Mac Mini for desktop?

[KyleKlink]

I'm not new to Macs, I've owned a 20" iMac which I sold after 6 months, a 24" iMac which I sold after 9 months, and a 13.3" MBP which I returned after 7 days (I didn't like Mac OS X on the small screen; I'm not really sure why).

I have been considering selling my PC and buying a Mac Mini, since I cannot really afford an iMac at this point in time. My concern is that the majority of Mini users I've seen on forums use it as a home theater solution, rather than as a desktop. I'm worried that I might find it to be slow compared to my current PC and the previous Macs I've owned (though the current specs seem to match the specs of the MBP I just returned). I don't do much on my computer besides web surfing, E-mail, browsing YouTube, and writing papers for my college classes.

Does the mini work well as a desktop? Given the light nature of my use, would a Mini work well for me as a desktop, or should I hold off until I can afford an iMac?

Thanks in advance.

 

[GoCubsGo]

The current gen mini will be fine. It's hard to compare it to your current PC since you failed to list the specs of your current pc. While my mini is a HTPC, it is also something I use for YouTube, web browsing, e-mail, and VLC.

 

[njean777]

well if you like macs why did you sell them so quickly after buying them? Answer to your question: yes the mac mini will be just fine for you. Im actually trying to sell my pc for a mac mini. I am using it for the same thing you are.

 

[MacMini2009]

My Mac Mini is my main computer and I only use it for web browsing, Youtube, school, and watching TV shows. It is perfectly fine for my needs and should be fine for yours.

 

[Undo Redo]

Keep in mind that the current mini is as fast as the fastest PCs were about three years ago. Of course it will be fast enough for the tasks you've listed. I'm preparing to sell my ship anchor Mac Pro and replace it with a mini.

 

[KyleKlink]

well if you like macs why did you sell them so quickly after buying them?.

Just because I like something doesn't mean I would have no reason to sell it. I sold the first iMac because I was moving and needed the cash. A few months after arriving in my new town I picked up the 24", which I then ended up selling because my wife needed a specific camera lens for her business.

Now that I'm fairly certain that I am going to be living in this town for a while, and my wife has all the equipment she could ever want or need for her business, I want to get a Mac again.

 

[MrSEC]

Keep in mind that the current mini is as fast as the fastest PCs were about three years ago. Of course it will be fast enough for the tasks you've listed. I'm preparing to sell my ship anchor Mac Pro and replace it with a mini.

Agreed.I edit,and encode video with mine and it works fairly well.The only reason it doesn't work really well is because the processor is only a 1.83 and it has the pathetic intel graphics,which isn't a problem anymore since they went to Nvidia.

 

[KyleKlink]

It's hard to compare it to your current PC since you failed to list the specs of your current pc..

Sorry, I didn't find that information to be relevant, as I wasn't looking for a comparison to my current PC. Rather, I just wanted to know if the Mini works well as a desktop (performing the tasks I listed).

 

[GoCubsGo]

Sorry, I didn't find that information to be relevant, as I wasn't looking for a comparison to my current PC. Rather, I just wanted to know if the Mini works well as a desktop (performing the tasks I listed).

And I answered your quesiton, but thanks for picking out one part that apparently you find irrelevant given that you said

I'm worried that I might find it to be slow compared to my current PC

. Odd that I would somehow think that was relevant to you.

 

[sfroom]

Sorry, I didn't find that information to be relevant, as I wasn't looking for a comparison to my current PC. Rather, I just wanted to know if the Mini works well as a desktop (performing the tasks I listed).

Absolutely. The new mini's are solid performers, even the graphics are pretty decent for a casual user. Buy the base model with a student discount. None of the upgrades from apple are worth the cash, although if you want to spend some money, the remote, magic mouse, and keyboard (wired or wireless) are nice accessories.

 

[tunerX]

And I answered your quesiton, but thanks for picking out one part that apparently you find irrelevant given that you said . Odd that I would somehow think that was relevant to you.

She certainly told you. She did answer your question with the fist sentence.

These people listen to NPR, you need to be on your toes at all times.

 

[KyleKlink]

And I answered your quesiton, but thanks for picking out one part that apparently you find irrelevant given that you said . Odd that I would somehow think that was relevant to you.

Im not trying to offend, please do not take my previous comments as offensive.

Though I did mention my concern about the Mac Mini feeling slow compared to my current PC, my question was not asking if that was going to be likely, but rather if the Mac Mini can easily handle the tasks I listed.

 

[GoCubsGo]

She certainly told you. She did answer your question with the fist sentence.

