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Penny wise (what configuration to get)

T

TomT321

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 14, 2009
82
0
I am looking to buy a new Mac MINI and I am not sure what I really need to get as far as configuration goes. All I really do is surf the net, do e-mails, compose a few letters to snail mail and play a few hands of solitaire. I doubt that I will ever want, need or desire to go beyond those uses. However I have heard that a Mac MINI is hard to upgrade so do not want to be penny wise and pound foolish and not buy the right model to begin with. If I go with the base model do I need to get the upgrade of Ram? I do not do spread sheets, any sort of presentations, don't make movies,or record songs etc. but as I said do write the occasional letter. Do I need to get Iwork? Am retired and want to spend my money the most efficient way possible.:confused:
 
Base Mini is enough for you. I'd upgrade the RAM to at least 2BG because it's only 50$ and easily noticeable
 
I'd even look into a refurb mini (provided you have a monitor). Even the original mini will be more than enough. If you really want a brand new one, just get the cheapest configuration available and upgrade the RAM as Hellhammer said.
 
Don't bother with iwork, either. Neooffice (or, heck, even text edit), which is a free open source office-like suite, will do everything you need.
 
other than possibly a preference for OS X, why even buy a Mac at all? Pick up a small laptop and monitor for basic email and browser functions.
 
xIGmanIx said:
other than possibly a preference for OS X, why even buy a Mac at all? Pick up a small laptop and monitor for basic email and browser functions.
Click to expand...

Probably doesn't want to hassle with all the anti-malware crud on a windows machine.
 
A Mac Mini is more than enough for what you want to do. iWork isn't necessary, but it's a nice program. NeoOffice would work fine. Like Hellhammer and miles said, upgrade the RAM and your good :D.
 
Bought a refurb mac mini $499 base model and added 4gb ram ddr3 from newegg $60 and $200 for a intel ssd x25 gen 2 (after cashback). The SSD is probably overkill for what you are doing (and I'm doing). THe 4gb ram is good though. I'm reusing my lappy's logitech g7 mouse and I have a wireless keyboard, but decided to buy the apple wireless one cause of the small form factor. I had a spare 24" dell screen that I have hooked up using DVI but will probably get another monitor.

And yes the mini is plenty of power for what you are wanting to do. And boy is it quiet!! My next project is to add a quiet external 2tb hdd and get another monitor.
 
Appreciate it

One and All,

Thanks for all of the advice, except maybe the guy who said to buy a PC!! Been there, done that and like they say "Once you go Mac, you can't go back"!!:cool:
 
techound1 said:
Probably doesn't want to hassle with all the anti-malware crud on a windows machine.
Click to expand...

sigh....same old weak arguments on why you should by a $800 headless computer. you could spend $300 and get a tiny pc with cellular service to do exactly what the OP wants, but i guess it HAS to be a MAC.
 
xIGmanIx said:
sigh....same old weak arguments on why you should by a $800 headless computer. you could spend $300 and get a tiny pc with cellular service to do exactly what the OP wants, but i guess it HAS to be a MAC.
Click to expand...

But that's true. No matter what you say, Windows is a lot more vulnerable than OS X
 
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