Advice...iMac or Mac Mini?

[darbsrewop]

I have an older core 2 duo white imac that is on its last leg and am thinking about getting a new iMac. I currently have a dell laptop for work and iPad 2. I like to keep business separate from personal, so my iMac and iPad are good means for that. My question is, should I get another iMac or should I get a mac mini? Or should I even get a macbook air? I have one 20 inch dell monitor that I extend out from the iMac or my work laptop. The only thing I use my iMac for is to hold my music, photos, and plug USB devices in. I do not need much computing power.

What would you do? Thanks in advance

 

[GGJstudios]

Only you can decide if you need portability, a built-in display or the various other features of your choices. It's easy to recommend one over the other, but you are the only one who knows what your specific needs are.

Also, you may have better success in attracting responses to your thread, and you'll make your thread easier to find for those browsing the forum for the same answers, if you follow this tip.

 

[darbsrewop]

Thanks. I don't really need a portable option, as I have my iPad for that.

 

[jwm2]

I was sorta faced with a similar decision last week. I ended up going with the iMac as it was on sale and imo a much better deal. Its got a quad core processor and better graphics. The display is amazing, plus it comes with the keyboard and mouse. Just 1 cord to plug in and you are done. If portability is the biggest issue then by all means go with the mini, but if bang for your buck is your concern the iMac is hard to beat.

 

[Akack]

If you got the cash, iMac.

 

[srxtr]

The only thing I use my iMac for is to hold my music, photos, and plug USB devices in. I do not need much computing power.

I would suggest an iMac, because it's so much more awesome, but in your case I'd say just get a mac mini.

If you have the extra $$$ to waste though, get an iMac because it's pretty.

 

[Kebabselector]

Money says iMac - unless you hate the glossy screens and cannot redesign your house to minimise reflections.

I had an iMac, hated the reflection (along with the noise and dust under the glass) so it went back. Not regretted it to be honest. Typically an LCD screen will out live a computer, so I think buying them separately is an advantage.

 

[heliocentric]

Money says iMac - unless you hate the glossy screens and cannot redesign your house to minimise reflections.

I had an iMac, hated the reflection (along with the noise and dust under the glass) so it went back. Not regretted it to be honest. Typically an LCD screen will out live a computer, so I think buying them separately is an advantage.

What noise?

 

[driftless]

What noise?

Yeah, what noise? My iMac is incredibly quiet. FWIW - I love my iMac display, it is amazing.

 

[skier777]

The iMac is generally a really good deal since it comes with a screen, keyboard, mouse which the mini excludes. But if you already have a monitor, the mini could save a fair amount of money.

 

[jwm2]

Yeah, what noise? My iMac is incredibly quiet. FWIW - I love my iMac display, it is amazing.

Same here that was the single biggest factor in my going with an imac vs mac mini. When i looked at other monitors they paled in comparison. The resolution of the imac has actually reduced my headaches from eye strain. Its quite remarkable actually.

 

[Liquinn]

Same here that was the single biggest factor in my going with an imac vs mac mini. When i looked at other monitors they paled in comparison. The resolution of the imac has actually reduced my headaches from eye strain. Its quite remarkable actually.

Hm, mac mini and a 27" Thunderbolt display would work though. But someone may as well get a 27" iMac at that point.

 

[heliocentric]

I was genuinely interested in the what noise was a problem? I dont have an iMac...yet!

They guy posted in my imac thread and seems to have a big hate for them!

 

[Liquinn]

Only you can decide if you need portability, a built-in display or the various other features of your choices. It's easy to recommend one over the other, but you are the only one who knows what your specific needs are.

Also, you may have better success in attracting responses to your thread, and you'll make your thread easier to find for those browsing the forum for the same answers, if you follow this tip.

What do you mean if you need portability? They're both desktop machines?

 

[minifridge1138]

If the iPad takes care of your portability needs, then I wouldn't get the Air.

I love the resolution of the iMac screen, but hate the glare off of the glass. But that depends a lot on your environment.

For $1700 (starting price for 27" iMac), i'd expect a mouse and keyboard.

If you like the monitor of the iMac, then it's not a bad deal. Lots of monitors that size and resolution are $1,000 or more.

If you have a monitor that you like, and a mouse, and a keyboard, then I'd say get the Mac Mini. Use the $1,000 on other things.

 

[driftless]

I was genuinely interested in the what noise was a problem? I dont have an iMac...yet!

They guy posted in my imac thread and seems to have a big hate for them!

There is no noise problem. Haters post because they can.

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Hm, mac mini and a 27" Thunderbolt display would work though. But someone may as well get a 27" iMac at that point.

Yeah, well, add $1,000.00 to a Mac Mini for a Thunderbolt Display and you will be many dollars behind and still not have as good a machine.

 

[SuperCachetes]

I have one Windows desktop left in the house that just won't seem to die. Nevertheless, I can hope to replace it with another Mac, and it seems like I price out the iMac/Mac Mini scenarios about once a year "just in case."

