A year ago, Mac users had stopped asking the age-old question “Which Mac should I buy?” and instead wondered whether their next computer should be a Mac at all. Given Apple’s uncertain future and the power of the seemingly unstoppable Wintel juggernaut, you could hardly blame people for cocking an inquiring eye at the Windows platform.
But that’s all changed now.
With the exception of the eagerly anticipated consumer portable, Apple (408/996-1010, http://www.apple.com ) has provided configurations to accommodate just about every type of user. Whether you’re a publishing maven, mobile or office-bound professional, hobbyist, or die-hard gamer, there’s an ideal Mac for you out there.
So after gathering every shipping Mac and putting them through their paces in the Macworld Lab (see the benchmark, “A Mac for All Seasons”), we pulled in our resident know-it-alls–techies, artists, and editors with vast experience in publishing, multimedia, office productivity, and entertainment media–to offer essential advice for finding the best Macs, peripherals, and software for four different profiles: multimedia and publishing gurus, business professionals, home users, and die-hard Mac gamers and enthusiasts.
Each section provides the best core products to help get you started, along with a wish list of awesome extras. Browse among our suggestions and pick those products best suited to the way you work and play. (Prices given are manufacturers’ list prices unless otherwise noted.)
BUSINESSAlthough the rest of the computing world seems to cry out with a rebel yell for more, more, more–more-powerful CPUs, more hard-drive space, more PCI slots–typical business applications don’t require the kind of power demanded by multimedia, graphics, and entertainment programs. Most business users will find that a Power Macintosh G3/300 provides plenty of computing muscle at a reasonable price.
SYSTEM SPECSPower Macintosh G3/300, $1,599
512K cache, 64MB of RAM,
6GB Ultra ATA hard drive,
24 x CD-ROM
The BasicsDisplay
Apple Studio Display 17-inch ($499; 408/996-1010, http://www.apple.com ); Mitsubishi 19-inch 900u ($849; 714/220-2500, http://www.mitsubishi-display.com ).
Bright, clear, and large enough screens for all but the most demanding users.
Keyboard
Adesso Tru-Form ($70; 310/645-3746, http://www.adessoinc.com ).
This ergonomic keyboard is likely to be kinder to the wrists of your employees and you than Apple’s diminutive input device.
Mouse
Kensington Mouse-in-a-box ($60; 650/572-2700, http://www.kensington.com ).
Eschew the round mouse and go with this comfortable plain gray model.
Printer
Hewlett-Packard HP LaserJet 4000N ($1,419; 650/857-1501, http://www.hp.com ).
At 17 pages per minute this networkable printer is both fast and affordable.
Internet Connection
Corporate Ethernet, ISDN, DSL.If you expect your business to be on the move, your Internet connection should be, too–a 56K modem is too slow for your needs.
Network
Sonic Systems SonicWall for ten users ($500; 408/844-9900, http://www.sonicsys.com ). Keep peeping creeps out of your network with these security appliances.
Software
Microsoft Office 98 business suite ($450; 425/882-8080, http://www.microsoft.com ); FileMaker Pro 4.1 database ($199; 408/987-7000, http://www.filemaker.com ); Microsoft Outlook Express (included).
Everyone who’s anyone in business uses Word and Excel, FileMaker is a great database application, and Outlook is a free and reasonably capable e-mail client.
WISH LISTSoftware
Adobe GoLive 4.0 Web-page design software ($299; 408/536-6000, http://www.adobe.com ); Chronos Consultant 2.53 organizer ($60; 801/957-1774, http://www.chronosnet.com ); Netopia Timbuktu Pro 4.8 twin-pack remote-control software ($190; 510/814-5100, http://www.netopia.com ).
SCSI Card
Apple Ultra SCSI ($49). There’s no need to retire old SCSI peripherals.
Digital Camera
Eastman Kodak DC260 ($899; 716/726-7260, http://www.kodak.com ).
Consider the DC260, for its picture quality and good controls, or its soon-to-be released successor, the DC265.
Scanner
Umax Astra 1220U ($150; 510/651-4000, http://www.umax.com ). It’s cheap and provides decent-quality scans.
PORTABLEWhen your work isn’t confined to the office, consider a powerful on-the-go partner–a G3-based PowerBook. Today’s PowerBooks have nearly everything you need in one convenient package: a fast modem; a CD-ROM drive; and, of course, a display, keyboard, and pointing device. For a mighty PowerBook that can also double as a desktop computer, the right Mac for the job is the PowerBook G3/266.
