The Mac Mini, what a great oppotunity

[rafifreak00]

As many of you already agreed, the Mac mini was meant to be an entry-level Mac for Windows switchers, or just a new Mac user in general. It's meant to be an inexpensive Mac for around $500-700 with low/medium capacity, (depending on how you look at it) and lower functionality specs compared to the iMac and Mac Pro.

The Mac mini was and still is, not meant to run various applications simultaneously.
If you're going to invest in putting 3GB in a Mac mini, upping the internal hard drive, and bringing up the processor speed somehow, I automatically assume that you're not working off a budget, you're just looking to make a maxed out Mac mini... you might just as well get a 17" or 20" iMac, to be honest.

But that's just how I look at it...

 

[bembol]

It is a great! The point of it is to get New Users...most would be light that current specs are more than enough! If they are happy (like me) and I'm sure most are they will either make Upgrades or replace with with say Mac Book Pro and/or an iMac.

I started out with the Mini (G4) and after just 2 years guess what? I sold it, upgraded to 2.0GHz 20" iMac & Mac Book (Intel Core DUO)... this past week I picked up my 3rd Mac...2.0GHz 17" iMac Intel Core 2 DUO. I would've went with the 20" but this will be hooked up to my new 37" Sharp AQUOS LC-37D0-U 1080p LCD HDTV!

 

[Yvan256]

[...] this past week I picked up my 3rd Mac...2.0GHz 17" iMac Intel Core 2 DUO. I would've went with the 20" but this will be hooked up to my new 37" Sharp AQUOS LC-37D0-U 1080p LCD HDTV!

You bought an iMac to connect it to a 37" TV? Why not get a Mac mini?

 

[devincco]

Mini is too expensive IMO

IMHO, I think the mini is too expensive for what it has to offer. $799 can build/buy a pretty nice Windows desktop. Yes the mini has its place, but Apple really needs to lower the price of it if it is their entry-level desktop. I think if Apple were to lower the price of the mini down $100 - $200, then it would be more competitive with other manufactures lower end PCs and help convert more switchers. That would be hard though as the mini is basically a laptop without a screen, and laptop parts are more expensive then the standard desktop parts. The PPC mini was priced very nicely, but since they’ve moved to Intel the price has gone up.

They should also introduce a mid range desktop. For my needs, I personally would love to see a mid-range desktop (a.k.a headless iMac), as I would like something with a tad more power than the mini, something with dedicated graphics, a larger HD and a machine that uses real DDR2 RAM. I don’t need the amount of power that a Mac Pro provides, plus the price of RAM for the Mac Pro is ridiculous, and the Mac Pro won’t fit in my desk. Now some of you would say get an iMac. I don’t like all-in-one designs cause if something breaks, then the whole thing is pretty much down until it gets repaired. Plus I have a nice 20” LCD that I am very happy with. Right now, my options are pretty limited. That’s why for now I’ve stayed with a Windows PC hoping, just hoping that at Mac World 07 they’ll introduce something new that will fit my needs. Keeping my fingers and toes crossed on that one.

Now some people will say a mid-range desktop will probably cannibalize sales of one model over the other. You may have a point there, but you’re also missing the possibility of a new group of users that could use the mid-range desktop. Also, there are people that will still prefer the sleek minimalist look of an iMac or mini, so they’ll buy those. Plus you’ll still have the Professionals that will buy a Pro cause they actually need that much power and the people that buy it just cause they can. I think by introducing a mid-range desktop that will definitely help push Apple up past that 10% mark.

Back to the mini… My Dad was looking for a new PC. All he does is surf the net, occasional word document and very light photo editing, burn CD’s, etc. He doesn’t need a lot of storage space as he only has about 10 – 15GB of pics and mp3’s and stuff. He want’s to start playing with something like garage band and iMovie and iDVD for his home videos. The mini is the perfect solution for him. But at $799 to get the model with the DVD-RW in it, it was more than he was willing to spend. He ended up buying a HP desktop for about $500 after rebates that suites his needs perfectly. The specs were just a little shy of the mini as far as processor speed, but everything else was pretty comparable, if not a little better (HD size and total RAM). We just needed to add a FW card to it and he was all set. He even said that if the mini was about $100 - $150 cheaper, then he would have spent the little bit extra and got it. Another sale missed by Apple.

