There are plenty of buying options for people who want a new Mac to close out 2008 and bring in 2009 with a bang. If you are on a very limited budget and don’t need the latest and greatest hardware bells and whistles, you can go with the last generation of the 2007 models (especially laptops) for under $900. If you need the enhanced video capabilities and other new options on the 2008 line and don’t know which to choose, then this buying guide is for you.

So you’ve finally been seduced by the sleek lines of Apple’s hardware or the promise of the Mac OS’ reliability, and you want to buy a Macintosh laptop? Here’s what you need to know.