By building on the best of Office 2008 and adding badly needed compatibility with Windows technologies, Microsoft has delivered a suite that doesn’t treat Mac users like second-class citizens. Office 2011 as a package goes the extra mile to put Mac users on equal footing with the rest of the professional world, which is why it gets an extra half-star compared to the individual application verdicts (and since you can’t buy, say, Word on its own, the suite score is the most important).

While not every application packs a must-have feature, there’s more than enough in the entire suite to warrant an upgrade, especially if you collaborate with users of Office 2010 for Windows. However, if you’ve managed to get your work done this long without Word, Excel, and the rest of the gang, their new features may simply be more than you need. But if you’ve turned your back on Office due to its complexity or lack of key features, Office 2011 may have what it takes to win you back.

Office 2011 for Mac
COMPANY: Microsoft
CONTACT: www.microsoft.com/mac
PRICE: $119 Home and Student Edition (single license), or $149 Family Pack (three licenses). $199 Home and Business Edition (single license) or $279 Multi-Pack (two installs). $99 Academic Edition for higher education students, staff, and faculty.
REQUIREMENTS: (Home and Student Edition) Intel processor, Mac OS 10.5.8 or later, 1GB RAM, 2.5GB hard disk space
New online collaboration tools. Ribbon changes up the toolbar based on what you’re doing. Snappier performance.
Outlook not included in $119 Home and Student Edition or the corresponding $149 Family Pack.