Should I buy a Mac Mini?

[msjones]

Is it worth buying a mac mini for what I use the computer for?

I currently have a 2.1 MacBook 4GB RAM 250GB HDD. I mainly download from newsgroups, burn DVDS and encode AVI to DVD using VisualHUB. I also have a large music & photo library on an external 1TB drive.

How would a MacMini cope with the AVI encoding? Would it be worth getting one to use at home or should I save my money and keep with my macbook and get an external monitor an iCurve stand, mighty mouse & keyboard?

Thanks for any input!

Edit: I would still keep my macbook as i use this daily at work etc.

 

[JAWWC]

I've just bought a mini and it copes with mp4 encoding brilliantly and I would think it would do everything else you wanted.
But because of the fact you would have to buy a monitor, keyboard and mouse anyway I would just save your money and use your MacBook hooked up to them.

 

[msjones]

hi jawwc

If i got a mini I would hook it up to the LG Monitor/TV i have on my desk in my room which has the xbox connected also. But if I was to keep the MacBook I would go for the apple cinema display.... because you have too

I use my macbook all day at work, and its on most of the night so I just thought a mini might help balance the strain.

 

[4fingered]

why do you have to get a cinima desplay? if I'm not mistaken if you're TV has a VGA or DVI input then you could just buy a mini DVI > VGA or DVI cord

http://store.apple.com/ca/product/M9320G/A?fnode=MTY1NDA3Ng&mco=Mjc2MTc

or

http://store.apple.com/ca/product/M9321G/B?fnode=MTY1NDA3Ng&mco=MTUzNTQ

my room mate has her macbook hooked up to her 20"HDTV in her room.

 

[bigjnyc]

why not just get a display and hook up your notebook when youre home? that way you dont have to maintain and sync two computers. your macbook has more power than the mini so just keep that and get a nice display, mouse and keyboard.

 

[ADent]

That is a 2.1GHz C2D in the original post?

If so that is faster than any mini sold and probably very similar in performance to the 2.0 mini. They have the same video outputs (24" aka 1900x1200 max), etc.

The mini is really last years MacBook in a desktop case - minus the built in LCD screen, keyboard, and trackpad of course.

 

[Mr. Giver '94]

I used to have one and it is a great little machine, but I'd hesitate on buying one at this time because it is long overdue for an upgrade/change. If it has what you want, go for it, but if you can wait, then do so. Hope this helps!

 

[Mr. Giver '94]

why not just get a display and hook up your notebook when youre home? that way you dont have to maintain and sync two computers. your macbook has more power than the mini so just keep that and get a nice display, mouse and keyboard.

That's probably what I'd do if I had a notebook as well.

 

[Lord Zedd]

Is it worth buying a mac mini for what I use the computer for?

Nobody should buy a Mini right now. The ones being sold now are old, outdated pieces of junk. Wait until they are updated or killed.

 

[ADent]

The ones being sold now are old, outdated pieces of junk. Wait until they are updated or killed.

Says a man driving a G4 and G5.

The current minis are good machines and 90% as fast as the current low end MacBooks.

Yes they are due for an update, but they are still pretty good machines.

 

[Lord Zedd]

Absolutely incorrect on 2 of 3 points.

1: The mini is NOT a good machine. It has integrated Intel graphics, that alone gives it the POS status. From Apple directly:

2: Its 90% as fast as the low end macbook because it uses previous generation technology.
3: They are 14 months old. Apple usually updates the mini and imac line around 200 days, the Mini is lagging a generation behind.

Says a man driving a G4 and G5.

Yes, I'd much rather have the best PPC Apple ever produced than an old intel Mini.

The Mini is the worst computer anyone could possibly buy right now.

 

[colourclassic]

Yes, I'd much rather have the best PPC Apple ever produced than an old intel Mini.

The Mini is the worst computer anyone could possibly buy right now.

That's a pretty stupid mentality when you consider that even the current low end Mini will trounce most high end PPC macs.

In addition consider that most software devs now only write for x86, making your PPC computers even further redundant.

 

[Lord Zedd]

That's a pretty intelligent (corrected for you) mentality when you consider that even the current low end Mini will trounce most high end PPC macs.

Thats just a pretty stupid thing to say considering a G5 can walk all over even the most "powerful" mini when it comes to graphical work.

In addition consider that most software devs now only write for x86

In other words, they are lazy bastards since x86 is an extremely antiquated and limited system that should have been abandoned years ago.

The Mini is the worst value in Apple's lineup.

 

[msjones]

thanks for all the input. My new setup as of 15 mins ago is:

MacBook 2.1GHZ - 4GB - 250GB HDD
Griffin Elevator
20" LCD
2x1TB External HD
Apple wired keyboard and wireless mighty mouse
External DVDRW

So I have bought a new monitor, a stand and another external 1TB (You can never have enough storage). The local apple store loves me

Was cheaper than an iMac. And I didnt go for a cinema display, got one on sale in local tesco.

 

[4fingered]

still don't see why you didn't hook up to you're existing monitor. but hey congrats on the set up, sounds nice

 

[Cave Man]

Nobody should buy a Mini right now. The ones being sold now are old, outdated pieces of junk. Wait until they are updated or killed.

A bit dated? Yeah, maybe. Junk? Not for the majority of users for which it is targeted.

1: The mini is NOT a good machine. It has integrated Intel graphics, that alone gives it the POS status.

Then I guess you think the MacBook is also a POS, too.

2: Its 90% as fast as the low end macbook because it uses previous generation technology.

And for most typical use it's completely fine.

The Mini is the worst computer anyone could possibly buy right now.

Now that depends on what your intended purpose for the computer is.

