Best possible Setup

**Skimask** · 08-01-2009, 04:27 AM

After looking at the macs available to buy I've decided to go with a mac mini. I was wondering what is the best possible setup I can get for it. So far, witha bit of research I'm going to get a 2.26 Intel with everything else stock. I will be getting the keyboard and mouse.

Then I will replace the stock 1GB RAM with 2 OWC 4.0 GB SDRAM

I will then replace the stock 120 GB HDD with a Seagate Momentus 7200.4 500GB HDD

For a monitor I will then buy a Gateway - 22" Widescreen Flat-Panel LCD HD Monitor

Overall this would cost: $1,265

1. Are there any suggestions on making the mac preform any better?
2. If there more upgrades I can add to the mac please post the price
3. If it is possible stay under $2,000

**CrimsonRequiem** · 08-01-2009, 05:24 AM

You probably can pick up the RAM, CPU and Monitor for cheaper at Newegg.

**Skimask** · 08-01-2009, 02:45 PM

Cool. I found a nicer monitor for cheaper and the same HDD for cheaper.

The price is now: $1,217

Not much of a difference but better than nothing.

**pigoo3** · 08-01-2009, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by Skimask

Overall this would cost: $1,265

1. Are there any suggestions on making the mac preform any better?
2. If there more upgrades I can add to the mac please post the price
3. If it is possible stay under $2,000

Honestly...unless you have a real obsession with the Mac-mini form factor...for $1265:

- you would be better off buying a 24" iMac.
- or you would be better off buying a new 13" MacBook Pro
- for under $2000 you have a heck of a lot better options than a Mac-Mini!!!

The point of a Mac-mini...is low low cost. You're supposed to already have a keyboard, mouse, and monitor when you buy a Mac-Mini.

Just spelling out some additional options,

- Nick

**Skimask** · 08-02-2009, 03:28 PM

ooOOooo. Thanks , I never really looked at the prices for the iMacs. lol. I might just go with the $1,200 iMac, rather than the mac mini. Instead of under $2,000, I've changed to under $1,500.

Do you guys think I can make this iMac a Gaming Mac for under $1,500. Or will I have to gradually buy the upgrades?

**pigoo3** · 08-02-2009, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by Skimask

ooOOooo. Thanks , I never really looked at the prices for the iMacs. lol. I might just go with the $1,200 iMac, rather than the mac mini. Instead of under $2,000, I've changed to under $1,500.

Do you guys think I can make this iMac a Gaming Mac for under $1,500. Or will I have to gradually buy the upgrades?

i-Macs are basically NOT upgradable! Yeah you can upgrade the ram, and the hard drive (but it's not easy)...but you cannot upgrade the CPU or the graphics hardware...the two things that really matter when it comes to performance.

So when you buy an iMac...you basically have to buy enough computer for what you need today...and for the foreseeable future (a few years) until you're ready to sell it, and buy a new computer.

On the other hand...new iMac's are very capable computers...and will probably do what you need it to do.

Good luck...pay a bit more attention to how much $$$ you're spending on a computer...you would have made a BIG mistake if you would have bought that Mac Mini "Bundle" you mentioned in your initial post!

- Nick

**dtravis7** · 08-02-2009, 05:57 PM

Upgrading the RAM in a iMac is as easy as can be. It's the hard drive that is a pain to change.

Like was said, the iMac as it sits is a very capable machine.

**Raz0rEdge** · 08-03-2009, 09:05 AM

I got a Mac Mini with the stock 1G and upgraded to 3G of OWC memory. I believe that's the maximum amount of memory you can install on this machine. You MIGHT be able to the 4G, but not sure it'll be fully recognized. To go beyond that, you need a 64-bit CPU..

**Stretch** · 08-03-2009, 05:42 PM

The latest Mac Minis support up to 4GB of RAM.

**Skimask** · 08-03-2009, 09:56 PM

Whats the best mac I can get for gaming at a low price?

**pigoo3** · 08-03-2009, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by Skimask

Whats the best mac I can get for gaming at a low price?

This probably should have been your original question!

I think that the consensus among the serious gamers is that Macintosh computers are not the best "gaming" computer (dollar for dollar compared with Wintel machines).

My personal experience is Mac's can be a decent gaming computer...but that they may have a little trouble with the latest more demanding games.

I'm saying this keeping in mind, that my recommendation for a Macintosh gaming computer at a low price would be one of the 24" iMac's...a 20" iMac would work as well.

Of course if money wasn't a problem...you could get a Mac Pro with a top end video card.

- Nick

**Skimask** · 08-04-2009, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by pigoo3

This probably should have been your original question!

I think that the consensus among the serious gamers is that Macintosh computers are not the best "gaming" computer (dollar for dollar compared with Wintel machines).

My personal experience is Mac's can be a decent gaming computer...but that they may have a little trouble with the latest more demanding games.

I'm saying this keeping in mind, that my recommendation for a Macintosh gaming computer at a low price would be one of the 24" iMac's...a 20" iMac would work as well.

Of course if money wasn't a problem...you could get a Mac Pro with a top end video card.

- Nick

Is 8 GB of RAM neccesary? or will 4 GB do just fine?

**pigoo3** · 08-04-2009, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by Skimask

Is 8 GB of RAM neccesary? or will 4 GB do just fine?

For a lot of games you don't even need 4 gig of ram. If you have specific ram concerns...check out the system requirements for the game or games you're interested in.

- Nick

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