Apple Desktops

Apple’s desktops divide into three shapes, and the choice is usually straightforward.

iMac is the all-in-one — the computer built into a 24in 4.5K display. One power cable, no tower, and a screen considerably better than most monitors sold at any price. It suits a home or family desk where appearance and simplicity matter.

Mac mini is the small box you connect to your own monitor, keyboard and mouse. It is the value option by a distance, and the right answer if you already own a display.

Mac Studio is the professional machine, with the highest-tier chips and the most ports, for video, 3D and heavy development work.

Two things cannot be changed after purchase on any of them: memory and storage are soldered. Buy what you will need for the life of the machine rather than planning to upgrade. Apple’s unified memory is shared between CPU and GPU, which is why creative applications benefit from more of it.

The M-series chip tier — plain, Pro, Max — decides sustained performance more than the clock speed does.

See also mini PCs.