 

[msjones]

still don't see why you didn't hook up to you're existing monitor. but hey congrats on the set up, sounds nice

Got the monitor because the one i have is also a tv so i moved it back over to the bottom of the bed with the freeview box and dvd player.

The setup is fine. It will do till the mini is updated or swapped out for a consumer tower...... any news on this happening?

 

[Lord Zedd]

Then I guess you think the MacBook is also a POS, too.

Indeed.

 

[iGrant]

Indeed.

I have loved the PPC architecture for years. I was a big fan of the G4 when it came out and was amazed at the speed of that machine. I still have my G4 450Mhz Cube. Amazing computer in its day.

I also have a Power Mac Dual 1.8Ghz G5 and a G4 Mac Mini that both run flawlessly.

However I also have a Revision A Macbook with a Core Duo 2.0Ghz that will out run my Power Mac Dual G5 all day long. I also now have a Mac Mini Core Solo that I have being using along side my G4 Mac Mini, and its darn near triple the speed on everthing minus video, the G4 has a dedicated video where as the Intel doesn't.

I personally still wish that Apple had stayed with the PPC architecture, hahah we would have Power Mac G6 right now that would be clocked at 6Ghz with multiple cores!!! I'm not joking look at IBM's Power6 cpu.

However that being said, I love how inexpensive the Intel Macs are and how easy they are to upgrade. You can not even upgrade the G4 Mac Mini or the Power Mac G5s period.

My Mac Mini Core Solo 1.5Ghz is getting an upgrade next week. I just bought a Intel Core Duo 1.66Ghz T2300 on eBay with shipping for 37 bucks. I have done a number of Newer Technology and my personal favorite Sonnet Tech CPU upgrades for the G4 Power Macs. I miss my G4 Digital Audio that I upgraded to a 1.6Ghz Sonnet CPU, that computer was a tank. However I spent 400 bucks on the cpu.

PPC is a nice architecture for sure, but Intel was a good decision on Apples part. They are faster, use less power and are cheaper to upgrade. I will always love my PPC Macs, but they can not touch my Intel Macs in performance for the price.

-iGrant

 

[Lord Zedd]

and its darn near triple the speed on everything minus video

Thats the key phrase of that whole thing and exactly why the Mini and Macbook are junk.

Integrated graphics has its place in the computing world just not in Macs, especially for their price. If the Mini was $400 and the Macbook was $700 IG would be reasonable, but not $600/$1100.

 

[iGrant]

Thats the key phrase of that whole thing and exactly why the Mini and Macbook are junk.

Integrated graphics has its place in the computing world just not in Macs, especially for their price. If the Mini was $400 and the Macbook was $700 IG would be reasonable, but not $600/$1100.

Lord Zedd, not to point out the obvious, but the Macbook and the Mac Mini are not for people that do graphics design that need dedicated video, that is what the Pro series of Macs are for, these Macs are for the other users that just surf the web, listen to music, watch movies, and want to have fun.

-iGrant

 

[Turmoil]

Mac Mini=nice little computer

The mini is a nice little computer. I bought one of the 1st models when they came out and also have a newer Intel based Mini - I use it mostly as a media station, together w/ eye tv it streams my tv, movies videos, music, etc. I've been very pleased with the quality and value. I use the older mini for word proccessing and light office graphics. The fella that says they are "junk" simply does not know what he's talking about.

 

[Lord Zedd]

Mac Mini=Old, overpriced, JUNK

these Macs are for the other users that just surf the web, listen to music, watch movies, and want to have fun

No duh, fun includes games. With Snow Leopard the graphics processor will play an more important role in everyday use and the performance gap will be even bigger. Those machines with an actual graphics GPU will have a huge edge over those crippled with IG.

I like the mini, I bought the Revision B 1.42 G4 Mini when they updated it and I overclocked it to 1.5GHz. That was the first Mac I ever bought brand new and I would do it again.

If they had stuck with PPC we would also still be stuck with single, maybe dual, core G4 Powerbooks too. Lets face it, a G5 Powerbook was never possible because of heat issues and a G6 wouldn't have been any easier or cheaper.

The fella that says they are "junk" simply does not know what he's talking about.

Clearly you have an expensive TV, which is an even more crippled piece of junk IF it was to be used as an actual computer. However, it does the media center job it was designed to do very well since its a low stress application that does not rely on a GPU to do much work. Looks like you made a very poor choice on what to buy.

 

[opeter]

To the OP, if you need a Mac mini, right now, and you can get a good price for a refurbished modell, i would buy it.

But maybe, maybe it is better, you wait 2 more weeks and see if the Mac mini gets any speed bump, update or if they cancel it...

 

[Cave Man]

However I also have a Revision A Macbook with a Core Duo 2.0Ghz that will out run my Power Mac Dual G5 all day long. I also now have a Mac Mini Core Solo that I have being using along side my G4 Mac Mini, and its darn near triple the speed on everthing minus video, the G4 has a dedicated video where as the Intel doesn't.

Thats the key phrase of that whole thing and exactly why the Mini and Macbook are junk.

Simply isn't true. The Core Solo mini smoked the G4 Mini's 9200 gpu in every bench mark. All Intel Minis are better at video than any of the G4 Minis.

Integrated graphics has its place in the computing world just not in Macs, especially for their price. If the Mini was $400 and the Macbook was $700 IG would be reasonable, but not $600/$1100.

As long as you're not doing gpu-intensive tasks requiring the use of vertex shaders or multiple cores (e.g., intense 3D games, Aperture, Pixelmator), then a current Mini is a very good machine, especially for its price. While we all hope for improvements (x4500HD, HDMI or better, 8 gb RAM, 3 gbps SATA, 802.11n), it's still an excellent value for performance.