SYSTEM SPECSPowerBook G3/266
$2,999
1MB cache, 64MB of RAM,
4GB hard drive,
20 x CD-ROM,
56-KBPS modem
The BasicsDisplay
Included.
Mouse
Included.
Printer
Hewlett-Packard HP DeskJet 340 ($269). On occasion, you must print while on the road. This portable printer is small enough to take along with you.
Additional Storage
Expansion bay, floppy drive from Apple ($99).
Software
Microsoft Office 98 business suite ($450); FileMaker Pro 4.1 database ($199); Qualcomm Eudora Pro 4.0.1 e-mail client ($39; 510/490-4750, http://www.eudora.com ).
WISH LISTSoftware
Chronos Consultant 2.53 organizer ($60; 801/957-1774, http://www.chronosnet.com ).
Dock
Newer Technology BookEndz ($229; 316/943-0222, http://www.newertech.com ).
Connect to your desktop peripherals in a jiffy with this PowerBook dock.
Digital Camera
Agfa ePhoto 1680 ($899; 978/658-5600, http://www.agfa.com ).
Display
Apple Studio Display flat panel ($1,099).
A PowerBook screen is fine for the road, but at your desk you’ll appreciate this larger, crisp display.
DVD
Apple DVD-Video Kit ($499).
Laptop
Road Tools CoolPad ($20; 603/926-9000, http://www.roadtools.com ).
This pivoting plastic pad provides a cooling airspace for your PowerBook as well as plastic feet that really grip a rickety airplane tray table.
Headphones
Sony MDR-V600 ($130; 201/930-1000, http://www.sony.com ).
Cool Carrying Bag
Port Sport Classic ($149; 203/852-1102, http://www.port.com ).
An Extra Battery
From Apple Computer ($199).
ENTHUSIASTFor true enthusiasts, your Mac is a source of both pride and entertainment. Although you know the value of a dollar, expense is a secondary consideration. You want a fast computer such as the 350MHz Power Mac G3, loads of memory, and tons of toys. You’ll outfit your system with any device that will give you amusement–a DVD player, high-fidelity speakers, a digital camera, several game controllers, and plenty of games to boot. Face it, you’re a gear-head and damned proud of it.
SYSTEM SPECSPower Macintosh G3/350 DVD, $1,999
1MB cache, 64MB of RAM,
6GB Ultra ATA hard drive,
5 x DVD player
The BasicsRAM
Upgrade to 128MB (approximately $140).
Display
Apple Studio Display 17-inch ($499; 408/996-1010, http://www.apple.com ).
An inexpensive monitor plenty big enough for gaming and crafting cool Web sites.
Keyboard
Macally iKey keyboard USB ($69; 626/338-8787, http://www.macally.com ).
The bundled Apple keyboard’s arrow keys are far too small for computer gaming. Try this one instead.
Mouse
Kensington Thinking Mouse ($110; 650/572-2700, http://www.kensington.com ); Macally iMousePro ($69).Face it: with contextual menus you need a mouse with more than one button.
Printer
Epson Stylus Color 740 ($249; 310/782-0770, http://www.epson.com ).
An affordable printer that produces glorious results with the right kind of paper.
Internet Connection
ISDN, cable modem, or ADSL.
If you expect to compete in online games of Myth II, you’ll need a fast Internet connection.
Software
Microsoft Office 98 business suite ($450; 425/882-8080; http://www.microsoft.com ); Intuit Quicken Deluxe money-management software ($60; 619/784-4000, http://www.intuit.com ); FileMaker Home Page 3.0 ($99; 408/987-7000, http://www.filemaker.com ); Connectix Virtual Game Station Play-Station emulator ($50; 650/571-5100, http://www.connectix.com ).
Suggested Games
MacSoft’s Unreal ($50; 612/509-7600, http://www.wizworks.com/macsoft/ ); Aspyr Media’s Tomb Raider II ($50; 512/708-8100, http://www.aspyr.com ); Bungie Software’s Myth II: Soulblighter ($50; 312/563-6200, http://www.bungie.com ); Blizzard Entertainment’s Starcraft ($53; 949/955-0283, http://www.blizzard.com ).
WISH LISTSpeakers
Sonigistix’s Monsoon MM-1000 Multimedia Speaker System ($229; 501/372-0366, http://www.sonigistix.com ).
These speakers provide crystal-clear sound and look hip as hell.
Game Controllers
CH Products Gamestick 3D ($50; 760/598-2518, http://www.chproducts.com ); Gravis GamePad Pro ($60; 650/572-2700, http://www.gravis.com ).
