Definitive Mac Buying Guide

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Need-to-knows

• Best value desktop is by far the M4 Mac mini
• If you need a display, the entry-level M4 iMac is better than any other all-in-one
• M4 MacBook Air is the sensible option for most users
• Portability? Macbook Air. Desktop? Mac mini. Simple!

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It crossed my mind the other day that while I’ve published quite a few model-specific Mac buying guides, I’ve never published an overarching buying guide for the Mac itself.

That’s why you’re reading this today – it’s about time I reveal exactly how to buy the right Mac and ensure you end up with a purchase you don’t regret and which serves you for many years.

The good news is that, just like my iPad buying guide, this Mac buying guide reveals how deceivingly simple the process is. I’m not going to dive into the weeds with spec choices – that’s for another day – but I will provide a simple three-step process for defining which Mac you need and then outline the benefits of each model within the lineup.

Let’s get started!

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Step 1: Define your budget(s)

This might sound like an obvious step, but it’s scarily easy to jump straight into the process of buying a new Mac without really thinking about how much you actually want to spend. 

That’s how Apple gets you.

To ensure you don’t overspend, I recommend setting two budgets.

The first is your ideal budget – it’s the amount you want to spend if everything lines up and your attention isn’t diverted higher up the spec ladder. I’m confident you’ll find what you need within that price, thanks to the democratisation of computing power with Apple Silicon.

The second budget is your stretch budget. It’s the amount you will stretch to if you decide to opt for the fancier spec, or if you decide to, for instance, jump from a MacBook Air to a MacBook Pro.

Write both numbers down and promise yourself that you’ll stick to them.

Step 2: Brand-new or second-hand?

Are you the sort of person who wants the peace of mind that comes from buying something brand-new? Or are you someone who loves the idea of saving considerably by buying second-hand, even if that means you’ll get last year’s model?

I can’t tell you which bucket you fall into, but deciding between brand-new and second-hand is crucial when buying a Mac. In part, it’ll relate to your budget, but thanks to the longevity of Apple Silicon (even an M1 MacBook Air remains super capable in 2025), it’s more down to personal preference.

If you buy brand-new, you’ll get the latest chip, the most warranty, and the most resale value. You’ll also get access to Apple Intelligence which, at the time of writing, might be rather irrelevant due to its shortcomings, but may matter one day. The downside is that you can probably get something faster – albeit older – for the same money if you buy second-hand.

Opt for second-hand, and you’ll probably still be able to grab some warranty, too – if you buy from an authorised retailer or Apple’s refurb store. But you won’t have the latest chip, and I know that bothers some people.

I’d choose between the two options now, even if it’s tentative based on what you read in the rest of this guide.

Step 3: Portable or desktop?

The final step in your preliminary Mac buying groundwork is to decide between a MacBook and a desktop Mac. You don’t have to come up with a firm decision right now, because the rest of this guide will probably sway you one way or the other, but it’s worth thinking about.

It might be a quick decision; you may be welded to just one desk, or perhaps you’re forever moving between locations. 

However, there are some edge cases.

What if, for instance, you only operate from home but regularly switch between your home office, the breakfast bar, and the sofa? An iMac isn’t going to fit into your workflow, in that instance. Equally, if you’ve always been fixated on owning a MacBook but will never unearth it from a docking station, could you save yourself some money, battery degradation, and cabling faff with an iMac?

Best desktop Mac: Mac mini vs Mac Studio

I’m convinced that the M4 Mac mini is perfect for ninety percent of people who decide they want a desktop Mac. It’s that good.

There are several reasons why I’m so bullish about the M4 Mac mini (I’ve even called it Apple’s best-ever product – something I still very much stand by). It’s highly affordable and massively capable, and you can build your own set-up around it – big or small. The freedom and creative possibilities it opens for a relatively modest outlay and for a huge audience are astounding.

If you’re tempted by a Mac mini or Mac Studio, chances are you need the former. To be brutally honest, you only need the latter if you know you need the latter. The M4 Max and M3 Ultra Mac Studio are powerhouses which can be configured to undertake massively complex commercial work, be that in video, audio, design, development, or data science. If that’s not you – get the Mac mini.

That is unless you fancy something a bit tidier and which offers out-of-the-box convenience.

Best all-in-one Mac: The case for the entry-level iMac

There is no better all-in-one computer on the market than the M4 iMac. Still. Sure, there are Windows alternatives, but if you’re reading this guide, you have zero interest in them (I don’t blame you).

You can buy an iMac with an M4 chip in it which makes it a slam dunk compared to anything else.

The iMac represents the most convenient way to get into a desktop-based macOS workflow. You just unearth it from its box, connect the keyboard and trackpad (or mouse), and away you go. No separate monitor. No faff. And it looks bloody lovely, too.

The only thing to bear in mind is that, at the time of writing, Apple only offers one display size for the iMac – 24-inch. It’s a well-considered size, to be fair – and larger than you might think in person. Despite this, I know some people demand more screen estate, and if that’s you, I wouldn’t hang on to the rumour-mill suggestion that Apple is going to relaunch a big 32-inch iMac any time soon – go for the Mac mini instead if you want a bigger monitor.

Best MacBook: How to choose between Pro and Air

If you’re pretty firm on the idea of getting a MacBook, you have two options – MacBook Air or MacBook Pro.

The good news is that the use cases for each are pretty well defined, despite what you might read in the comments sections of YouTube videos. I’ve had lots of people forcibly telling me that I should recommend a MacBook Pro over a specced-up MacBook Air, but that simply isn’t the best buying guidance. They are very different laptops.

The M4 MacBook Air is the best laptop you can buy at the moment when you take into consideration its base model price, the performance it offers, and its build quality. That means it’s right for most people who just want a MacBook.

No, really. If you don’t have heavy production requirements, and if your MacBook needs to be the best do-it-all laptop you’ve ever owned, just get a MacBook Air and thank me later.

The MacBook Pro is for people who do have those production requirements. It’s for commercial use and for anyone whose work is timebound and directly linked to earning money. That’s why it has more ports, a fan, and higher-spec options. But it’s total overkill for people who just want a MacBook. Trust me.

What about the Mac Pro?

I’ll level with you – I have no idea who the Mac Pro is for these days. To be honest, I’m even struggling to think who needs a specced-up Mac Studio.

At the time of writing, the Mac Pro is awaiting an upgrade to the M4 platform (presumably – it might even end up getting the M5). Or it may never be upgraded. Who knows. All I do know is that if you need a Mac Pro, you’re almost definitely not reading this guide.

The Mac Pro has always been for people and businesses that need elite performance. It’s for crushing big numbers and chomping through massive timelines. It’s also fast feeling rather irrelevant in the Apple Silicon era.

You don’t need one. Trust me.

Wrap up

There has never been a better time to buy a Mac and I hope this guide has helped point you in the direction of the best one for you.

The only other thing to bear in mind is that buying a Mac can be quite an emotive purchase, therefore if you throw all of the above advice out of the window because you just want a specific model, that’s cool, too. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

So, which Mac are you going for? Get involved in the comments!