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Why isn't the mini cheaper?

crzdcolombian

crzdcolombian

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 16, 2010
833
191
For the price of a mini and then to buy a screen aren't you better off getting a iMac?

I was reading on yahoo about how Apple only has 6.5% of the PC market. I know they make a **** load of money on the iPhone and iPad but seriously why isn't there a $999 iMac? Or a $499 Mac Mini? They could just use the previous model like they do with their phone and tablet.
 
crzdcolombian said:
For the price of a mini and then to buy a screen aren't you better off getting a iMac?

I was reading on yahoo about how Apple only has 6.5% of the PC market. I know they make a **** load of money on the iPhone and iPad but seriously why isn't there a $999 iMac? Or a $499 Mac Mini? They could just use the previous model like they do with their phone and tablet.
Click to expand...

Because they can sell lots of them at that price. Apple doesn't want straight market share, they want highly profitable market share. Which they believe the current price points gives them.
 
First, you can get last years model for 499 or even less - just look at the refurbished store.

Second, its not all that easy. Both, the Mini and the iMac face absolutely no competition. There's not a single All-In-One with as much graphics power as the iMac - even after almost two years after its introduction. And there's still no computer as small and as powerful as the Mini on the market. And don't forget that small, more power efficient components are always more expensive than their bigger counterparts.
 
I think it's a great deal, if you want something so small.
I just picked up a Mac mini quad core i7 server for $850.
You simply can't put together anything that size for that price with the options it has.
Bluetooth, wifi, Ethernet, FireWire and thunderbolt, dual 7200 rpm drives.

It's a great little package, if you already own monitors and keyboards.
And let's face it. Who doesn't these days?
Mine is going to be replacing the PC laptops for the wife and I. With Windows on a boot camp partition.
And you can get a Mac mini i4 for less than $500
 
I think the idea with the Mini is that you already have a screen.

Or, you can get a new screen but get any screen you want. An Apple Thunderbolt display is not necessarily ideal for everybody.
 
crzdcolombian said:
For the price of a mini and then to buy a screen aren't you better off getting a iMac?
Click to expand...

Yes and no. And I'll say the following as a huge iMac fan who still enjoys using his early '09 24" iMac as the day I got it; it's great.

However, my concern with the iMac is the display's constant heat exposure from internal components (CPU/GPU/HDD) that will over time negatively impact the screen's uniformity. It doesn't affect all users, but it affects a good portion of them.

I hadn't even begun to worry about something like this until my screen over time showed this:



After starting to research the issue online, I can't tell you how many posts/threads there are on the subject on Apple's support forum. That and the fact that the genius began processing a new panel replacement before I even finished describing the issue makes me think this is somewhat common, which in turn makes me hesitant about buying an AIO. Luckily the panel replacement was free as it was within my AppleCare period but I'm sure over time the issue will reoccur. This is why I cringe every time a rumour comes out stating that Apple's working on a thinner iMac. :rolleyes:

This made me lean towards a mac mini for my next desktop. They're powerful enough for most users, small, silent and you get the choice of getting your own monitor, although I'm sure I'd end up getting Apple's Thunderbolt display.

FWIW, it's great to have the choice. Some people will always choose an iMac over a mini but enough of us also see the virtues of the mini which is why there will be a market for both. I hope Apple never abandons the mini and continues to improve on it.
 
The fact that Apple put a dedicated HDMI port on the newer Minis suggests that many people plug theirs into an HDTV. This is certainly my intention.
 
crzdcolombian said:
For the price of a mini and then to buy a screen aren't you better off getting a iMac?

I was reading on yahoo about how Apple only has 6.5% of the PC market. I know they make a **** load of money on the iPhone and iPad but seriously why isn't there a $999 iMac? Or a $499 Mac Mini? They could just use the previous model like they do with their phone and tablet.
Click to expand...

this question has been asked many times. for some it is true. but I and many others do not want a 21 or a 27 inch screen.

we want a 46 or 50 inch hdtv. many minis are sold due to this.

also if you have older eyes 27 inch 2500 by 1440 screens are not easy to read.

so As my eyes aged all retina or 2500 by 1440 screens are just a reminder that I am getting older. .

My 46 inch sony works great with a mac mini and a pc sitting from 9 feet.

so basically apple has pushed me into one option mac minis. Small print is not for me.
 
If you wanted to purchase your own decent 3rd-party monitor/keyboard/mouse you would spend at least another $200-$250, but that's still cheaper than a basic iMac.

The Mac Mini was designed and priced as a basic machine for price-conscious buyers but more important it's a good price for switchers who likely already have their own keyboard, mouse and monitor.

Your more general question is why the hardware isn't cheaper and the answer partly is because the Mac ecosystem is more expensive: that is, the "free" included iWork software, superior customer support etc has a cost that needs to be recouped. Apple could also make shi††y plastic boxes with lower-end hardware to sell computers cheaper, but they decided to make better computers than the competition and make the experience better too, and so they've willingly given up lower prices. And that decision has borne fruit. :)
 
"also if you have older eyes 27 inch 2500 by 1440 screens are not easy to read.
so As my eyes aged all retina or 2500 by 1440 screens are just a reminder that I am getting older."

Dell now has what looks to be an excellent solution for the "older eyes" problem:
http://tinyurl.com/99asv5p

27" IPS panel, 1920 x 1080 native resolution (same as a 24" but "blown up" by 3 more inches).

Reasonably priced, too.
 