 

[Meemoo]

$499 was the sweet spot - and I can't believe the intel one is $599 and $799 - especially since the extra $200 isn't justified.
I want only Macs, I love Macs - but there are too many games coming out that I want to play. My 20" Intel iMac is a great Machine and I've decided to sell it to my girlfriend for around $900 come March.

So I am faced with a few different options. (I want a new portable).

So there is the Black Macbook for $1499 - $1774 with the 160GB and 2GB Ram. With this I could use DVI to hook it up to an external monitor that I'd share with a midrange PC that I will build for around $800.

Or I can get a Macbook Pro come March - pray for a new video card that is DX10 and an 800MHz bus and spend $2599(160GB hard drive). This way I'd have a FW800 port.

 

[NekoIan]

Yea you can buy a much more powerful PC for the price. But what you can't buy is that small a form factor and power for the price.

Both these PC's come with much worse processors as their base model
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=2313

In the end, I wanted an OS X based PC. I also wanted it to have a decent size HD and 2GB of RAM. I wasn't interested in the 17" iMac since I already have a 19" LCD. A 20" iMac would have been nice but 2GB of RAM puts it quite a bit higher than the Mac Mini. I also like the fact that the Mini is pin-compatible with Core 2 and I will be upgrading the CPU in the future.

 

[iancapable]

What do you all think of the mac mini at the moment,

cheap computer
small
nice looking

but CRAP.


Really who agrees with me here, there is a great market for the Mac Mini. What apple needs to do is make it better. not 2 GB's of memory, but 3 like the MBP. Bigger HD. 120 is not enough for a desktop really i have an iBook G4 30 GB HD and its not big enough. i have an external hard drive, 250 GB, 10 GB left.

They need to make the Mac mini better really more memory and more HD space.

They also need to upgrade from 1.83 GHZ to 2<.

Really i think that the Mac Mini is a great idea but apple need to improve on it greatly!

What are your idea's?

For a small pc that sits on someones desk I think the mac mini is great. If you want a bigger hd go buy a NAS (Network attached storage) an external HD or the extra drive specifically designed for the mini.

If you want 3GB of ram you're wasting your time with it and might as well get a Mac Pro or an iMac.

 

[Hummin]

lots of people are always saying : "mac mini don't worth buy a iMac instead!"

tecnically it's right but if someone don't like to have the screen embedded with the computer itself ? Many people , me too, don't like the concept of having a screen embedded on the pc.

so for us there are only two spare choice : mac mini maxed out or mac pro.

if apple puts a core duo2 proc on the updated mini I'm thinking to get it instead of a mac pro. I'll save enough and think that in my case (photoshop and lightroom usage) there will be no more that 10% of sensible performace loss.

I read that mac pro multi processor put out it's prower with video editing and 3d work so I think a maxed out mini will work on my semi professional photography workflow.

what you think ?

 

[xfiftyfour]

lots of people are always saying : "mac mini don't worth buy a iMac instead!"

tecnically it's right but if someone don't like to have the screen embedded with the computer itself ? Many people , me too, don't like the concept of having a screen embedded on the pc.

so for us there are only two spare choice : mac mini maxed out or mac pro.

if apple puts a core duo2 proc on the updated mini I'm thinking to get it instead of a mac pro. I'll save enough and think that in my case (photoshop and lightroom usage) there will be no more that 10% of sensible performace loss.

I read that mac pro multi processor put out it's prower with video editing and 3d work so I think a maxed out mini will work on my semi professional photography workflow.

what you think ?

It's not really a matter of performance.. it's the cost versus machine ratio that makes the mini not worth it. You have integrated graphics, a small HD (and because it's a 2.5" drive, it's expensive to upgrade), lesser processor, less RAM.. you also have to pay for an external display and keyboard and mouse, whereas the iMac comes with all of those..

The mini would be a great option if it were less expensive.. but at $600/$800 plus the cost of upgrades and peripherals... it's just not reasonable.

