Cheapest Mac for my needs? (UK)

[tomthedude]

Hey guys,
I have been wanting a Mac for a while now but am nowhere near close to affording one. I was going to check on eBay for one and wanted some recommendations. It will be used for:

• Internet browsing (So should have built in wireless)
• Homework
• Minor program use such as GarageBand, iPhoto (so should have enough RAM, HDD and high enough specs to run Leopard and iLife '08.
• Should be upgradable so I can sell it for profit at a later date, but still be useable for another year or so.

Any thoughts? I was thinking along the lines of maybe a Mac Mini, iMac G5 or a high end Powerbook G4.
-Tom-

 

[edgew8]

Finding a good and cheap iMac g5 is no easy task as a lot of them where riddled with hardware issues and ebay sellers seem to think they are worth near the price of a new intel imac. I would go with the dual core mini or first generation (white) intel iMac if you can find a decent price for one as it will support snow Leopard when it comes out and will give you a nice speed boost.

 

[DJ567]

for those purposes seems mac mini possibly with a slight RAM update

they are finally worth it
my first delve into the world of mac was awful as i bought the first intel 1.5 core SOLO mac mini with 512 ram which was god awful for doing anything only to be discontinued a few months down the line and the higher spec 1.66 core duo price lowered which really annoyed me as it essentially made my first mac the fastest depreciating mac ever (in terms of % from new)

i swapped it with my friend for a pc and he put 2 gig of ram in it said it works a dream as a home cinema system. and the prices so can only imagine the newer mac minis will be much the same.

the current base is the same spec as my friends early 2006 macbook which i know runs leopard brilliantly

 

[Blakely028]

One of those new white MacBooks would suit you well. Cheapest Mac laptop and quite well up-to-date, sounds Ok but I don't know if that will be in your budget?

A Mac mini would be good as well, but don't know about what the future updates will bring.

Some