Mac Mini Questions

symbeonsymbeon
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Hello all.



I am currently thinking about getting a Mac Mini. I am currently using windows exclusively, mainly because I am an avid game player. I am looking for something a little more secure system to surf the net with. I have been considering linux, but I haven't found a distro that I like. Mainly, the windows managers I have tried.



I have heard that the 256MB of RAM that is in the default config is not nearly enough. I was going to to upgrade the system to 512 MB and was thinking about upgrading to the superdrive. Would this give me a descent experience in using OSX? Does it make sense to get the AppleCare Protection Plan for the mini? Seeing that the cost for the system will be about $650, does the $150 for the APP make sense?



Thanks for the help.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    peepeeseepeepeesee Posts: 100member
    It all depends on what you are going to do with your computer - all these people saying 256MB isn't enough for a 600 dollar computer are insane.



    I've use a mini with 256 and it's completely usable. I don't know what these people expect out of 256MB but it does what I think it should and for typical things such as listening to iTunes while ripping a cd , a few tabs open in safari, iChat open, iPhoto open. If you want to edit digital video then yes you want more ram. As a "typical computer" it's just fine.



    No I don't think the applecare is worth it but you can purchase it up to a year from the day you buy your mini so it's up to you. If something is going to break defectively from the factory it's probably going to break within a year anyway and by the time a year passes you will be able to get one off ebay for a few hundred bucks.
  • Reply 2 of 14
    hobbeshobbes Posts: 1,252member
    I think it's well worth the extra $75 to upgrade the RAM, unless you really plan on using the mini *just* for web browsing, plus say, listening to iTunes, and maybe word processing. And not touching the rest of the iLife applications at all. (They'll run, mind you, it just won't be a 100% pleasant experience.)



    AppleCare - eh. Well worth it for laptops. For desktops, it's optional.
  • Reply 3 of 14
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by symbeon

    Seeing that the cost for the system will be about $650, does the $150 for the APP make sense?



    Thanks for the help.



    You have a year warranty anyway, and you can buy the AppleCare later if you choose, as long as it is before the first year is out.



    If you have another computer that could use the 256MB stick that comes with the mini, I'd order it that way and then order a 512 or GB from third-party. If you don't have any use for the 256, let Apple keep it and order the 512.
  • Reply 4 of 14
    symbeonsymbeon Posts: 3member
    Thanks for the responses.



    I am just looking at it for eval purposes now. If I like the OS, HW, etc, I may be replacing my windows box on my next upgrade. I will probably look at installing and doing some things other than just word processing and surfing. Initially, that will be the extent of it, but if I really like the o/s, I'll probably put my apache/php/mysql server on there and do some development. Maybe even look at doing some app programming.



    I thought I read somewhere that the RAM for the Macs needed to be a specific type/manufacturer to work correctly with a Mac MB. Any truth to that?
  • Reply 5 of 14
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by symbeon

    I thought I read somewhere that the RAM for the Macs needed to be a specific type/manufacturer to work correctly with a Mac MB. Any truth to that?



    There's a grain of truth, in that Macs don't tolerate bad or out of spec RAM very well. It's not worth getting the really cheap stuff. Anything else should work fine.



    If it matters, Apple usually gets their RAM from Crucial.
  • Reply 6 of 14
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by symbeon

    Thanks for the responses.



    I thought I read somewhere that the RAM for the Macs needed to be a specific type/manufacturer to work correctly with a Mac MB. Any truth to that?



    Nope. Just standard DDR. Non-ECC, no parity, unbuffered, etc. - the good quality places online will have a memory selector that you can use to make sure. CL3 is what my G5 uses.



    But not the cheap stuff. Apple's pretty tight on the specs.



    EDIT: heh heh great minds think alike.
  • Reply 7 of 14
    skatmanskatman Posts: 609member
    I would not recommend MAC mini if you are used to a modern gaming PC.

    All the mini that I have used, feel unresponsive and slow compared to a modern gaming PC.

    If you want a "more secure" surfing experience, just increase security settings on IE or use something like Firefox with a good antivirus/ antispyware software and use your common sense.
  • Reply 8 of 14
    wingnutwingnut Posts: 197member
    I think you'll be happy, especially after the memory upgrade. If you really get to liking it, you can upgrade the HD for some real kick. For what I've done so far, I'm pretty happy with the mini I own. If you're willing to accept that games aren't a real possibility, the mini will do you well.
  • Reply 9 of 14
    ibook911ibook911 Posts: 607member
    With 512 MB of memory, you should enjoy your Mac Mini!
  • Reply 10 of 14
    john.outwaterjohn.outwater Posts: 116member
    A mini with 512 MB of Ram sounds great. Especially if you are keeping you gaming pc. Though it is just bad adverstising to mislead people by showing them stuff this. Trying to say that a mini can play Halo is just ridiculous.
  • Reply 11 of 14
    thomazthomaz Posts: 42member
    Well i think the mini is not bad thing.I would look into a older g4 powermac with a agpx2,x4 slot on ebay they just have so much more room to grow.Plus with u being a pc user u must like adding stuff along the way.I know i do.
  • Reply 12 of 14
    xflarexflare Posts: 199member
    Bear in mind the rumours that Apple will be releasing OSX 10.4 Tiger in less than a month - and that they may increase the amount of RAM on their machines to 512mb.
  • Reply 13 of 14
    thomazthomaz Posts: 42member
    now with that said why don't they upgrade all there high up system with 1 gig after all there not using high performace ram there just using ddr400 @cas 3,3,3
  • Reply 14 of 14
    jtblqjtblq Posts: 86member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by john.outwater

    A mini with 512 MB of Ram sounds great. Especially if you are keeping you gaming pc. Though it is just bad adverstising to mislead people by showing them stuff this. Trying to say that a mini can play Halo is just ridiculous.



    true...

    i haven't given it a try yet...

    hmm...
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