Game Card
Micro Conversions’ GameWizard 12MB Voodoo 2 card ($199; 877/986-4276, http://www.microconversions.com ).
SCSI Card
Apple Ultra SCSI ($49).
Scanner
Umax Astra 1220U ($150; 510/651-4000, http://www.umax.com ).
CD-Rewritable Drive
APS CD-RW 4 x 4 x 16 ($400; 816/483-1600, http://www.apstech.com ).
Cool cats cut their own CDs. Plus, it’s useful for backing up.
Digital Camera
Eastman Kodak DC260 ($899; 716/726-7260, http://www.kodak.com ).
HOMEA Mac at home or in a dorm doesn’t need to be terribly expensive–but it should be easy to set up and maintain, compact, and powerful enough to handle whatever you throw at it. That means the family finances, the kids’ favorite art program, and, of course, just about any game you care to play. Since you don’t need a machine that’s going to drain your bank account or one that requires an enormous initial outlay of funds for software, consider the affordable and versatile iMac.
SYSTEM SPECSiMac 266MHz
$1,199
512K cache, 32MB of RAM,
6GB hard drive,
24 x CD-ROM
The BasicsRAM
Upgrade to 64MB (approx-imately $70).
Display
Included.
Keyboard
Included.
Mouse
Macally iMouse ($39; 626/338-8787, http://www.macally.com ).Ditch the awful iMac mouse.
Printer
Epson Stylus Color 740 ($249; 310/782-0770, http://www.epson.com ).Get great color prints at a low price.
WISH LISTFloppy Drive
Newer Technology uDrive ($99; 316/943-0222, http://www.newertech.com ).Those floppies are still handy to have around.
Speakers
Cozo ($70; http://www.cozo.com ).
Game Controllers
CH Products Gamestick 3D ($50; 760/598-2518, http://www.chproducts.com ); Gravis GamePad Pro ($60; 650/572-2700, http://www.gravis.com ).
Software
Broderbund Kid Pix Studio Deluxe art software ($30; 415/382-4400, http://www.broderbund.com ); Encyclopedia Britannica reference CD-ROM ($85; 800/747-8503, http://www.eb.com ); Connectix Virtual Game Station PlayStation emulator ($50; 650/571-5100, http://www.connectix.com ).
Suggested Games
MacSoft’s Unreal ($50; 612/509-7600, http://www.wizworks.com/macsoft/ ); Aspyr Media’s Tomb Raider II ($50; 512/708-8100, http://www.aspyr.com ); Bungie Software’s Myth II: Soulblighter ($50; 312/563-6200, http://www.bungie.com ); Blizzard Entertainment’s Starcraft ($53; 949/955-0283, http://www.blizzard.com ).
Interface
iDock ($200; 714/557-5510; http://www.compucable.com ).This crafty computer stand houses several ports: a three-port USB hub, two serial ports, and a parallel port for PC printers.
Scanner
Umax Astra 1220U ($150; 510/651-4000, www
.umax.com).A fine scanner for putting pictures on the Web, in your e-mail, or in electronic holiday cards.
Digital Camera
Canon PowerShot A5 ($150; 516/328-5000, http://www.usa.canon.com ).A low-priced, easy-to-use camera that takes perfectly reason-able pictures.
USB Removable Storage Card
Newer Technology uFlash-CF ($89).
An essential card for the Canon non-USB digital camera.
Game Card
MicroConversions’ GameWizard for iMac 12MB Voodoo 2 card (233MHz iMacs only) ($199; 877/986-4276, http://www.microconversions.com ).Glide games such as Quake, Unreal, and F/A-18 Korea look glorious with this card.
CREATIVE ARTSMultimedia and publishing gurus who work with digital video and/or audio on a daily basis understand that budget takes a backseat to the practical need for a powerful processor and fast storage. Because Adobe Photoshop can take a long time to render complex images on a slow computer, you’ll be happiest with nothing less than the top of the line–the 400MHz Power Macintosh G3. And although FireWire’s promise is bright, a slew of SCSI peripherals will benefit from this Mac’s Ultra SCSI II PCI card (see the sidebar “Maintaining a Legacy”).
SYSTEM SPECSPower Macintosh G3/400, $2,999
1MB cache, 128MB of RAM,
9GB Ultra II SCSI hard drive with SCSI card,
24 x CD-ROM
The BasicsRAM
Upgrade to 1GB (approximately $332).
Display
Apple Studio Display 21-Inch ($1,499; 408/996-1010, http://www.apple.com ).
