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Mac Mini-Probably the best Mac I've owned - Printable Version

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Mac Mini-Probably the best Mac I've owned - Grumpyguy - 06-05-2014

I think I've owned some great Macs, including the Mac Plus, a beige G3, a 2009 MBP, and my 2010 Mac Mini.

For its size, it has more power than my G5 tower it replace. It is compact, quiet, powerful, and has 8 gigs of ram.

In general, coupled with OS X, the Mac Mini is almost a light switch. It is always there, always works.

Sure, I'd like the latest and greatest (I'll hold out for the next update), but at least the next version of OS X is compatible with both my Macs.


Re: Mac Mini-Probably the best Mac I've owned - OWC Jamie - 06-05-2014

I'll own one some day.


Re: Mac Mini-Probably the best Mac I've owned - Buzz - 06-05-2014

runs like a finely tuned watch, eh...?


Re: Mac Mini-Probably the best Mac I've owned - IronMac - 06-05-2014

Very strong praise from someone named Grumpyguy!


Re: Mac Mini-Probably the best Mac I've owned - Grumpyguy - 06-05-2014

Confusedmiley-laughing001:
Buzz wrote:
runs like a finely tuned watch, eh...?



Re: Mac Mini-Probably the best Mac I've owned - clay - 06-05-2014

I agree...mine has been quite reliable (other than the failed power supply). Nice balance of power and energy efficiency and small size.


Re: Mac Mini-Probably the best Mac I've owned - sekker - 06-05-2014

If you don't need the graphics, it's a nice machine.

We have three at work, two run without a monitor attached (one is a server, another is a number cruncher).

I've been considering getting an SSD boot drive for the number cruncher (which has 16GB RAM).

With external TB cases starting to get reasonable, I might just get a 1TB Crucial SSD and install that instead.

The server replaced a venerable G4 (which we still have). The cost of the mac mini is going to be close to covered by the power savings for that 365/24/7 machine (the G4 was pretty power hungry). When I purchased it, I figured 1/3 of the cost was covered by lower electricity in 3 years; it's now 5 years old (or maybe 6?), and doing great.

The fact that you can put up to 2 SSD internal drives in the latest model, with USB3 AND TB; I think it will go down as an Apple classic, as I think the next model will lose all of this user-upgradability and/or fewer built-in ports.


Re: Mac Mini-Probably the best Mac I've owned - tenders - 06-05-2014

I have adored my 2006 Mini, which has been upgraded out the wazoo, for all the same reasons.

But the filthiest, sneakiest, best Mac I've ever owned is my Dell Mini 9, vintage 2009. An SSD before they were mainstream...tinier even than an MBA...no moving parts except the keyboard...faster than an iPad...and cheaper than any OS X machine ever produced by Apple.

Slicker than warm snot on a brass doorknob, as we used to say in the Navy.


Re: Mac Mini-Probably the best Mac I've owned - mrlynn - 06-05-2014

Isn't the Mini basically a laptop in a box without a screen?

One reason I bought my 27" iMac back in 2010, rather than a Mini + monitor, is that people here said that while the Mini used basically small laptop components, the iMac was a genuine grown-up computer.

/Mr Lynn


Re: Mac Mini-Probably the best Mac I've owned - Mr645 - 06-05-2014

I like my Mini so far. But I have been fortunate, all of my Macs have been great, long lasting machines.

This i7 Mini replaces a Power Mac G5 dual 2.5 which would still be running if it were not for lack of software updates for PPC machines. Still has plenty of power. Before that a dual 1.0 G4, again was a great machine until one of the upgraded CPUs failed (1.25 cpus clocked at 1.33), and before that a Power Center Pro that was a beast as well