imac/mini dilemma

msett · Sep 17, 2005

Some may know I am still at a dilemma at what to get. A imac g5 or mac mini? Some say wait for intel ya know and some say dont wait as it will still be powerful and supported for a good while. So thats not really a question now. I new option I have is just buy mac mini and hook it up to exsisting lcd and mouse/keyboard. I am 16, limited income but I have a job making 450 a month now. Anyways mac mini paid off by christmas. Then come next summer when intel macs are out I would be in better shape to buy also becuase I will save more money for down payment for loan through parents. haha! But my dad brings the point, well getting the Imac G5 is a really good powerful computer. So then buying the Mac Mini would be buying something just to buy something. I really want a new toy to play with for now and get using macs more again. But will Mac mini be powerful enough to do anything for me. Itunes/photos and word processing, internet browsing and some gaming. Now the gaming thing is bad for it since it has no video card. I want to play games like Sims2 and so forth. So do you think I should wait 2-3 months and buy Imac G5. Probably not intel for awhile. Buy mini and it would do mostly what I want, then buy Intel next year sometime. Or buy nothing and just wait for who knows how long.

Matt
Sorry again

skubish · Sep 17, 2005

msett said:
Some may know I am still at a dilemma at what to get. A imac g5 or mac mini? Some say wait for intel ya know and some say dont wait as it will still be powerful and supported for a good while. So thats not really a question now. I new option I have is just buy mac mini and hook it up to exsisting lcd and mouse/keyboard. I am 16, limited income but I have a job making 450 a month now. Anyways mac mini paid off by christmas. Then come next summer when intel macs are out I would be in better shape to buy also becuase I will save more money for down payment for loan through parents. haha! But my dad brings the point, well getting the Imac G5 is a really good powerful computer. So then buying the Mac Mini would be buying something just to buy something. I really want a new toy to play with for now and get using macs more again. But will Mac mini be powerful enough to do anything for me. Itunes/photos and word processing, internet browsing and some gaming. Now the gaming thing is bad for it since it has no video card. I want to play games like Sims2 and so forth. So do you think I should wait 2-3 months and buy Imac G5. Probably not intel for awhile. Buy mini and it would do mostly what I want, then buy Intel next year sometime. Or buy nothing and just wait for who knows how long.

Matt
Sorry again

If you have a steady job I would say go for the iMac. You will be a lot happier with it. Since you are 16 it will easily last you into college. It is highly unlikely that Apple will release all new intel models at the same time. They will probably trickle in slowly so who knows when we will see a iMac G5.

Maybe you should wait to buy it until Christmas so you can get the parental units to chip in some for it.

Musocat · Sep 17, 2005

msett said:
Some may know I am still at a dilemma at what to get. A imac g5 or mac mini? -snip-

I just went through the same dilemma. I have an iBook G4 that I was using with a crt display and a wireless mouse and keyboard, but I wanted a proper desktop setup. I thought I'd just use my kb, monitor, and mouse with the Mini, so I headed over to the Apple Store.

After playing around the iMacs, I bought a 17" 1.8 GHz model. I love it! The G5 really sails.

I'd say get the iMac. I sure didn't regret it.

gregorydanger · Sep 17, 2005

Just bought myself an iMac G5 the other day (the one in my signature) -- loving every second of it, too.

FocusAndEarnIt · Sep 17, 2005

msett said:
Now the gaming thing is bad for it since it has no video card. I want to play games like Sims2 and so forth.

The Mac mini does have a video card; it has to have a video card to display anything to the screen. Whether the video card is powerful enough is another question. The Mac mini is not a gaming machine what-so-ever, it only comes with a ATi 9200 32MB Graphics card. Not very good. But I think it should play your games fairly well, it won't handle anything like Halo or something like that.

Just thought I'd point that out

As for the main topic, go for the iMac all the way. No question about it.

