Which Mini?

[crazyfortech]

I'm going to be getting a mac mini intel soon but I'm not sure which one to get? I think I would like to get the core solo but I'm not sure wether the 200 more dollars is worth it

my tasks

office-iwork
lil final cut express
lil photoshop
ilife
garageband
lil aperture
and like finale notepad

I would like to have the superdrive and faster proccesser, but is it worth it I think I may buy that one, i like it more, and the other things besides the processer are I think worth it?

so which one ?

 

[Chundles]

Core Duo, no question.
Bump the RAM up to at least 1GB and the HDD up to as big as you can go then look at what you're spending and ask yourself if an iMac would be a better deal.

I seriously doubt Aperture will run all that well on a Mac mini, if at all. With an iMac you can even plug in a second screen and span Aperture onto two monitors.

For your needs, even if it's just a "lil" bit of the pro apps, I would definitely recommend an iMac.

 

[jsw]

I just started using - a few hours ago - a duo with 1GB RAM and 100GB HD.

It flies. It is not as spunky on 3D graphics as my 17" Intellimac w/2GB RAM, but, otherwise, it is very competitive. A wee bit slower, but, for most things, it has the same "quick" feel.

I have tried turning off one of the cores and, honestly, when running single apps it seems to make little difference (most apps seldom peg the CPU). But for multiple apps, or for apps which are multi-processoer-aware (Handbrake), there is a huge plus to having the second core.

I felt it was worth the extra $$ for the 2nd core and the DL DVD burner.

That said, 95% of the time, the solo will feel just like a duo. I would, however, highly recommend ordering one with at least 1GB (or installing it if you're not afraid of cracking open the mini).

...then look at what you're spending and ask yourself if an iMac would be a better deal.

Good point. As I addressed in a separate thread, I prefer, $$-wise, the iMac by a fair margin. The mini is going to be in a family room environment and will occasionally, like a pet, go to work with me (something doable but a PITA with the iMac). If you can afford the iMac - even if you need to wait to bump the RAM - I'd recommend it over the duo. If the solo seems to be enough for you, then the iMac would cost quite a bit more, but not so much the case with the duo.

 

[jsfpa]

http://www.macworld.com/2006/03/firstlooks/minibenchmarks/index.php

 

[MacSA]

http://www.macworld.com/2006/03/firstlooks/minibenchmarks/index.php

Well looking at those results the core duo looks quite good, the core solo not so good.

 

[JRM PowerPod]

I have the Cooper S. I test drove both the normal Cooper and the Cooper S and it was so much more snappier. The supercharger is definitely an advantage. It will make it quicker to get from A to B. Therefore get the Core Duo

 

[mdavey]

so which one ?

In the benchmarks, the 1.5GHz Core Solo seems to be pretty much on par with the 1.42GHz PowerPC.

I guess I'd price up the difference between a 1.66GHz Core Duo woth 1GB memory and a 1.5GHz Core Solo with 1.5GB memory (replace one of the 512GB sticks with a 1GB stick from somewhere like Crucial) and a 1.5GHz Core Solo with 2GB memory (overkill, but might work out cheaper than the 1GB stick from crucial) and pick the cheapest.

Both the SODIMM and the Core CPU prices are likely to fall over the next year and both are upgradeable so you could always replace that Core Solo CPU with a 2GHz Core Duo in a year or two.

 

[munkees]

I would get the DC it is work $200 more

 

[liketom]

I have the Cooper S. I test drove both the normal Cooper and the Cooper S and it was so much more snappier. The supercharger is definitely an advantage. It will make it quicker to get from A to B. Therefore get the Core Duo

they share the same traits then



both overpriced

 

[crazyfortech]

Right now I'm using a dual 500mhz powermac I don't feel that it's that quick and feels like it . It feels like an old computer 512 RAM though. I would like the mac mini to last at least 2 years , is that possible?


ps. I'm pretty new to macs

 

[munkees]

Right now I'm using a dual 500mhz powermac I don't feel that it's that quick and feels like it . It feels like an old computer 512 RAM though. I would like the mac mini to last at least 2 years , is that possible?


ps. I'm pretty new to macs

maybe if you get the ultimate if not a imax would do