Keyboard
Adesso Nu-Form (USB) ($60; 310/645-3746, http://www.adessoinc.com ).
Mouse
Kensington Thinking Mouse ($55; 650/572-2700, http://www.kensington.com ); Kensington Orbit trackball ($70).
Printer
Epson Stylus Color 900N ($649; 310/782-0770, http://www.epson.com ). Prints on a variety of papers, including card stock.
Internet Connection
ISDN or DSL (depending on the work you do).
PCI Expansion Chassis
SBS Bit 3 Operations PCI Slot Expansion Unit ($1,036 to $1,846; 651/905-4700, http://www.bit3.com ). Multimedia users require lots of PCI slots–slots that are anything but abundant on the Power Mac G3’s.
WISH LISTCD-Rewritable Drive
APS CD-RW 4 x 4 x 16 ($400; 816/483-1600, http://www.apstech.com ).
Multimedia users will appreciate the ability to cut custom CDs for clients, and graphics users will like the inexpensive storage.
Graphics Tablet
Wacom Intuos ($510; 360/896-9833, http://www.wacom.com ).
Second Display
Apple Studio Display flat panel ($1,099).
What better place to view the countless QuarkXPress, Photoshop, and Adobe Premiere palettes?
Digital Camera
Olympus D-620L ($1,199; 516-844-5000, http://www.olympusamerica.com ).
Good resolution in a professional digital camera.
Speakers
Sonigistix’s Monsoon MM-1000 Multimedia Speaker System ($229; 501/372-0366, http://www.sonigistix.com ).
Scanner
Umax PowerLook 3000 ($3,095; 510/651-4000, http://www.umax.com ).
Software
Adobe Premiere 5.1 video-editing software ($895; 408/536-6000, http://www.adobe.com ); MacSourcery BarbaBatch 2.5 audio software ($395; 760/747-5995, http://www.macsourcery.com ); Adobe Photoshop 5.0.2 image editor ($649); Adobe Illustrator 8.0 illustration software ($375); QuarkXPress 4.0 page-layout software ($699; 307/772-7100, http://www.quark.com ); Adobe GoLive 4.0 Web-page design software ($299); MetaCreations Painter 5.5 Web Edition graphics software ($299; 805/566-6200, http://www.metacreations.com ).
Maintaining a LegacyWith the arrival of the iMac and new Power Macintosh G3 systems, Apple has left behind many of the conventions of computing in the 1980s. Gone are the serial and SCSI ports of old–faster, hot-pluggable protocols such as USB and FireWire are the flavors of Apple’s future (see “The USB Connection,” October 1998, and “iMac Envy,” March 1999). But while USB and FireWire are promising, what are today’s users supposed to do with their accumulated serial and SCSI devices?
Although Apple has moved on, other developers have stepped into the breach and are providing solutions for connecting old hardware to new Macintosh models. With the help of an adapter or two, your legacy hardware can live on to work another day.
Printers and ModemsSince all of Apple’s current desktop models have 10/100BaseT on board, you won’t have trouble using a printer that has Ethernet. However, if you have a LocalTalk or serial printer, you need an adapter.
Be warned, however, that some adapters don’t work with all serial devices. For example, although Keyspan’s (510/222-0131, http://www.keyspan.com ) $80 USB Serial Adapter allows you to connect certain modems and printers to your USB-compatible Mac, it doesn’t support LocalTalk printers and networks, nor does it work with MIDI devices such as MIDI interfaces and synthesizers that include a serial port.
Griffin Technology’s (615/255-0990, http://www.griffintechnology.com ) iPort and gPort adapters, on the other hand, support not only standard serial devices, such as modems, but LocalTalk devices and MIDI as well. The $80 iPort mounts inside the older iMacs and also provides an external video port (the iPort is currently not compatible with the multicolored 266MHz iMacs). Although the gPort doesn’t provide additional video output, it does offer a single serial port. The gPort connects internally to the blue Power Mac G3’s motherboard.
Farallon (510/346-8001, http://www.farallon.com ) solves the serial/LocalTalk problem with an adapter for each–the iPrint LT and iPrint SL. Both of these devices, $100 each (company’s estimated price), allow you to print via your Mac’s Ethernet port. The iPrint LT supports up to eight LocalTalk devices, including iMacs and G3’s, and the iPrint SL allows you to print to an Apple StyleWriter.