I'd vote iMac. By the time you get the processor and memory roughly equal (i5 @ 2.5, 4GB, 500GB) there is only a $400 difference.

For that $400, you get the display w/ camera & speakers, a wireless keyboard, and wireless mouse or trackpad, and better graphics with more graphics memory. The standard iMac 500GB HD option is 7200 rpm vs. 5400 rpm on the Mini. I think the iMac's i5 has a cache superiority, but then we're really starting to get into the spec-racing weeds.

You lose HDMI out, which the Mini has. I can live with that.

 

[Kebabselector]

What noise?

Yeah, what noise? My iMac is incredibly quiet.

The high pitch noise that appeared when it wasn't at full brightness. There were quite a few posts about it when the 21.5 version first came out. Not too sure if it was fixed later in a firmware fix, but it was annoying.

The issues I had were:

Dead Pixel – not a lot that can be done about this, but annoying though.
Dust / Mark on the LED backlight screen
Dust on the inside of the glass panel
High pitch squeak (varied on brightness)
Occasional flicker (after a number of hours)

Judging by the overwhelming support/praise for the iMac it's most likely that I got a bad one. Issues aside, the glossy screen was still my overriding reason for not replacing it after a refund.

They guy posted in my imac thread and seems to have a big hate for them!

On your post about the iMac you asked 'Hows the glossy screen on the mac......dead pixels'

My reply was:

It's the reason I've not got an iMac to be honest. I can't rearrange my room for an iMac to be reflection free. Maybe in time you may get used to it, but after a week mine went back.

Dead Pixels you really can't do much about to be honest. At least with a Mac Mini or Mac Pro you can change the screen!

hardly big hate

 

[Sodner]

I have two iMac's and they are GREAT! Just beautiful works of art really. And SOUND, what SOUND? I'm not even sure those things have fans in them. They aren't quiet they are SILENT. I know a mini is a bit cheaper but the iMac is the WHOLE PACKAGE. A fast reliable computer, totally wireless (except for power) and a beautiful monitor.

I vote iMac!!!

 

[heliocentric]

The high pitch noise that appeared when it wasn't at full brightness. There were quite a few posts about it when the 21.5 version first came out. Not too sure if it was fixed later in a firmware fix, but it was annoying.

The issues I had were:

Dead Pixel – not a lot that can be done about this, but annoying though.
Dust / Mark on the LED backlight screen
Dust on the inside of the glass panel
High pitch squeak (varied on brightness)
Occasional flicker (after a number of hours)

Judging by the overwhelming support/praise for the iMac it's most likely that I got a bad one. Issues aside, the glossy screen was still my overriding reason for not replacing it after a refund.



On your post about the iMac you asked 'Hows the glossy screen on the mac......dead pixels'

My reply was:

It's the reason I've not got an iMac to be honest. I can't rearrange my room for an iMac to be reflection free. Maybe in time you may get used to it, but after a week mine went back.

Dead Pixels you really can't do much about to be honest. At least with a Mac Mini or Mac Pro you can change the screen!

hardly big hate

Sorry yeah, 'big hate' was probably a bit strong!

A 'dislike' would be better?

Also I asked people for their thoughts and you replied, so I am grateful for that.

I took a look at the imacs in store today and even though the screen looked nice, all I could see was my reflection.

So kinda put me off...

 

[wrinkster22]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)

iMac
-display
-4cores
-good graphics
-includes everything
-best bang for your $$$

 

[Liquinn]

There is no noise problem. Haters post because they can.

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Yeah, well, add $1,000.00 to a Mac Mini for a Thunderbolt Display and you will be many dollars behind and still not have as good a machine.

I am getting a Macbook Pro 17" and a Thunderbolt Display as well.

I'm not a big fan of all in one computers like the iMac personally.

 

[driftless]

Certainly adding a Thunderbolt Display to a MBA or MBP is a popular way to go.

 

[jwm2]

I am getting a Macbook Pro 17" and a Thunderbolt Display as well.

I'm not a big fan of all in one computers like the iMac personally.

Until i seen the iMac in person i was the same way. 2 weeks ago i would have called you insane if you told me i'd have an iMac this week, but here i am. The problem for me is cost effectiveness and space. I don't have room for a 27" monitor, my desktop is simply not big enough. My other option was a mac mini + 21-24" widescreen display but those all looked washed out when viewing them in the store compared to the iMac. All in all i'm very glad i took the route i did. I wouldn't go back. Plus now i essentially have a portable desktop. I can pack it up and use it in any hotel or when traveling to relatives within just a few hours drive. Sure its not ideal, but if i'm going to spend a decent amount of time there and need to get work done, it will do.

 

[Sandman1969]

I love our iMacs. We now have 4 of them. I love the screen. I don't have any issues with the glare. We have one ceiling fan in our office and it has 4 lights on it and it doesn't bother me or the family.

I love the silence. That was one reason I wanted to get rid of my kids' PCs. Those things were noisy.


If you have a good screen I would probably go with a MBP, but if not I would go and iMac over the mini.