iMac or Mac mini

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I was really thinking of buying an iMac G5 as my entry ticket to the mac world. But then the Keynote came... and the mac mini with it. Now I am reconsidering, because the price is really great.

I'm planning to buy a 1.42 GHz mac with a superdrive and 512 MB RAM, Airport, and Bluetooth, with a Keyboard and Mouse. instead of a iMac G5 20" of the same specs, except that it has a G5 1.8 and 64 MB of Dedicated Graphics Memory instead of 32.

And of course, the display...

Now that would cost me 3029 CHF as opposed to a fully equipped mac mini that costs me just 1396 CHF.

But I've named the compromise already, for a *mere* 2600 CHF more I'll get a cool processor and a Display.

Thing is, I have a 17" already.

Now I am a youngster who loves to surf, listen to music and watch videos... I love my Camera and want to make DVD's. In other words, I will be using iLife 80% of the time, the rest is school Work and Gaming. About Gaming: Most games tell me mac mini has more than enough to run them, I will be playing once in a while.. games like The Incredibles, Warcraft and so on... Do you think the Mac mini is a good option for a small-time gamer? I have an XBOX, and that's where a ply most of the time, but apart from this mac being affordable, is it a decent long-term solutin for home-use?

I just don't want any of my iLife to lag behind... and I don't want to buy 1GB of Ram (yet). I moght be running like iTunes, MSN, Firefox (or Safari, I'll have to see it first) and aMule at the same time... will the system die on me?

Thanks for the replies.
 
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Your Mac's Specs
MacBook | 1.83ghz | 2gb ram
How much video editing do you plan on doing?

Not a lot = Mac Mini.

A lot = iMac.
 
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a home video once in a while... I moght need to whack a Video File on a DVD once in while... But do effects rendering in iMovie take very long on a mac mini?

ONE MORE THING: what can I do if I want to hook up my guitar to the mac mini? it doesn't have a audio in... :confused:
 
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ksun

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yogi said:
a home video once in a while... I moght need to whack a Video File on a DVD once in while... But do effects rendering in iMovie take very long on a mac mini?

ONE MORE THING: what can I do if I want to hook up my guitar to the mac mini? it doesn't have a audio in... :confused:

The rumors are that Apple will be producing a breakout box for connecting instruments codenamed asteroid. My guess is that it would connect with firewire or usb2. Could be an option for you.
 
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If you like the look of the iMac, then you should go for that. Morepwoerful... G5, it will aslt longer, will work with alot mroe in tiger. Comes with a ncie LCD. You could use ur other 17" as a second monitor...
 
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Mac Pro 8x3.0ghz 12gb ram 8800GT , MBP 2.16 2GB Ram 17 inch.
If it was me, I would go with the imac, powermac, or powerbook. So in your case, the imac all the way.
 
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My advice would be go for the iMac G5. I know it is quite a bit more, but you get quite a lot more too. It will go with you for quite a while with very little upgrading...you will want to upgrade the ram somewhat, but other than that, it's all there. The mini, even though it is a nice machine and cheap and can hold its own with other "cheap" machines, is still a low end machine and can only be "upgraded so far.

The iMac G5, especially the one with the 20" screen is a work of art. It looks beautiful setting there on the desk, especially when you put a wireless keyboard and mouse with it and a nice "powered" sound system with it. By upgrading the ram to a gig you then have a machine that will go all the way through college with you without a whimper doing everything you want to do. Well worth the investment, and that is what the purchase of a computer should be, an investment.
 
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flyingpostman

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The problem that I was having is, I want to try this mac thing out. So I see this nice 20" lcd monitor with a computer attached to it, called an iMac. By the time I up the RAM add a couple little features, it becomes a really expensive monitor with a computer attached that will go obsolete real soon (64 meg graphics, 1.8 G5, don't argue in a year or two it will suck even harder). Hmm. So naturally I tried to separate the nice 20" lcd and the computer buy looking at a base powermac and the 20" Cinema Display. Wow, expensive. Plus I am looking to get past the whole big PC case thing. Then the mac mini is announced. Hmmmm..... Guess what? I price the mac mini with an 20" cinema display (a better display than the iMac) and its cheaper than an iMac. Ahhh.... A nice display that won't go obsolete with the computer and a nice little computer in a small box with weak specs. BUT... I can buy another mac mini in a couple years that is more powerful (assuming they are successful and are still around) in theory I have a nice relatively cheap upgrade path. That cinema display will last years. Another thing is that the iMac is looking like a really crappy buy right now. Panther with iLife 04. Mini will ship with iLife 05. The iMac is very new and we don't know the quality of this unit. So is the minimac, but if its crap it is relatively disposable, but I still have a cinema disply which isn't crap.
 
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Your Mac's Specs
20" iMac C2D 2.16ghz, 13" MacBook 2.0ghz, 60gb iPod vid, 1gb nano
The iMac display and Studio Displays are pretty much the same thing with quality that you won't be able to tell the difference.

iMac G5 will last longer than you think. Mac's last much longer before they are outdated compared to PC's. There are people who are still using 500mhz G4 and have no problems with it. the iMac can easily last 4-5 years if taken care of.

All apple's now ship with iLife 05 so you are getting it with the iMac or mini either way
 
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hmm... seems the mac mini really is only a good option for total newbies and backup mac's for already-maccers. Well the Idea of a second Monitor next to the iMac G5 sounds cool, though it wouldn't look to cool... ugly monitor.

I think I'll go with the iMac. Then the Gutiar Problem will be solved too. I think the little Mac is good for my little brother, if mac works out in my family (they're all hardcore Windows lovers since DOS) ,
 
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Aluminium Macbook 2.4 Ghz 4GB RAM, SSD 24" Samsung Display, iPhone 4, iPad 2
Well you can use your guitar using griffin technology's iMic (around 39$ i think) or better products from tascam (us-122) etc.

If you are looking for a basic machine for iLife use, occasional games I would either get the 17" iMac, Mac Mini, or even consider the iBook.

I throw in the iBook as it is inbetween the 2 price points, could hook up to your 17" monitor and would also be portable...
 
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Aptmunich said:
Well you can use your guitar using griffin technology's iMic (around 39$ i think) or better products from tascam (us-122) etc.

If you are looking for a basic machine for iLife use, occasional games I would either get the 17" iMac, Mac Mini, or even consider the iBook.

I throw in the iBook as it is inbetween the 2 price points, could hook up to your 17" monitor and would also be portable...

Wow... the iBook idea never struck me... but I see it's even slower than a mac mini, processor-wise... So woudl it make much of a difference?

If i have bluetooth in my iBook, will I be able to use an external keyboard? I mean, if I hook up the iBook at home, can I keep it closed and use it like a desktiop?


Then again, an iMac costs me just 500 CHF more wiht the same specs, but a better graphics card and more GB. I also have fleixibility in opening the thing...

And portability isn't really my issue... I might look to buy a good Powerbook for my college days...


EDIT:

I looked at the mac mini again... and I jsut wanted to ask, will the processor speed influence that much? For example when rendering effects in a video. You see, I can get a 1GB Mac Mini for mere 1800 CHF ... which is great, and i'm willing to spend that kind of money.
So what's more important? Ram or CPU? CPU, the mac mini has a better cpu than the iBook or all cheaper Powerbooks. I think there lies the big difference: The iMac has a G5, which is the big whooper. But so many people work with Laptops, G4s, are they going to suck at future Mac Applications?
 

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