It's roundup time again, and this week has a little something for everyone. Gear Patrol's weekly roundup covers the best tech and hi-fi releases of the moment, and two products in particular caught my eye. One is a computer I'd happily recommend to family. The other is a piece of audio gear I can only dream about, the way I used to dream about a laser disc player back in 1986.

First, the practical one. Apple has refreshed the Mac mini and this little machine has long been one of my favorite values in computing. I won't guess at exactly what changed under the hood until the full specs are in front of me, but a refresh of the mini is welcome news either way. If you've been limping along on a six-year-old desktop, this is worth a look before the holiday shopping crush starts. I'll be watching for the detailed breakdown before I give it my full blessing.

Then there's the pretty one. McIntosh, the company whose blue power meters have made audiophiles weak in the knees since before I owned a Walkman, has a new streaming preamplifier. It's gorgeous in that old-school, front-panel-looks-like-furniture way, and it packs modern streaming features into a chassis that will outlast most of us. I don't have pricing yet. McIntosh gear has never been what anyone would call a bargain, so I'd brace myself before asking. I won't be putting one in my living room, but a woman can window-shop.

What I appreciate about a list like this in September is the timing. We're heading into the stretch of the year when companies announce everything at once, hoping to catch your attention before holiday shopping starts. A curated roundup helps you separate the genuinely useful from the shiny. I've only pulled out the two products I can vouch for here, so click through for the rest of what Gear Patrol picked.

And you know my rule by now: useful wins every time. The Mac mini solves a real problem, it makes a good computer attainable. The McIntosh solves a problem too, if your problem is "my stereo doesn't spark joy" and your bank account is sturdier than mine. Both earn their spots.

If any of these catch your eye, click through to Gear Patrol for the full details and specs. I'll be keeping an eye on the Mac mini in particular, and if my niece asks me what computer to buy her college freshman this fall, I suspect I already know the answer.