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Apple's Mac Mini Turns 20 Today
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That would be awesome. Maybe one like the 2020's without a notch. I hate the notch.
The 1.25Ghz G4 Mac Mini was what introduced me to Apple's Machines back in 2005 , back then i didnt know you could move software out of the DMG's to put it in the Application folder so i was always running my software out of the DMG's themselves haha , it was an amazing machine and changed everything for me. wish i could get one back but they are SO Expensive !
My first Mac. I was just about to order one when I heard the rumor that Apple was going to switch to Intel. I didn't believe it but held off on the purchase. Was infinitely glad I did. Got one of the first Intel Minis. I've had several since then. On my way to pick up a M4 Pro mini!
And my Mac Mini is soon to be 5 years old (which is why I reply on page 5!), and going strong.
While I barely see it (as it takes very little space on my desktop), it is doing an amazing job at everything.
While I barely see it (as it takes very little space on my desktop), it is doing an amazing job at everything.
This was my second mac (a mid 2011) and the machine that *really* sucked me into the ecosystem. Still have it (and my 11” MBA with the same internals) sitting around, but otherwise I’ve gone iPad-only as far as Apple part of my setup goes.
My first Mac. I felt like a engineer when I swapped out the RAM myself.
I was very excited (and young) when these were released. Prior to the Mini, I had been using various Performas, iMac G3s, iBook G3s, and eMacs throughout primary school. I really wanted one, and still do want a M-based one.
Desktop operating systems haven’t changed their fundamentals in a long time. I honestly could see myself being very happy with Snow Leopard’s UI even today, provided it would get modern security updates, applications, and under-the-hood technologies like Swift compilation and Metal. So yes, it would need those things to work in the modern day, but the UI still looks amazing.
The dark mode was introduced in Mojave and made the the MacOS UI tolerable again, at least for me. Still miss the little touches of skeuomorphism. Yosemite - High Sierra was a horrible time for MacOS UI, as was iOS 7 on iOS.
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Mac mini 2009: bought it and used it for +10 years as a Mac Server (SUS, File server, Render node).
Mac mini 2014: got it used in 2022 and it replaced the previous Mac mini. It runs ProxMox server now.
Mac mini 2025 (M4 Pro): bought it this month. What a blazing fast machine.
Mac mini 2014: got it used in 2022 and it replaced the previous Mac mini. It runs ProxMox server now.
Mac mini 2025 (M4 Pro): bought it this month. What a blazing fast machine.
Yeah... did the same with my mini 2009 in my first house. Used the iTunes remote app to control it and some other automation to turn on Airplay to the Airport Express. It was connected to AudioEngine A5 active speakers. Together with VolumeLogic levelling it was a true music radio station.
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Old Mac minis make great servers. I have a base 2012 upgraded to 8 GB RAM running a few web apps in Docker containers. It replaced an old 2009 Core 2 Duo Mac mini fairly recently.
Back then I topped up and went for the iMac G5 iSight as my 1st Mac instead of the original Mac Mini… Those were the days…
Mine too. It still boots and powers on although getting it on the Internet is challenging as finding a browser that works with modern websites is very difficult.
I picked up a 1.25Ghz G4 mac mini with 1GB of factory RAM (its stated on the label on underside of machine) and 40GB HDD for $10 on facebook marketplace yesterday. Seller had listed it for $25 for a while and no interest, dropped it to $10 and then I decided why not
I am booting Mac OS 9.2.2 to just see what that was all about. I never used it back in the day.
I will say I'd been looking a while before one came up on FB marketplace.
@ThomasJL and @Mrkevinfinnerty closed out that first page strong!!!!!!
Thomas with the fuego ether remark and kevin brings the lulz and the amazing screen name
…my only thing is, I never ever got why this thing even exists?? What does it do?? It’s a Mac you can hook up to ANY brand of screen? Is it considered more mobile friendly for travel and such or is it more about saving $ and not having to buy a screen and keyboard/mouse when you already have that?…
Thomas with the fuego ether remark and kevin brings the lulz and the amazing screen name
…my only thing is, I never ever got why this thing even exists?? What does it do?? It’s a Mac you can hook up to ANY brand of screen? Is it considered more mobile friendly for travel and such or is it more about saving $ and not having to buy a screen and keyboard/mouse when you already have that?…
Yes and yes.
Especially when you already have a great 4k gaming monitor and the custom keyboard and gaming mouse already. Now all I have to buy is the Mac mini. That means I get to save about $300 or even more or an equivalent MacBook Pro.
Great deal for me!
@eltoslightfoot So your gaming on Mac OS tho right? Or it’s easier to add windows or whatever else to do competitive gaming? If easier to run windows is this allowed by Apple or just not an overly complex work around? peace
The original was kinda gimped. I bought the PPC G4 1.42Ghz model, thinking I could just hook it up to my 21 inch flat screen monitor, quite a nice Viewsonic monitor in 2005, running at 1600 x 1200 resolution using DVI-D.
One corner of the screen had flickering. Hook it up to Windows, no issues.
Just had to be some sort of driver issue.. It was my first mac, so going through ATI's website to see if I could get drivers... no go. Report to Apple, they were indifferent. Pressed both, as ATI had a firmware revision.
ATI reports to me that Apple bought cards, with reduced features enabled on the firmware, mostly in an effort to reduce heat and cost, as there wasn't an active fan on the card (Notice they switched to integrated graphics on the next mac mini iteration). Report that to Apple, through an email to Steve Jobs, and I had some sort of assistant calling to see how I could help. Apple didn't budge of fixing the issue. Ultimately, if I put in a DVI-D to VGA adapter, I could work around the problem.
But, I got something out of the trouble. An iPod Photo.
One corner of the screen had flickering. Hook it up to Windows, no issues.
Just had to be some sort of driver issue.. It was my first mac, so going through ATI's website to see if I could get drivers... no go. Report to Apple, they were indifferent. Pressed both, as ATI had a firmware revision.
ATI reports to me that Apple bought cards, with reduced features enabled on the firmware, mostly in an effort to reduce heat and cost, as there wasn't an active fan on the card (Notice they switched to integrated graphics on the next mac mini iteration). Report that to Apple, through an email to Steve Jobs, and I had some sort of assistant calling to see how I could help. Apple didn't budge of fixing the issue. Ultimately, if I put in a DVI-D to VGA adapter, I could work around the problem.
But, I got something out of the trouble. An iPod Photo.
Took me a while but after far to many desktop Macs including a Frankenstein cMP, iMacs etc I am now on my second Mini, an M4 Pro - great little machine and silent as well as very little juice to run it