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New to Mac... What should I get?

O

Oyobiia

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 25, 2008
99
1
I was planning on getting the Mac Mini because I have been a PC users all my short life. The other day I decided I want a Mac. I was planning on the MacBook 13" (White) But I decided to get the Mac Mini.

What would you recomend for a new user. I do not want to spend thousands on something I may not like...

Basically... What should I get for my first Mac?
 
The Mac Mini is running on a tad bit of ancient tech, still the Intel GMA950 mobile chipset.

Look at the refurb MacBooks and iMacs.

Edit: watch out for the really cheap iMacs, if it says Combo drive, like the Mini it'll be the education version still running the GMA950 chipset ... which people are replacing because it doesn't really cut it for some uses anymore.
 
Sun Baked said:
The Mac Mini is running on a tad bit of ancient tech, still the Intel GMA950 mobile chipset.

Look at the refurb MacBooks and iMacs.
Click to expand...

I second this advice

Woof, Woof – Dawg
pawprint.gif
 
I see... Well I just spoke to my dad :D

He said something about a MacBook going through my LCD screen?
 
If you use a macbook with an external screen then you'll need a mini dvi-vga or mini dvi - dvi adaptor, that is if you're getting a plastic macbook.

As software goes... get a program called flip4mac, it lets you watch wmvs in quicktime.
 
Yes, you can connect a MacBook to an external monitor. Just need to buy a ~$20 adapter.
 
*Sigh*

I might just cheat and buy a iMac desktop then I won't hve to play about with downloads and buying adapters.
 
Dad says. He will either get a MacBook (White) or the iMac desktop.
 
Thanks Guys :D

Ill talk to him tomorrow about the new MacBook and the Desktop...

See what he says.
 
I bought a Mac Mini about 6 months ago and it's generally plenty snappy. One thing you should do, though, is add memory. The guts of the Mini are a tight squeeze, so I went to a local Apple authorized service center and had them do it. The machine now has 3 GB and the total cost was about $100. The extra memory did make a big difference.
 
I hope no one takes offense to this but the MAc mini is like getting a hand job. It will leave you wanting more....go with an actual IMAC..
 
I would have waited to purchase a Mac mini. Macworld is around the corner (Jan 2009) and Apple may release upgrades to the line at that time.
 
Cap41 said:
I hope no one takes offense to this but the MAc mini is like getting a hand job. It will leave you wanting more....go with an actual IMAC..
Click to expand...

Ha, that's pretty funny. Truth be told, I bought a Mac Mini because like the OP I wasn't sure I wanted to make the switch. It would suck to spend thousands on a machine and end up not liking it. The Mac Mini is pretty attractively priced if you just want to get your feet wet.

It didn't take me that long to make the switch, and now everything (except for my embedded software development tools which only run on Windows) is on my Mac. Having made the switch, I wish I'd done so a long time ago. I do find the Mini is fast enough for most things. The one thing I have doubts about is running Parallels or VMWare Fusion. I certainly don't have the disk space for it, and probably not the CPU firepower either.

I figure maybe in another year I'll probably step up and spring for a Mac Pro and let the Mini be a backup machine.
 
obdave said:
It didn't take me that long to make the switch, and now everything (except for my embedded software development tools which only run on Windows) is on my Mac. Having made the switch, I wish I'd done so a long time ago. I do find the Mini is fast enough for most things. The one thing I have doubts about is running Parallels or VMWare Fusion. I certainly don't have the disk space for it, and probably not the CPU firepower either.
Click to expand...

I do embedded development. I haven't switch this part over to my Mac yet, but I will.
I use Parallels. Works fines. I think you should have enough "firepower". Perhaps not enough memory. You could add a external firewire drive.
 
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