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Mac Mini as Family Computer

C

curtoise

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 19, 2010
529
14
I'm thinking on a getting $799 Mac Mini and add 8GB RAM, I'll be adding a 24 Samsung to the Mac Mini and I want to use it as a family computer and my two boys like to play lego games (Star wars, Pirates, Harry Potter) downloaded from the App Store and Disney Flash based games from Disney.com and Nick.com, can somebody tell me if those games will run smoothly on the $799 Mac Mini with upgraded 8GB Ram? plus all regular school and family tasks also play online Star Wars games from starwars.com?

Last time I've tried it was with a 2008 White Macbook and it was a disaster.

I want to be sure the Mini will be good for this otherwise I'll need to save more money and try to get the 21.5 iMac.
 
We have a mac mini as our family computer and it works great, they are pretty powerful machines for the small size.
 
Schtumple said:
Set up separate users for you and each of your kids and it should be perfect.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply, I'll not be using this Mac Mini as I have a MBP 2011 as my main computer but I want to be sure the upgraded Mac Mini will be good for those tasks and run those kind of games smoothly. Any new Mini with better specs coming or I should buy now?
 
I just played both Star Wars and Disney flash games in Safari on a 2011 Mini to check for you, they both play just fine.

BTW, don't pay Apple's prices for the RAM upgrade, buy it from Newegg or somewhere else and upgrade it yourself, far cheaper and takes 2 minutes.

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curtoise said:
Thank you for your reply, I'll not be using this Any new Mini with better specs coming or I should buy now?
Click to expand...

The next Intel chipset, Ivy Bridge, is supposedly delayed until June at the earliest, so I wouldn't expect any new 2012 Mini's (or any Mac's) until then. Check the Apple refurb section in the Apple store, sometimes you'll find 2011 Mini's at $100 off, look like new, same warranty. Just checked, your lucky day, they have the $799 Mini right now for $100 off. http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/mac_mini
 
cocacolakid said:
I just played both Star Wars and Disney flash games in Safari on a 2011 Mini to check for you, they both play just fine.

BTW, don't pay Apple's prices for the RAM upgrade, buy it from Newegg or somewhere else and upgrade it yourself, far cheaper and takes 2 minutes.

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The next Intel chipset, Ivy Bridge, is supposedly delayed until June at the earliest, so I wouldn't expect any new 2012 Mini's (or any Mac's) until then. Check the Apple refurb section in the Apple store, sometimes you'll find 2011 Mini's at $100 off, look like new, same warranty. Just checked, your lucky day, they have the $799 Mini right now for $100 off. http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/mac_mini
Click to expand...
By the time Ivy Bridge comes out, Haswell will be right around the corner.
 
I can't comment on a new Mac Mini as there's been no rumours that I've seen, obviously there will be a new Mac Mini probably sometime this year, but I couldn't even begin to say when.

Check the system requirements of those games, but chances are, it's Lego games, it'll be fine, the 6630M in there is by no means a bad graphics card, it's just also not brilliant at the same time, if you get me.
 
cocacolakid said:
I just played both Star Wars and Disney flash games in Safari on a 2011 Mini to check for you, they both play just fine.

BTW, don't pay Apple's prices for the RAM upgrade, buy it from Newegg or somewhere else and upgrade it yourself, far cheaper and takes 2 minutes.

----------



The next Intel chipset, Ivy Bridge, is supposedly delayed until June at the earliest, so I wouldn't expect any new 2012 Mini's (or any Mac's) until then. Check the Apple refurb section in the Apple store, sometimes you'll find 2011 Mini's at $100 off, look like new, same warranty. Just checked, your lucky day, they have the $799 Mini right now for $100 off. http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/mac_mini
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot for your testing and advise, I was also looking at the ones in Amazon as they are new and cheaper too.
 
I've downloaded demos of those games and tried to play them on my 2011 Macbook Pro i5 16GB ram, Graphics Intel HD Graphics 3000 512 MB, and the fan went crazy, the games played but the laptop got very hot.

Is this going to happen with the Mac Mini and the Radeon card too?
 
the mac mini well get really loud. if your going to spend 800 on a mini might as well get a used imac for 200 more. your only paying 200 for the screen and your getting a much quieter better machine.
 
Acorn said:
the mac mini well get really loud. if your going to spend 800 on a mini might as well get a used imac for 200 more. your only paying 200 for the screen and your getting a much quieter better machine.
Click to expand...

I've been thinking about this, now the Mac Mini is $760 in Amazon agains the 1100+ iMac...it is very tempting.
 
This is my current setup:

2011 13' Macbook Pro with 1TB Hard Drive and 16GB Ram as my main machine connected to a Samsung T240 24'.

I wanted to get the Mac Mini to setup as a family computer and hook the Samsung 24' to the mini then I'll get a Thunderbolt display for the Macbook Pro and wait until the new iMac refresh this year to see if Apple will come with something amazing and sell the MBP and get a 27 iMac for myself.

if I get now an iMac 21.5 as the family computer and a Thunderbolt display for my MBP I'll have an extra Samsung 24' to spare and I do not think I can have my 13' MBP with the Thunderbolt display and the Samsung 24' at the site time correct?

Also I have 8GB of Ram waiting from the mini as I had the memory on my laptop before I've upgraded to 16GB, if I go with the iMac, it will take the same memory or I'll have to purchase additionally?

I also have an Apple wireless keyboard and logitech wireless mouse if I buy the mini so the only fee I'll need to pay is just for the Mac mini box as I have all the other peripherals.

In Amazon the iMac is about $370 more than the mini but if I can hook up my Samsung and Thunderbolt to my 13 MBP and use the memory I have for the mini in the iMac 21.5 I'll be more inclined in purchasing the iMac as it is more powerful and I like the Facetime camera, more quiet machine, less wires, etc.

Sorry for the long post but I really need some advice and I'll appreciate if somebody can hop in and help me out.
 
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