The best Macs to buy in 2017: Apple's top iMacs, MacBooks and more

As if Apple hasn’t been doing it enough lately, let’s talk about Macs. More specifically, the best Macs you can buy. A lot has changed in the latest iterations of Apple’s MacBooks and iMac desktops. Now armed with the ability to take on an arduous graphical workload, you might even say the best Macs will appeal to gamers as much as they already do to Apple II vets.

Not completely set on a Mac? These are the best laptops in every category

Though we’re still waiting to hear about that iMac Pro release date, numerous other mysteries still linger as well. Like the report that Apple is looking into developing its own ARM-based processors for an upcoming MacBook lineup or why macOS High Sierra keeps encountering vulnerabilities, not that Microsoft is doing much better.

Still, the Mac hardware itself keeps getting better and better. They’re all up to date with Intel’s Kaby Lake processors, as of the mid-2017 models, and we’ve yet to be disappointed. Be that as it may, not all of the best Macs on the market are recent releases. From the 2014 Mac mini to the 2017 MacBook Pro donning an OLED Touch Bar, here they are in the flesh.

If you were expecting the 13-inch MacBook Pro of this year to rectify our complaints of late 2016, you ought to be prepared for disappointment with the latest iteration of Apple’s professional-grade laptop. However, if what you craved were updated internal specs and the same all-aluminum unibody design of yesteryear, the mid-2017 MacBook Pro will absolutely please you. Complete with the same controversial Touch Bar and some pretty beefy specs, the MacBook Pro is a marvel to behold, even if it’s still limited to Thunderbolt 3 ports alone.

Read the full review: 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (2017)

27-inch iMac with 5K Retina display - Best Mac 2016

If you want the big screen of an iMac with the precision of a Retina display then there's only one iMac for you: the iMac with 5K Retina display. It comes with a choice between two Intel Core i5 chips as well as 1TB of HDD or Fusion Drive storage and it’s so pretty we want to marry it. For designers and video creators looking to make the move to pixel-heavy content, the 5K iMac pairs an illustrious display with a heaping deal of screen real estate to boot. It may not have the expandability of a Mac Pro, but at least you don't have to worry about buying a monitor.

Read the full review: 27-inch iMac with 5K Retina display (2015)

21.5-inch iMac with 4K Retina display - Best Mac 2016

If 27 inches is too much for you, Apple's 21.5-inch 4K iMac is much smaller but bears an equally sharp display. It goes toe-to-toe with the 27-inch 5K iMac when it comes to pixel density, and it similarly supports the DCI-P3 colour gamut allowing for accurate, vibrant color. If those words mean nothing to you, then long story short, Apple's smaller iMac is a capable machine and features one of the best 4K screens around. And, if you don't need an 4K display, there's a 1080p model as well.

Read the full review: 21.5-inch iMac with 4K Retina display (2015)

best mac

Apple's 2015 MacBook refresh wasn't for everyone and, despite being rosier and "goldier" than ever, that contention didn’t change in 2016. Most notably, Apple’s replacement of our favorite ports with the brand-new USB-C remains controversial.There's also the keyboard, wherein Apple has re-engineered every key to be thinner and far less springy to the touch. Even though its Intel Core M processor has nowhere near the power of the Pro or even the Air, the laptop is more than capable of running iMovie, Photos, and even Photoshop with ease.

Read the full review: 12-inch MacBook (2016)

15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina

After some much-needed patience, we finally have the MacBook Pro overhaul we deserve. Complete with a thinner, lighter design, a Space Gray color option and an OLED Touch Bar in lieu of the function keys, this MacBook Pro introduces the big changes we’ve been waiting for. Although you may be turned off by the lack of conventional ports, there’s a lot to love about the 15-inch MacBook Pro, including lots of RAM, fast storage and a massive trackpad. Sure, you'll be shelling out an extra wad of cash, but it's the best MacBook Pro money can buy.

Read our full review: 15-inch MacBook Pro (2016)

13-inch MacBook Air - Best Mac 2016

The MacBook Air is in an interesting spot. While it's still one of the most popular and well-known notebooks around, the iPad Pro and 12-inch MacBook have stolen much of its thunder. That is, unless you need the legacy USB 3, Thunderbolt 2 and SDXC card connectivity. Even without a Retina display or Force Touch trackpad, the 13-inch MacBook Air is a very capable machine, even if the 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage leave a lot to be desired. Plus it still has the beloved MagSafe 2 charger onboard as well as an impeccable battery life.

Read the full review: 13-inch MacBook Air (2015)

Mac mini - Best Mac 2016

The Mac Mini is Apple's cheapest computer and has, for a long time, been its least powerful. Fortunately, Intel's processor technology allows the desktop to be used for heavier tasks and Apple has brought the low-end model up to a decent specification. Available in three different variants – from a $499 (£399, AU$699) version with a 1.4GHz Intel Core i5 processor and 4GB of RAM to a $999 (£949, AU$1,499) model with a 2.8GHz CPU and 8GB of memory – Apple’s smallest Mac is also one of its most resilient.

Read the full review: Mac mini (2014)