[Macworld]

Post your comments for Buying Guide: 2012 Macs here

[mconn02]

I had two thoughts reading this really nice, concise article.

I believe that your laptop summary would have been improved to include a nod to the price/performance-feature-set of the i7 13" MacBook Pro at $1499. This is a unit that is half the price of the best performing MacBooks, with a comparatively small sacrifice in performance when compared to equally priced models, but includes much greater connectivity and features. I'm not suggesting this is the end-all model, just that for consumers that cannot afford a $2500+ laptop, this model comes closest, IMO, to an affordable, very portable desktop replacement for all but the most demanding users.

Also, it may be worth mentioning that the Intel integrated HD 4000 video subsystem is the first such implementation that is actually a reasonable option for casual gamers. Unlike the integrated chipsets of that past, this will actually play modern 3D games at modest settings. It certainly doesn't compare to a performance, dedicated video card, but it is serviceable, without the disappointment of finding that half your software wont run reasonably or at all due to the weak Sandy bridge and earlier options.

Thank you for the article. I enjoyed the review and some future shopping tips!

[ingus]

Good recap, but not one mention of the dismal to non-existent upgradability of almost all of these models. For some users this might be important.

[mconn02]

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Good recap, but not one mention of the dismal to non-existent upgradability of almost all of these models. For some users this might be important.

I think that is a really good point. I think that for some time now Apple has taken an approach towards their computers that is more consistent with consumer electronics devices, and less like traditional PCs.

[LelandHendrix]

For the retina MacBook Pro you suggested using a "USB to Ethernet" adapter, but I would like to say the THUNDERBOLT TO ETHERNET device does a much better job, and is noticeably faster in my testing using a MACBOOK AIR.

[wgretter]

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Good recap, but not one mention of the dismal to non-existent upgradability of almost all of these models. For some users this might be important.

You would definitely want to order your Air with 8GB of memory! You can't add more later.

[sunnyoes]

Your MacBook Air comments have huge errors!

I ave a mid-2012 11 inch MacBook Air 2GhZ not 1.7 & 500 GB SSD and 8 GB RAM which you did not mention as an option!

[pcbogert]

"he Mac mini is Apple’s entry-level desktop Mac. It is slower than Apple’s other desktop computers, the iMac and Mac Pro, but it remains fast enough for general-purpose use."

My question is this: If I spend $799 on the quad core i7, add an existing SSD drive, and third party memory and a monitor, I'm at about the same cost as the entry level iMac. But it will have a faster drive, more memory, and an i7 instead of the 21'5" iMac's i5 processor. It would seem the only negative is the graphics card, but for everyday use (word processing, web browsing, spreadsheets, iPhoto) is that a big deal?

[davidgolani]

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"he Mac mini is Apple’s entry-level desktop Mac. It is slower than Apple’s other desktop computers, the iMac and Mac Pro, but it remains fast enough for general-purpose use." My question is this: If I spend $799 on the quad core i7, add an existing SSD drive, and third party memory and a monitor, I'm at about the same cost as the entry level iMac. But it will have a faster drive, more memory, and an i7 instead of the 21'5" iMac's i5 processor. It would seem the only negative is the graphics card, but for everyday use (word processing, web browsing, spreadsheets, iPhoto) is that a big deal?

The Mac Mini should have been doubled in height and had an easy door for expandability. The Mac Cube was a great idea, killed by high price tag and bad engineering. Apple should bring it back, and put a fan in it this time.

[Martian]

Should be emphasized that however great all the MacBooks are, their sealed in batteries are total deal breakers for anyone needing extended battery endurance. Also, Apple’s inexplicable and indefensible refusal to license the MagSafe connector further complicates a workaround for those otherwise willing to endure the clumsiness of a tethered external battery.