1. Quick list
2. How to choose
3. How we test
4. Top picks
▶ Best overall
▶ Best budget
▶ Best workstation
▶ Best MacBook
▶ Best MacBook Pro
▶ Best big-screen MacBook
Finding the best business Mac in a market where Apple merges professional and consumer features can be tricky.
Apple's devices, known for their robust performance and sleek design, cater well to both business and personal use, and regular updates to the Mac and MacBook line-ups ensure that businesses have access to models with the latest enhancements and consistent pricing.
We've tested all the best MacBook and Macs, and the best MacBook Pro laptops - so we know what to look out for when you want a professional-grade Apple device for seamless office workflows. In testing the best business Macs, our comparisons focus on performance specs, including GPU, CPU, RAM, storage, and connectivity, alongside factors like size, battery life, and cost, tailored to various business needs.
For more professional computing, see our reviews of the best business computers and the best business laptops.
Quick list
The iMac with the M3 chip is the leading all-in-one for businesses, offering superior performance and a 24-inch 4.5K display in a sleek, lightweight design, despite minor issues like limited ports.
The Mac mini, affordable and compact, delivers exceptional performance for business tasks with M2 or M2 Pro chips, providing a powerful yet budget-friendly option.
The Mac Studio, with M2 Max or M2 Ultra chips, is a compact powerhouse ideal for demanding business applications, offering significant capability at a premium price.
The MacBook Air (M3, 2024) combines portability with powerful performance, featuring an enhanced design and 16-hour battery life, making it the top MacBook for business users.
The MacBook Pro 14 with the M3 Max chip sets a new standard for business laptops with its high performance, versatile design, and premium pricing.
The MacBook Air 15-inch (M3) is the best choice for business users needing a large screen without losing portability, offering a spacious keyboard and superior sound in a sleek design.
The best business Mac: How to choose
When choosing the best business Mac for yourself, start with assessing the nature of your business, the kind of work you'll primarily do on the Mac, and whether you'll be on the road a lot.
If your work mainly involves using office apps, email, web browsing, or data entry, an entry-level MacBook should work perfectly well. If you're in graphic design, video editing, architecture, or any other field that demands resource-intensive apps, then it's best to select a powerful Mac with an impressive processor and graphic capabilities. See our reviews for the best photo editing PCs and the best video editing PCs for more Apple Mac options.
You'll want to select the RAM based on how much multitasking you do and how resource-heavy your apps are. Look out for the connectivity ports on the device, especially if you plan to hook your laptop up to an external display.
For those who're on the road frequently, the laptop's size and weight are essential considerations. Lastly, check how much storage the laptop offers and whether your budget can accommodate all the features and upgrades you need.
Despite Apple laptops offering arguably the best screens you can get, we'd recommend investing in a decent second screen for serious work sessions. We've reviewed the best monitors for MacBook Pro, the best monitors for Mac Studio. and the best monitors for the Mac mini.
The best business Mac: How we test
Our team of reviewers have tested a wide range of professional hardware, including the best video editing Macs and MacBooks, best business monitors, and the best business tablets.
To test the best business Macs, we started by considering their specifications, like the GPU, CPU, RAM, storage, and dimensions. We evaluated the types of businesses they'd be suitable for and how well they ran resource-heavy apps and multitasked.
We assessed the dimensions and weight of the products to see how much space they take up and whether they were light enough for easy carrying during travels.
We also checked their connectivity ports, wireless connectivity features, battery life, and pricing, among other things.
The best business Mac in 2024: our top picks
The best business Mac in 2024
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Below you'll find full write-ups for each of our picks for the best business Mac in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.
The best business Mac overall
The latest iMac, powered by the M3 chip, reigns supreme in the all-in-one computer market as the optimal choice for businesses. It significantly surpasses its M1 predecessor, combining stellar performance with a stunning 24-inch 4.5K display, making it the gold standard for AIO systems.
Beyond its powerful internals, the iMac's design is both sleek and lightweight, perfect for professionals who value both power and space efficiency. It also offers customization through various color options, catering to businesses that prioritize a stylish workspace.
Minor drawbacks like limited ports and peripheral design quirks do little to diminish its standing. With even the base model impressively equipped for business tasks, the iMac firmly establishes itself as the premier business computer, expertly balancing performance, design, and convenience.
Read our full Apple iMac 24-inch (M3) review
The best budget business Mac
The Apple Mac mini stands out as the ideal budget-friendly Mac for businesses, boasting a compact design paired with remarkable power.
Whether it's everyday office applications or more demanding video editing, the Mac mini, equipped with either the M2 or M2 Pro chips, excels in performance, rivaling even the MacBook Pro.
Despite its lack of upgradeability, which might concern some, its out-of-the-box readiness and macOS integration make it hard to critique. Offering excellent value, with starting prices around $600/£600, the Mac mini provides an affordable yet powerful desktop solution for businesses looking for Apple's renowned performance without the hefty price tag.
Read our full Apple Mac mini, M2 (2023) review
The best Mac workstation for business
The Mac Studio, an upgrade from the Mac mini, is Apple's latest powerhouse, offering substantial capability in a compact form.
With options for the Apple M2 Max or M2 Ultra chips, it handles intensive tasks effortlessly, from 3D rendering to managing large datasets, making it ideal for business applications requiring high memory, such as big data analysis and complex project management.
While its high performance may be more than some need, for those seeking a robust Mac workstation for demanding business environments, the Mac Studio proves to be a valuable investment, despite its premium price.
Read the full Apple Mac Studio review
The best business MacBook
The Apple MacBook Air (M3, 2024) is the best MacBook for business users, blending portability with powerful performance. Its refreshed design offers a sleek, modern look, enhanced by a larger, vibrant display within a thinner, lighter frame.
The M3 chip ensures smooth operation, even with intensive multitasking, and the improved keyboard design facilitates comfortable document creation and email composition.
Notably, its 16-hour battery life supports a full day's work or long flights without the need for recharging.
Although slightly pricier than its predecessor, the enhancements in design, display, and performance justify the investment, making it an optimal laptop for professionals on the move.
Read our full Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) review
The best MacBook Pro overall
The MacBook Pro 14, featuring Apple's cutting-edge M3 chip, particularly in its high-end M3 Max form, redefines performance standards for business laptops.
With configurations boasting enhanced CPU and GPU cores alongside up to 64GB of memory, it excels in demanding business environments, supporting advanced computational tasks with ease.
Its design, including a fingerprint-resistant finish and a responsive keyboard, coupled with the macOS Sonoma, makes it highly versatile for professional use.
Despite its premium pricing, the MacBook Pro 14 M3 series represents the pinnacle of business laptops, offering unmatched performance and utility.
Read the full MacBook Pro 14-inch (M3, 2023) review
The best big-screen MacBook for business
For business users prioritizing screen size without sacrificing portability, the MacBook Air 15-inch (M3) is the ultimate choice.
Despite its larger, heavier frame compared to the 13-inch model, it offers identical functionality and power with the M3 chip, enhanced by a more spacious keyboard and superior sound system with two additional speakers for an immersive experience. Its design remains sleek, incorporating recycled aluminum and a fingerprint-resistant finish.
The significant advantage lies in the larger display, providing ample space for multitasking and detailed work, justifying the modest price increase for those valuing productivity on a larger screen.
This model stands out in the 15-inch market for its blend of aesthetics, performance, and value, making it the best large-screen MacBook for business professionals seeking a balance between functionality and portability.
Read our full Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M3) review
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