In the last two years, Apple has released three new Mac desktop computers, all based on Apple Silicon, yet these systems are wildly different. The new Mac Studio sits at the top, with the iMac and Mac Mini filling the lower tiers. Clearly, the most expensive model has the greatest performance. However, several thousand dollars might be wasted if it’s meant to be used for tasks that wouldn’t even stress the cheapest model, which is also quite speedy.
When shopping for a new Mac, it’s important to take a moment to think about how the computer will be put to work and what components from your current system can be reused. For example, if a nice monitor is already available, is there any advantage in getting an all-in-one iMac that includes a monitor? It might make sense if there’s a need for a second screen and all three systems can support multiple displays.
Let’s take a look at the top three Mac desktop systems to see which is the best for you.
Apple’s Mac Studio is an exciting new computer with incredible performance in a small package, and there’s no doubt it would be a great machine for anyone. There is a significant barrier for most shoppers, though, as the Mac Studio starts at $1,999 for just the mini-tower and power cord. Adding an Apple Studio Display, keyboard, and mouse bumps the price up to $3,896. Choosing the highest performance configuration more than doubles the cost to $7,999, making this a super powerful yet very expensive system.
With the option for an M1 Max with 10 CPU cores and 25 or 32 GPU cores or an M1 Ultra processor, which boasts 20 CPU cores and up to 64 GPU cores, the Mac Studio reigns supreme in Mac desktop performance, even beating the Mac Pro that towers above it in a massive 40-pound case. The Mac Studio fits into a remarkably small 7.7-by-7.7-by-3.7-inch body and weighs under 8 pounds. Apple claims its M1 Ultra is the most powerful chip in any personal computer, despite its relatively low energy demands and low-temperature design. Once more, Apple is pushing the PC industry to go further with its advanced chip technology that’s closely related to the processor used in an iPhone.
While there’s no doubt that the Mac Studio is a powerhouse that will meet almost any need, most people simply don’t require that much performance, and it would make more sense to consider Apple’s other Mac desktop computers.
The Mac Mini is a low-cost alternative that still packs a punch. It’s possible to buy an M1 Mac Mini for just $699. That doesn’t include anything beyond the tiny 1.4-inch tall computer and its power cord. However, for a budget computer, it’s a fair assumption that reusing existing accessories is OK. Plug in your existing monitor, keyboard, and mouse to use the Mac Mini to power through everyday tasks quickly and efficiently while leaving plenty of cash to purchase apps and upgrade accessories.
Its M1 processor was released in 2020, the first generation of Apple Silicon, and that means it lags a bit behind the M2 chip found in the latest MacBook laptops and can’t compete with the M1 Pro, M1 Max, or M1 Ultra-powered computers that launched in 2021 and 2022.
That doesn’t mean it’s a slow computer, though. The Mac Mini can run single-core tasks nearly as fast as an M1 Ultra, and that is the most common use of a computer. When processing videos, crunching a massive spreadsheet, running a demanding game, or handling heavily multilayered images or audio files, the difference might show. For browser tasks, photo adjustments, page layout, and word processing, an M1 chip blazes through most jobs with no problem and rarely needs to be cooled by the fan.
Apple updated its iMac computer in 2021, giving it an M1 processor and refreshing the design with an ultra-slim 24-inch display. Starting at $1,299, it’s an all-in-one computer that completely eliminates the hassle of building a system. The M1 iMac comes with a Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard, a big screen, and a 1080p webcam, so it only needs to be unboxed and plugged in to begin using it.
Since an iMac includes a screen, that’s an important factor when considering this computer. Is the display big enough, sharp enough, and bright enough? For most people, the 24-inch iMac display will look fantastic. With a 4.5K resolution and measuring 24 inches diagonally, it’s a large and crisp display that also boasts 500 nits of brightness. An expensive monitor, such as an Apple Studio Display or a pricey third-party monitor, would be needed to beat the iMac display.
The 2021 M1 iMac, with its bright and crisp 24-inch display, is a good all-in-one solution. At $1,299, it handles most daily computing needs and looks great on a desk, keeping everything tidy and compact with the focus entirely on the screen, keyboard, and mouse. As a first computer or when upgrading every component at once, it’s hard to beat.
