Neowin Forums > Mac mini lasting?

Help - Search - Members - Calendar

Full Version: Mac mini lasting?

Neowin Forums > Macintosh Customization & Support > Mac Hardware Discussion & Help

Daylene

Jan 30 2005, 16:14

Hi everyone,

I need a new pc and am seriously considering buying a mac mini. What I'd like to know, is a few things.

1) Will the mini last a good lot of years? I am thinking of getting upgraded to 1gb of ram when I have the extra cash when I buy it

2)Can I use external hard drives with it?

3) I have a usb mouse, but a keyboard that goes into the ps/2 keyboard slot I believe. Will this work with the mini?

4)Would you recommend buying it?

5) Is there any good sites with lots of info on the mini?

Oh and one more thing, does the mini come with an osx cd so I can reformat if needed?

Thanks

Scraggles

Jan 30 2005, 16:18

I plan on getting a mac mini myself soon. I already have 3 comps though, so I'm debating it. I do believe that the mini will last as long as any 500$ pc would be expected to last. Basically, it's for people like you and I who want a mac, but we don't know if macs are worth 3k. It's a great place to start in my opinion.

I don't know much about macs, but I have heard of people using their own mice and keyboards with em.

www.mac.com has more information.

spcargt

Jan 30 2005, 16:21

There aren't any PS/2 ports, but you could get a PS/2->USB adapter. You can use either USB or FireWire external HD's with it (it's encouraged actually). I'm a switcher and I've never looked back.

punker429

Jan 30 2005, 16:25

1. They should last a long time, I have an Apple LCII from the early 90's that still runs perfectly.

2. OSX has full support for external drivers.

3. You will need a USB keyboard the mini lacks ps/2 ports. I though they should include at least one since many pc users still use ps/2 connectors.

4. I'm going to order one next week. I was waiting to see how they stack up against other computers in the apple line and I'm very impressed.

5. Anandtech Mini Review They did a pretty good review except for comparing it to the Dell.

unspec

Jan 30 2005, 16:33

QUOTE(bulio @ Jan 30 2005, 16:14)

Hi everyone,

I need a new pc and am seriously considering buying a mac mini. What I'd like to know, is a few things.

1) Will the mini last a good lot of years? I am thinking of getting upgraded to 1gb of ram when I have the extra cash when I buy it

It won't get slower. You will have to predict your own useage habbits to answer that question. However, you can upgrade the RAM at a later date either yourself or through an Apple service centre.

QUOTE(bulio @ Jan 30 2005, 16:14)

2)Can I use external hard drives with it?

Yes, both USB2 and Firewire will work.

QUOTE(bulio @ Jan 30 2005, 16:14)

3) I have a usb mouse, but a keyboard that goes into the ps/2 keyboard slot I believe. Will this work with the mini?

The mini has no ps/2 ports. USB mice and keyboards will work fine.

QUOTE(bulio @ Jan 30 2005, 16:14)

4)Would you recommend buying it?

No. I have no idea what you would need it for, or what you are comparing it to. Advice without that information is pointless.

QUOTE(bulio @ Jan 30 2005, 16:14)

5) Is there any good sites with lots of info on the mini?

http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/ubb.x/.../m/679008139631

QUOTE(bulio @ Jan 30 2005, 16:14)

Oh and one more thing, does the mini come with an osx cd so I can reformat if needed?

They supply an install CD, you will be able to re-install with.

ph3412t3h13

Jan 30 2005, 17:18

QUOTE(bulio @ Jan 30 2005, 08:14)

Hi everyone,

I need a new pc and am seriously considering buying a mac mini. What I'd like to know, is a few things.

1) Will the mini last a good lot of years? I am thinking of getting upgraded to 1gb of ram when I have the extra cash when I buy it

2)Can I use external hard drives with it?

3) I have a usb mouse, but a keyboard that goes into the ps/2 keyboard slot I believe. Will this work with the mini?

4)Would you recommend buying it?

5) Is there any good sites with lots of info on the mini?

Oh and one more thing, does the mini come with an osx cd so I can reformat if needed?
[right][snapback]585383677[/snapback][/right]

1) it should

2) u should

3) it should

4) i would

5) there should

u r welcome

gdodson

Jan 30 2005, 17:25

The mac mini will probably "function" for a long time, but it will become obsolete in the next year. It really isn't worth it unless you want a mac, you can build almost twice the pc for the same money. The mini would only be good for typing and internet surfing, that's it.

Rudy

Jan 30 2005, 17:29

QUOTE(bulio @ Jan 30 2005, 08:14)

Hi everyone,

I need a new pc and am seriously considering buying a mac mini. What I'd like to know, is a few things.

1) Will the mini last a good lot of years? I am thinking of getting upgraded to 1gb of ram when I have the extra cash when I buy it

2)Can I use external hard drives with it?

3) I have a usb mouse, but a keyboard that goes into the ps/2 keyboard slot I believe. Will this work with the mini?

4)Would you recommend buying it?

5) Is there any good sites with lots of info on the mini?

Oh and one more thing, does the mini come with an osx cd so I can reformat if needed?

Thanks

[right][snapback]585383677[/snapback][/right]

1) yes
2) yes
3) no, u need a usb keyboard or a usb to ps2 adapter
4) yes
5) yes

Devoto.

Jan 30 2005, 17:31

I'm anxiously awaiting my Mac Mini to be shipped out, should be on or before 4/2/2005 and I can't wait.

