Somebody just asked me,

Somebody just said to me, "I guess I’m going to join your cult. Which mac do I NEED?" He's a TRiv member, so I'm posting my reply here:

Here's the skinny on current Macs:

First of all, don't forget to look at Apple's Refurb page before you make your decision.

Things you will need no matter what Mac you buy:
- Apple Care (adds two years to your warranty)
- iWork ($79 for great Presentation, Spreadsheet and Word Processor/Layout apps)

The "cheap" Macs are great if you don't want to jump into Macs too deep just yet. The Mac Mini is great for people that already have a monitor, keyboard/mouse they're happy with. The thing is the size of a square Kleenex box, cut in half. A nerdy side-comment: a lot of people are using the Mac Mini for building automation devices, since they're cheaper than most building automation devices, and are amazingly flexible. $799+

Plastic MacBook. Next in line on the way up the Mac price ladder is their plastic MacBook. I LOVE this computer. Hunter has a oh-so-cool-but-no-longer-available black model of this machine. Plastic flexes nice, doesn't dent, and doesn't impede wifi signal. I love this puter. This will always be what I recommend for my Mom and non-graphics professionals. $999+

Next up, the MacBook Pro line. These are stellar machines. Each one is machined from a solid block of aluminuminum, which is cool all by itself, even though metal messes with wifi. Even so, the current models have great wifi range.

1. MacBook Pro 13": This one rocks primarily because it's so small. This really, really rocks. It's almost as tiny as those "netbooks" except it doesn't suck a Ford F150 through a garden hose like every one of those. You can even edit video on this thing. Hunter had a similar one before his sweetie dropped a China cabinet on it. Actually, it still worked another two years after that, despite looking like it had been shipped UPS ground. One drawback to this model: when connected to a projector, the 13" won't drive the projector at resolutions higher than 800x600, which really bites. Nonetheless, an AWESOME puter. Cool that it has a built-in SD card reader slot, tho.
2. MacBook Pro 15": My daily driver. A good solid machine. Fabulous actually, after having exactly one year so far, I can say it's the best laptop I've used in the last 21 years. Noticeably nowhere near as awesome as the current MacBook Pro 17". Only valid reason to buy this: if you want the biggest screen and best speed possible but can't throw down the cash for the 17".
3. MacBook Pro 17": The best computer in the whole world. People used to ask me, "When should you get the 17 instead of the 13?" Answer: If you spend more time using your computer than carrying it, get the 17". If you spend most of your time carrying the puter, get the 13". But seriously, the machine has a battery big enough to start your car, and a screen big enough to make everyone else justifiably jealous... what's not to love? I just got two of these for co-workers, and I'm jealous of them EVERY time I touch them. Screens are SO big, and these computers are SO fast.
4. All three have the same: darkness-sniffing glowkeys, "unibody" aluminum construction, great screens, firewire ports, amazingly awesome huge clickable touchpad, magnetic-cling power cord, and magnetic-closing lid.

MacBook Air. O, how could I have forgotten to mention the MacBook Air?! BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE A DANG FIREWIRE PORT!!! Ok, if you don't care about that, this puter is kind of... really cool. Despite the fact that I HATE IT for not having a firewire port, both of the ones I've seen in person (and used) have made me want to steal them. They are amazingly wispy and weigh absolutely nothing at all. And they're 10 times fast enough for normal business work. But no Firewire port, sheesh.

The iMac. Let me start by telling you what a friend once told me about Alien 3. "Jason, there IS NO SUCH THING called Alien 3." (because it sucked so bad by comparison). Ok, the 20" iMac absolutely does not suck (and if it did, it couldn't suck as bad as Alien 3), but compared to the 24" iMac, it's raw chopped liver. After you sit down in front of a 24" iMac, you realize that you've never really experienced a real computer before. Lightning fast, it can do anything. Everything. Do it fast. Do it big. So big it stretches your peripheral vision. Makes you smarter and your kids too. Repels bugs and rodents. Watches tv for you, picks up your socks... I love this computer, even though I have a Mac Pro with a 30" Cinema Display. [Whoops! Updated by Apple.... Same story, but more of it.]

The Mac Pro. A good value for what it is, the Mac Pro is far more puter than most people will ever need. Video editors and pro photographers arguably need these, hooked up to a really big display or two. (two) I LOVE MINE.
But don't screw around with this thing unless you have huge guns and a strong back (or a Tommy Lift). Weighs more than that misbegotten glass-coated Masonite Jon boat my silly dad built in 1978.
So much torque it'll wrench the mouse right out of your hand.

- moo out