What do you think is/was the prettiest Apple Mac ever?

[IJ Reilly]

What's more important, form or function? Isn't the best design the one where form is dictated by function?

On that score, the G4 iMac is probably Apple's best design ever, even though on a purely aesthetic basis, it's kind of ungainly (especially the 20" version). Using that metric, the original Mac is probably next. It was an extremely tidy design that spoke directly to the user's experience. The keyboard could even fit neatly under the CPU. This product is a landmark in industrial design -- and you'll find it referenced in books on that subject. Third on my list is a toss-up between the G3 PowerBooks and the G4 Aluminum books. The Cube deserves special mention, if only because it was an engineering triumph. It's difficult to imagine anyone -- even Apple -- ever putting that much effort into a computer design again.

But "pretty" -- I think that's not a very good way to measure the success of a computer design. Unless of course you plan on just looking at it. 😉

 

[runninmac]

I would have to say that the whole iMac lineup is just amazing. For the time the iMac G3s were amzing. Then the G4s came out and I just loved the arm on it now the G5s that look so minimalistic its fantastic.

 

[jalagl]

For me, the two best designs are:

- iMac G4
- Aluminum Powerbooks

The G4 Cube would come in on a distant third.

 

[Macmaniac]

I love the 15in Aluminum Powerbook, it is a thing of beauty and power. I also love the old Snow G3 iMac, if they had made them with white keyboards and mice they would have been a beautiful pair.

 

[iGary]

iMac G4
PowerMac G4 MDD (The finest evolution of the species.)
PowerMac G5 (My next Mac.)
iMac G5

 

[mkrishnan]

What's more important, form or function? Isn't the best design the one where form is dictated by function?

LOL...judging from what I spend my clothing budget on, and how I selected which Mac to buy....ahem, yeah, I should probably keep my mouth closed. 😱

For me there is no static value equation between form and function. Sometimes, I have a minimum threshold for function, above which I often primarily shop on form. Sometimes, I value function and have a minimum requirement for form. Really depends. 🙄

But there definitely is a relationship, and I think you make a really fair point. 🙂

I was seriously considering a cube to use it as a network fileserver at home (since it wouldn't be that much more expensive than a network HD), but in the end, I dropped the idea because there were too many limitations surrounding what HDs I could use in one. Which is clearly a function issue! 😱 🙁

 

[IJ Reilly]

For me there is no static value equation between form and function.

I agree, it's not a direct relationship. A purely functional thing can be hell to look at if nobody has thought about its visual qualities. Ideally, a designed object should express its function in an aesthetically pleasing manner. This is why the G4 iMac is such a successful design. Despite its somewhat ungainly appearance (taken strictly as a object), a user of this computer will come to appreciate why it looks the way it does almost immediately. I never saw an iMac G4 user sit down at one and first thing not grab it on the transparent edge of the display just where Apple wanted them to grab it, and adjust it to their preferred viewing angle in just the way the swing-arm was meant to allow. This is what happens when industrial design is done right -- aesthetics and function are merged seamlessly.

 

[Militar]

The prettiest Apple Mac ever would have to be the Quicksilver G4s. The most functional would have to be the PowerMac G5s. They are simple stunning!

 

[Dreadnought]

Nope you're all wrong! THE SE/30 HAD ALREADY BECOME PERFECTION! How can one better that?

By perfecting it: the colorclassic!

 

[JW8725]

Just sit there and keep looking....

 

[Orlando Furioso]

i don't know about "prettiest" but the sexiest Apple computer has to be the Pismo Powerbook imo. The aluminum powerbooks now do nothing for me, but I do agree with some of you on the "ice" ibook (12"?). It was my roommate's "switch" computer and she got it because it was cute.

 

[Orlando Furioso]

Just sit there and keep looking....

IMG, i used to edit and layout my middle-school's weekly paper on this thing.

 

[Militar]

That was the first ever Mac I used while in school. I believe the class was Data Processing or Typing 101. I fell in love with that Mac. I remember spending many late nights during school days typing into that thing. It looked very stunning for it's time.

 

[biohazard6969]

1. powerbook 15" aluminum THAT THING IS DAMN SEXY I WANT ONE!!!!!!!

2. G5 powermac

3. mac mini

 

[wdlove]

We are very lucky to have Jonathan Ives. I think that the design of the Mac just keeps getting better. That is why Apple continues to win awards. Currently I like the Power Mac G5 and the iMac G5.

 

[FoxyKaye]

OK, I'll jump in to the fray:

1) Clamshell iBooks, any color, any revision. I loved these, and they completely changed how I felt about laptops. Plus, the "bulletproof" plastic was kinda cool too...

2) iMac G5 (Rev. A + B). Love this form factor - "Where'd the computer go?" indeed. Has to be the most beautiful (and let's not forget, fast) computer I've ever used.

3) G4 Cube - loved them. Even more than the Mini. Something about the shape and size was so far ahead of its time - now everyone is trying to be Cube cool.

4) G3 Blue & White: There was something about the idea of a big, blue tower. Damn the naysayers who thought they were "unprofessional" - I always wished these came in more colors than blue...

5) Mac Mini - A recent addition, but one that I like. There's something about wowing the PC users in my office with a workstation that fits in one of my stacked "In" boxes (that's really where I keep it - it opened up a ton of desk space).

6) iMac G3 - These were cool since they tied in to the Clamshell iBooks. OK, sure in their latter days the colors got weird (Dalmation!? hello?) but overall a nice first marriage of form and function in an AIO design. They're just so big, but I guess compared to the PCs of their day they were pretty revolutionary.

7) iMac G4 - Yeah, they were cool too. I just have always thought they looked funny, especially when Apple started giving them really big LCDs.

I suppose if you asked me this a few years back, I'd also cite some more of the earlier models, especially the original/classic form factors when they got HDDs and color monitors. Then there were those multimedia Macs and the 20th Anniversary editions that were pretty far out, too...

 

[ajwitte]

Anyone know of a website having pics of most, if not all, of the apple machines over the years. With all the mac enthusiasts (ie., freaks!) lurking about , there's got to be one.. right? I can't really rank them objectively without seeing them side by side.

lowendmac.com has 'high end' Macs too.

 

[madmaxmedia]

I absolutely adored the original TiBooks but now I think they look quite dated when compared to the Alu design. I think its because the designs are so similar that has that effect.

The AluBooks are definitely very catching and absolutely top-notch with their single color design. But at the same time there's something that still draws me to the TiBooks, I'm not sure what it is. One thing I do like is the sharper corners, which make the computer look very thin and streamlined.

Due to an itchy trigger finger, I now have a 15" AluBook and a 15" TiBook, but will be selling the TiBook on EBay (the AluBook is faster and has USB2, etc.) And the Alu keyboard is one of the nicest keyboards on any computer, desktop or notebook (and it won't mark up your screen like with the TiBooks.)

But the TiBook is just a really attractive machine. Maybe the AluBook has a somewhat 'colder' look, and the TiBook contrasts that a bit. Either way, they're both beautiful. When I'm in a store and see the rows of Win notebooks, 95% of them really make me cringe... 😉

 

[madmaxmedia]

What's more important, form or function? Isn't the best design the one where form is dictated by function?

I think we're "having our cake and eating it too"... 😉

I agree with your comments on the original Mac. All factors considered, it would be hard to top the design achievement of the original Mac.

But remember, this is a thread about the 'prettiest Mac', not necessarily about the best design or utility.

 

[acedickson]

Aluminum PowerBooks are my favorite!