STORE GUIDE
Your complete guide to the best Apple hardware and third-party accessories
Get help with picking your next piece of Apple kit and the best add-ons to go with it
Welcome to MacFormat’s Store Guide, the place to go to find out about all the Apple kit that matters, whether you’re looking for your next iPhone or a powerful new desktop Mac.
We’ve highlighted the model of each product that’s ideally suited to your needs, whether you’re a recent convert or a seasoned Apple user. So be sure to check our handy tables to see which Mac, iPad or iPhone is best for you.
We’ve also highlighted the gold standard in audio, storage, cameras, and many other categories, helping you complement your Mac or iOS device with the best accessories.
MacBook Pro
Apple debuted the new MacBook Pro in October with an OLED strip of appspecific controls called the Touch Bar. This replaces the function keys with a row of context-sensitive shortcuts.
The Force Touch trackpad was made larger to provide more room for gestures, and the keyboard was also updated with a second-generation version of the butterfly keys found in the 12-inch MacBook. Memory speed in all models except the entry-level 13-inch was upgraded to 2133MHz, and all new models are thinner and lighter.
The ports saw substantive changes, too. You’ll now get either two or four Thunderbolt 3 ports (depending on the model), which are also compatible with USB-C devices, and through which you charge the MacBook Pro. The 13-inch and 15-inch sizes remain, although the entry-level 13-inch lacks a Touch Bar.
MacBook
The baby of Apple’s laptop family, the MacBook was updated in early 2016 with slightly improved specs and a new Rose Gold colour. Weighing in at just 0.92kg, it’s Apple’s most lightweight laptop but still packs in a 226ppi pixel density in its 12-inch Retina display.
The MacBook is powered by an Intel Core M processor (at 1.1GHz, 1.2GHz or 1.3GHz), which doesn’t require a fan to keep cool, so the MacBook runs silently. It also features a Force Touch trackpad, which can trigger different responses as you apply more pressure. All models of the MacBook come with 8GB of 1866MHz memory, with no option to add more, and Intel HD Graphics 515 – that’s 25% faster than the previous iteration – and there are 256GB or 512GB flash storage options. There are four colour options: Silver, Space Grey, Gold, and the new Rose Gold.
MacBook Air
Apple’s MacBook Air has felt a bit neglected, with its place as the light, portable laptop for use on the go having been usurped by the 12-inch MacBook.
Still, it has the longest-lasting battery of all of Apple’s MacBooks, going strong for 12 hours of wireless web browsing. It’s also the most affordable MacBook, starting at £949. It has 8GB of memory, and flash storage includes 128GB, 256GB and 512GB options. There’s a 1.6GHz processor, configurable to 2.2GHz.
That said, it’s difficult to recommend. While it is the cheapest MacBook, we think it’s likely this will only be the case until prices drop for the MacBook and MacBook Pro, at which point Apple will probably phase out the Air range.
It also lacks a Retina display, and feels a bit stuck between Apple’s other laptops. This is one MacBook whose time is severely limited.
Mac Pro
If you need power – and we mean serious power – this is the computer for you. Even the entry-level model comes with 12GB of memory, a quadcore 3.7GHz processor, 256GB of speedy PCIe flash storage and dual AMD FIrePro D300 graphics cards. But with a high cost, last being updated in 2013, and Thunderbolt 3 in the new MacBook Pro, it’s worth waiting for the next version, which could finally come out in 2017.
Mac mini
A welcome update in 2014 brought a £100 price drop to the most affordable Mac, but rises in late 2016 added £80 back on. The mini comes with some interesting talking points: the entry-level model has a 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 CPU and 4GB of memory, making it one of the lowest-spec Macs around, with a 500GB hard drive and no display. Higher end models come with 1TB storage (Fusion Drive and SSD options are available), 8GB of memory, a better graphics processor and either a 2.6GHz or 2.8GHz Intel Core i5 for £679 and £949. Those models can be upgraded to a Core i7, but there aren’t any quad-core options available at the moment.