These people listen to NPR, you need to be on your toes at all times.

NPR didn't get me where I am today.

OP, let me put it this way, with the 9400 card in there it is a highly capable machine. I would increase the ram from 2gb to 4 gb right away though.

 

[KyleKlink]

She certainly told you. She did answer your question with the fist sentence.

These people listen to NPR, you need to be on your toes at all times.

She answered my question, yes, but then went on to assert that I failed to provide other details; details that it seems she thinks were relevant. Despite my supposed failure, she was able to answer my initial question nonetheless.

Maybe those additional details were not necessary after all...

 

[KyleKlink]

OP, let me put it this way, with the 9400 card in there it is a highly capable machine. I would increase the ram from 2gb to 4 gb right away though.

Thanks for the advice, and the lively debate!

 

[mrsir2009]

The Mac Mini will be fine for what you do

 

[EasyRider]

The current gen mini will be fine. It's hard to compare it to your current PC since you failed to list the specs of your current pc. While my mini is a HTPC, it is also something I use for YouTube, web browsing, e-mail, and VLC.

I don't think you can really compare pc/mac speed with just specs... Macs just run better even when the specs are below their pc counterpart.

My 2.16 c2d imac easily outpaces many other higher powered PCs running the same/similar software. They have better video cards, higher speed processors and more memory... yet my mac "seems" to run smoother with little to no hickups. It gets more work done in the same amount of time.

 

[GoCubsGo]

I don't think you can really compare pc/mac speed with just specs...

I wasn't trying to, wasn't going to, wasn't implying you could or should, and know enough to understand that the CPU works completely different on each platform.

 

[Krafty]

Yes, you will be fine. I got my 09 Mini a few months back and have been using it none stop as my primary desktop. My previous is my 06 Macbook, but its being really flaky lately.

 

[tunerX]

NPR didn't get me where I am today.

OP, let me put it this way, with the 9400 card in there it is a highly capable machine. I would increase the ram from 2gb to 4 gb right away though.

NPR didn't get you on a forum, on a Friday, at 0044 EST... I can see the logic there.

 

[lemonade-maker]

NPR didn't get you on a forum, on a Friday, at 0044 EST... I can see the logic there.

Because its BBC International at that time of night, duh. Who cares anyway?

On topic, the current Mac Mini sounds like it would be a perfect fit for your needs. And you can can listen to streaming NPR or Glenn Beck or whatever real well.

 

[almac68]

I have windows 7 and SL running in my 2.0GHz mac mini with 4GB ram. I am running software like Solidedge (which is a 3D design software), Autocad 2007, Sketchup, Adobe Premier CS3, Orion (A structural analysis software), Microsoft Flight Sim X and etc. If I can run all these fine on the mac mini. The latest crop of mac mini should be even better.

 

[moomog]

I don't think you can really compare pc/mac speed with just specs... Macs just run better even when the specs are below their pc counterpart.

My 2.16 c2d imac easily outpaces many other higher powered PCs running the same/similar software. They have better video cards, higher speed processors and more memory... yet my mac "seems" to run smoother with little to no hickups. It gets more work done in the same amount of time.

Of course you can't compare the 2 exactly as they are all physically different.
I have 2 legs but I can't run as fast as Usain Boult.

 

[HellDiverUK]

Mine is my only computer now (sold my XPS laptop last week). I play HD videos, I run Office 2008, I browse the web, I occasionally play EVE Online, and I even run Adobe CS4 apps on it.

OK, mine's not the usual Mini with it's upgrades, but even before the SSD it ran everything fine.

The almost complete silence is the main bonus - I only get a tiny bit of fan noise for a minute or so after watching a HD movie.

I used to run mine with dual screens too (2x19" Dell 1280x1024), but got a great deal on the 23" which is better for watching videos.

 

[dyn]

Keep in mind that the current mini is as fast as the fastest PCs were about three years ago.

The Mac mini uses laptop hardware so compare it with that. The hardware is quite up to par with a lot of notebooks out there (that's certainly the case with the current late 2009 model!). My early 2009 Mac mini is faster than my early 2008 MBP. The cpu is 400 MHz slower but the FSB is 1066 MHz and it uses sata 3 Gbps which is why it is faster (the MBP has 800 MHz FSB and uses sata 1.5 Gbps although the chip is capable of doing 3 Gbps). The MBP only is faster in the graphics department but not all that much. This is just 1 year of age difference we're talking about so that 3 years is very exaggerated. It's like telling someone that their machine might have the speed of an 486. By saying that you're walking on eggs or something.