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Mac Mini Waste of Money?

S

SirWilliam

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 5, 2008
29
0
I have never owned a Mac before and I am considering buying a Mac Mini...I am not really sure what I would use it for...which is why I am looking at the cheapest Mac possible.

I currently have a HP Compaq workstation laptop running Windows Server 2008 which cost a very pretty penny about a year or so ago...it does everything, games, Photoshop, Autocad...whatever...its super ugly, super durable, and pretty much just super awesome...

That said I have always wanted a Mac...I have no idea what I would do with one though...my current computer does everything I need it to and more...

Would it be a stupid waste of money to buy a Mac Mini if I have no legitimate use for it?

I would want the 2Ghz model with a 160GB HDD...also how much would it cost to upgrade the RAM to 2GB if I avoided Apples rip-off prices?
 
If you want to check out mac's os then go for it. Just don't expect it to compare to what you have.
 
i say at least get a macbook or a imac.
macs are expensive but if you want a good stable one with out much trouble then you ahve to dish out the cash.
but macbooks are good i have it.

i have used mac minis are they are good. especially for the price. make sure you get at least 2 GB on the thing. the mini can do photoshoping and various video editing

so yes mac mini is worth it. but you wont be able to game on it thats it
 
remember you can only use one computer at a time - kinda like having cable in more than one room in your house. if you've always wanted a mac, than you probably think you would prefer doing everything else non-software related in osx. it truly is a different experience than windows. but to see if you really would have more fun or become more efficient in your workflow than you would need to use one daily, for your personal use.

keep an eye on the apple refurbs. i've seen minis from $450-600 and a few times i have heard of people receiving their refurb with higher specs than what was listed, but don't take my word on it.
 
thomahawk said:
i say at least get a macbook or a imac.
macs are expensive but if you want a good stable one with out much trouble then you ahve to dish out the cash.
but macbooks are good i have it.
it
Click to expand...
On the contrary, the Mini is the most reliable and stable Mac in the entire lineup. Its very simple, and its using tried and tested technology.
 
SirWilliam said:
...
I currently have a HP Compaq workstation laptop running Windows Server 2008 which cost a very pretty penny about a year or so ago...it does everything, games, Photoshop, Autocad...
Click to expand...


Just interested why you are running WinServ 2008 when it seems you are using 'client' applications?
 
nick9191 said:
On the contrary, the Mini is the most reliable and stable Mac in the entire lineup. Its very simple, and its using tried and tested technology.
Click to expand...

I had one from August '06-August '07 and it was EXTREMELY reliable. Never had a single issue with it. I think they are awesome computers and VERY cool. Anybody that would come in and see mine would be amazed and be like "THAT is your computer? WOW!" The only downside to them, IMO, is the slower HD (5400rpm, I believe.) and they have a pretty big power brick. (I know that's not an issue for most people, but I didn't have much space under my desk and ended up having to get rid of my subwoofer, 'cause I didn't have much room with the mini's power brick. Not a big deal for most people, though.)

I also recommend checking out the refurbs. You can usually get a good deal on there. I got my first Mac (an eMac back in '04) and it was great.
 
SirWilliam said:
I.....That said I have always wanted a Mac...I have no idea what I would do with one though...my current computer does everything I need it to and more...

Would it be a stupid waste of money to buy a Mac Mini if I have no legitimate use for it? ....
Click to expand...

well YEAH, if you don't really have a need or use for it, then sure it's a waste of money to buy it
 
SirWilliam, are you SirWilliam on NASIOC?

That said, I would only get a refurbished Mac mini. For the same price as a new mac mini I got an HP with 4x the RAM, 6x the HD space, a 512 MB graphics card, faster proc, and a blueray drive.

The mac mini hasn't been updated in a long time and is overpriced at the moment. The only thing it's got going for it is the small form factor. If you just want to mess around with OSX, I'd build a hackintosh.

The iMac however is a fantastic thing.
 
MacEmu said:
Just interested why you are running WinServ 2008 when it seems you are using 'client' applications?
Click to expand...

Windows Server 2008 is the best Microsoft OS out there...I ran Windows Server 2003 before disguised as Windows XP...the 2008 version is all of the good stuff from Vista and none of the nonsense...it is a little bit more complicated to setup up but once you get it running its great.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Makes sense in a way. I'd sure enjoy having a copy of Snow Leopard Server when it comes out, as there are definitely benefits for that (ZFS for one).

As for waste of money, it's in the OP's hands. You could easily get it used for media purposes, or as a backup computer/ computer for a spare room, etc. There are plenty of threads on how to use one to link to your stereo and music system.
 
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