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What generation was your first Mac Mini?

What was your first Mac Mini?

  • Early 2005, the G4 original

    Votes: 22 16.2%

  • Mid 2005

    Votes: 1 0.7%

  • Late 2005

    Votes: 5 3.7%

  • Early 2006, the change to Intel Core

    Votes: 5 3.7%

  • Late 2006

    Votes: 4 2.9%

  • Mid 2007, the change to Core Duo

    Votes: 9 6.6%

  • Early 2009

    Votes: 18 13.2%

  • Late 2009

    Votes: 12 8.8%

  • Mid 2010 - the redesign

    Votes: 7 5.1%

  • Mid 2011 - the change to Core i5 & i7

    Votes: 15 11.0%

  • Late 2012

    Votes: 33 24.3%

  • Late 2014

    Votes: 5 3.7%
  • Total voters
    136
  • Poll closed .
Micky Do

Micky Do

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 31, 2012
2,207
3,148
a South Pacific island
Mine was the 1st generation, the original G4, introduced in January 2005.

It was also the first computer I owned. I got it about June that year, so I could do more work at home rather than having to use the computers in the office on campus. With no phone line, it was a couple of years before I got connected to the internet, using "mobile broadband".

My second Mac Mini was the 7th generation early 2009 model.

With an additional 4 GB of RAM (now 5 GB), it still works fine for me. With a further upgrade to Yosemite, along with an SSD and 8 GB of RAM, I reckon it should be good for a good while more.
 
Last edited:
flyinmac

flyinmac

macrumors 68040
Sep 2, 2006
3,579
2,465
United States
Very first G4.. Still have it. See signature...

Not my daily main machine anymore, but it's got a good reliable purpose and is still useful in my home.
 
J

janitor3

macrumors regular
Aug 11, 2010
227
41
Glasgow, Scotland
My first Mini was a Mid 2010 model, is was also my first time owning a mac product. :)
I still have it, and have just updated it to 8GB Ram and 1TB HD.
Runs great for what I require so no plans to replace it.
 
V

voyager03

macrumors member
Feb 25, 2010
47
3
Somerset, UK
My first Mac mini was a late 2009 2.53, 4Gb.

I'm still using it. I've changed the drive for a bigger one but it's still fine for what I need.
 
E

edenbensal

macrumors 6502
Oct 8, 2012
252
7
My first mac computer is mac mini 2012 after years of using windows.
I absolutely love it! and of course the OS is just amazing!
 
Dont Hurt Me

Dont Hurt Me

macrumors 603
Dec 21, 2002
6,055
6
Yahooville S.C.
1st Mini was the original and it still works, use it for running classic apps on rare occasions though I would like to upgrade the 10.3.9 to 10.4 one of these days. I still think mid late 2011 was the golden year for the Mini ! A real graphics chip and not the integrated handicap crap apple has been doing and real upgradeable memory! The mid 2011 is a great machine in my view. If you can find one get it!
 
Micky Do

Micky Do

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 31, 2012
2,207
3,148
a South Pacific island
A day an a half, and 31 responses.

Interestingly the greatest percentage (just over 19) at this early stage are those whose first Mac Mini was the original 2005 generation. The next highest percentage (just offer 16) are those whose first Mini was the late 2012 generation.

And already there is one respondent whose first Mini will be the just released late 2014 generation. I guess it has been ordered; how long until delivery?
 
Blackstick

Blackstick

macrumors 65816
Aug 11, 2014
1,235
6,000
OH
Had a first generation which replaced my Dell PC as my home computer (also had a 12" PowerBook G4 at that time).

Bought my mom a Mid 2007 Mini which she used til we got her a 2011 refurb iMac.

Replaced my G4 Mini with a Late 2009 Mini for my TV-- which later became an AppleTV as I had a 27" iMac on my desk by then.

What started as a little green iBook became 7 different Macs in a decade, each one faster and more incredible than the one before it. I'd love to know today what mac will be on my desk in 2024!
 
8

808?

macrumors 6502a
Aug 4, 2011
583
24
Hong Kong
I still have an original G4 which still serves me faithfully as a download slave :D

Also have a 2010 and 2012 in daily use.
 
cfedu

cfedu

Suspended
Mar 8, 2009
1,166
1,566
Toronto
I have had an early 2009 2.0Ghz, late 2009 2.26 Ghz, late 2009 2,56 Ghz server, 2010 2.4 Ghz, 2010 2.66Ghz sever and my final mac mini will be my 2012 2.3 Ghz quad core. I had more than one at timesof these.

I use to find good deals these and upgrade them. I would use them for a while and then sell them for a profit. I would do this so that I would always have the latest Mac with valid warranty at no cost to me.
 
