2009
09.09

2 Minute Guide for Buying a Mac.

Category: Hardware / Tags: no tag / Comments Off

Start at the Apple Online Store

Laptops:

macbooks(Image Source: Apple.com)
  • The White ‘Plastic’ MacBook: If you are a student and want to spend less, and may use the laptop roughly, then this one is for you. It’s polycarbonate shell can take the abuse and run Windows as well (all Intel Macs can).
  • Unibody Aluminium MacBook Pro: So you think you are a Pro? Yes, then do the right thing; the budget is right and features are plenty. If you have enough bucks, you can soup up the laptop to your hearts content. The 13″ version has the right balance of power, grace and mobility.
  • The MacBook Air: If you want to conserve your bio-fuel, and hate carrying any extra weight on your shoulders, then travel as light as the air, with the thinnest laptop in the town.

Desktops:

macs1(Image Source: Apple.com)
  • The All-in-One Wonder iMac: Desktop with 20″ and 24″ size ultra crisp LCD. Space saving design and all the features in a compact, elegant form factor. Think “a big MacBook Pro”. Can be upgraded up to 8GB Max RAM. The jump in RAM from 4GB to 8GB is still prohibitively expensive, but is bound to ease up in coming months.
  • The Mac Mini: The entry level ‘headless’ desktop, for users with less intensive work loads. That said, some tech savvy users have deployed the Mini as a server as well. 4GB Max RAM and plenty of power to convince you to transition from a PC to a Mac for good.
  • The Mac Pro: Calling it a Desktop is a just wrong! It’s the Best in Class Workstation!  Server Grade Hardware, starting from a single Quad core, all the way up to a Dual Quad Core (8 cores total), with 32GB RAM, 4 SATA drives that can be setup in RAID configuration, choice of multiple hi-end Graphics cards and optional fibre channel connectivity. If you are hungry for power and performance, nothing else will satiate you more.

If you are on a tight budget, here are your options:

  1. Buy Refurbished directly from Apple. Do get Applecare!
  2. If you have a Student ID, then go via your Institute’s Storefront to get a deal.
  3. If you are a business or corporate, talk to the Business Team.
  4. Check out other retailers for a Good Deal. (MacMall, MacConnection, Amazon, etc)