Everyone loves a brand-new Mac. That smell of fresh technology as you take it out of the box, the ease at which you can get it up and running, the improved performance compared to your old Mac. And if the machine you’re retiring couldn’t run the latest version of the macOS operating system, you’re likely to find some exciting new features to play with too.

But which Mac should you buy? Would a notebook better suit your needs, or do you prefer a desktop? Is your budget better suited to an entry-level model, or do you have high-end needs that can only be serviced by a powerful beast of a Mac? And let’s face it, Macs have style. What colour would you like?

In this feature, we take a look at the current range of Macs, and throw in a few iPads as alternatives to Macs too. Starting at the cheap end of the market, we work our way up to the mighty Mac Studio behemoth. Which is the best bargain for you? We help you decide.

Remember, if you’re buying a Mac for school, college or university, you can get a student discount. Go to apple.​com/ uk-edu/store and take a look. Also, if you don’t mind buying last year’s model, you can save money by using the Apple Refurbished Store. Check it out at apple.​com/uk-edu/shop/refurbished.

MacBook Air 13-inch

Apple's most portable notebook

When the MacBook Air was first released in 2008, MacFormat contributor Matt Bolton said it was ‘overpriced, underpowered and definitely the future’. He was right on all three points. 16 years later, we’re in that future, and the latest MacBook Airs are neither overpriced nor underpowered.