03-11-2009, 02:41 PM

I was pretty set to get the new mini, but a friend is offering me:

17" iMac
2.0GHz Core 2 Duo
1GB RAM
160GB HD
SuperDrive
MightyMouse
Tiger/iLife

for $550...

The screen sounds small to me.. And it won't have the NVIDIA chipset or DDR3 RAM...

Things I will use it for:

- VM's to Windows XP and Ubuntu
- Playing open source games like Cube 2 and others that run fine on older hardware
- edit video and photos with iLife

Any comments??

Thanks!

03-11-2009, 03:25 PM

Do you already have a monitor/keyboard/mouse? They are going to be similar. Either way I would double the memory for sure. Go take a look at the iMac and see if it is too small. I know it would be for me.

03-11-2009, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by tom719co

I was pretty set to get the new mini, but a friend is offering me:

17" iMac
2.0GHz Core 2 Duo
1GB RAM
160GB HD
SuperDrive
MightyMouse
Tiger/iLife

for $550...

The screen sounds small to me.. And it won't have the NVIDIA chipset or DDR3 RAM...

My vote is to skip it...why?:

- screen is too small

For a couple hundred more you can get a used:

- 2.4 ghz, 20" Aluminum iMac, with the better graphics hardware

The Aluminum iMacs are MUCH nicer than the older white plastic!!!

Just my humble opinion,

- Nick

03-11-2009, 04:41 PM

mdfuller:

I already have keyboard/mouse/monitor. I am used to and still have a 19" CRT... But was thinking of getting a 22" LCD from tigerdirect as they are pretty cheap, if I got the Mac mini..

pigoo3:

Thanks for your comments.. Yeah I'm really concerned about the screen being too small.. At work I have a 22" LCD Widescreen and it's perfect..

Thanks!

03-11-2009, 04:52 PM

I agree with Nick. Get the Mac Mini and a new big LCD or get an Aluminum iMac (new or used). After thinking about it, I would skip the 17" without a doubt.

03-11-2009, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by tom719co

mdfuller:

I already have keyboard/mouse/monitor. I am used to and still have a 19" CRT... But was thinking of getting a 22" LCD from tigerdirect as they are pretty cheap, if I got the Mac mini..

pigoo3:

Thanks for your comments.. Yeah I'm really concerned about the screen being too small.. At work I have a 22" LCD Widescreen and it's perfect..

Thanks!

If it's of any additional value...I normally use a 22" monitor (1600 x 1050 resolution) with my G4 Apple desktop. A while ago I bought a 2.4 ghz Aluminum iMac (20" monitor, 1600 x 1050 resolution).

I got a REALLY good price on it that I couldn't refuse, and thought that I could live with the 20" monitor...but to be honest, I still found the 20" iMac monitor to be too small (so I sold it). So a 17" monitor would be really small...and with the price's of 22" & 24" monitors these days, there's no need to settle for such a small monitor.

As I'm sure you know, with an iMac...you're stuck with the monitor you get with the iMac! Yeah you can hook up a 2nd monitor...but then doesn't that sort of defeat the purpose of the "All-In-One" iMac!

Hang on a little longer for an Aluminum iMac with a bigger monitor, or get a newer mac-mini.

- Nick

03-11-2009, 06:17 PM

For what it is worth, remember iMacs and Minis are pretty limited regarding upgrades, particularly relating to graphic cards.

In your position would be looking at a Mac Pro Intel machine as towers are able to be continually upgraded as technology improves, use real sized HDD and graphic cards can be upgraded.