I have been waiting for the iMac since Nov 2011, and after the long wait, I found the update very disappointing because (for the iMac 21"):
- No firewire (I wouldn't mind FW 800 only, but nothing?), I don't want another adapter
- No audio input (why??)
- Sub-par HDD (5400rpm, why?), the SSD is too small, and fusion doesn't convince me and it is more expensive than a standard 7200 HDD and an extra SSD
- Not user upgradeable (so no chance to save some more and in the future upgrade by myself the RAM and HDD or add an extra SSD). This is one of the main points for my upcoming decision, I'm not going to pay almost 4 times what I can get at Crucial, or changing the HDD in the future isn't possible.
- All in one, the screen could get damaged and the all unit has to be sent for repair, or the opposite, the motherboard could die and the screen could be rendered useless.
Looking at all these, and I never even payed much attention to the mac mini, I started to look at it and what I really like:
- user upgradeable (I can get 16GB of RAM for about 80 EUR, and at Apple they charge 300 EUR and don't even give me the original 4 GB); I can change the HDD, or even swap it with another HDD or SSD.
- I can add another HDD or SSD!
- it has firewire
- it has an audio input
- comes with the adapter for a DVI monitor, I can plug it already to my monitor
- cheaper
I'm inclined to ditch the iMac purchase and go for the mac mini (i7 2.6GHz), the only doubt is if it will perform as well as the iMac, the advantages of the iMac for me are:
- nice screen (I do have a nice one already and will probably buy another one, but nothing compared to the one on the iMac)
- dedicated graphics card
- more powerful (?)
Will the mac mini perform as well? User upgradeability is important for me, and also the silence and temperature, I don't know if the mac mini is silent or warm/hot...
Is this a good idea? I mean, Apple could listen to the consumer (cough, cough) and maybe release an updated iMac with a proper HDD and user upgradeable RAM, chance to add an extra HDD or SSD (let me dream, ok?)
Your input will be helpful, thanks!
- No firewire (I wouldn't mind FW 800 only, but nothing?), I don't want another adapter
- No audio input (why??)
- Sub-par HDD (5400rpm, why?), the SSD is too small, and fusion doesn't convince me and it is more expensive than a standard 7200 HDD and an extra SSD
- Not user upgradeable (so no chance to save some more and in the future upgrade by myself the RAM and HDD or add an extra SSD). This is one of the main points for my upcoming decision, I'm not going to pay almost 4 times what I can get at Crucial, or changing the HDD in the future isn't possible.
- All in one, the screen could get damaged and the all unit has to be sent for repair, or the opposite, the motherboard could die and the screen could be rendered useless.
Looking at all these, and I never even payed much attention to the mac mini, I started to look at it and what I really like:
- user upgradeable (I can get 16GB of RAM for about 80 EUR, and at Apple they charge 300 EUR and don't even give me the original 4 GB); I can change the HDD, or even swap it with another HDD or SSD.
- I can add another HDD or SSD!
- it has firewire
- it has an audio input
- comes with the adapter for a DVI monitor, I can plug it already to my monitor
- cheaper
I'm inclined to ditch the iMac purchase and go for the mac mini (i7 2.6GHz), the only doubt is if it will perform as well as the iMac, the advantages of the iMac for me are:
- nice screen (I do have a nice one already and will probably buy another one, but nothing compared to the one on the iMac)
- dedicated graphics card
- more powerful (?)
Will the mac mini perform as well? User upgradeability is important for me, and also the silence and temperature, I don't know if the mac mini is silent or warm/hot...
Is this a good idea? I mean, Apple could listen to the consumer (cough, cough) and maybe release an updated iMac with a proper HDD and user upgradeable RAM, chance to add an extra HDD or SSD (let me dream, ok?)
Your input will be helpful, thanks!