If I get on well with Mac OSX, which I think I almost certainly will, I will certainly upgrade to a PowerMac or similar in the future. When I get my Mini my PC will become pretty much defunct, apart from the odd usage of it here and there.

Anyway, I found a decent Mac Mini Forum at http://macminiforums.com/forums/ - it's an interesting read. So check that out.

meamog

Jan 30 2005, 17:35

QUOTE

The mini would only be good for typing and internet surfing, that's it.

B.S.

At school, we recently upgraded our Mac lab to dual-processor G5's, very nice machines indeed. Still, last year, we had 500Mhz G4's. They ran photoshop and illustrator fine, though they could have really used 512 Ram. I use a 800Mhz Powerbook with a gig of ram, and it's a very very capable machine. Macs aren't all about clock speed, the OS is really optimized well for the hardware, so don't listen to the people saying "it's so slooooow, only 1.25 Ghz!" Regardless - as long as you aren't gaming, the Mac mini will most likely be able to do anything you throw at it, at least until OSX Tiger comes out.

gdodson

Jan 30 2005, 17:42

First of all, the mini isn't a dual G5, so why post that? I'm not dumb, I know about the clock speed, but since the only advantages of macs over pc's are the editing software, the mini isn't quite as fast as it should be for that software. So, compared to a regular pc, it's not worth the purchase, unless all you want is a mac to type and surf the net. Plus OSX is a memory hog.

Devoto.

Jan 30 2005, 17:53

QUOTE(So-crates @ Jan 30 2005, 17:42)

First of all, the mini isn't a dual G5, so why post that? I'm not dumb, I know about the clock speed, but since the only advantages of macs over pc's are the editing software, the mini isn't quite as fast as it should be for that software. So, compared to a regular pc, it's not worth the purchase, unless all you want is a mac to type and surf the net. Plus OSX is a memory hog.
[right][snapback]585384185[/snapback][/right]

Man, why post something that doesn't contribute to the thread at all? If it isn't worth saying then don't say it!

The Mac Mini is aimed at switchers, i.e people wanting to get to grips with Mac OSX and not spend too much money. Not for people who want a really powerful computer capable of running really intense applications. Like me for example, all I use the PC for is web surfing, checking my email and using iTunes with my iPod Mini. That's all I will be doing with the Mac Mini so it will suite me down to the ground.

sundayx

Jan 30 2005, 18:02

no. i would recommend buying it but not at this moment in time. wait till tiger. then there will be hardware upgrades. i dont see why so many people are buying it at the moment. i mean, tigers coming in less than half a year.

unspec

Jan 30 2005, 19:07

QUOTE(So-crates @ Jan 30 2005, 17:42)

First of all, the mini isn't a dual G5, so why post that? I'm not dumb, I know about the clock speed, but since the only advantages of macs over pc's are the editing software, the mini isn't quite as fast as it should be for that software. So, compared to a regular pc, it's not worth the purchase, unless all you want is a mac to type and surf the net. Plus OSX is a memory hog.
[right][snapback]585384185[/snapback][/right]

No, you are being dumb.

Did you not read the part about the 500MHz G4s? Or the 800MHz Powerbook?

I guess not.

The mini is fast enough. The PC comparison might mean something when the same software is on XP.

As for being a memory hog, what exactly is the use of free memory?

aldo

Jan 30 2005, 20:01

Agreed.

OSX is a ridiculous memory hog. I was watching the NextStep 3.0 promo video (from 1992). It was running on a 68k (IIRC) 33MHz w/ 4MB RAM.

It was almost exactly the same as OSX is. Apart from the eyecandy, OSX hardly fits into 512MB RAM, and it really hasn't changed much.

XxiNickxX

Jan 30 2005, 20:30

.. Windows trolls are going to get this thread closed, remain on topic.

Yes, the Mini will run tiger fine, and will have a longer lifetime than any PC you'll buy. Don't be misled.

Rudy

Jan 30 2005, 20:45

QUOTE(XxiNickxX @ Jan 30 2005, 12:30)

.. Windows trolls are going to get this thread closed, remain on topic.

Yes, the Mini will run tiger fine, and will have a longer lifetime than any PC you'll buy. Don't be misled.
[right][snapback]585384919[/snapback][/right]

macman87

Jan 31 2005, 06:14

QUOTE(So-crates @ Jan 31 2005, 03:25)

The mac mini will probably "function" for a long time, but it will become obsolete in the next year. It really isn't worth it unless you want a mac, you can build almost twice the pc for the same money. The mini would only be good for typing and internet surfing, that's it.
[right][snapback]585384111[/snapback][/right]

Yes, everyone can build PCs. Hold on, can you build one as small as the mini with the same price?? and the mini is only good for "typing" (word processing), surfing the net, and running iLife. And thats all it needs to be good at. Heck, that will satisfy me for quiet a while I think.

fuzzy_logic

Jan 31 2005, 07:46

How long the Mac mini can last, in my opinion, hardly has anything to do with the hardware. It really depends on the OS and other software. If you are content with running DOS, a machine from 1995 will probably last you quite long.
From past trend, it seems like every new version of Mac OS runs faster than the its predecessor on the same machine. Take Tiger, for example, is reportedly faster than Panther on the same machine. If this trend continues (of course it will not go on forever), you'll probably be happy with your Mac mini for quite a while... It's your call!

This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.

Invision Power Board © 2001-2009 Invision Power Services, Inc.