For your use, sure the mini will suffice.. but for how long? There's no room for expansion, and it's already a lacking computer as is...

 

[Hummin]

For your use, sure the mini will suffice.. but for how long? There's no room for expansion, and it's already a lacking computer as is...

so it's better moving on a minimized mac pro ? (2x2ghz and 1GB or ram) instead of a full 2GB and 160GB HD mini ?

the mac pro has more power but ( I need it ?) and also goes more hot, and it's more noisy than the mini ....

the lack of a middle power monitorless mac is a real problem for my situation....

 

[xfiftyfour]

so it's better moving on a minimized mac pro ? (2x2ghz and 1GB or ram) instead of a full 2GB and 160GB HD mini ?

the mac pro has more power but ( I need it ?) and also goes more hot, and it's more noisy than the mini ....

the lack of a middle power monitorless mac is a real problem for my situation....

Yes, it IS better to move on a minimized mac pro than a maxed mini, IMO. The mac pro, even minimized, has a crapload more power than the mini. The processor alone.. god. But besides that, the expandability is what's key. In 2 years your mac mini, that you'll have paid $1400+ to have maxed out plus peripherals, will be seriously long in the tooth. The Mac Pro, that you'll have paid $600 or so more for, will still be going strong.. and if it needs a lift? Easy. Add more RAM to the 6 slots you'll have available.. add a HD to one of the 3 free bays.. swap out the processor if you really want a boost... can you do any of that with the mini? Nope. Instead, if you want a "lift" you'll have to buy a new computer entirely - which will be much more expensive than just having dished out the $600 or so now.

I agree, though, I do think Apple needs a middle computer that is monitor less.. but from the options that ARE available, the mini is a rip.. and Apple is making money off of people like you, who don't want the iMac but don't need the Mac Pro.

 

[Hummin]

Yes, it IS better to move on a minimized mac pro than a maxed mini, IMO. The mac pro, even minimized, has a crapload more power than the mini. The processor alone..

yes your thoughts are right... now I'll wait since january to see if apple will release something...

1GB on the mac pro 2x2Ghz will be enough to start ?
(ram is expensive on mac pro...)

 

[xfiftyfour]

yes your thoughts are right... now I'll wait since january to see if apple will release something...

1GB on the mac pro 2x2Ghz will be enough to start ?
(ram is expensive on mac pro...)

Yeah, absolutely. I run the Adobe suite on my MBP, which is significantly slower than the Mac Pro, with only 1.25GB of RAM and it's pleeeenty fast. These things will only get faster, too, when Adobe releases CS3.

 

[4JNA]

..Add more RAM ...add a HD ...swap out the processor if you really want a boost... can you do any of that with the mini? Nope.

wrong.

my mini is a core 2 duo @ 2ghz, 2gb of memory, and a 500gb sata 3.5" hard drive. still waiting on the controller for the raid 1 firewire setup (2 x 750gb).

it's plenty fast.

 

[Hummin]

wrong.
my mini is a core 2 duo @ 2ghz, 2gb of memory, and a 500gb sata 3.5" hard rive. still waiting on the controller for the raid 1 firewire setup (2 x 750gb).
it's plenty fast.

hehe a mini with core duo 2 and a 3,5 HD will be very nice from apple... but... I think apple will only upgrade the core duo2 (and not sure too) .

by the way I'm not able to open the mini to upgrade.
I'm a software engineer not a electonic ones

 

[xfiftyfour]

wrong.

my mini is a core 2 duo @ 2ghz, 2gb of memory, and a 500gb sata 3.5" hard drive. still waiting on the controller for the raid 1 firewire setup (2 x 750gb).

it's plenty fast.

Okay, so you can rig a mini if you want.. but is it worth it? You can swap out processors, yes, but processors aren't too cheap.. and you certainly can't put in a quad xeon in there.. Plus, 2gbs is the biggest you can go.. which is fine for now, but not in two years.

I still think the minis are a waste of money unless you absolutely cannot go with anything else.

 

[4JNA]

but is it worth it?

yes. try to fit a macpro on the shelf next to the tv. plus, this is silent.

