used mac buying advice

funguST

funguST

funguST

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18 Sep 2008
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Hey,

Thinking of buying a cheap used mac to try out the os (only ever used pc's with windows and ubuntu).

Should i be looking at a mac mini (what kind of spec and price should i be looking at, could i use it as a day to day machine <browsing, movies, maybe garage band>). Would i be better off getting an imac. I don't intend to be gaming on it.

Sorry about being quite vague, i really don't know a lot about mac os.
 
Well a used mini probably will be the cheapest option.

Essential that it is an Intel based machine though! Also preferable it is at least one of the newer core2 duo machines (aiming for one with the 9400m graphics card is the simplest way to ensure this).

The older ones than that will just seem a bit slower, won't have as much ram, as big a hard drive and won't be a fair representation of the whole experience.

Getting an old iMac could also be a good idea, but similar rules apply that core 2 duo is really the minimum (and prices will be higher for the screen being attached)
 
Thanks for the reply, i'll get on various auction sites and see what i can find. Spend as little as possible is what i am after.
 
Personally I would go for a iMac with a C2D chip, not sure of your current funds. Although what would decide me between both is the cracking deal you end up coming across for either!

Still quite expensive but have you checked the Apple Refurbished machines, still quite a price but your getting a year warrenty, basically a new machine and top specs for a discounted price.
 
Hi,

Idealy i want to be spending as little as possible, i will try and use it as my main machine but will most likely use it as a 2nd machine. I've seen a 3,1 mac mini (assuming 3rd gen??), woth a p7350, 120gb h/d with the 9400m for under £300, trying to obtain a more detailed spec list (its from one of these "sell your electronic junk" shops/sites).

I'd love an imac but between £250-£300 would really be my budget at the moment, if i was replacing my desktop completely then i'd look at spending more.
 
I have a 2010 Mac Mini, 2.53ghz C2D/4Gb/500Gb WD Black/9400M.

It's a brilliant day to day machine :) especially so with the 7200rpm drive. Does everything brilliantly.

I can even bootcamp and play Civ 5 in Windows 7, albeit with everything on low :D it chugs along but it's not too bad.

If you can get hold of one of those for cheap you'll be set.
 
The machine I tend to use the most is an early 2009 Mac Mini (2.0ghz C2D,4GB,120GB) as for day to day tasks it is still perfectly fine, (e.g. web, docs, Plex). I wouldn't want to game on it but as a general use machine it's still absolutely fine.
 
koolpc said:
Do you guys find a Mac quicker than a PC?
Click to expand...

In my experience OS X runs faster than Windows on the same hardware. Although that said you could buy a PC with faster hardware for the same price as a Mac which balances things out.

p.s. their are some odd cases though, e.g. the source engine runs much faster under Windows than OS X on the same hardware, but generally speaking OS X is faster.
 
Looking at a 2010 Apple Mac Mini, Intel Core 2 Duo, 2 GB, 320 GB, GeForce 320M for £400, comes boxed, with disks. It even has applecare left (albeit 1 month). Does that price sound ok? £129 cheaper than buying a brand new one anyway. You think i'd notice too much of a difference between that 2010 and the base i5 2011 (might do some video editing etc but nothing too resource hogging).
 
For £120 extra I'd be tempted by a brand new one. That way it'd not only be faster but come with a warranty. I paid £430 for my iMac and it came with a mouse and keyboard so that's something you might want to consider too.
 
I seem to struggle to find the bargains some of you guys get ;) Will keep an eye out, looking at getting something over the weekend (after pay day)
 
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Also out of interest what do you mean by 1,1 seen that (2,1 and 3,1 etc) in descriptions quite a lot. No idea what that refers to.
 
They are revision numbers. So my Mac Pro 1,1 is the first generation of Mac Pro, and is also the first revision of that generation. My late 2007 MacBook is a 2,1.

As for the bargain, look to buy directly off companies that are making room for newer kit. They will likely sell for the apple reuse/recycle pricing. http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/reuse_and_recycle
 
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Nope, just offered a company that works in the same building as us £10 more than the official Apple Reuse/Recycle price.

I have spent a bit modding it, £62 on two quad-core Xeons, £50 on a Radeon 5770, and £18 for the bluwtooth board. I've also scrounged 12GB of RAM for it.

This is all in the last week, including buying the thing in the first place!
 
Ah damn.. just coincidence that you found out then..thought there might have been a forum for checking out stuff like that. Must be something around *Googles*
 
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