Input DevicesOne lonely ADB port remains on the blue Power Mac G3’s, but it’s completely absent from the iMac. If you’d like to use an ADB keyboard and mouse, buy Griffin Technologies’ $40 USB-to-ADB iMate adapter. And gamers should be on the lookout for the JoyPort USB adapter from Kernel Productions (302/456-3026, http://www.kernel.com ). This $50 device will allow you to connect Genesis, Atari, Sony PlayStation, and Nintendo 64 gaming devices to your USB Mac. By the time you read this, USB game controllers will also be available from Ariston Technologies, Saitek, CH Products, and Gravis.
HubsUSB allows you to connect multiple devices to your new Mac, but to do so you need a hub–a box that bears several USB ports. One of the most interesting hubs is CompuCable’s (714/557-5510, http://www.compucable.com ) iDock. This handy $200 iMac swivel stand carries a three-port USB hub, two serial ports, and a parallel port for PC printers. Reportedly, the iDock won’t support LocalTalk, nor are drivers supplied for the parallel printer–those drivers must be obtained by the printer’s manufacturer.
SCSIAt press time, USB-to-SCSI converters were not yet available, but three of them should be on the shelves by the time you read this. Newer Technology (316/943-0222, http://www.newertech.com ) is preparing the $80 uSCSI; Microtech (203/483-9402, http://www.microtechint.com ) is slated to ship the $80 Xpress USB; and SecondWave (512/329-9283, http://www.2ndwave.com ) is selling the $79 ScusBee.
Be forewarned: before you buy one of these devices, be sure to consider their limitations. Data moves over USB at only 1.2 MBps–slower than the 5-MBps transfer rate of most Macs’ external SCSI and far slower than any SCSI card. This means that not only will data move fairly slowly between your SCSI drives and your new Mac, but applications that require fast data transfer–audio- and video-editing programs, for example–may not be able to pull data quickly enough from these drives. Also, at least one of the manufacturers claims that its product is intended to work only with storage devices; SCSI scanners, for example, may not work with these converters. Although iMac owners will have to rely on such converters for SCSI support, Power Mac G3 users should simply add a PCI SCSI card.
Essentials for Every MacThere are as many ways to build a perfect Mac as there are Mac users. But some products will enhance any Mac user’s computing experience. For example, although Apple has become increasingly generous in its allocation of RAM and hard-drive space, we still feel that your computer can never be too fast. And while Apple provides a serviceable set of utilities, you can do better with the addition of a few troubleshooting, backup, and Internet tools.
Memory
To Mac users of old, 32MB of RAM may seem extravagant. But in these days of memory-munching applications, it’s barely enough to load the Mac OS and a word processor. Although additional RAM won’t make most operations go any faster unless your Mac currently relies on virtual memory, it does allow you to open more applications.
Troubleshooting
Apple’s Extensions Manager is a good start, but it’s not nearly as capable as Casady & Greene’s Conflict Catcher 8 (
Backup
Regardless of how you use your Mac, you must back up your data, and a member of the Retrospect family can do just that–Dantz Development’s Retrospect 4.1 (
Removable Media
Apple has shown the way: the floppy drive is dead. From all appearances its successor is Iomega’s Zip drive (
Internet Utilities
Although Apple bundles Microsoft’s Internet applications, Internet Explorer 4.5 (
System Enhancements
To navigate around your Mac more easily from within Apple’s limited Open and Find dialog boxes, buy a copy of Power On Technology’s Action Files 1.1 ($50; 612/317-0344, http://www.actionutilities.com ).
THE LAST WORDWhen it comes to finding the perfect Macintosh, you’re the best judge of which Mac provides you with all the necessities and fits your budget at the same time. However, certain home truths must be considered when deciding which Mac you should buy. If you’re working with high-end graphics and video, you need the fastest Mac on the planet, complete with as much RAM and hard-drive space as you can afford. The entry-level Power Macintosh G3 is a smart business buy, but if you’re working on the go, consider a swift PowerBook G3. You’ll find no greater bargain in the Apple universe than the iMac–perfect for the home or dormitory. And the enthusiasts just need enough power and exotic peripherals to keep them entertained until Apple begins shipping the next generation of processors.
And there you have it in a single, neat package–the Mac you should buy, the configurations you should consider, the core applications you should have for the work you do and games you play, and numerous suggestions for simultaneously enhancing your Mac and draining your bank account. The Mac you purchase will certainly have the Apple logo affixed to it. But the rest is up to you.
The “Enthusiast” user is based entirely on the life and desires of Contributing Editor and Mac expert CHRISTOPHER BREEN. He is a coauthor of a forthcoming book about the iMac (IDG Books Worldwide, 1999).May 1999 page: 68
Note: When you purchase something after clicking links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Read our affiliate link policy for more details.