...You can swap out processors, yes, but processors aren't too cheap.. and you certainly can't put in a quad xeon in there...

don't need a xeon. go find a macpro xeon upgrade if you want to talk expensive...

...2gbs is the biggest you can go.. which is fine for now, but not in two years.

hardware/firmware limitation that won't be a problem in two years.

my only point is that you are missing the point. the mini can do things that no other computer, or mac for that matter, can. i agree that it's not for everyone, but neither is the mbp, or mb, or macpro....

 

[NekoIan]

I still think the minis are a waste of money unless you absolutely cannot go with anything else.

Na, you're forgetting that the mini can be re-purposed to live in the living room with your tv. That's what I'll do with mine when I get my next Mac desktop.

I would certainly hate putting a Mac Pro in the living room. That beast is GIGANTIC!!!

 

[xfiftyfour]

Na, you're forgetting that the mini can be re-purposed to live in the living room with your tv. That's what I'll do with mine when I get my next Mac desktop.

I would certainly hate putting a Mac Pro in the living room. That beast is GIGANTIC!!!

who the heck is going to pay $1300 for a tv computer? that's a ridiculous argument. besides, the iTV will be out by then..

and, at any rate, I was talking to someone who wasn't looking for a media center solution.. he wants this as his regular computer... and IMO, paying to max out a mini is just a silly waste of money considering what you get in return.

 

[Mgkwho]

Does anyone think Apple will integrate iTV directly into the mac mini?

I mean, there'd still be the iTV by itself. But would they also include it in the mini?

It wouldn't be that hard, I mean, most of the size of iTV is due to its power brick and hard drive being inside the thing. So put everything else in a mac mini and it would be great!! Of course, the power brick would be outside, but hey- some people already treat the mini like iTV so it might work!

-=|Mgkwho

 

[NekoIan]

who the heck is going to pay $1300 for a tv computer?

Which part of "re-purpose" don't you understand?

 

[dpaanlka]

The Mac Mini also has an awesome upgrade path... you can put a Core 2 Duo into them and sell the original Core Duo on eBay. I'm buying one.

 

[MacManTexas56]

who the heck is going to pay $1300 for a tv computer? that's a ridiculous argument. besides, the iTV will be out by then..

it's all a matter of opinion really...maybe some people view that spending $2500 on one single laptop is a complete waste of money....i love my mac mini.. couldn'tbe a better choice for my $2500 TV/computer.

 

[xfiftyfour]

Which part of "re-purpose" don't you understand?

wow, 6 posts in and already *trying* to insult.

it's all a matter of opinion really...maybe some people view that spending $2500 on one single laptop is a complete waste of money....i love my mac mini.. couldn'tbe a better choice for my $2500 TV/computer.

1. resize. please.
2. looking at the specs of your mac mini, you certainly did not spend anywhere near $1300 on it. closer to $600. that's more than half the number I threw out.. you bought a baseline mac mini as a media center. fine, that's great. but what I was talking about was in regards to someone looking to max out a top of the line mini, which would amount to more than $1300. then someone else tried saying that it would be worth it because you could eventually stick it under your tv and all would be justified. big difference between the two scenarios.

 

[MacManTexas56]

wow, 6 posts in and already *trying* to insult.



1. resize. please.
2. looking at the specs of your mac mini, you certainly did not spend anywhere near $1300 on it. closer to $600. that's more than half the number I threw out.. you bought a baseline mac mini as a media center. fine, that's great. but what I was talking about was in regards to someone looking to max out a top of the line mini, which would amount to more than $1300. then someone else tried saying that it would be worth it because you could eventually stick it under your tv and all would be justified. big difference between the two scenarios.

1. it's fine how it is.
2. i paid $800 when it was brand new. but again it's a matter of opinion. for example...your MBP i'm not sure the price you paid but i'm betting since it's a MBP it's a pretty hefty pricetag. if you upgrade anything on it...it gets out of control for most users. you may think it's a great buy, but it's really really expensive for one computer. for $2400 you're not even getting the maxed out MBP.....that's retardedly pricey for one computer. it better being doing crazy stuff and be my personal robot for that price.