Ready to make the move to an Apple Laptop? Or are you just ready to upgrade a favorite older Mac that's seen years of long and faithful service? No matter where you're coming from, here are five quick tips to determine which Apple laptop is the right one for you!



What kind of work will you be doing on your new laptop?

Graphics design work will probably make a larger screen a plus so that you can get the details without squinting. If you're planning to play games (especially online games that may require lots of storage memory), you'll need a fast processor and the hard drive space to store all that data "loot" you'll be collecting on your imaginary adventures. Is the laptop going to be used by a student or traveling businessman? In that case, portability may be the big issue. Take a good look at what you'll be doing most of the time with your new Mac-you'll be glad you did.

* Best bet for gaming or graphics: MacBook Pro. With an NVidia Graphics processor and a smoking hot 2.4 or 2.5GHz, you're ready to roll.

* Best student or business bet: MacBook Air. Superlight and well set up for a wide variety of general applications.

How portable does your new laptop need to be?

If you're planning to use your new laptop at your desk, then any of the Apple lines will be great. But if you're a business traveler who has to work on the go (especially in a crowded airplane seat) or a student who has to fit a laptop into a backpack or messenger bag, you'll want to make portability a priority. Also remember: the more powerful the processor, the more power it consumes-so if you're going to be unplugged while working, that may be a consideration.

* Best portability bet: Mac Book Air. It's light, fast and with its 1.6GHz processor, a real current sipper.

Will this laptop be your only computer?

While all Apple laptops are flexible enough to cover almost every need, some are better optimized for specific roles. If your laptop is just one of your computers, you may not need to cram everything into it; concentrate on what you really need a laptop for (see above). But if this will be your only (or main) computer, it's best to choose one that can cover the widest number of tasks without being locked down to a specific specialization. For example, if you're planning to do a lot of writing, a little web design, and a bit of Internet surfing, you'll want a solid all-purpose laptop rather than a powerhouse graphics or speed machine.

* Best "only computer" bet: MacBook. More processor power for those large applications and a larger 120GB hard drive to store lots of important information.

How sophisticated does your new laptop need to be?

We're not talking about the ability to look cool at a party here. In computer terms, sophistication means just how powerful or precise does your new laptop have to be to run high-end applications or perform tasks that the average user would probably never encounter in daily life. If you're going to be handling word processing or most business applications, you won't need the most powerful graphics or the speediest processors to get the job done. But if you're going to be playing lots of games or running lots of video applications, you'll need as much speed and power as you can get. That's because most video games are designed to push the graphic/power envelopes of even the best laptops. And if you're a graphic designer (whether for the Web or print) you'll want the graphic power to render the most accurate color reproduction possible for your clients.

* Once again, the best bet for gaming or graphics: MacBook Pro. With the NVidia graphics processor and 2.4 or 2.5GHz onboard, you can handle games or graphics with ease.

What's your personal style?

One of the best things about Apple products is that they're great looking-in fact, sleek style and sophisticated design are the Apple hallmark. If you're the professional type, you may want to concentrate on the smooth clean lines of the MacBook in either black or white. Or you may want to show your own personal flair with the MacBook Air's edgy thin profile. No matter what Apple laptop you choose, you're going to look stylish!