E

ElectronGuru

macrumors 68000
Sep 5, 2013
1,656
489
Oregon, USA
Technically my first was a G4 but I got it to replace the dell for the inlaws. Their first mac, they eventually replaced it with an iMac. My first own mini was an htpc 2010. It quickly got a 8Gb and more recently a 960 SSD and blueray treatment. Around the same time, I needed a very part time workstation and picked up a core solo. Swapped in a c2d and used SSD.
 
1

1madman1

macrumors 6502
Oct 23, 2013
465
329
Richmond, BC, Canada
Mine was a base model G4 launch unit in 2005. Replaced with a early 2006 launch unit. I upgraded this one as far as it would go and only recently just sold off.

Bought a unibody in 2010, which I gave to my parents a year later. It was replaced with a 2011, which I sold off in 2013 just before I expected a new model.

Doesn't look like I'll ever be getting another mini if the recent update is any indication of future trends.
 
  • Angry
Reactions: waltman
S

scottsjack

macrumors 68000
Aug 25, 2010
1,906
311
Arizona
Mine was an early 20009 2.26 C2D BTO with 4GB RAM and several hard drives ending in a WD Scorpio Black 750GB 7200 RPM drive.

I replaced it with a late 2009 refurb 2.66 C2D, eventually 8GB RAM and the same WD 750GB drive.

After keeping it way too long I replaced that one with a 2012 2.3 i7 model running 16GB RAM. It uses a Crucial M500 960GB SSD for OSX and the OEM 1TB HD or Windows.

My 2012 2.6 should be here in a few days. It will be my Mac, the 2.3 will become a Windows-only rig, both booting from 960GB M500 SSDs.

So much for waiting for the new, improved one!
 
mmomega

mmomega

macrumors demi-god
Dec 30, 2009
3,879
2,089
DFW, TX
I didn't pick up a Mini until the late 2009 model, then 10 days later the 2010 redesign came out and I was able to take my 2009 model back in to the Apple store, pay the difference and then went home with the 2010.

For those that don't remember the Mini was $499 until the 2010 redesign which raised the price to $599.
 
Y

yegon

macrumors 68040
Oct 20, 2007
3,416
1,985
Early '09. Worked a charm as an iTunes server/torrent beast/occasional desktop comp till I bought a late 2012 at launch, quad core, 16gb RAM (after market) w/ 512gb SSD. The 2012 purchase is increasingly looking like a very, VERY good buy in light of the latest Mini's, and I've used it a lot more for crunchy stuff than my previous one. Assuming it doesn't die on me, my 2012 and TB display will last me a good few more years yet, accompanied by my late '13 rMBP.

By the looks of things, likely be my last Mac Mini which makes me a little sad, prob replace it with a version 3 or 4 retina iMac in 2017 or so.

Hard to put my finger on why, but I've got a real affection for the Mac Mini, more so than any of my many, far more powerful, Windows based desktops that I've had, which are solely used for gaming.
 
MagicBoy

MagicBoy

macrumors 68040
May 28, 2006
3,947
1,025
Manchester, UK
Early '09 base model, bought the day it came out. Still going strong as an HTPC, now with lots of RAM and an SSD after the original HDD failed earlier in the year. See Apple - people upgrade and repair Mac minis. So quit using tamper proof screws.

I'd been needing a desktop Mac for a while, but refused to buy anything with the useless GMA950 integrated graphics.
 
MacTCE

MacTCE

macrumors 6502
Dec 20, 2013
487
21
Raleigh NC
Early 2005 for me. It's wasn't my first Mac, but I did fall in love in the form factor quickly. I just picked up my fourth Mini this weekend.
 
Micky Do

Micky Do

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 31, 2012
2,207
3,148
a South Pacific island
3 days, 72 respondents, and a pattern seems to emerging, with peaks being Early 2005, Early 2009, and 2012.

Interesting to see so many going for the Mini from the beginning. It must have tapped into what folks wanted.

Apple promoted the 2005 Mini as an entry into the Mac environment for people moving over from Windows, who already had the required peripherals. That was not the case for me…. It was my first computer. All up, with all the peripherals, it set me back not much short of the cost of a lower level iMac at the time.

The size is what attracted me. I didn't want a portable, a laptop with a poky little screen. I did want something that could be easily transported occasionally, sans peripherals, and hooked up what was available at my destination.

The early Minis were compromised, well behind iMacs in specs and performance.

The early 2009 Mini had specs and performance the suggested that it was no longer just an entry into the Mac environment. It had become a viable option for folks who wanted a Mac, but didn't like, or want an all in one computer, for whatever reason.

With the 2012 being around for nearly two years, it is not surprising that it has been the first mini for so many.
 
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