Buying my first MAC

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I'm torn between which I should get:

Mac Mini: If I get this I'll definately be upgrading it to 2GB, a 7200rpm drive and a T7200 Core2Duo processor. I'll not do it all at once, it'll be gradual over about a year but if costs hold at the level they're at now it'll total $1125(including the cost of the mini itself). The thing I LIKE about the mini is the small size.

The other option is to bite the bullet and drop $1099 now on an iMAC with the Core2Duo and 7200rpm drive, monitor, keyboard and mouse already included. The only thing I DON'T like about this option is the built in monitor so if it ever gets stuck pixels or goes out then the whole machine is down until it is fixed even if it's worth it to fix.

Any suggestions or other pros and cons I'm missing?
 
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I don't think Core2Duos work in the Mac Mini, only CoreDuos.

But, yea, I got the Mac Mini. I'm getting a 37" monitor, though, so the built in monitor of the iMac would have been of no use to me.
 
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the Core2Duos work fine as long at their Meroms, denoted with T5xxx or T7xxx
 
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What will you be using for a monitor with the mini? If you are going to get something in the 17" to 24" range then it seems that paying for the mini given that you plan to upgrade some components to components already offered on the iMac doesn't make a lot of sense. I suppose a problem with the LCD display is possible, but how likely is it? I haven't seen any hard numbers for the failure rates of LCDs, but it seems that it isn't that high. Most reputable things I've read seem to indicate that most LCD failures are the DOA type.
 
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currently I'm going to share it via a switch with the 15" CRT I'm using with my PC, but I'm eventually going to get a 17" or 19" Widescreen.
 
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Well, I bought the Mini. Has been great. Very pleased. Working on getting bootcamp going.
 
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You're gonna try and change the processor in the mini? Good luck. Really, you'll need it.
 
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yogi said:
You're gonna try and change the processor in the mini? Good luck. Really, you'll need it.

Typical fraidy cat Mac user. Changing a processor is simple in ANY machine and the only part even remotely challenging about the mini is the case. Once you've seen the "wire technique" demonstrated a couple of times though it is just as easy as anything else. Why pay somebody to do something that I've been doing for 15 years? The biggest thing I've noticed since buying a Mac is how unknowledeable Mac users are and how downright scared they are to do anything to their machines that may "void the warranty" GASP!!!!! I find it laughable. My pal Fugger over over at Extreme Systems has disassembled and reconfigurated MANY minis. His is currently running a Core2Duo Merom with a 7200rpm Hard Drive and a Superdrive. It was originally a Core Solo with the CDRW in it. Soon, mine will be too. I'm just wiating to see what the news and release date on the Core2Quadro will be :spook:
 
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That's exciting news about the Core2Duos, I really thought they wouldn't work.

I recently got a 1.66Ghz CoreDuo Mini and am looking to upgrade, so I'll definitely have a look at the Core2Duo. What clock rate is "Fugger" running and where did he buy his processor?

Got a link to the "wire" technique video/tutorial? I've seen the "putty knife" technique and it didn't look too hard, but the user who did the tutorial scratched up his case pretty badly.
 
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