Please help me !! mac mini intel

[majorp]

Hi, been a lurker for a while now and about to make the switch from windows after using osx !! A couple of questions though. Im going to switch from a 1.6 centrino, 512 ram, intel extreme graphics notebook, do you think performance will be roughly the same ? also i think in the future im going to go for a powerbook but not until they switch to intel and sort out the screen problem. do you think ill be able to get 60% back on my mac mini when i come to sell it secondhand ? and lastly what do you think the chances are of apple announcing the updated mac mini's ? do you think it will happen ?


thanks for your help !

 

[pknz]

I think the chances of Apple announcing updated Minis are very good. Except no really knows when. But it will happen.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Welcome to the forums...

Until January 9th and the start of Macworld I think all bets are off. Apple can either announce that all is going as planned, and that the first Mactels will appear sometime in the first half of 2006 or Mr. Jobs might have something up his sleeve and pull out an Intel based Mini, iBook and/or PowerBook and say "look what I got...". Either way I wouldn't make any purchase decisions for the next month or so.

On the other hand, if you really need a computer, the Mini (or iBook if you need a portable) are relatively cheap, should hold it's value fairly well (well, maybe not the iBook if the rumoured $200 price drop is real), and I would guess you could get (at least) 60% back if you sell a Mini within the first year (unless something revolutionary happens to the next rev. Mini feature and/or price wise).

 

[MRU]

Do you need to switch now? New powerbooks could be here by Spring - Summer at the Latest.

No one knows if the mac mini is going to be updated first to intel - it's all speculation at the moment (especially as they still haven't officialy upgraded the minis to the 1.5ghz model with 64mb Video Card which is out there).

If you can hold on till January you probably would be safer.

However if you did buy a mini and it was one of the faster 1.5ghz 512mb ram, 64mb video card then you probably would get the 60% resell value. Mac usually do have a good sell value.

Speedwise the centrino 1.6 with onboard GFX is comparable to the new mini i would have thought. Though if you upgrade to 1gig mem on the mini they really do perform so much better.

 

[doucy2]

as for the resale vale of your mac mini
mini prices are resaleing roughly at 85% of the retail value
so it's a goo bet you'll be able to get 60% of your money back

 

[generik]

as for the resale vale of your mac mini
mini prices are resaleing roughly at 85% of the retail value
so it's a goo bet you'll be able to get 60% of your money back

60% isn't a lot...

Which means here in Australia you lose $400 off the price of a mini, so not worth it!

 

[Crikey]

I think mini's are cool, and most Macs hold their value well. I think a mini would be a bit slower than a 1.6GHz Centrino, though. It all depends on how much better you like MacOS X than Windows.


Crikey

 

[majorp]

thanks for your help ! i don't really need a new mac now but someone has offered me a fair price for my current laptop. i already have a monitor and keyboard so it would literally be like spending £100 for a mac mini in my eyes. once i have decided that mac is definately the way i want to go i will invest in a powerbook or maybe a g5 (or equivelent).

im almost certain that after i have used a mac for a while there will be no turning back ! ive heard so much about how much better osx is and im fed up of windows.

i don't think i can wait till january. knowing my luck i will go without a computer for a month or two and then nothing will be released. i was going to get a powerbook before the revisions happend so i waited.....that came out with minimal revisions......and then i found out that they were moving to intel ! im bored of playing the waiting game ! something inside is saying just wait, but with technology theres is always something better coming along !

 

[Eluon]

Welcome to the board!

These folks here will do their best to help you with whatever questions you have to ask. As you begin to post more and more, you might want to use the search feature on the message board. Also, many of the requests on the board are about when new products will be released and what not. As many remember about the iPod Nano, not even everyone at Apple knows when things are going on or if they will be released.

I would personally wait until MWSF. Are Americans the only nation that puts the exclamation mark right after the last letter in a sentence? Not bashing or anything, I am just curious! I have never noticed exclamation marks used like this !

I hope you enjoy your time posting here on the board! If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

 

[stevep]

Are Americans the only nation that puts the exclamation mark right after the last letter in a sentence? Not bashing or anything, I am just curious! I have never noticed exclamation marks used like this !

Exclamation marks (or points) mark the end of a sentence, just like a query or a full stop. They should appear directly after the last word, without a space.
And, back on topic, it must surely be worth waiting until mid-January for anyone wanting a Mini.