Mac Mini should go SSD like MacBook Air

[theSeb]

Sure, there are other benefits. But benchmarks don't tell the whole story. Many applications require processing power, so suggesting a SSD will compensate for a weak processor is silly.

Building the Mac mini like a MacBook Air would be a bad idea (IMO).

Of course. It all really depends on what the mini is used for. I get the impression that most of us on this sub forum use them as an HTPC

 

[Undo Redo]

Of course. It all really depends on what the mini is used for. I get the impression that most of us on this sub forum use them as an HTPC

One of my Mac minis is used as a HTPC. And occasionally I rip my DVDs or export EyeTV programs in H.264 format which requires PROCESSING POWER.

I should also mention that I also use a Mac mini for Aperture photo editing and iMovie production. A SSD does little to help with those functions.

 

[Lankyman]

Originally Posted by theSeb
Of course. It all really depends on what the mini is used for. I get the impression that most of us on this sub forum use them as an HTPC

In my case nope. I want to use a Mini as my everyday PC, in fact to replace my two year old iMac. To be honest as handsome a devil as I am I'm sick and tired of looking at my reflection on screen plus I just find the 21.5" to small and the 27" to large (I call it the three bears syndrome). I want to use a 24" matte screen and use Bootcamp for W7.

In fairness I think the present Mini would do the job quite adequately as it is spec'd now (office tasks, email, browsing, some photo work and music). However, with only 320gig there really isn't enough storage to give 100gig over to Windows which is what I want to do, plus extra RAM would also help.

I know I could use BTO and get a 500gig HD with another 2gig of RAM but to be honest I baulk at how much that pushes the price up to in the UK. However, if Apple don't upgrade then I may have to bite the bullet and go that route. I could source a HD and RAM locally for less and although the RAM is easy to install I don't want to risk invalidating the warranty by replacing the HD myself given my first two Mini's were faulty.

 

[J&JPolangin]

... I could use BTO and get a 500gig HD with another 2gig of RAM but to be honest I baulk at how much that pushes the price up to in the UK. However, if Apple don't upgrade then I may have to bite the bullet and go that route. I could source a HD and RAM locally for less and although the RAM is easy to install I don't want to risk invalidating the warranty by replacing the HD myself given my first two Mini's were faulty.

Why don't you just up the RAM via apple and use the base drive for your OS's and and external FW for any other storage needs?

 

[Lankyman]

Why don't you just up the RAM via apple and use the base drive for your OS's and and external FW for any other storage needs?

I have actively considered doing just that however, I think it would be a messy option. I would end up with my back up external for Time Machine, another external FW800 for data, my 2.1 system for audio, Ethernet, etc. etc. See where I'm going with this, a whole mess of wiring again spoiling the aesthetic simplicity of the Mini.

What I should really do is clean up my HD in general as there's stuff on there that I don't touch from one years end to the next e.g. old image files, old music videos, old Word docs, some go back to the early nineties. I have to confess to being a bit of a squirrel with old data. You should hear the arguments the wife and I have when she tries throwing out my old clothes.

 

[iDave]

I think Apple should make Mac Mini an all SSD device like the Airs ... that way they don't need the top of the line processors ... the SSD will compensate for a medium level processor ... also with thunderbolt hard drives coming out this year ... there is no need to have a lot of storage on the mini itself .. you could have maybe 128gb as standard and if someone needs more space just get an external hard drive ...

a medium level processor with regular HDD sucks .. but with SSD it ain't that bad.

what do you guys think?

I don't think there's any need to cripple a desktop computer with a mid-level processor. Makes sense in a notebook to keep it cool and conserve power but desktops should be faster. It's better to spend the cost of parts on a fast processor than on expensive storage.

 

[lvlarkkoenen]

I don't think there's any need to cripple a desktop computer with a mid-level processor. Makes sense in a notebook to keep it cool and conserve power but desktops should be faster. It's better to spend the cost of parts on a fast processor than on expensive storage.

Except that the Mini is supposed to be small and doesn't really fit a proper fan to go with a fast processor.
Not that I'd mind if they increased the size a bit to accomodate a better fan and thus a desktop processor.

 

[MacinJosh]

I think Apple should make Mac Mini an all SSD device like the Airs ... that way they don't need the top of the line processors ... the SSD will compensate for a medium level processor ... also with thunderbolt hard drives coming out this year ... there is no need to have a lot of storage on the mini itself .. you could have maybe 128gb as standard and if someone needs more space just get an external hard drive ...

a medium level processor with regular HDD sucks .. but with SSD it ain't that bad.

what do you guys think?

I am in full agreement.