Apple's Mac mini - Tempting PC Users Everywhere
by Anand Lal Shimpi on January 25, 2005 7:39 AM EST- Posted in
- Mac
Size Comparisons
The Mac mini does its name justice, it's quite small. Smaller than any Shuttle XPC (although not nearly as powerful), it's really tough to get a feel for how small the mini is until you actually hold one yourself. Holding one, once again, gives you the feeling that you're not holding a computer, but a large iPod or something else. In order to categorize the size of the Mac mini better, here are a handful of comparisons to other objects:
First up, we have a Mac mini vs. an older eMachines tower - at the time, a $399 computer:
Next, there's the Mac mini vs. Apple's 15" PowerBook G4 - note that the two machines have very similar internals, although the PowerBook has more memory and a faster CPU by default:
An overhead shot of the Mac mini vs. an ATI Radeon 9800 SE Mac video card:
The thing is even smaller than what I expected. I thought that I was prepared for its size, given all the pictures that I'd seen, but sticking it next to an iPod mini gives you an idea of how small this thing really is:
If you haven't gotten the point by now, it's small.
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KirinRiotCrash - Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - link
#25, you can check Crucial's website for memory that will be compatible for the Mac mini: http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.asp?Mfr%2BP...Burbot - Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - link
I am interested in a machine for Java programming and some amateur photochopping and recording. This sounds like traditional Mac domain, but lack of connectivity and expansion of Mini makes it a lot less fitting. First of all, it takes one memory stick, and 1GB SODIMM prices are fairly costly. Then I would like to get an external hard drive (sounds pretty reasonable for my needs), external sound card, mouse, keyboard, printer, scanner, hub to connect all USB stuff to one port, patience to deal with USB problems after those hordes of devices begin talking on the same port... see where it is going? Mini might be a neat thing by itself, but as soon as you try to do something serious with it, you get a rat's nest of external boxes and wires.A regular PeeCee SFF box might not be that nice looking, but it will take a couple of disks, a sound card, two memory modules, and will have a quite sufficient number of USB ports (4 rear/2 front is a common combination). So guess which one I will be getting, after all.
Stylex - Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - link
I want to buy one of these, but I don't want to pay apple's ourrageous prices for RAM, what kind of memory should I buy besides apple's? I was unaware that the SPD of the modules would be an issue. Is there any 'safe' non-apple ram for this?lookmark - Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - link
Nice article, very balanced.re hopejr. (#13) -- I imagine the mac mini would be pretty decent for intermediate audio editing, but you'd have to purchase a USB audio adapter like Griffin's iMic (around $40), as the mini has audio line-out only.
Questar - Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - link
#18,The reason why people rudely rant and rave against Macs, or Intel, MS, Etc. is due to their need for validation.
Most people here are AMD PC users. There is a herd mentality, kind of "you're ok, I'm ok". People are looking for the assurances from others that their decisions/prejudices are the "right" ones.
Just look at way people here gang up in Intel. I can just see it now, people will respond to this saying Intel makes crap..etc. But Intel makes fine products, just like Apple. Most people here feel elevated by tearing down someone/something that is not their personal preference, and feel pumped up that others support them.
rivieracadman - Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - link
#12 It would be important to remember that the Dell (or any other cheap PC for that matter) only come with a 30 Day warrenty. Don't get me wrong, I'm a PC guy through and through, but I have had to repair more of those pieces of junk then I can count. Not to mention that the mini is quieter, nicer to look at, and much smaller. I have even considered buying one. It would be great for a support unit. A RAM upgrade is only $70 more, and most people already have a keyboard, mouse monitor, and speakers. If I couldn't build my own systems I would perfer to select what I wanted as well. I hate LCD monitors BTW...On a side note, you have to consider the market as well. My mother in law is very happy with her 400mhz K62, and my mother is very happy with her 1Ghz Athlon. Both running Mandrake Linux. They play games, edit photos from their digital cameras, surf the web, and who knows. Both machines only have 256MB of RAM and 32MB/64MB MX Nvidia Cards. If they ever allow me to upgrade their machines I think I may go with the minis.
ehanneken - Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - link
Hm, make that a, b, c, and d (not a, b, b, and c).ehanneken - Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - link
I bought a Mac Mini for two reasons. First, I was curious about OS X. Second, I was looking for a Unix file server thata) was small
b) was inexpensive
b) consumed little power
c) looked reasonably attractive
The Mac Mini fit those criteria reasonably well. My next best option was a mini-ITX PC, but I gathered from my research that they tend to be noisier and less powerful than the Mac Mini.
brichpmr - Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - link
Excellent article, Anand. My own 1.33 ghz G4 is quite snappy with sufficient ram, so the 512 mb suggestion is right on the money.tinydancer - Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - link
Nice review Anand! Thanks for the objectivity, which is more than I can say for some of your readers. I usually don't respond in these posts, but this I can't avoid. Why people hate on Macs is beyond me. Mac haters were weened to early and have an inferiority complex, which translates into an inability to LET IT GO!. The fact is that Macs are about style and creativity seperate from function. Macs do what they do very well and with reliability. No...Macs are not the fastest, baddest computers on the planet, and who cares--only PC users that have no life except to worry about wether their GPU will handle Doom III. Hardware is hardware, where apple makes up the difference is in the OS and apps. The Mini will fill a void in the market for some wether they have a mouse, monitor or not. But you know what....keep hating. I like being part of the 2% market share, because I don't have to deal with the other 98% of you @$$#0!&$. It really doesn't matter to me if you ever get the point. Enjoy your grey box and your blue screen after it crashes!