The thing you are with apple you have to remember is that you are essentially paying for the OS and the :apple:. Owning an apple mac is basically the greatest sign of you having succeeded in life, them being so expensive and unbearably cool. Okay, you COULD get a PC for the same stats for half the price, but the chances are that it'll break after a year and there is no chance it will look as nice.
 
And I will repeat.
Put together a small form factor PC that has the same specs as a Mac mini or Mac mini server. And you will quickly see, you really won't save any money at all.
 
ATC said:
This made me lean towards a mac mini for my next desktop. They're powerful enough for most users, small, silent and you get the choice of getting your own monitor, although I'm sure I'd end up getting Apple's Thunderbolt display.

FWIW, it's great to have the choice. Some people will always choose an iMac over a mini but enough of us also see the virtues of the mini which is why there will be a market for both. I hope Apple never abandons the mini and continues to improve on it.
Click to expand...

I fully support that opinion. Besides, it's always easier to sell just the mini instead the whole system (monitor, computer, keyboard + mouse) every time I want to upgrade which leads to less loss from reselling hardware. Besides, if something goes wrong with a certain part inside the iMac, the whole system goes to the dump heap unless you want to pay the expensive apple repairs (assuming we are past warranty period). In other words, the risk of hardware failure is divided to more components. I have already sent my iMac for servicing due to yellow tint on the screen, it was fixed, but now it is now slowly developing a dark corner. I read somewhere this might be baked dust. Perhaps it could be cleaned if I pay for it. As beautiful as they are, the iMacs have their hardware shortcomings. I hope my iMac will last for another 2 or 3 years (I use it mainly for web, movies, emails, Aperture and Sibelius). Would have loved it if I had went for a 27" instead of 21.5". Now that I want a bigger monitor for a better music notation experience with Sibelius, I have to sell the entire computer and buy another one.

On top of that, even the base 2011 mini scores more Geekbench points than my 2010 i3 iMac which makes me think whichever mini I get from now on it will perfectly satisfy my needs of processing power. And yes, the Apple Thunderbolt Display is so gorgeous.
 
Ssd

I put an SSD in early 2009 Mac Mini and haven't looked back. Its still way faster than new PCs with a traditional hard drive. I'm noticing since I switched to Apple, I'm keeping everything longer...though I am tempted to configure a new mini with SSD and keep it for 5 years.
 
StumpyBloke said:
Please tell me you are joking!
Click to expand...
lol, to people who know an ounce about computers then perhaps not, but the the lay people who don't give a damn about the internals of their computer, the base their decisions largely looks (well, thats what my parents did :p ) the way the media portrays apples also helps largely in their popularity, i have noticed many programs include Macs in the background of their sets to add a 'cool' touch. That is just my theory and as I believe I am entitled to one I may as well say it ;)
 
theRAMman said:
The thing you are with apple you have to remember is that you are essentially paying for the OS and the :apple:. Owning an apple mac is basically the greatest sign of you having succeeded in life, them being so expensive and unbearably cool. Okay, you COULD get a PC for the same stats for half the price, but the chances are that it'll break after a year and there is no chance it will look as nice.
Click to expand...
Sorry, but you are drinking too much kool-aid, and your statement about PCs are false.
 
Fishrrman said:
"also if you have older eyes 27 inch 2500 by 1440 screens are not easy to read.
so As my eyes aged all retina or 2500 by 1440 screens are just a reminder that I am getting older."

Dell now has what looks to be an excellent solution for the "older eyes" problem:
http://tinyurl.com/99asv5p

27" IPS panel, 1920 x 1080 native resolution (same as a 24" but "blown up" by 3 more inches).

Reasonably priced, too.
Click to expand...

thanks.
 
crzdcolombian said:
For the price of a mini and then to buy a screen aren't you better off getting a iMac?
Click to expand...
No. iMac screens have too many shortcomings (read the forums). Why should you buy a sealed system, like the iMac, if you can select your own NEC, Eizo or DELL display? The Mac mini is also more energy efficient, compared to the iMac.
 
Mr. Retrofire said:
No. iMac screens have too many shortcomings (read the forums). Why should you buy a sealed system, like the iMac, if you can select your own NEC, Eizo or DELL display? The Mac mini is also more energy efficient, compared to the iMac.
Click to expand...

This, I love my 2011 iMac, its a great living room computer ( tho Admittly, I have a workstation at work, and a gaming tower at home to get real work done ), however. Its screen is pretty terrible.

Terrible? The display itself is great.

But that ****ing gloss ruins it.
 
crzdcolombian said:
Why isn't the mini cheaper?
Click to expand...


well a few years ago it was cheaper!
The PowerPC G4 Mac mini came out in 2005; just prior to the release of the 1.33GHz and 1.5GHz mini's in late 2005 the 1.25GHz model dropped to around €399; I bought four of them for home and relatives!. They still work great for Web/internet PC.

The current Intel mini is arguably a bit overpriced, but we buy them at work for our Radar Monitoring of Machu Picchu in Peru. Very reliable & powerful, and if you know the behaviour of the Aduana (Customs) department at Lima airport, it's very convenient to have a PC the size of a book to take in and out.

Moores' Law states that the power of the processor can double around every 18 months, and it's basically this "law" that we're accusing Apple of not upholding enough! with 500+ days delay refresh for iMacs and mini's. I've ordered a 27" 2011 iMac but might cancel for a 2012 mini if the specs are interesting enough.
 
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