mac mini or emac?

mac mini or emac

For my 2c worth I would buy the eMac myself if I was in your shoes as it's all in one and the hard drive and cpu reasons you mentioned. I really like it not taking up much space and no cables lieing around. Good luck, your mom will like either one I'm sure.

Glennsan

 

The eMac is a better buy hands down. If you already have a monitor, keyboard and mouse then maybe the Mac mini could be better for you. I only got the Mac mini because I do not like the concept of all-in-one (AOI) computers. I was very tempted by the iMac G5, but I just can't bring myself to buy a machine with the display permanently attached to it.

I vote eMac unless you or your mother feel like I do about AOIs.

 

since you're telling us that the specs don't matter, go with whichever is cheaper

unless available desk space is a problem then go with the mini

 

I'd go with the mini. I bought my wife one of these machines and her demands seem to parallel your mothers. She won't need to upgrade nor cares about upgrading as the mini will serve her for years to come.

The downside of the eMac is that the screen is attached. When you have mild users that only check email and write a letter or two, the machine will last many years, where as the monitor may not be so lucky. You'd hate to have to scrap the eMac should a monitor issue arise, when you could just switch a new one out with the mini later on down the road.

 

I just bought my mom an eMac in the clearance section at the apple store for 649.00 with a combo drive, tiger, iLife05.

It will serve her well, 72yrs old using an original 233 G3 bondi blue with sys 9. Got her applecare with the wifes teacher discount, and 512 ram from data memory sys for 49 + delivery.

thought about the mini but the eMac won out, in fact the speakers are really good enough for a stero replacement for her too. She uses an old boom box.

I hook it up for her tomorrow, it is a gift from my oldest brother and I and we are giving her broadband (cable) internet too.

 

So you are going to pay the bill every month? That is a very nice gift!

 

Ya, hey it's my mom, she busted her tail for me for decades, this is a no brainer.

 

I hope she does too and congratulations on the purchase.

 

With the new specs of the eMac, and the fact that you need a new display, the only logical choice is the Mac mini with a 30" cinema display.

I mean, the eMac.

The eMac will cost you about the same, but the GPU/VRAM difference alone (and memory slots, hard disk speed) makes the eMac the best choice. Keyboard+mouse included only makes the deal even better.

 

Yeh, agreed!

We actually have a mac mini for my mom at home, and I have an eMac.

The speed is actually quite noticeable in my opinion. I mean, I have upgraded the ram in the emac, but still, it beats the ass off the mini. It's a powerful little beast, it's supprisingly upgradable, rugged, and a high quality screen that will last the life of the whole unit.

Plus, you get a shiny new Keyboard and Mouse.

 

id go with the emac its simpler since its all in one and its a better value

 

a mac mini cant power a 30 in display so id go with a g5 and a 30in display