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Perfect PCs for dads

Give dad a little something special, preferably with a keyboard, touch pad, or GPU.

Dan Ackerman, Rich Brown, Scott Stein

May 6, 2013 10:40 a.m. PT

1 of 5

Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display

The MacBook Pro with Retina Display, while expensive, is the best all-around MacBook Apple now makes, and its super-high-res screen makes images -- even simple text -- look beautifully clear. It's the ultimate laptop status symbol right now.

$599 at Back Market

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2 of 5

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13

A great halfway point between laptop and tablet, the Yoga 13 is a great way to introduce dad to tablets, without compromising the more-familiar laptop shape and functionality.

$1,000 at Walmart

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3 of 5

HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook

If dad is a technophobe and/or a luddite, a Chromebook may be the way to go. The simple browser-based OS makes it hard to screw things up too badly, and most of the basic tools he'll want -- e-mail, Netflix, news -- are all easily accessible.

$175 at Walmart

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4 of 5

Apple iMac (27-inch)

The latest iMac looks fantastic sitting on a desk, and if dad isn't ready to pull the plug and go all-in on a laptop or tablet, this is still the desktop computer to beat.

$650 at Back Market

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5 of 5

Microsoft Surface Pro

Sure, the battery life isn't stellar, but the amazingly portable package that the Surface Pro offers up can't be beat. Add a comfortable Type Cover keyboard, and the Surface Pro becomes a supercharged iPad-sized PC capable of no-holds-barred Windows computing on the go. It also comes with a pressure-sensitive stylus, a feature that may be making a bit of a comeback.

$500 at Amazon

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