Older version of Mac mini buying??

Joined
Dec 29, 2013
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hello all new to this forum and had a little look around the site.

Right I have 2 x Apple TVs in the house and are run of my windows laptop with extranal hard drive which stores all my iTunes media.

Looking at getting a used cheap Mac mini model anything from 2004 onwards I.e cheap ones.

Would a cheap model be ok to run only my iTunes around the house and with using my hard drive for the media?

Sometimes I take my laptop to work so kids can't watch Apple TV.

Hope you guys understand what I'm after,
Cheers
Craig
 

pigoo3

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
44,210
Reaction score
1,418
Points
113
Location
U.S.
Your Mac's Specs
2017 15" MBP, 16gig ram, 1TB SSD, OS 10.15
Looking at getting a used cheap Mac mini model anything from 2004 onwards I.e cheap ones.

Would a cheap model be ok to run only my iTunes around the house and with using my hard drive for the media?

Sometimes I take my laptop to work so kids can't watch Apple TV.

I believe that you want to get at least an "Intel" Mac-Mini. The older G4 Mac-Mini's really aren't as capable. And as far as the Intel Mac-Mini's...I would at least get a Core 2 Duo model.

- Nick
 
OP
C
Joined
Dec 29, 2013
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Thanks for that pigoo3. Gives me an idea when looking, will I need the mouse and key pad?
 

pigoo3

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
44,210
Reaction score
1,418
Points
113
Location
U.S.
Your Mac's Specs
2017 15" MBP, 16gig ram, 1TB SSD, OS 10.15
...will I need the mouse and key pad?

I would think so. How else will you navigate & input stuff??;)

Now if your question really was...do you need an Apple keyboard & mouse?...no. Just about any USB mouse & keyboard will work. But...with an Apple keyboard...you do get the additional functionality of the "specialty keys" on the keyboard (volume control, brightness control, mute, optical drive eject, etc.).

- Nick
 

pigoo3

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
44,210
Reaction score
1,418
Points
113
Location
U.S.
Your Mac's Specs
2017 15" MBP, 16gig ram, 1TB SSD, OS 10.15
I wanted to mention...that if all you needed this Mac-Mini for was to play iTunes stuff (music & maybe videos)...the older & cheaper G4 Mac-Mini's may get the job done.

But when it comes to interfacing with an Apple TV and streaming "stuff" from the internet...a newer Core 2 Duo Intel Mac-Mini is what you want. This is because of more cpu and graphics "horsepower"...as well as hardware & OS compatibility you get with newer Intel Mac-Mini's.

- Nick
 
OP
C
Joined
Dec 29, 2013
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Ok thanks, that's all it would be used got is iTunes for movies around the house with Apple TV, I guess it's a point of you get what you pay for, and looking at around £150 for an used Intel one.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top