Someone has a Factory Sealed Mac Mini 2.4ghz on craigslist. I was able to talk him down to $535. I was wondering if I should pull the trigger or wait for the refresh. At this price it is tempting to get the Mini now. What do you guys think?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
To buy or not to buy?
- Thread starter teddyvarious
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
yes it would. but with the refresh around the corner, is it worth the higher price tag and the wait for a faster computer though?
I kinda got the same problem.
Right now I use an 8 year old Pentium 4, running linux mint. But in 2 weeks I am planning on buying my first Mac. Which is probably going to be the mini.
All I do with it, is simple stuf. Web browsing, e-mailing, some chatting.
My linux pc can do all these things without a problem. But, you know. After about 20 years of Windows and a few months of linux, I want to try a Mac.
The thing is, should I wait for the refresh, or will I be happy with the 2010 model too?
I'm afraid the 2011 model will come out soon after I buy the current one... WHAT TO DO???
Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk
Right now I use an 8 year old Pentium 4, running linux mint. But in 2 weeks I am planning on buying my first Mac. Which is probably going to be the mini.
All I do with it, is simple stuf. Web browsing, e-mailing, some chatting.
My linux pc can do all these things without a problem. But, you know. After about 20 years of Windows and a few months of linux, I want to try a Mac.
The thing is, should I wait for the refresh, or will I be happy with the 2010 model too?
I'm afraid the 2011 model will come out soon after I buy the current one... WHAT TO DO???
Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk
If you buy now you'll likely have to pay full price ($129?) for Lion. If you wait until Lion is announced (even though it won't be available) then you should get it for free or maybe for $29.
Many people think Lion will be officially announced at the WWDC on June 6th. I would try to at least wait until then to buy.
Many people think Lion will be officially announced at the WWDC on June 6th. I would try to at least wait until then to buy.
Welcome to Mac my friend, let those days of Windows revision fleecing charges disappear. It's only $29 anyways. The only thing that's around $129 is the box set with the yearly revisions of iLife, iWork, and OSX. If you're ok with current versions of iLife then you don't need the upgrade, or you can buy the ones you want piecemeal through the Mac App store for a much smaller cost.
Same with iWork although most people probably stick with what they know which is Microsoft Word.
So get what you want, buy that Mini, that's a great price! And wait for the first couple of patches to Lion before you pull the trigger, it's always a bit spotty when it first releases.
At the risk of playing the waiting game, I think this close to a possible refresh, you'd be daft to buy now. The hardware and tech in the current mini is outdated (soon to be discontinued by Intel) and more than a year old. Nowhere in the PC world would you consider paying the same for hardware as it was a year after it was released so why should you put up with that in the Mac world?
Many here believe the 2011 Mac Mini will be worth the wait and I'm in that camp. I'm looking to buy two mini's for a business I'm starting but have a MBP I can use until then.
I'd say, if you've got a computer at the moment, and it works, just wait. You'll be glad you did when you get your shiny new 2011 Mac Mini
Many here believe the 2011 Mac Mini will be worth the wait and I'm in that camp. I'm looking to buy two mini's for a business I'm starting but have a MBP I can use until then.
I'd say, if you've got a computer at the moment, and it works, just wait. You'll be glad you did when you get your shiny new 2011 Mac Mini
Going from Tiger 10.4 to Snow Leopard 10.6 was $169. Going from Leopard 10.5 to Snow Leopard was $29. http://gizmodo.com/5335039/the-real-cost-of-upgrading-to-mac-os-x-snow-leopard
Lion will be a major release, so there's a chance that upgrading a purchase today will cost $129-$169.
Thanks hsj2011. I guess I'll wait.
BUT IT'S HARD! :'(
Besides, who says there even will be a refresh this year?!
Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk
BUT IT'S HARD! :'(
Besides, who says there even will be a refresh this year?!
Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk
Yeah, I know it's hard, I'm one of the ones waiting too
For me, besides the 2007 MBP I'm in the process of buying, this will be my first Mac desktop and I'll be going from a hackintosh to a genuine Mac so can't wait. Problem is, I've already started to sell the parts out of my hackintosh so don't even have that to use now, hence buying the MBP.
i'd personally wait knowing a refresh is round the corner. Sure, I would be happy getting it for that price but should a new Mini be released in the next few weeks (or days), I would put my head through a brick wall - literally.
I seem to have misplaced the source of this information, but Intel will be discontinuing C2D's around fall of this year, so the only way Apple can push a Mini refresh to next year is by buying a BIG stock of C2D's.
Also, MacBook Air refresh is rumored to be in june/july. I can't imagine a situation where it has more processing power than a Mini lasting long. IMO Airs are lightweight machines in that they're very quick for not so intensive tasks and very portable, while Mini's are more of a cheap allround workhorse thingy.
Oh boy oh boy.
Almost every day I walk into the Apple store when I'm at work, and play arround with those Mac's they got.
You know... I feel like a young puppy full of energy, that's been told to stay down...
I WANT A MAC!!!!
Almost every day I walk into the Apple store when I'm at work, and play arround with those Mac's they got.
You know... I feel like a young puppy full of energy, that's been told to stay down...
I WANT A MAC!!!!
You'll be happy with the 2010 edition, it's a huge upgrade from what you had before. There's little reason to believe there's an imminent refresh -- let alone the world-beating little behemoth many here think the 2011 mini would be -- outside of wishful thinking. Even if it comes out in August, you're going to lose more by waiting than you gain by having the latest and greatest. And if it comes out soon after you buy the 2010 mini you can just put it up on eBay. Those things are fetching well over $500.
Also, I wouldn't be surprised if the new Mini is iPadified, ie with fewer ports and no CD/DVD drive, so if you like having external media you might not be happy with the new one anyway, regardless of what it has inside.
Bob Coxner said:
Uh, going from Tiger to Snow Leotard was double update. Going from Snow Leotard to Lion is only a single one.
They're ceasing to market the C2D at that time, not ceasing production.
Last edited:
Factory sealed does not necessarily mean it has the full factory warranty. Also, it could create an issue getting Applecare for it.
Right now on the US Apple store you can get a refurbished Mini for $599 which does come with a 1 year warranty and you can get Applecare for it.
I needed a mac to start developing for iPhone.
Went with the mini cause of the price and to be honest I'm quite surprised.
Photoshop runs just fine, all other stuff no issue and It's actually quite fast.
For my needs it will probably last next year or two if not more. If you need a mac that price level is very good.
Besides I'm not a huge fan of intel graphics. If they stick dedicated radeon in the next revision (would benefit in photoshop) then I would think of selling this, adding few $$ and getting the new one but that's the only "if" that I have.
Went with the mini cause of the price and to be honest I'm quite surprised.
Photoshop runs just fine, all other stuff no issue and It's actually quite fast.
For my needs it will probably last next year or two if not more. If you need a mac that price level is very good.
Besides I'm not a huge fan of intel graphics. If they stick dedicated radeon in the next revision (would benefit in photoshop) then I would think of selling this, adding few $$ and getting the new one but that's the only "if" that I have.
AFAIK, thanks to a small product line & to save money, Apple always buy components in large bulk. Hence they kept the GMA950 Mini going for at least 20 months when other PC companies had long abandoned it in similar priced PCs. Don't be surprised if Apple has a massive stockpile of C2Ds remaining & only update the Mini after the MacBook. Unfortunately, next year isn't as unlikely as some like to think.
I'll be buying a desktop PC in next few weeks, followed by a Mini refurb & use a KVM switch. The more I read about Lion the less its new iOS features appeals to me, partly because I don't have an iPad.
There is allways a better product coming if you want to wait. I luv my Mini and mine gets used a lot for everything. On the 1- 10 scale its a 9 and only because of the stupid base Apple put on the bottom that lets it slide every time you touch it. Engineer that designed the bottom plate should be shot, other then that its super fab! Only for a very hard core gamer would i say wait. my 2 cents.