Your complete guide to the best Apple hardware and third-party accessories

EDITED BY ROB MEAD-GREEN

iMac

From £1,049

Ever since the famous Bondi Blue iMac debuted in August 1998, Apple’s all-in-one desktop computer has been setting standards in gorgeous design and powerful performance. Apple’s innovation was as clear back then as it is today - the iMac was the first Macintosh to drop the floppy drive in favour of USB, and its colourful aesthetic set it apart as a playful option in a world of beige boxes.

The current entry-level 21.5in was finally updated in August 2020, although its specs remain largely unchanged from 2017. What changes there are, are confined to your storage options - Apple has finally dropped the 5,400rpm hard drive in favour of SSDs across the board. Fusion Drives are now only available as Build To Order options.

The iMac’s all-in-one design combines power and poise - especially in the higher-end 27in models.

The biggest changes can be found in the 27in iMac, which also got an August 2020 update. It too now sports SSDs across the line and you can choose from six-core tenth-gen Intel Core i5s on the entry level and mid-range models, or an eight-core tenth-gen Intel Core i7 on the top-end - Apple says the new iMacs offer up to 65 per cent faster performance than the models they replace. The 27in iMacs also get AMD Radeon Pro 5300 graphics on the entry-level and mid-range models with an AMD Radeon Pro 5550 XT GPU on the £2,999 model, and up to 55 per cent more graphics power than before.

Other changes include improved speakers and studio-quality mics. You can also add up to 128GB of memory and up to 8TB of SSD storage if you wish, although the prices are eye-watering.

Choose an iMac

iMac super power

If you want even more oomph, the iMac Pro is an impressive step up.

Prices start at £4,999 for a 27in iMac Pro with a Retina 5K display, ten-core Intel Xeon W processor 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 56 graphics - and rise inexorably from there.

MacBook Pro

From £1,299

In November 2019, Apple replaced the 15in model with a MacBook Pro 16-inch. The larger screen machine comes with a Magic Keyboard with a redesigned scissor mechanism, and a six-speaker sound system. The notebook also brings back a physical œ key, while retaining the Touch Bar.

The MacBook Pro 16-inch features the Magic Keyboard and improved graphics chip options.

The MBP 16in can be configured with a six- or eight-core ninth-gen Intel processor and 64GB of memory. There are 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB or 8TB options. The 2.3GHz model comes with an AMD Radeon Pro 5500M GPU, while the 2.6GHz model comes with the 5300M; build to order options include a 5600M chip to provide desktop-level graphics. The new thermal design increases airflow, and the larger 100Whr battery, the largest possible in a notebook, offers up to 11 hours of browsing and video playback.