Mac Mini G4

don't think the new mac mini is smaller...what's ure current pc...that's the only way i can really compare the computers, as for the g4 it'self it's still a good computer, depends on the extensiveness of your photoshop editing... should be good..

Mac Mini G4s are great computers. You'll be fine doing normal desktop things.

I use my Mini (see sig.) for pretty much the same stuff. I even run Final Cut Pro on occasion and have created DVDs even though I don't have a SuperDrive (burn them at school on their systems). It works great for everything. The only thing I really hate doing on it due to speed is encoding video. That takes a long time.

PS I may be interested in selling mine if the price is right (and the wife allows me spend it on a new Intel Mini). PM me and I'll let you know.

I've got a G4 mini at the moment and it's fine computer... as long as you get a gig of RAM. I'd also recommend that you get a fast 3.5" harddrive and put it in a FW casing if you are going to work with large PS files. The internal HDD in the mini (especially the G4) isn't very fast.

But for day to day stuff, including light PS work, web, email, word processing, iLife apps, etc the G4 mini is still a pretty darn good buy. If it weren't for Windows compatibility I'd say they're better than the Core Solo models... but that's just my uninformed opinion.

aaron.lee2006 said:

My MacBook Pro has windows capability, I'm just looking for a day to day desktop that looks sexy

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Then a top of the line G4 mini is a good buy. Lots of native software and cheap.

I love my mini! Only thing is, you'll want to get one that already has the ram upgrade to 1Gb for Photoshop!

I had a G4 mini, and with 1GB of RAM, it was nice, though not as nice as my Core Duo iMac.

I dont understand why anyone needs more then 512 megs of RAM. I'm writing this on a Windows 98 Box, with 192 megs of RAM, and an 8 gig Hardrive. I use it for mail, internet, Music, Photoshop, and Video Editing. Plus its a GENARIC brand. 1 gb seems overdoing it to me... Hell, My parents do ALL KINDS of high tech stuff, they only have 512 megs of RAM. If the issue is speed with running lot's of programs, DEAL. I can afford to wait about 20 seconeds for a program to open. Most of the time, it only takes that long on my laptop, with 32 megs of ram and a 500 meg hardrive. I might be able to understand if you're a car designer or an architct, 1 gig or Ram is fine, possibly 2. Mainframe, 5-7 gigs. Truth is, Speed is irrelvent. 256 megs of RAM is fine, aaron.

aaron.lee2006 said:

Anyone else owns or owned a G4 mini with any comments, just seeking some more advice.

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I've been using one for 18 months. My fist Mac (a bit of an expiriment). A fine machine. So goof that more than one friend bought one after seeing it.

With memory bumped up to 1GB it ran Office and Adoe CS2 software just fine. Even played around with and old licence of Lightwave 7 on it. Even got it to run Civilization 4 and be almost playable (no mean feat considering minimum spec is a G5).

Hard disk is perhaps a little slow, but if you are not expecting the Mini to be a computing powerhouse and accept it for what it is (small, quite, low power consumption, low heat generating, perfectly acceptable computer for 90% of people wanting to do computer things), then I think you would find it pleasure to use.

Although lacking internal expansion options, It turns out there is still lots you can do with USB and Firewire. I ended up havin three external hard disks hannging off of it (1 170 GB drive/usb hub/fire wire hud, 1 250 GB USB/Firewire drive, and a 1TB firewire drive). With a USB TV tuner I was using it as a DVR (hence the need for all that disk storage).

Of courese I just upgraded to a Mac Pro this week...

Cassie said:

I dont understand why anyone needs more then 512 megs of RAM. I'm writing this on a Windows 98 Box, with 192 megs of RAM, and an 8 gig Hardrive. I use it for mail, internet, Music, Photoshop, and Video Editing. Plus its a GENARIC brand. 1 gb seems overdoing it to me... Hell, My parents do ALL KINDS of high tech stuff, they only have 512 megs of RAM. If the issue is speed with running lot's of programs, DEAL. I can afford to wait about 20 seconeds for a program to open. Most of the time, it only takes that long on my laptop, with 32 megs of ram and a 500 meg hardrive. I might be able to understand if you're a car designer or an architct, 1 gig or Ram is fine, possibly 2. Mainframe, 5-7 gigs. Truth is, Speed is irrelvent. 256 megs of RAM is fine, aaron.

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Do you even have a Mac? Seriously. You are trying to compare running very very old software on a 98 box to running the newest packages on an machine running OSX.4. You need 256mb RAM just to load all of 10.4. 1gb is quickly becoming barely adequate.

Leave the Mac buying advice to adults who have one, k?

As far as finding a good price on a used one, check the For Sale forums and eBay. Alos, if you hit Apples refurb page every morning you might see them on there. I was seeing 1.42ghz models for about $500 before the updates.

I had a 1.42 ghz mini, 512 ram and used it for everything you described. Was a dream. I recently sold it to my mom, since i needed a inel machines speed. I highly recommend the G4 mini, but i'd probably advice 1 gig or more of ram. With 512 it rran fine but i got a bit of lag, and it wasnt that fun when i had 5 -10 apps running besides it.

mrgreen4242 said:

Do you even have a Mac? Seriously. You are trying to compare running very very old software on a 98 box to running the newest packages on an machine running OSX.4. You need 256mb RAM just to load all of 10.4. 1gb is quickly becoming barely adequate.

Leave the Mac buying advice to adults who have one, k?

As far as finding a good price on a used one, check the For Sale forums and eBay. Alos, if you hit Apples refurb page every morning you might see them on there. I was seeing 1.42ghz models for about $500 before the updates.

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This sums it up right here:

Cassie said:

I Wish I Was Barbie: That Bitch has EVERYTHING.

I may have PMS, but you're still a jerk!

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