MacMini or eMac

I was wondering what would be better, a MacMini or an eMac. After working this summer, I'm thinking about buying a Mac, so I can get used to OS X, and when I go to college I'm planning on getting a 15" PowerBook. I'd like to fully understand Tiger before going to college so that I can figure everything out while I'm still home. So...what would you reccomend, the Mini or the eMac.

Well, unless you already have a monitor, you will obviously need to buy one for the Mac Mini, while the eMac you won't. However, the Mac Mini is very portable though and you can easily carry it around and plug it into other monitors. You can get a Mac Mini and a good 17" TFT for about the same price as an eMac so it depends on whether you just want it all in one (eMac), or you would like to buy your own monitor, and also be able to carry your Mac around easily (Mac Mini).

WasabiTaylor said:

I was wondering what would be better, a MacMini or an eMac. After working this summer, I'm thinking about buying a Mac, so I can get used to OS X, and when I go to college I'm planning on getting a 15" PowerBook. I'd like to fully understand Tiger before going to college so that I can figure everything out while I'm still home. So...what would you reccomend, the Mini or the eMac.

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It really depends upon your own preference. Both are good choices. With the mini, you'll need to buy a keyboard, mouse, and monitor unless you currently have them. With the eMac, you'll just open up the box and turn it on, since everything you need is included. The eMac also has a more powerful graphics card with twice the VRAM, so graphics performance will be better on that machine. From a purely performance standpoint, the eMac will have the advantage, but both machines have their pros and cons depending upon what the user is looking for.

Well...I've been to the Apple Store acouple of times, before I ever thought of this idea, and pretty much didn't put anytime into looking at the Mini or eMac. However, when I did take a second to check the eMac out, I thought that the monitor wasn't that good. It kind of made me feel sick looking at it. I really don't know why. I'm thinking I could get an old 17" Studio display off eBay (to keep the Apple theme) and hook that up with the Mini. I would probably want to add another 256 RAM, and I would need an AirPort card in there. What advantages would the better graphics card give me in the eMac? I don't do video editing, and I have a decent Windows PC for the EXTREMELY little amount of gaming that I do.

I love my emac, but of course I love my powerbook alittle more

The emac is great for starting out, and I had no problem with the display. I would recommend it over the mini, but if portable is what you are looking for the emac can be pretty heavy.

I've never been a real fan of the integrated monitor/computer combo that the eMac represents, which is why I currently have a Mac Mini. The current iMac, however, is a completely different matter especially the 20" one. That is slated to be my next Mac.

As others have said the Mac Mini is good if you already have a keyboard mouse and monitor. Neither the Mac Mini nor the eMac is particularly upgradeable or rather they are upgradeable in their own unique ways. I think the eMac is upgradable with more memory than the Mac Mini, but you're stuck with the monitor it comes with. The Mac Mini is limited to a Gig in RAM upgradeability, but you can connect any monitor to it, including the big sexy 20something" monitors. I seem to recall it has problems with the bigger Apple cinema type monitors, but hey it's a cheap Mac so what do you expect?

Either way, you are sacrificing a semblence of upgradeability but getting a fairly cheap entry into the Mac world. You have to ask yourself what is more important to you. And then you have to answer it of course.

I'm thinking I could get an old 17" Studio display off eBay (to keep the Apple theme) and hook that up with the Mini.

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Careful with that, from what I've read those monitors have the ADC (I think that's what its called) and for that you would need to puchase a adapter which can be somewhat costly. The mini is a great little computer, I got mine in Feb for a similar reason as you are... to learn OS X. If it's going to be a temp setup pick up a standard lcd monitor from newegg or buy.com and hook it up to the mini.

The emac is slightly better in the video department, however it won't look nearly as nice as the mini / lcd combo.

I would recomend the mini and then buying an LCD from Dell or another retailer. You'll find that (since you don't game) looking at an LCD is more desierable than a CRT. Plus, you can move the mini from place to place w/ realitive ease.

Performance wise, there won't even be a noticable difference. However, I would recommend a minimum of 512mb of RAM.

I don't really know all that much about monitors. Are there any that you can suggest (at least 17") that wouldn't be all that expensive, and would work with the mini. Thank you for all of your help. (I want the monitor to not be too expensive because I still what to buy some speakers)

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1287343&CatId=0

Pretty cheap dell monitor - definitly not great for gaming but for a cheap temp setup its not that bad.

WasabiTaylor said:

I was wondering what would be better, a MacMini or an eMac. After working this summer, I'm thinking about buying a Mac, so I can get used to OS X, and when I go to college I'm planning on getting a 15" PowerBook. I'd like to fully understand Tiger before going to college so that I can figure everything out while I'm still home. So...what would you reccomend, the Mini or the eMac.

