Should i get a Mac Mini?

MagicBoy · 12 Nov 2010 at 17:34

As you seem to be unable to comprehend I'll summarise it for you.

My points are :
1) that the Mac mini is not a complete computer, unlike the other Apple desktops. Add the proper Apple peripherals and it's adds £78 to the £599 basic price.
2) For the person with £599 in their pocket the Mac mini is not competing against the iPhone 4 or iPad.
3) It's overpriced at £599

I completely understand the Mac mini. I'm using mine to write this now, and support them for a living.

None of this stops it being poor value for money.

Capice?

Faustus · 12 Nov 2010 at 23:31

MagicBoy said:
As you seem to be unable to comprehend I'll summarise it for you.

My points are :
1) that the Mac mini is not a complete computer, unlike the other Apple desktops. Add the proper Apple peripherals and it's adds £78 to the £599 basic price.
2) For the person with £599 in their pocket the Mac mini is not competing against the iPhone 4 or iPad.
3) It's overpriced at £599

I completely understand the Mac mini. I'm using mine to write this now, and support them for a living.

None of this stops it being poor value for money.

Capice?

No I understand completely - I just don't agree.

The idea of the Mini is that it is a BYOKDAM - you already own the peripherals so to add them as you suggest is just plain wrong.

Why do you say it isn't competing against an iPad - is an iPad not a computer too?

I'm not convinced the fact you support them for a living adds weight to your argument anymore than me saying I eat three square meals a day furthers the argument in my favour either.

Irish_Tom · 13 Nov 2010 at 10:47

Biz.Kid09 said:
Lian Li QO1 i think its called.

While agree that Lian Li cases are the most stylish option for a PC build, they don't compare to Mac design/materials/build quality.

My last PC used a Lian Li case so I have some experience. They are flimsy boxes which suffer from all of the failings of a PC case.

It's all down to opinion so we'll just end up going around in ciricles but I'll reiterate; I've never found a PC case which is as good as a Mac.

Biz.Kid09 · 13 Nov 2010 at 11:25

Panzerbjorn said:
While agree that Lian Li cases are the most stylish option for a PC build, they don't compare to Mac design/materials/build quality.

My last PC used a Lian Li case so I have some experience. They are flimsy boxes which suffer from all of the failings of a PC case.

It's all down to opinion so we'll just end up going around in ciricles but I'll reiterate; I've never found a PC case which is as good as a Mac.

Well for the money i am saving and for the much better pc i am getting then i am not worried if the case isn't fantastic.

Faustus · 14 Nov 2010 at 23:37

Biz.Kid09 said:
Well for the money i am saving and for the much better pc i am getting then i am not worried if the case isn't fantastic.

Does the fact that one car can go faster than another necessarily make it better?

Biz.Kid09 · 15 Nov 2010 at 18:23

Faustus said:
Does the fact that one car can go faster than another necessarily make it better?

No it doesnt, But if i can get a pc thats quicker whilst not looking that much worse then i would be mad to get a Mini.
I have no specific need for a Mac Mini and after doing more research and a few opinions on here it is really over priced for what it is.

Faustus · 15 Nov 2010 at 22:02

Biz.Kid09 said:
No it doesnt, But if i can get a pc thats quicker whilst not looking that much worse then i would be mad to get a Mini.
I have no specific need for a Mac Mini and after doing more research and a few opinions on here it is really over priced for what it is.

That is of course your prerogative. Personally after researching this product for quite some time I think the Mini price point is just about right if not under priced since the price re-alignment

whitecrook · 15 Nov 2010 at 22:23

~J~ said:
I/we got MacMinis about a month ago for development. Have to say I've always been an anti-Mac person (in a fun fanboy way, just think they are very overpriced).

I'm using it more and more each day, and am seriously considering saving for a MBP for my own personal use.

If you're just using it from Photoshop then don't really see the point, but if you're wanting something to 'test the waters' with a Mac then personally I think it's a great piece of kit. Very small footprint, immensely reliable.

I'm very 'nearly' converted to be honest!

Too many people get caught up in specs and comparing the figures when it comes to apple vs PC. As you have found, there's more to a Mac than just 'how fast it is' which lets face it, most computers for most people are fast enough these days. You can always get a more powerful mac than a mini if you need the power.

Somnambulist · 16 Nov 2010 at 10:21

I said £599 was a bit too much for me.... turns out £499 twisted my arm. Yay for the refurb store! Someone told me they add stuff at silly hours of the morning and it gets snapped up real quick once people are awake to check. Turns out they weren't joking.

Biz.Kid09 · 16 Nov 2010 at 20:08

Faustus said:
That is of course your prerogative. Personally after researching this product for quite some time I think the Mini price point is just about right if not under priced since the price re-alignment

How is it under priced?

MagicBoy · 16 Nov 2010 at 20:09

Don't feed the troll

craptakular · 16 Nov 2010 at 20:09

Somnambulist said:
I said £599 was a bit too much for me.... turns out £499 twisted my arm. Yay for the refurb store! Someone told me they add stuff at silly hours of the morning and it gets snapped up real quick once people are awake to check. Turns out they weren't joking.

it's only £40 less than a new one with HE discount

VaderDSL · 16 Nov 2010 at 20:10

I love my Mac mini, my PC was a decent spec, but I no longer play games and so prefer the Mini.
I've been able to ditch my tower, stick some drawers under my desk and put the mac mini on it tucked away

I had a monitor/keyboard mouse etc (ended up buying the magic mouse and wireless keyboard) so as much as I wanted an imac I really didn't need the power.

Biz.Kid09 · 16 Nov 2010 at 20:10

MagicBoy said:
Don't feed the troll

Him the troll or me?
Just had a look on Apple Refurbs and i was shocked by the prices? I suppose the same specced laptop etc is more but i just expected them cheaper seeing as there refurb

MagicBoy · 16 Nov 2010 at 20:11

Biz.Kid09 said:
Him the troll or me?

Not you fella. You are the OP!

Biz.Kid09 · 16 Nov 2010 at 20:15

MagicBoy said:
Not you fella. You are the OP!

I am

Faustus · 16 Nov 2010 at 20:30

Biz.Kid09 said:
How is it under priced?

Well I could respond, however, MagicBoy has appointed himself as moderator of this thread and deemed I shouldn't respond so there it is.

Biz.Kid09 · 16 Nov 2010 at 20:32

Faustus said:
Well I could respond, however, MagicBoy has appointed himself as moderator of this thread and deemed I shouldn't respond so there it is.

Well i would like you to...Well he isn't a mod :confused:

whitecrook · 16 Nov 2010 at 21:04

Faustus said:
Well I could respond, however, MagicBoy has appointed himself as moderator of this thread and deemed I shouldn't respond so there it is.

Don't throw all your toys out the pram.

anyway...

As said above it's very easy to look at the mini hardware specs and buy/build a 'better' PC for less than half the cost. But that misses part of the point of he mini. The clue being in the name.

1. Mini
Sure there are mini PC systems, try the revo and the small dells etc. But really, there is practically no comparison there. You just can't get a SFF PC, with a case and a design as good as the Mini, for a PC.

2. Mac OSX
You can't get this on a PC. (inb4hackintosh)

Faustus · 16 Nov 2010 at 22:52

Biz.Kid09 said:
Well i would like you to...Well he isn't a mod

It's just so versatile, that alone makes it a valuable commodity. It can easily double as a HTPC, a Desktop, a server, it's very portable and the design and build quality are second to none. Personally though I wouldn't go with the OS X bit as being a must have plus as I think W7 does just as good a job these days.