Check out some red-hot gifts for your favorite young Machead, including the new, 13-inch MacBook, bargain wireless networking courtesy of Airport Express, a pair of sturdy shelf speakers guaranteed to raise the roof, and more.

Laptop: MacBook (2.0GHz, 320GB hard drive, $1,449)
Macs are commonly criticized for being too expensive, but the 13.3-inch MacBook is a relative bargain as far as Apple's laptop line is concerned. Armed with dedicated NVidia GeForce 2400M graphics, 2GB of RAM and a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, the mid-range MacBook (just 4.5 pounds, by the way) won't let your multimedia-hungry grad down when it comes to streaming video or gaming, and you can configure it with a massive 320GB hard drive (good for thousands of tunes and plenty of HD TV episodes) for just under $1,500. Heck, I want one of these bad boys.

Desktop: Mac mini (2.0GHz, 320GB hard drive, $799)
Sure, you could cough up more for one of Apple's sexy, all-in-one iMacs, but the Mac mini crams in plenty of power into its 6.5 by 6.5 by 2-inch shell, including a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and dedicated NVidia GeForce 9400M graphics, same as on the 13-inch MacBook. What about a monitor, you ask? Plenty of third parties make quality LCD monitors that are far cheaper than Apple's high-end Cinema Displays; I'm partial to Acer, which makes a crisp, widescreen 20-inch LCD display (I have one that I use on a daily basis) for about $150. That brings your total price to about $950, or $250 less than the cheapest iMac. And we can apply the savings to …

Wireless networking: Airport Express ($99)
Is your favorite grad heading off to a small dorm room or their first one-bedroom? The compact Airport Express may not have the range of the bigger Airport Extreme base station, but it'll do the trick in a small living space—and even better, it acts as a wireless link between a Wi-Fi-enabled Mac and a USB printer and/or stereo system. Which brings me to …

Speakers: M-Audio Studiophile AV 40 ($150)
Apple wisely bowed out of the home audio business some time ago, but there are plenty of bone-rattling computer speakers available from third parties. I gave CNET's "top 5" lists a look and came up with this pick: the M-Audio Studiophile AV 40, a powered set of stereo speakers that, according to CNET audio guru Steve Guttenberg, is "larger than average" but makes "most PC and multimedia speakers seem rather puny by comparison." Hook the AV 40's up directly to a Mac or set them up for wireless audio streaming with the Airport Express, and your deserving grad will be ready to rock.

On the go: iPod Touch (16GB, $299)
Trust me: Your favorite grad probably already has an iPod Shuffle or Nano, and while they might love an iPhone, there's also the matter of the monthly bill. An iPod Touch, on the other hand, might be just the ticket—they'll get (almost) all the benefits of the iPhone, including the same touch interface, access to the massive App Store, and on-the-go Web browsing, all without having to deal with a two-year AT&T wireless contract. The 8GB model is a little skimpy on the memory, while the $399 32GB version might be more than you were planning to spend on a young'un who still has a lot to look forward to—the $299 16GB Touch, though, hits the sweet spot.