Eluon · Sep 18, 2005

I bought an iMac G5 (one in my sig) and I don't regret it at all. My friend owns a mini and it is too slow for me after playing with the G5. Plus, it is so dang sexy. Surely you will be able to get some lovin' from your peers!

RandomDeadHead · Sep 18, 2005

The iMacs are superior in almost every way, and over all I think they are a better value.

Viewtiful Rich · Sep 18, 2005

I found myself in a pretty similar situation

At first it was iBook vs. Mac mini... long story might be going to Japan next next year wanted portable for that, but like desktops better... anyways I got the mini, I had a monitor, mouse, keyboard and iPod. Well the mini only has two USB ports so I was constantly switching something out, not cool. Then I kind of wanted to upgrade my monitor to an LCD screen, and while looking around I was like, you know Rich if you just put another $300 in after paying for this monitor you could have an iMac... that really got to me, so I checked my receipt and I had one day left to return my mini...

So I returned it and upgraded to an iMac... probably the best decision I've made in a long time. So much more powerful and it's got a lovely widescreen. However the mini will work fine for everything you want to do except gaming, Apple includes that Nanosaur game with it, but it doesn't run the game very well. Once you get a Mac though you'll start wanting to play with all the iLife software and that'll just work out better for you on the iMac. I love mine, it's definitely worth waiting for.

msett · Sep 18, 2005

Thanks for all the opinions again. I came to the conclusion I think if I am going to buy I will get Imac G5. I am going to wait a month or so and make sure I deffinitely want one now. Now getting this imac will limit me more or less from getting a intel mac for at least several years. Still sound alright?

Matt

nospleen · Sep 18, 2005

I know I am in the minority on this one. I say get the mini. Maybe I have terrible luck, but my old 20" imac was loud!!! I decided to sell it for the mini and planned on upgrading to a Powermac at a later date. I have to say, I am very happy with the mini and I do not plan on getting rid of it anytime soon. But, if my old imac was as quiet as my mini, I would have kept the imac.

Viewtiful Rich · Sep 18, 2005

Unless you're thinking you won't be able to upgrade for another 5+ years I still say get the iMac.

Like said the Intels are suppose to start rolling out mid 2006 and be finished by sometime in 2007.... that's a pretty big window for when the Intel iMac will start shipping.

And you know things change, you're 16, you'll be able to get a better paying job in a couple years, money from High School graduation, and it's amazing how much you can save up if you budget your spending and not drink it away in coffee (I'm from Washington) and fast food.

Plus Macs resell value is pretty good... I don't know how well after the switch, but I'm sure you'd be able to get a nice chuck of change from it.

and yes the iMac can get kind of loud when the fan is going strong, but it doesn't bother me much at all.

Nospleen, I've never had an PowerMac myself, but from what I've heard they're the loudest of the Macs...

wdlove · Sep 18, 2005

msett said:
Thanks for all the opinions again. I came to the conclusion I think if I am going to buy I will get Imac G5. I am going to wait a month or so and make sure I definitely want one now. Now getting this imac will limit me more or less from getting a intel mac for at least several years. Still sound alright?

Matt

Yes, an iMac G5 would be an excellent choice. You would be smart to wait until the Rev. B model Intel is introduced. That way any bugs or compatibility issues will be worked out.

skubish · Sep 18, 2005

wdlove said:
Yes, an iMac G5 would be an excellent choice. You would be smart to wait until the Rev. B model Intel is introduced. That way any bugs or compatibility issues will be worked out.

I second this. Your iMac will probably be good for you for at least 4 years. It is better to wait for Rev.B intel Macs anyway.

nospleen · Sep 18, 2005

The dual G5 Powermacs are actually pretty quiet. I think it is pretty funny I posted in this thread earlier today. My wife and I went by the new San Antonio Apple Store today. Anyway, she decided she wanted a new imac.

So here I am posting on my wife's new imac G5. I must say, it is pretty loud, but definately snappy. She sure loves it!

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