Apple has finally announced an official launch date for Mac OS X 10.5 (a.k.a. “Leopard”) and that date is Friday, October 26th. FYI: Here is Apple’s big list of 300 new Leopard features.

Before you rush out and pre-order your copy you should first check the tech specs to make sure your Mac qualifies. In brief, your machine must have a G4, G5 or Intel processor and if it’s a G4 it must also have an operating speed of 867MHz or higher. G3 based Macs are NOT supported. You can check this information by choosing About This Mac from the Apple menu.

My assumption is that the G4 processor speed requirement is as much about the associated hardware such as the graphics chip as it is about the raw processor speed so installing a processor upgrade in an otherwise unqualified machine probably won’t be enough to allow you to install and run Leopard.

Also be aware that as of 10.5 Apple has eliminated support for running Classic (pre-Mac OS X) applications so you’ll have to replace any you’re still using with Mac OS X equivalents before you upgrade.

Retail price is $130 but if you bought a new Mac on or after October 1st you will be able to get Leopard from Apple for just $10 to cover shipping.