iMac intel or wait for an updated Mac mini?
I've decided I'd like to update my G4 iMac and really like the specs on the new iMac G5, but wonder if I should wait for an update for the Mac mini.
My den is small and I may be better off with a mini and a nice sized LCD panel. This option would probably cost me less money, too.
What's the likelyhood of having an intel core duo in the mini later this year?
What advantages does the iMac have over a mini?
They both ship with the same software and I could even
get a mini with a superdrive.
For now my iMac G4 (700mhz) is working fine and I have a newer iBook G4 (1.42mhz) with a superdrive. My in-laws will inherit the iMac G4 but can wait until this summer or fall before they need a new computer.
My den is small and I may be better off with a mini and a nice sized LCD panel. This option would probably cost me less money, too.
What's the likelyhood of having an intel core duo in the mini later this year?
What advantages does the iMac have over a mini?
They both ship with the same software and I could even
get a mini with a superdrive.
For now my iMac G4 (700mhz) is working fine and I have a newer iBook G4 (1.42mhz) with a superdrive. My in-laws will inherit the iMac G4 but can wait until this summer or fall before they need a new computer.
Comments
Originally posted by briang5000
I've decided I'd like to update my G4 iMac and really like the specs on the new iMac G5, but wonder if I should wait for an update for the Mac mini.
My den is small and I may be better off with a mini and a nice sized LCD panel. This option would probably cost me less money, too.
What's the likelyhood of having an intel core duo in the mini later this year?
What advantages does the iMac have over a mini?
They both ship with the same software and I could even
get a mini with a superdrive.
For now my iMac G4 (700mhz) is working fine and I have a newer iBook G4 (1.42mhz) with a superdrive. My in-laws will inherit the iMac G4 but can wait until this summer or fall before they need a new computer.
A few things that might help you out in your decision making...
1) Do you need a new computer now? If not, then you probably want to wait till the summer to see what they do with the mini. It'll certainly switch to intel sometime this year, but it probably won't have a Core Duo in it. More than likely it'll be the single core version
2) The mini with an LCD option will only cost less if you don't buy an Apple branded LCD. You also have to realize that the footprint of a mini with an LCD will be slightly larger than the footprint of an iMac. IF you're really concerned about it, take measurements of your desk and then go to an Apple store and take measurements
3) It also depends on what you're doing on the computer. If you're using the internet, Office, Mail and a few other programs, the mini may suit you just fine, but if you wanna dabble in photoshop or do any editing in the iLife apps, you may want to consider the more powerful iMac. A mac mini with 1 GB of RAM and a superdrive with a 17 or 20" LCD would be a sweet set up, but may end up not saving you any money.
4) You said you like the iMac G5 ... you're not talking about the intel one, right? The G5 itself is still a pretty damn fine machine. I bought one 2 days before the intel switch and I decided to stick with it, rather than run everything through rosetta for a while. The 1.9 GHz G5 is a speedy little processor, and with the 1.5GB of RAM I have in it, I don't see the spinning beach ball of death nearly as much as I saw it on my 1GHz G4. Its a fun computer, great to play with and powerful enough to suit your computing needs for a while. Even the graphics card is repectable enough to crank up Unreal Tournament or Halo and make you think ... FINALLY ... NO MORE LAGGING!!!
5) The iMac has front row and photobooth, the only two apps not available on the mini (or any other Mac right now...) As I said, it's all how you percieve your usage and how much power and speed you need. The iMac is a great deal (and the 20" has now been cut to $1499) if you decide you want it. The intel iMacs are here to stay and more and more stuff will eventually move to Universal Binaries. I don't think the G5 will last into the summer for a decision though. Apple will probably kill the product line right around then.
Have fun grappling with the decision ... I know its not an easy one! Let us know if you have any more questions!
Chris
I like the current iMac Intel and the iMac G5, but don't really need a new desktop right now.
My iBook G4 is only a few months old and handles the iLife apps very well.
The den computer would primarily be used for word processing and web surfing.
Another reason I think I may opt for the mini and a nice sized LCD would be because down the road I could always replace the mini with a tower.
You're right on the price. By the time I add RAM, SuperDrive, and an LCD, mouse, keyboard, and speakers -- I'm not that far from the price of an iMac.
I can't judge the mini because you never know if it will be a intel update or a total revamp of the machine.