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If you don't care about portability that much, don't have many spare power sockets or are going to play games or watch DVDs a lot then go for the eMac because:

1) It's **** heavy.
2) One socket does all.
3) CRTs are much better than LCDs for moving video/games. Many of the framerate complaints on Mac forums are probably due to the LCD display, I even have a CRT second display on my PowerMac for when I play games as the display is far smoother. (and I am using a Studio display s the main display!)
3a) The eMac sound system is great.
4) The new spec eMac is awesome, I'm absolutely amazed they managed to update just about everything on it! (i.e 9600 GFX, better Sound
, 160G HD, dual layer DVD writer, faster Proc, more Ram)

The Mini with a CRT is also good but has the major failings that you need to add a sound system and there is no built-in Microphone. (this might not sound like much but if you use iChat in audio mode a lot like I do to communicate with my kids it makes a big difference. )

Amen-Moses

I have to go with amen-moses on this. Unless you have some specific reason for getting a mini like already having a monitor to hook up to it, the eMac is a better deal. Although it uses the same CPU as the mini does right now, the eMac has a much faster graphics chip, more vram, and bigger/faster hard drives on it.

lonerider said:

I have to go with amen-moses on this. Unless you have some specific reason for getting a mini like already having a monitor to hook up to it, the eMac is a better deal. Although it uses the same CPU as the mini does right now, the eMac has a much faster graphics chip, more vram, and bigger/faster hard drives on it.

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That sounds about right; if you don't have a monitor/keyboard/mouse, get the eMac. The new update makes them a GREAT deal.

I'm far - far from an Apple expert at this point but heres one way to look at it

1.4ghz Mini - $699
1.4ghz eMac - $799

Both will need a 512MB upgrade - so that a wash

eMac
-uses a CRT - cheaper but not as crisp as a panel
-All in one - so less to hook up and fewer cables lying about
-bigger foot print - heavier - less flexible set up

Mini
-Uses any monitor
- You cound buy a frigging huge +20inch monitor if you wanted with cost not too high
- You can get a nice (and this is impportant) 17" or so flat panel for around $300 if you shop around
- Ability to go to DVI -- see "nice" monitor above for a crisper image

- Very small physical foot print (mini + panel)
- But more cables lying about and you will need to but a USB2 hub or 2 depending on how many devices you have

Bottom line is the Mini will cost more (assuming you don't have a decent monitor or panel) - but offers more flexibility

PC_Puke said:

Bottom line is the Mini will cost more (assuming you don't have a decent monitor or panel) - but offers more flexibility

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The killer for me would be the 9600 64M Gfx compared to 9200 32Mb. That is a huge difference, i.e the eMac will take advantage of the new core technology in Tiger, the Mini won't. The eMac is also user upgradeable Ram & other bits like Wifi card or Bluetooth so you can upgrade those bits later if you need to save money now.

Personally I was looking at the 999 USD version, if you add up the extra RAM bigger HD and double layer DVD racorder it is pretty good value for money.

Amen-Moses

PC_Puke said:

-uses a CRT - cheaper but not as crisp as a panel
- Ability to go to DVI -- see "nice" monitor above for a crisper image

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btw, I'd just comment here that CRT technology is extremely mature whereas TFTs are still developing, modern entry level CRTs are far clearer and brighter than entry level TFTs plus if you need to operate at a variety of resolutions a CRT will give a better all round picture on all resolutions whereas a TFT will be good at one or two resolutions and rubbish at others.

DVI is not that much better at typical low end resolutions than VGA and due to the fact that the eMac GFX is all built in it doesn't really matter anyhow because there are no cables and connectors in the way to affect the signal! (those cylindrical blocks on your old CRT cable are there to reduce the noise picked up by the cable itself, the eMac does not suffer from any noise pick up because the whole display subsystem is housed in a screened unit)

The eMac picture is fantastic, easily as good as my iMac and almost as good as my 17" Studio Display, if anything the piscture is better when viewing DVDs and playing fast games because it is so much brighter to begin with.

Amen-Moses

The eMac has just been upgraded again, great deal & reasonable specs.
More USBs etc, Video in, tray loader DVD/CD, built in speakers & mic in comparison to the Mac mini.
Love my eMac.

I would have to go with the eMac myself, not cause I just got one. I had the mini for a couple of weeks and just found it to slow, and the new deal that they have out for the eMac is just to good, with the duel layer dvd and the 160gig drive. I find it really fast. It's a better buy. If it is truley an intor mac for you then you might like it, but over all found the eMac faster.

torchy said:

The eMac has just been upgraded again, great deal & reasonable specs.
More USBs etc, Video in, tray loader DVD/CD, built in speakers & mic in comparison to the Mac mini.
Love my eMac.

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