Apple has announced two new mid-range Macs based on Motorola's next-generation PowerPC G3 processor, and a Powerbook which it claims is the most powerful notebook in the world.

The PowerPC G3 is the first processor specially designed to run MacOS, Apple's graphical operating system. While developing it, engineers constantly tested the chip with Mac applications and optimised the design to ensure operations were handled as efficiently as possible.

The G3 chip uses an advanced caching system, known as backside caching, to turn in a performance well beyond that of the PowerPC 603e chip used in Apple's existing mainstream models.

The new mid-range Macs are available in desktop and mini-tower configurations, running at either 233MHz or 266MHz. They feature 32Mb of RAM, 24x CD-ROM drives, integrated Zip drives, and come with ATi's impressive 3D RAGE II graphics card. The mini-tower version also features additional NTSC and PAL video input and output capabilities.

Apple's new PowerBook is also based on the G3 design, running at 250MHz.

It comes as standard with a 12.1in TFT screen, 32Mb of RAM, 5Gb hard disk and 20x CD-ROM.

Apple: 0800 127753.