBook Pro adds some hard drive space and screen real estate over the 15-inch MacBook Pro, boosting the base price by $300. The $2,799 system (our $3,374 review unit was tricked out with extra RAM) is very light for a 17-inch laptop, and it's a good choice for anyone needing an easily transportable big-screen laptop, although most users will be just as happy with the excellent 15-inch version. While the Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro significantly outperforms the older Core Duo version, the performance of the 15- and 17-inch Core 2 Duo models was essentially identical--which is to be expected, as they share identical processors, RAM, and hard drives (although the default configurations call for a smaller hard drive in the 15-inch model).

Users looking for a more consumer-friendly laptop can opt for the MacBook line, which also features Intel Core 2 Duo processors. There are three MacBook models, one with a 1.83GHz CPU and two with 2.0GHz CPUs. The MacBook starts at a mere $1,099, but our 2.0GHz MacBook review unit is the most tricked-out of the three, offering the faster CPU and a larger hard drive for a still palatable $1,499--we've awarded it our Editors' Choice. These 13.3-inch notebooks, available in the standard Apple colors of black and white, are nearly as powerful as their 15- and 17-inch Pro cousins, and they include a lot of the same features, such as the built-in iSight camera and Front Row remote. If the handful of compromises vs. the Pro model, such as the screen size and the lack of discrete graphics, isn't a deal breaker, the MacBook is a no-brainer for anyone who wants to step up to an Apple laptop or upgrade their older MacBook.

Mac desktops
Apple sells three different Mac desktops, each of which features a different Intel processor. From its perch at the top of the line, the professional-grade Mac Pro puts a pair of dual-core Xeon chips--that's four processing cores, if you're scoring at home--to good use inside its hulking, brushed-aluminum chassis. You'll need some serious graphics work ahead of you to justify the cost, but if you are a design professional or a committed photo or video hobbyist, you'll notice that the Mac Pro's price is competitive with those of high-end PCs and workstations.

In the middle of the line sits Apple's all-in-one PC, the iMac. It recently grew larger, with the new 24-inch model. The new 17-inch iMac is noteworthy because it's the first iMac to carry a price below $1,000. Regardless of screen size (there's also a third size, at 20 inches), all iMacs now boast Intel's latest dual-core CPU in the form of the mobile Core 2 Duo.

On a budget? Like your tech small and compact? Then the a la carte Mac Mini is your pick. Using previous-generation Core Duo processors, the Mac Mini can't keep pace with its higher-end siblings, but it's the cheapest way to gain Apple's excellent iLife software and Mac OS. Its small size and bundled remote control make it a popular choice in the living room as an entertainment PC.