The 2008 Mac minis

The 2008 Mini Macs



I know they don't do too well, if any good at all, when playing video games on them. I'm not into playing VGs on computers anyway. I prefer to use Play Stations or X-Boxes.

But what I wanted to know is, will the graphics card or chip in the Mini be great just for photos. I already have a nice LG 19 inch widescreen 3000:1 ratio monitor. Many people have said it's lowsy even for just photos, but most of them are Windows lovers.

If it isn't good enough just for photos, can it be upgraded to something better? nVidia has been my favorite for a long time now, not that it's the best, but it seems to be plenty good enough for me.

Also, what is the equivalent of Word for a Mac? I'm guessing it's called iWork? I'm a bulletin editor for my church, so I needed to know if it comes installed with Leopard, or if I have to buy the the iWork disc separately?

Thanks!

Macropolis said:

But what I wanted to know is, will the graphics card or chip in the Mini be great just for photos.

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It will be perfectly fine for your needs.

Macropolis said:

Also, what is the equivalent of Word for a Mac?

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Word... for Mac.

You could use iWork or MS Office for Mac. Either one would need to be purchased separately.

Whoever said that Minis aren't good for photos doesn't know what they're talking about. Why would Apple (or any other computer company) make a computer for $600 that isn't even good for photos? Silly silly silly....

You can also use NeoOffice. I use this and it works great.

Any graphics card made in at least the last 10 years can display 2D images such as photos in its sleep!

Complex 3D tasks, such as games, are a different matter, but anyone who thinks any computer on sale today can't display photos is either having a laugh or knows even less about technology than my mum. I hope it's the former!

The Mini is not that bad, just with really demanding 3D games and the same as an MacBook of equal specs as they are the same hardware wise. The latest Macbook uses a slightly better Intel Integrated Graphics chipset but it's pretty close.

I tried Windows XP under Bootcamp on my older 1.66 Core Duo mini and games like GTA Vice City and San Andreas played smooth as can be. It's the more demanding type games like Doom III and Quake 4 that I had to turn down the settings but that is to be expected with Integrated graphics. For most anything else it's a VERY fast system. It will handle exactly what you wanted to do with ease.