- 2000.09.27
Q: What is the best new Mac I can get?
A: The answer is . . . it depends. It depends on what you want to do
with a new Mac. The first question you have to ask is whether you want
a desktop machine or a portable. Portability has its perks, but it
certainly restricts your expansion capabilities, the comfort you have
when typing, and the number of available ports, as well as screen
size.
Desktops
If you are interested in design and other creative tasks, you will
need more horsepower than if you use your computer only for, say, Web
surfing, email and word processing. Same thing for game lovers.
If you look for a Mac that will live on for several years,
expandability and maximum upgrade possibilities are very important. All
the above-mentioned needs would require a Power Mac G4. Do you need
multiprocessing? Yes, if you want to take full advantage of Mac OS X
and have a big speed boost when all mainstream Macintosh software is
ready for the technology.
What if you just want something simple? Look for the iMac. It is
inexpensive, especially the indigo model at US$799,
and it gives you an elegant all-in-one solution. Of course, it requires
sacrificing the PCI slots, the great upgrades and expansion. If you
have no plans to revolutionize the world from your desk, though, this
is the right choice. It will connect you to the Net, let you type
documents, do your finances, etc. With its DV, DV+, and DV SE variations, you can get
still more power without going for the most expensive Macs out
there.
Too many people look at the G4 as the only computer they would buy,
but they forget that their needs 
are not as demanding as they think. An
iMac can do the trick for most Mac users.
The Cube? Well...
frankly, it does very little to differentiate itself from the others.
It is between a full G4 tower and an iMac in several categories. It
offers some expansion and upgrade possibilities. The Cube provides more
than the iMac but a little less than the G4. If you want style, it will
probably fulfill all your desires, but otherwise, it would be a lot of
money for what you get.
Portables
To decide which portable you could want is very easy. Just ask
yourself if you want the equivalent of a desktop or if you just need
something to bring with you. The PowerBook is a desktop
replacement. It has great expansion options, including the ability to
handle a second monitor when you are at home or at the office. It
offers a bigger display; the iBook offers only 12.1
inch.
The iBook, though, is great for people who need a portable but do
not need all the power of a PowerBook. With lower specs and a lower
price, it is a nice machine for basic tasks such as word processing and
other less demanding work.
