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My Thoughts of Base Mac Mini

M

Milfin

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 26, 2008
101
0
Received my base model mac mini last night.
Synced Apple BT Keyboard and Mighty Mouse
Connected a lacie external HD and Dell 2209WA monitor.

The mac mini will be my base station for itunes to stream to the appletv.
First thing I did was add to the itunes library my music/movies. This was a painful process took forever 2hrs. I think this might be because of the limited memory 1GB. After its all said and done though the mac mini runs smooth and streams without stutter to the appletv.

I installed parallels and running windows xp. Here I can definitely tell a difference from my macbook pro. It reminded me when I only had 2gb in my macbook pro. I think 4gb I will see a big difference in my mac mini.


Definitely will buy memory and a new harddrive (maybe on the harddrive)
Just hate to open it up.
 
Oh a couple of more things. I did notice a slight smell from the mac mini which I deduced as a "new car smell"

My mac mini is nearly silent while I was working on it this morning.

I'm completely happy with this purchase.
 
don't worry about opening it up. Apple purposely makes it sound scary, I think. It's actually not bad at all.
 
If you update the memory on the base model to 2GB, do automatically get the 9400M to assign 256MB of it as shared video?
 
I don't know if it's quite that simplistic, but your video system takes system RAM. If you have more system RAM, that would mean a lower percentage used by programs, leaving more for Video tasks.
 
bozz2006 said:
I don't know if it's quite that simplistic, but your video system takes system RAM. If you have more system RAM, that would mean a lower percentage used by programs, leaving more for Video tasks.
Click to expand...

According to Apple's tech specs, when it has at least 2GB, 256MB is allocated to video. It really is that simple.
 
Congrats! I have the base model as well except immediately upgraded both the RAM to 4GB and the HDD to 320GB.
 
bozz2006 said:
like i said, it really is that simple! lol...:cool:
Click to expand...

Agreed,

Ordered the memory and hard drive. Now what model model putty knife should I buy? Should I buy from Lowes or Home Depot? LOL



Thanks for the words of encouragement
 
alphaod said:
Congrats! I have the base model as well except immediately upgraded both the RAM to 4GB and the HDD to 320GB.
Click to expand...

I installed memory on my ppc mini way back in 2005 and will do the same on Monday when my 4gb arrives for this one. I didn't order the HD partly because I can't decide which to order (though I hear the WD Scorpio 320-7200 rpm is highly recommend), or whether the OSX re-installation is worth it. seems like it would take forever based on my initial transfer from my PPC to this one.

Thoughts? Comments?
 
Milfin said:
Now what model model putty knife should I buy? Should I buy from Lowes or Home Depot?
Click to expand...

Thinnest one you can find. Seriously, it needs to be the thinnest you can find! And even then, Apple recommends sanding the edge of the blade thinner with a bevel on one edge and when inserting into the case, have the beveled edge facing the outside of the computer case. A couple of thin plastic credit cards can help get in that groove too.
 
saying this as a guy who opened up the last generation mac mini and maxed it out...

Is it so wise to void your warranty so soon after a product update?

Yes your right, i calculated it was cheaper to upgrade then buy the higher model.But is an extra 100 Pounds/dollars worth a years warranty?
 
Now what model model putty knife should I buy?
Click to expand...
What DHart said, but if you want one that many others have used: iFixit sells one.

Do use a putty knife though, I opened my OOW mini without one and managed to scratch it really bad. :eek: Some recommend using an old credit card but that didn't work at all for me, the card just bent.
 
belvdr said:
According to Apple's tech specs, when it has at least 2GB, 256MB is allocated to video. It really is that simple.
Click to expand...
Link for the tech specs please.

I was looking at the page the other night and it said the base model has 128MB video RAM and the other has 256MB, now I know some folks are saying if you up the RAm this changes the 128MB model to run 256 BUT does it , has anyone tried it ?.

I'm just worried that Apple has somehow throttled the video card on the lower end model, ........it would justify the price difference over that of the 'high end' Mini a little better than it is currently, ....200Gb space and 1 Gb RAM does not justify the price difference, put a slower video card in the low end model and that price difference is justified imo.
 
tufaw said:
What DHart said, but if you want one that many others have used: iFixit sells one.

Do use a putty knife though, I opened my OOW mini without one and managed to scratch it really bad. :eek: Some recommend using an old credit card but that didn't work at all for me, the card just bent.
Click to expand...

Yes.....a putty knife with the edge sanded to a bevel...it works great. It's even what Apple recommends in their service manual.
 
marbles said:
Link for the tech specs please.

I was looking at the page the other night and it said the base model has 128MB video RAM and the other has 256MB, now I know some folks are saying if you up the RAm this changes the 128MB model to run 256 BUT does it , has anyone tried it ?.

I'm just worried that Apple has somehow throttled the video card on the lower end model, ........it would justify the price difference over that of the 'high end' Mini a little better than it is currently, ....200Gb space and 1 Gb RAM does not justify the price difference, put a slower video card in the low end model and that price difference is justified imo.
Click to expand...

I wondered the same thing, there was some debate about it. Someone in this thread through confirms it with their purchase. Upgrading to 2GB gets you 256MB;

ttp://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1926728&tstart=0
 
Milfin said:
Oh a couple of more things. I did notice a slight smell from the mac mini which I deduced as a "new car smell"

My mac mini is nearly silent while I was working on it this morning.

I'm completely happy with this purchase.
Click to expand...

its "The Smell"
 
I Just bought my first non-Ipod Apple product! I have been a network administrator on a Windows network for about ten years now and just this week decided that I wanted to give OS X a test run. I bought a base model Mac mini and had the Apple store upgrade the RAM to 4GB, but left the 120Gb HDD intact. I plan on attaching a firewall/USB external drive; will apps run decent if installed on an external drive?

So far I love OS X :D

Quick question, I assume the new Mac mini will run snow leopard, any idea how much that will cost?
 
Giga5150 said:
I Just bought my first non-Ipod Apple product! I have been a network administrator on a Windows network for about ten years now and just this week decided that I wanted to give OS X a test run. I bought a base model Mac mini and had the Apple store upgrade the RAM to 4GB, but left the 120Gb HDD intact. I plan on attaching a firewall/USB external drive; will apps run decent if installed on an external drive?

So far I love OS X :D

Quick question, I assume the new Mac mini will run snow leopard, any idea how much that will cost?
Click to expand...



For one, its "Firewire" not Firewall. You being a Network admin for Windows, should know what a Firewall is.
If installed on a firewire drive, apps should run decent. SATA is a faster (I think) port type than firewire though.
 
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