For more flexibility, the 2020 M1 Mac Mini offers the same processor as the iMac and virtually disappears on a desktop with its low-profile 7.7-inch square footprint. For $699, it’s a powerful computer that can replace a tower as long as there isn’t a strong demand for intensive graphics processing. A keyboard, mouse, monitor, webcam, and speakers will be needed to build a complete system. There are two Thunderbolt/USB-C and two USB-A ports, HDMI, and Ethernet, as well as Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 to connect various components and accessories.
The Mac Studio stands out as the powerhouse desktop that starts at a higher level than a fully-loaded Mac Mini or iMac. The base model contains an M1 Max chip that blasts through heavy workloads with four times the performance of an M1. If there is a need for more than 16 gigabytes of memory, the Mac Studio starts with 32 gigabytes and reaches as high as 128 gigabytes. This allows larger datasets to reside in memory so the processor doesn’t have to wait for information to be retrieved from storage. The $1,999 starting price is over double that of the Mac Mini but is often worth the cost when used for work.
With so many laptops and deals from every major website, it can be hard to know what deals are great and which are less than stellar. And while every deal has something going for it, you can find the same hardware for a lower price or even better if you’re willing to make a small compromise. So, for example, this Gateway Notebook deal comes with a touchscreen, but if you’re willing to forego it, you can get a much better Dell Inspiron for less.
Avoid this Gateway Ultra Slim Notebook deal
At face value, this Gateway seems like a great notebook. Not only do you get a very thin laptop with FHD resolution, but it also comes with a reasonably powerful 12th Gen intel i7-1255U, which is excellent for productivity work. Unfortunately, for the $659 price tag, you’re missing out on a few features you can find elsewhere for the same price. Take the webcam, for example, which is only 2MP and very much below standards for today’s expectations, at least at this price point, and doesn’t compete with the best budget laptops on the market. The overall build quality is also not necessarily commiserate with the asking price, although we do appreciate the relatively large 512GB storage, which won’t have you reaching for external hard drive deals to supplement it. The Gateway Notebook also comes with a touch-enabled screen, which isn’t very common at this price point, so at least it does have that going for it.
If you’re looking for desktop computer deals while on a tight budget, you need to remember to balance affordability with reliability because you don’t want to take home a useless machine. The Dell Inspiron Desktop is a good example of a cheap but dependable PC, especially now that it’s on sale from Dell with a $70 discount that brings its price down to $430 from its original price of $500. There’s no information on when the offer will end, so don’t delay with your purchase because it could disappear at any moment.
Why you should buy the Dell Inspiron Desktop
Dell is a fixture in our list of the best desktop computers because of its high-end models, but it also rolls out trustworthy entry-level options like the Dell Inspiron Desktop. The PC is powered by the 12th-generation Intel Core i3 processor, Intel UHD Graphics 730, and 8GB of RAM, which will be enough to get you through simple tasks such as doing online research, making reports, and building presentations. Our guide on how much RAM do you need recommends upgrading to at least 16GB of RAM, which will be easy to do once you’ve saved up for it as that’s one of the perks of a desktop computer over a laptop.
For the best possible gaming experience on a laptop, you should be ready to shell out a significant sum for a machine such as the Alienware x17 R2. You’ll get $1,350 in savings if you purchase the gaming laptop from Dell, which is selling it for $3,200 instead of its original price of $4,550. It’s still not cheap by any means, but we’ll still consider it a steal for this price because of the power it packs in its portable body.
Why you should buy the Alienware x17 R2 gaming laptop
Our laptop buying guide says gaming laptops should be built to keep up with the requirements of today’s video games. The Alienware x17 R2 takes things further, as it’s also prepared to run titles that are still on their way with its 12th-generation Intel Core i9 processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti graphics card. It’s even got 64GB of RAM, when our guide on how much RAM do you need only recommends 32GB of RAM if you’re planning to run multiple apps in the background while you’re playing. With the Alienware x17 R2, not only will you be able to select the highest settings of the best PC games, but you also won’t have to worry about making upgrades for years to come.
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